The Virgin Islands- They call it Paradise

"How are you enjoying Paradise?" Locals would ask when they took my order, saw me shopping, or helped me find a parking space. That's what it's called because it is always 70-80 degrees year round and the view of the wooded hills with the beach and amazing turquoise water. Jon audited the US Attorneys office on the island of St. Thomas in the city of Charlotte Amalie. The island was dinky, 33 sq miles and the airport was smaller than Tri cities. As the plane started its descent, the ocean kept getting closer and closer. Seconds before we reached the ocean, the plane's wheels met the runway. Jon was nervous, but I was busy reading my Shannon Hale book, Enna Burning.

We were able to get a rental car which was perfect because I would have been stuck at the hotel. The only tricky thing with driving was that you drive on the left there. There were signs everywhere that said, "Remember to Drive on the Left" or "Keep your shoulder to the shoulder". There were quite a few times that I'd go around a corner and come face to face with another car, finding myself, once again majorly confused. But driving and exploring was a total trip. The roads there are winding, crazy, narrow 10-30 mph. The signs by a curve that say, 10 MPH are not joking. You stomp on the brake and turn a 180 or more. Then stomp on the gas to keep moving up the hill. Since it's an island with only a few major roads, I just drove and when I found myself in someone's driveway or a fancy hotel I just turned around and drove back to the nearest paved road.

I sat on the beach the first few days and read my book. But in all honesty I only could sit in the sun for an hour or two because I got too hot and bored. While Jon was at work, I tried not to be bored and miss my noisy kids. It was quiet without them. I ate at restaurants by myself and shopped but when Jon got done with work, we'd run around and I'd be his tour guide. We played ping pong at the hotel, found a piano in a corner and I taught him a few duets, and walked on the beach.

The beaches were short little things, but the sand was microscopically smooth and the water looked light blue even splashing by you. We got to go under water in this cool "Treking" thing where they put a lose helmet on your shoulders that has an oxygen tube pumping air. Then you walk along the bottom of the ocean just 10 feet under and see fish up close and poke at coral. It was fun but Jon felt like throwing up from the air pressure and waves.

We found a grocery store so we were able to eat yogurts and granola bars and bananas for a few meals instead of $40 meals 3 times a day. That way we could eat at fancy places once a day instead. We did find a Wendy's and a McDonalds but their idea of Fast food was an oxymoron. We sat in the drive thru for 40 minutes while they cooked everything and Wendy's took 20 minutes. Islanders don't hurry. They don't multitask, they don't care about customers waiting. They are super nice and easy to talk to but move very slow!

The views were picturesque, like an impressionist painting, houses on a hillside with red roofs. But when you got closer you could see cinder blocks houses with painted sheet metal red roofs and trash and old cars, pretty ghetto places for people to live. During the day, I'd find alley ways with groups of men, old and young just sitting around waiting for work. I had to remember I was on vacation and stop worrying about the people living there.

The kids couldn't have been happier. They did so many crafts and had so much Halloween fun with Grandma. My house was transformed into a bat-flying, pumpkin pie smelling, school work doing, clean haven. They were sad to see her leave. My neighbors and friends keep saying how lucky I am to have a Mom who even wants to do projects with kids let alone babysit and run a household for a week. They are right!
Jon and I came back ready for some good noise and random questions and even a little whininess. It was all cute! Hopefully he can look at his next year's random audits and find another cool place he HAS TO go to.