Friday, September 11

The End

I am more than home now. The internship and it's adventures have come to an end. There are many stories I haven't included and many more experiences that are likely missing from the blog simply because recanting every single waking moment just isn't that fun to read. I hope of what I have included, it's been an enjoyable read!

Thursday, September 10

Home Again?

Where is home? It has been St. John for the last few months. Now, it will be Alexandria, again.

The day began early. Mister Al picked us up at the hotel and drove us the short distance to the airport. Already sweltering hot just after 6:00am, we were dripping with sweat by the time we got to the check-in counter. The sun crested over the hills and showered us with light while we waited to unload our luggage and get through the check-in process, all of which is outside.

A welcome gush of crisp air blew our way when we stepped through the sliding glass doors into the Customs and Border Patrol area. A few trips to Jost Van Dyke were my only times away from US soil and not part of my current travel arrangements. It seems weird that we had to clear customs, since we were traveling from the US to the US, but I guess a lot of travelers will enter the Caribbean islands without getting the proper paperwork completed. Finally, we gave the five bags to the airline and were able to get some breakfast, after getting scanned and cleared through security. The food court was small but had plenty of choices. There were also liquor and small jewelry counters in the terminal waiting area. Our gate was easy to find amongst the less than a dozen available gates. In the food court, mom picked out a johnny cake with cheese and a side of bacon. I got a beef pate. Of the pate I've had, it was ok. I will miss being able to grab a pate for a tasty snack. Think beignet stuffed with seasoned meat (think also, hot picket, but tastier and fried). I also picked up a coffee. I used the machine that should produce tasty coffee with the press of a button (mixing powder and water). The cup of coffee was disgusting and while the button had indicated “mocha,” it tasted like stale chocolate and chalky water. Mom's coffee was a bit tastier. I guess next time I'll try a sip before I get the 20 oz. size, which in my case made the cup cost 3 times more than usual. For $12, I had a cup of something kind of gross, which I threw in the trash about half a sip later.

To board the plane, we had to walk outside and climb about 20 stairs to get into the plane. Non-stop service to Miami followed by a flight to DC filled the rest of the day. Watching the green hills and Caribbean seas disappear into the clouds filled me with a deep ache. I don't think I've ever been so upset to see clouds. I don't deny it will be fantastic to be home again, but I will seriously miss St. John. I've had a deep ache in my chest the past few days; knowing I'd be leaving was one of the worst feelings I've had in a long time.

On land again in DC, we met Dad after getting our luggage. Almost immediately, I was alarmed by the way Dad was driving- on the wrong side of the road (wrong to me). Driving on the right again will be something I've got to get used to, surprisingly. Off the plane, I'm feeling cold and grumpy.

A few hours had all of my items unpacked and mail sorted. The stress of travel is managed well with a good workout. I hit the gym right away, climbing and scaling the walls again at Sportrock. It felt awesome to see everyone again and do some climbing!

After climbing, I went to the grocery store. Holy molasses! The prices at Giant are mind-blowing to someone who has just been living in the Caribbean. For the $5.95 I usually spend on a bag of oreos (sad that it's a usual item, eh?), it was only $2.99! Creamer---normally $5, was $3.50. Yogurt, also in the $5-$6 range was only $3! Gah!!!! It's nice that eggs no longer cost $5 per dozen. I stared at all the price tags in shock and by the time I got to the register the shock and awe began to wear off as I paid my $50 for a huge basket full of goodies.

Jennie came over for a minute around dinnertime and then we decided to go over to her place for dinner, since she'd got some Chinese food from the Magic Wok. I drove over with her to pick up the order and then followed her back to her place. With her mom and dad, we ate deliciousness in the form of chinese food packed into those trademark white food containers. Jennie loved her bottle of guava rum and really enjoyed the t-shirt I got her from the Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park. The definition of the word friend on the back was all too perfect!

Got home from dinner later than I anticipated and finally got to meet up with Becca! She came over for a short spell and we caught up as she sampled her guava rum. Becca and Jennie both enjoyed the sweet fruity guava rum with fruit juice, on ice. Thinking I could hardly stay awake around 9pm, I went on to stay awake until around 2am, unpacking, everything. I didn't realize how much stuff I'd left behind until I went to put away what I had in my suitcases and realized there was no place to put things! I have too much junk! I eventually did get all of my things to fit in drawers and closets. I'm hoping I don't have the Hollywood-style closet explosion next time I open one of my dresser drawers.

Wednesday, September 9

Departure

Small Disclaimer: Imagine a sheepish smile on my face. I forgot to post the last few days of my time in the islands until the first day of October... I apologize if some of the posts are shorter or a bit different stylistically or otherwise.

Tomorrow, we fly. I'm stressed, anxious, and still in denial. The suitcases just barely fit into the car, but I figure it's alright that I have so many bags, since they're more like my moving boxes, but with wheels and nylon.

After the workout that was lifting all the bags, we headed down the hill for breakfast at the Deli Grotto. Then, we headed deeper into the island to drop off my fridge items with Keith and Breslin. They were the lucky recipients of all the perishables, condiments, and tasty treats that I haven't been able to eat or use. I think they got a pretty good stash of things – a handful of tuna cans, some whole grains, frozen veggies, and a load of spices and seasonings.

Wrapping up my final day, I walked around the Biosphere and said many goodbyes, all of which were sad. I hugged as many people as possible. For lunch, mom and I headed back to Mongoose Junction for a sandwich at the Deli, where a few people from the park were having their mid-day meal. Keith joined us for my last few hours on the island.

After eating, I stopped at the Friend's store and got Jennie a most awesome t-shirt. Then, we walked over to the dive shop where I got my dive log stamped. The day continued somewhat busily as we hustled to return the car, unload bags at the ferry dock, and board the ferry to downtown. I've not yet been on the ferry to Charlotte Amalie. It was a nice ride with great views of cays and islands not normally visible from the other ferry to Red Hook. On our ride, a few boobies flew overhead, as if chasing the bow of the ferry boat. I wearily watched them overhead, hoping no bird would unleash any waste materials onto our heads.

Our bags and luggage wheeled across the street into the back of a taxi, which then took us to the Island Beachcomber, which was just far enough that we needed a taxi instead of walking. The Island Beachcomber is nestled right next a Best Western and the Airport, on the beach, and split apart from the main part of town in Charlotte Amalie. The beachcomber rates for locals are fantastic. With proof of residency in St. John, I happily forked over the reduced rate in the form of a plastic card. We got to the room and it was quite warm. No AC? I asked the front desk and we were moved to another room, which then had a very chilled atmosphere. We eventually figured out how to turn down the AC and get the room to a more comfortable 72 degrees. Right away, we switched into our bathing suits and headed for the beach. A few short strides away, the water was warm and enjoyable. Of course, I'm biased and feel like the beaches in St. John are a thousand times better. The water here was a little cloudier (had a hard time seeing my toes when I was neck deep) and the view out to sea not as marvelous. It was still a fantastic beach (compared to back home or on the east coast).

After our bathing, we really bathed, washed up and headed out for dinner. The nearest suitable spot for dinner was actually the Italian place at the Best Western, Portabella's. Wow! I don't think I've had real restaurant-style Italian food in a long time. I miss having garlic and buttery cheeses melted over pastas and red sauces. At Portobella's we had a most tasty dinner. Some Cavit Pinot Grigio (oh man do I love it) and Ravioli for me, Lasagna for mom was most full-filling. Also, we saw a wedding while swimming on the beach earlier. Now at the restaurant, we saw the same couple enjoying their dinner. After our wine and Italian food, bedtime lured us to the room. We made it back to the Island Beachcomber by sand (parallel to the street). Within seconds Mom and I expired for the day and fell asleep.

Tuesday, September 8

Discover SCUBA and Drunk Bay

Small fiasco where I could not remember where I'd put the key to our rental. I fished through every bag and got increasingly frustrated. It's humbling when you forget where you've placed something. We did find the key and we were off. Down the hill, we enjoyed a tasty breakfast at the Deli Grotto once again. For just two coffees and a breakfast item or two, it's hard to get away for anything less than around $25. We both got the Sunshine Day Dream and I know I'll miss the breakfast sandwich greatly once I'm home again.

We set off in the direction of the dive shop after parking the car right outside The Beach Bar. Our dive sites were Little Saint James and Cow Rock, two sites I've never been to before. At Little Saint James, Mom got to SCUBA dive for the first time, ever! The dive was short and shallow, but she did it! I do mean short and I do mean shallow, though. Mom's not exactly a natural born Jaques Custeau, but I think after some more practice and time in the water with SCUBA gear, she could be crawling the bottom and playing with the lobster in no time.

For the second dive, we headed to Cow Rock, where I joined Mary and George for the dive. Mom stayed on the surface and snorkeled around the rock and back to the boat. Cow has the most amazing swim-throughs, filled with enormous lobster, corals, and fish hiding in the shadows. After you emerge, you can see your bubbles sneaking out through tiny holes, bleeding bubbles to the surface. I didn't see it, but someone else caught a glimpse of a reef shark. Ironically, we were on the hunt to see one the entire dive. I did however, see a sting ray floating across the sandy bottom. It was a fantastic dive and I felt a great sigh of happiness and sadness, knowing it will be my last dive in the Caribbean for a while.

As if two dives and a morning on the boat weren't enough to fill our day, we only were half-started. Mom and I enjoyed a lunch at Woody's, getting the grilled mahi sandwich and curly fries, with a corona. I know my mouth will water just thinking about this lunch, when I'm far away in Alexandria and without a Woody's to satiate my hunger. It's always delicious to enjoy a fish sandwich for lunch after a morning of diving. After some time perusing the stores around Wharfside Village, mom found a beautiful ring she had a hard time leaving in the store. We picked up a gift for her friend Gail and stuck our faces against more glass display cases. We did a few errands, which included me getting my final paycheck at Low Key Watersports (insert sad face) and taking it to the bank here on the island. We got some extra gas for the rental car (just over 2 gallons for $7) after our shopping and erranding around the shop. With a more full gas tank and still wearing our suits from the boat, we drove off.

We cruised around the island, enjoying the four wheel drive in the Suzuki Grand Vitara. Our next stop after lunch was the Love City Mini Mart. We got a bottle of Cruzan Coconut Rum (it's a whole dollar cheaper here than at Starfish! Crazy!), a coke for me, and ginsing up for mom. She says it's like carbonated apple juice. Drove to Lameshur where I showed mom my favorite ruins. The beveled window looking out to Little Lameshur Bay is fantastic. From there, we continued, driving to Salt Pond Bay's parking area. The 0.6 mile walk downhill was fairly easy. We found a shady spot near a picnic bench and swam around Salt Pond Bay. Mom filled up her empty bottle of Ginsing Up with sand from the beach. We decided to walk the extra 0.3 miles to Drunk Bay. Passing between large bushes, slightly overgrown vegetation, and the salt pond, we nearly collided with several cactus. As is the tradition when you visit Drunk Bay, we built our coral people. I started out with a figure for Kevin, since when we were here we didn't know that when you visit, you're supposed to create your own coral person. Then, I made mine, for the last visit. For the current visit, I made another, and so did Mom. Hers was the best of all four. We walked back to Salt Pond Bay for more swimming, just as dusk approached. The sand flies, no-see-ums, and other biting flies came out in full force, since we had the beach to ourselves, the bugs found us extra-appetizing. We quickly hauled it back up the hill in time to escape more bites. In the trunk, we extracted the jug full of fresh water and showered in the parking lot. After changing out of our suits we drove back into Coral Bay. We ate a tasty and delicious dinner at AquaBistro. Skipping the booze, we ordered Coke. I got the Gyro (out of this world kind of tasty) and mom got the Flatbread Pizza, which was also good. During the drive home, mom made it apparent that the inding roads are not her favorite part of the island. I was more hoping she'd feel like she was in a non-stop amusement park.

Got back to the house just in time for a few minutes of light. I rinsed off my SCUBA gear for one last time and dunked them in some diluted bleach water. Hopefully by noontime-ish tomorrow, the items will all be dry. We got back to the house and in a fury, we packed up all of our alcohol/duty-free rum goodness, clothes, and everything but what we need for tomorrow and Thursday. I figure it's much easier to pack at night, just before bed, so when you're exhausted after packing, you are already due for bedtime. We both felt quite tired from our big and long day anyway, so it was a bit like hitting the wall for me when I got through the first bag of luggage. Between us (this is mostly my fault), there are five large bags and two bookbags. That's a lot of stuff. I did live here for three months, though, so these bags are more like moving boxes than luggage. With bags packed, I emptied out the fridge, took out the trash, and threw in a final load of laundry.

On a side note: during her time here, Mom has seen mongoose, soldier crab, donkey, goat, lizards, pearly-eyed thrasher, seagull, ants, termites, fish, corals, and more.

Monday, September 7

Touring The Island: Tourists For a Day

Woke up just after first light and checked on the status of our sunburns. Mine is largely tan now. Mom is less fortunate. At any rate, we both slathered on a thick layer of aloe vera to quench our skin's thirst. With a small bowl of granola and yogurt out of the way, we loaded up the special honey baked ham for Thomas into our pack and walked down the hill. Mom really prefers walking down the hill via paved road, and enjoys less the rocky and uneven Lind Point Trail.

Real breakfast at Deli Grotto: the must-visit place for a tasty breakfast burrito and your morning coffee. Mom and I sat with our daily cup of wake-up and passed the time until we could head for the Hospitality Car Rental office to pick up our rental for the rest of the week. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we might get a Jeep. I'm anxious to start showing her places around Northshore Rd. and along the way, stop at Keith's, where there is a gathering going on starting around noon today. Yay for Labor Day! I think we'll go make a special trip to Starfish market to pick up a tasty bottle of wine. My latest favorite wine is Barefoot's Cabernet Savignon. I've not ever been one that is too fond of wine, especially reds, but I've found this one is more than tasty. I could likely drink an entire bottle to myself, if left alone with a wine glass and a full bottle.

Got the car, not at the initially planned 9am, but a little after. Thomas was extremely happy about getting the Ham. He was all smiles and very pleased. We drove off with the car and the favor was immediately returned with a nice gesture of maybe letting us have the car for extra time or without having to worry about refilling the tank. I wish we could use the car for another day! Too bad we'll need to go into St. Thomas then night before we leave- the car won't do us much good on Thursday unless we could leave it at the airport.

Got the car, went to get a bottle of wine for Keith. Stopped at Shop and signed up Mom to go diving tomorrow! She'll be doing Discover SCUBA Diving (DSD) and I'll be fun-diving.

With the car I was ready to start cruising the roads. We drove along Northshore Rd. and stopped at all the overlooks and beaches possible. I got to even show mom Island Fancy! There's someone living there now, so he let us inside so she could see my old bedroom. I still felt like I was getting home when I walked through the house. She got to see the views and smell the air. We talked to the new resident and had a great time. Then we drove over to Maho Bay Camps and mom got to see one of the tents there that are part of their accommodations. It's very spartan.

We continued East and drove all the way to the end of the road at the East End, to Sloop Jones' studio. He's closed for September. It's a shame since Mom was quite excited to see his place and collection of shirts and other items I'd e-mailed her about. We turned around and decided to make our way back toward Cinnamon. However, by this time, we'd both skipped lunch and were getting kind of hungry. We went into Lily's Market in Coral Bay and got some goodies, BBQ chips for Mom and Babybel semisoft cheese for me, and sodas for us both. I do love those little cheese wheels wrapped in wax.

Drove to Keiths and joined the fun being had on his beach. We sailed the sunfish, swam around Cinnamon Bay, had some awesome pulled pork sandwiches, and enjoyed the sunshine. On my sandwich, I added a few drops of Miss Anne's hot sauce... the number one ingredient is habanero peppers. It's hot. Mixed with some bbq sauce, it ended up making a pretty mild few bites. As the sun started disappearing over the horizon, the boat left the bay and Ronnie started the trip to return it to Maho Bay. As the crowd thinned we followed suit and headed home for the night. Rinsed off and fresh feeling (it does feel amazing when you rinse off the crusty salt water), we went back to Starfish Gourmet & Wines and picked up our fill of duty-free spirits. I got three bottles of guava rum, one dark rum, and one light rum, all Cruzan. Mom got her blackstrap Cruzan (actually she got that at Lily's Market in Coral Bay), some Pineapple, Mango, and Black Cherry Cruzan, and Jim Beam Whiskey on top of that. She has six bottles total. I can't remember her sixth bottle, but I bet it is something tasty. Oh I know! It's the Coconut rum we haven't picked up yet (see tomorrrow's post). Then, we went in search of a proper dinner. We found Morgan's Mango open and not crowded. Mom enjoyed the recommended Hurricane Hugo. I also ordered and enjoyed a Hurricane Hugo. Something about that drink makes it very easy for me to fall asleep at night. We both got the special appetizer, which was 4oz. of sashimi quality tuna with a rockin' spicy wasabi sauce and yummy soy and ginger sauce drizzled across the plate. The meal of an appetizer was tasty and hit the spot. We glugged down the drinks and felt happiness with each sip. I love drinks that taste like strawberry puree.

Sunday, September 6

Soggy Dollar Bar, Jost Van Dyke, BVI!

A wholly delicious day. Two delicious coffees and a breakfast burrito from the Deli Grotto for second breakfast. First breakfast was a few hours earlier, which consisted of yogurt and granola. Between first and second breakfast, we headed down the trail to Salomon Beach and swam around, doing a little bit of snorkeling. The water, as usual, was quite clear and lovely. We toweled off in time to walk down the trail into Cruz Bay.

After our second breakfast was complete, we walked down to the ferry dock. There, we met Ilya, one of our crew for the day. We happily hopped on the dinghy and shortly thereafter, boarded the Dream Weaver and met our captain, Jini. Once everyone was on board, we set sail for Jost Van Dyke. Sailing and sunbathing through the morning is really one of the best ways to pass one's morning. Mom got to man the wheel for a good distance. When the sails are tightly held and full of wind, you can hear a whistling sound. The scream of wind howling past lets you know you've got the wind fully harnessed. Mom produced much whistling with her steering. During the sail, we met our fellow passengers, which consisted of some Cruzans (St. Croix folks) from Ohio, who were very interesting people. One of the girls on the boat happens to have worked for David Letterman as his personal assistant. Of course, she has some very excellent people in her social circles and it was very entertaining to hear her talk about having a drink with folks like Jennifer Aniston and Cameron Diaz. Of course, these people are famous, but they are people too, and they are fully capable of sitting around having a nice “regular” chat over some cocktails. It was refreshing to hear that even with extreme fame and/or fortune, they're still very accessible and human. It is awesome that you can get thrown on a boat with random strangers for 7+ hours and end up getting along with them quite happily. It may have just been the painkillers, or the cool island breeze, but man, I love new meeting people down here.

Sometime around noon, we arrived at Grand Harbor, Jost Van Dyke, to clear Her Majesty's Customs, and swim into White Bay. The beach is phenomenal. Soggy Dollar Bar was alive and well. Mic fixed us two painkillers straightaway and then we hit the lovely gift shop for our Soggy paraphernalia. Mom found a bright yellow hooded-zip sweatshirt, we both got some slap-koozies, stickers (I do love stickers), and a surprise for Dad.

For lunch: two orders of chicken roti and garden salad. Wonderful and splendid to share things like roti with Mom now that she's in the Caribbean, too. I am also excited to show her some pate and a mahi sandwich from Woody's. If you've never had roti, I should do some explaining. The roti here in the Caribbean is like a curry. With raisins, spices, curries, and other ingredients I don't know about, mixed with chicken (bone-in or bone-out), the dish is a must-try if you're around the area. I suggest bone-in if you like sucking on a tasty bone until it's nothing more than a toothpick. There are so many tasty places to eat, I don't think we'll have time to visit them all before it's time to go home. I'll make sure no meal is wasted on silly places, though, that's for sure. Somewhere in the mix, and after two painkillers, we settled up the tab. I suppose life was feeling very wonderful, because after I paid the bill (long afterward), I realized that I paid about $28 too many for our drinks and lunch. I guess our tab was mixed-in with the rest of the boat and someone probably thought they got a free lunch or free drink during the trip. At any rate, I'm not terribly worried about it- it was a fabulous time that was had by all on the boat, and especially at Soggy Dollar! Mom really loved the day, although as it wore on, we started noticing our pale skin was turning a bit more red. The sunblock must have either been expired or nowhere near strong enough. We both got “boint” (read: burnt with accent). By the time we got home, the redness was more fully set-in. A few layers of aloe gel will do the trick! I'm hoping mine turns brown by tomorrow. Last time I had a burn of this quality pink/red, I found that the very next day, all pink was gone and I appeared more in the tan spectrum. Mom hasn't had as much sun this summer, so I hope she does well to not turn red and peel, although as a tourist, it wouldn't be the first or the last time it's happened. We even have a tree on the island named the tourist tree- because it turns red (the bark) and peels. Hehe.

Tomorrow, we get to pick up the rental car and begin driving around the island. I think giving le grand tour of the island is one part of Mom's visit I've been most excited about, both for the joy of sharing “keep left” and all the beautiful sights within the park, including the beaches and ruins. Heck, I'm excited to have her here, period- she gets to see Jost Van Dyke, most of the island, a handful of beaches, a few great restaurants, lots of smiling faces, several good friends, and the place I've fallen in love with and called home the past three months.

Saturday, September 5

Mom's Here!!!

What a rain! The skies emptied today. Rain came in sideways through the jalousie windows. As the rain poured onto our wireless router positioned near the window, I jumped into action. I moved the router onto dryer counter-tops and then noticed the spare bed we've got sitting in the living area was also getting a dousing of rain. I pushed it around on the floor to get it away from the window. A GIANT scorpion was left hiding in the corner between the wall and the floor. Two inches of mean scorpion tail were staring at me. I don't want to get stung by the critter so I went back to my room to grab my zapping racquet. By the time I returned from the other room, the scorpion was gone! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I do not find him again in less favorable circumstances.


Yesterday:
Ater work, I went out to AquaBistro for my evening Budweiser and to hang out with good friends. There was a funny joke I heard at the bar from one of our favorite bartenders: “Looking for a job with big tips? Circumsize Elephants.” It may be a bit colorful to share on this blog but it made me laugh in a deep belly-jiggling kind of way, so I just had to share it!

After AquaBistro, we headed into town and for the first time, I had some Chinese food from Lucky Pagoda here in Cruz Bay. Keith and Breslin came over to enjoy the good eats and indeed, the Kung Pao Chicken and fried rice with a spring roll were a great dinner. I think they each ordered General Tao's Chicken, which they also enjoyed.

Today:
I woke up and gazed out the window. There is rain today. Lots of rain. I debated on the topic
of when and how I should get down to Cruz Bay and the ferry dock, since eventually, I need to meet mom after she gets off the ferry. It's wet out there. I grabbed my dry bag reluctantly (it's leaked the last few times I've used it) and then my raincoat. I walked down the trail that I know well and avoided the guts and drainage streams easily. The red flowing muddy water gushed downhill. The image of the flooding trail catapulted me into imaginations of the lives described in the book I've been reading, Death in Grand Canyon. These small streams of runoff appear harmless to me, but is that how those ill-fated people regarded the small eddys and rapids as they rode down the Colorado? St. John's water-filled guts are not quite the Colorado, but I've heard flooding can get quite nasty when the cisterns start over-flowing island-wide. I let my thoughts wander to what might happen if I, clad in my Chaco's, stepped into one of these streams of water and was carried off down the hill into Cruz Bay. The vision turned comedic, as I'd likely just get dumped onto a concrete roadway and then the marina with its 2 feet deep water. After every possible thread of my shorts was soaked, I finally arrived at Mongoose Junction. I think I chose the most absorbent shorts possible for this trip. I hovered over the toilet at the Deli and wrung out my shorts. A few cups of water dripped out into the bowl. That's a lot of water for a pair of shorts. They are still quite soaked and I'm thinking a few hours at the Air Conditioned Deli will lend itself well to leaving here with somewhat dryer clothes. My top stayed entirely dry, as the Mountain Hardwear Conduit material is space-age with its water proof qualities. My dry bag fared far worse. Last time I opened the dry bag (Soggy Dollar visit with Kevin when he was here) was after a short swim. I opened the bag and water had collected all around the top of the bag, which then flowed into the bag as soon as I had opened it. This time I precariously opened the bag, wiped it dry, then reached a napkin into the bag to dry out the immediate inside, while carefully keeping the bag horizontal, so as to avoid any water from being gravitationally pulled into the bag. It was somewhat silly looking, if anybody were paying me any attention. Fortunately, things in the bag stayed dry, which this time, included my phone, laptop, wallet, and camera. I may have to consider some alternate dry bag or dry box for future excursions.

I love knowing a place well enough that you feel happy to see a familiar face. I greeted the usual folks working at the Deli Grotto and filled up my large coffee. I do love getting my coffee here. Usually I'm here by 8am. Today, the time was closer to noon. I was jokingly reminded that I was late. I felt happy at hearing the comment. I got my cup filled with delicious French Vanilla, cream, and sugar. Next, I enjoyed my plain bagel toasted with cream cheese. Delicious. Nearly an hour after plopping down here at the Deli, I'm still quite drippy in the shorts. I suppose I will need the help of a real mechanical dryer if I expect to completely dry out anytime soon.

In the Deli, I came across more familiar faces! The group I had been diving with last while at Low Key Watersports was in full force at the Grotto! The group of travelers greeted me and re-thanked me for an excellent time diving this past week. I was only sad to report that I didn't get to go out with them on Thursday, as they had requested; I'm not in charge of scheduling. They all agreed that their diving had been quite fantastic and truly appreciated my help during the three times that I helped each of them with the small rescues that took place on our trip. It was noted that my professionalism was spot-on. I owe this mostly to Kim and Jake. Yay for having such fantastic dive instructors back at the Scuba Club at Virginia Tech! I will definitely need to call Jake and Kim and share the story of the dive with them soon.

Mom and I have been playing tag over text and voicemail. Looks like she was a bit slow getting into Miami, with delays on the runway, waiting to get into a gate. From there, there were delays with flights leaving Miami, due to the rain. I imagine they are talking about the rain that is hovering over St. Thomas right now. The rain, based on satellite images, looks to be torrential. With 4 inches expected in about 2 hours, looking at the most non-conservative estimates, that's a lot of water. I'm eager to have Mom get on the island and start enjoying the tropics. Hopefully, by the time she gets here, it will dry up a little and she can see some of the glorious sunshine!

After the Deli, I walked over to Starfish Market to pick up a few rolls of toilet paper. Fabulously, I stumbled across a hot dog eating contest! In three minutes, grown adults wolfed down as many hot dogs as possible to compete for a shopping spree at Starfish Market. The winner consumed 8 hot dogs in the allotted three minutes and then ate two more in celebration of his win. At one point he was double-fisting with the hotdogs. I enjoyed a complimentary hot dog (don't worry, I didn't participate) and a cold Heineken. At the Book and Bean, I got some thank you cards for folks at the park that have helped me have a great internship. There's no favor too small to warrant a thank you card. From the marketplace, I ventured back down the hill to the ferry. With plenty of time still until Mom would arrive, I hung out at the visitor center for a short while. Weather reports indicate the storms are going to stay away for a short pause, but more rain should pour down later this evening. I'm hoping the break in the clouds is long enough to get the luggage from the ferry to the house.

While continuing the wait (the day sure turned out to be a lot of waiting), I grabbed a bottle of juice from the Bayside Mini Mart. I don't think I've been in that mini mart but a handful of times. They do carry one of my favorite juices- Nantucket Nectars' Pomegranate Pear. I wonder if I can get that at the grocery next time I'm there. Nothing quite like a satisfying bottle of juice.

During the final moments of waiting for Mom's arrival, I checked in with Jini on the Dream Weaver. We're still a go for tomorrow's trip to Jost Van Dyke. Yeah! for painkillers and beautiful sandy beaches.

Sometime about an hour or so after I thought she'd arrive, mom did finally step off the ferry and onto St. John. The reality that I'm closer to home is hard to grasp. With mom's visit comes the joy of sharing such a neat place, but also the terrible knowledge that it's coming to an end.

We found a temporary home for the luggage at Slim's lot and continued on to the Beach Bar. There, we met up with Keith and Breslin for some cocktails and a bite to eat. Of course, Mom was starving after a day spent traveling. We got cheeseburgers, which were tasty. I ordered a bushwhacker for mom (I think either Beach Bar or Morgan's Mango have the best bushwhackers, of what I've tried). For me, a Lime & Coconut hit the spot. Bellies full and livers working hard, we went home with the luggage, just in time for the rain to start again.

In my continued reading of Death in Grand Canyon, I've found a few more items that would make a hike into any canyon a little bit more survivable. I'm going to have to add a whistle, signal mirror, and dry matches in a waterproof box to my list of things to pack for the next big hike (I've got a whistle built into one of my packs and I always carry a magnesium stick).

Old News:
Back in August, I fruit-snacked the bed. It's not quite like wetting the bed, but it's just as annoying. I sometimes will have a snack just before falling asleep, if I get late-night munchies. One night, I had such a craving for some fruit snacks. Typically, the tasty Welch's fruit snacks are perfect for writing and late-night reading. I woke up in the middle of the night feeling something gooey and sticky on my leg. I felt my legs and found more on my thigh. Curiosity got the best of me and I tasted what the sticky substance could be. It was sweet and fruity. Strangely, it was a lot like my fruit snacks. Half asleep, I had a eureka moment and realized I'd fallen asleep with a few gummy fruits right in my bed. Orange flavored. It had melted in the heat and was spread across the full width of the bed, smeared into the sheets. Gross. My fears turned to the ants swallowing me whole as they swarmed the bed, hunting after the sugar. Surviving the night without having ants in my pants became a huge priority. I got up and started collecting my sheets and items to run them through the washing machine. I had some fears about waking up a housemate that sleeps near the machines, so I opted instead to sleep on the spare bed in my room.

Friday, September 4

Last Day at the Office

I've never been a huge fan of goodbyes.

I started today with a slippery walk down the hill (along Northshore Rd. today, since the trail is likely quite slick after the rain last night). I led the final tailgate session and bid adieu to the Maintenance Team. We snapped a group photograph, me clad in my SCA t-shirt and them in the NPS uniforms. I will feel strange not to start each day down at the maintenance yard wishing folks good morning and asking everyone how their day is going.

The rain is coming down in spurts and small trickles today. The horizon is gray and the waters have lost their bluish hues. White caps in the distance break over the shallow reefs and I am enjoying a cool breeze that is unusual this time of year. Birds and frogs still chirp wildly, calling to each other across the point. I'm going to miss the cacophony of sounds from the bush. I can gauge the wind by the way the screen chinks back and forth in its window frame. With increasing breezes and gusts, I hear the metal frame clang against the bracket. The bay below still bustles despite the waning sunshine, with the gurgle of diesel powered ferry boats and rumbles of truck traffic wafting up the hill.

I feel a little funny; I hope I am not getting sick. The rapid change in the weather and this storm system could be the source of my icky feelings. I'm going to guzzle down a few packages of Emergen-C and hope that I'm not getting a cold or something else unpleasant.

Thursday, September 3

I Think I Scare Away The Storms

Tropical Storm Erika has brought us a beautifully purple, pink, and rose colored sunset with a nice cool breeze. I'm anxious to see if my cistern will actually fill up with any rain from this incoming storm. I think we could use another 10 feet or so of water in the cistern to fill it up, so bring on the rain (just a little).

Almost the last day at the office! I prepared my final report and presented the sum of my internship to the Superintendent today. It has been a very wonderful experience and I am most happy to have had this great opportunity. Who can deny that spending 12 weeks in the Virgin Islands is a great way to spend 12 weeks? It was great to review my outputs and other items that came up during the internship and discuss future opportunities. I still haven't completely ironed out what the next steps are for me, but I'm eager for the next adventure.

Weather in Virginia is quite beautiful this week, I hear. I'm excited to come home to fall-ish temperatures and maybe even see a few leaves change colors. The cooler months are going to be upon us, back in Virginia, very shortly. I am excited to do some rock climbing outside and enjoy the smooth and cool rock. I wonder if putting on my climbing shoes (they're 3 sizes smaller than street shoe size) will hurt all over again. They never did stop hurting before I came down here, but I was at least used to the pain of a well fitted climbing shoe. I hope I'm not wimpy when I slide them back on. Admittedly, I did put them on a few times down here when I got rock-sick (like homesick, but for climbing), but it was only ever for a few minutes.

Mom is nearly here. As her arrival nears, our conversations become more closely spaced. All is in order for Mom to start enjoying St. John and all that makes it known as Love City. There are quite a few places in town and across the island that have closed for a few months (we're almost in the peak of off-season), but there are still plenty of great spots that will be ready to accept our happy faces.

I think tomorrow I will make my rounds and say my goodbyes across the park. It is really strange that these three months are truly over, so soon. I felt like I was really making a home for myself here the whole time. Knowing my flights home are in less than a week, I'm almost nervous. I had a great conversation with Becca about coming home and she does know me well. She already has the notion that I'm plotting the next adventure, before the current one is even over. I'll likely get home, love it, enjoy it, but eventually I'll get bored, feverish, and return to lusting after more excursions or experiences. We sat chatting and I divulged all that is brewing in my stewpot of a brain. Through the end of the year, at least, I will most definitely be enjoying life in Alexandria. Beyond that, there is a possibility for a trip abroad. I'll see where life takes me.

Wednesday, September 2

Labor Day is Almost Here

What does one do to prepare for labor day? Why they labor, of course! That's just what I did today!

There was a heap of paperwork for the finale of my internship and I happily filled in the questionnaires, surveys, forms, e-mails, applications, and other items that needed to be addressed.

Tropical Storm Erika is on its way and I'm not quite sure what to make of it. The day fluctuated with news of big rain, nearly nothing, and cries that it might very well sit on top of us for hours. I honestly don't mind what the forecasts declare, as long as my cistern is full at the end of the storm and that my house doesn't flood in the process.

The thunderclouds wont keep the Low Key folks from doing a trip tomorrow morning, thankfully (the storm shouldn't even get close until later in the evening). Unfortunately though, I'm not on the boat tomorrow. Maybe I can spend the “extra” day to do another assessment in the park!

After work, I hiked down to Cruz Bay and wandered around somewhat aimlessly. There are a few hours between me finishing work and the end of daylight. On a hot, sweltering day like today, I'm going to just refuse to be inside the house all that time. I walked along the beach, through town, wandered over to the school with Meika, Anin, and Michael (the school is actually pretty awesome!), then decided to get a smoothie. Guava Strawberry Banana! Mmmmm! Thomas (the same Thomas from Hospitality Car Rental where I'm getting a car in a few days) fixed me up the most delicious smoothie and threw in a banana to boot! What a wonderful dude! I will miss the friendly faces here when I go home!

With my smoothie quickly disappearing, I stopped to say hello to some lifeguards and rangers by the visitor center before getting on the trail. The uphill wins every time. Before I hit the front door, I'm dripping with sweat. Once inside the house, it only made sense to sit there under the fan for several long moments before moving again.

I cooked up a tasty meal of madras lentils and naan and tried to finish up my reading of Grandma Raised the Roof. For being such a short bit of a book, it sure is taking me a long time to finish it!

In other news, I've made my hotel reservations for St. Thomas during my travel back to the states. Mom & I shall be staying over at the Island Beachcomber! Wonderful! Mom will be here in just two and a half days!