Only the Chickens Are Around Sunday Morning in Roadtown - Part One of Day Two in the British Virgin Islands

Hello LilyOnTheLam.Com Readers:

This blog post is part 2 of a million part series of life on vacation in the British Virgin Islands.  So if this is the first post you're reading, skip back to Day One to start from the beginning.  Or don't - it's up to you - go crazy if you want!  

SUNDAY IN THE BVI ...

Day Two had the iPhone alarm going off way too early (7:30 a.m.) for either Squidge and my liking - but check-out time at Village Cay hotel is 11 a.m. and we were determined to see some of Roadtown before we were straddled with the responsibility of luggage.  Unlike many Caribbean hotels, Village Cay hotel has both ample water pressure and hot water - a win-win in my boat.  

I am extremely spoiled as an American - and having had the glorious opportunity to travel around a great deal of the world I am constantly reminded about how spoiled I am with modern luxuries in my regular life.  Sometimes I can roll with the punches ("Who cares that they are washing the restaurant dishes with a garden hose spewing unfiltered water next to the toilets?") and other times I throw a diva fit ("But I don't wanna squat over a hole to relieve myself!!!")  

Side note:  I had that diva fit in a restaurant in Taiwan - and my much younger sister, who I think was like 10 years old at the time told me to stop complaining and do my business!  Nothing like being an adult and having a 10 year old give you a metaphoric slap back into reality!  

Fully showered, dressed and ready for the day, I began the long process of poking my sister in the arm until she begrudgingly woke up.  I threw back the curtains of our waterfront room and BEHOLD!!! -  a picture perfect marina scene, baby blue sky, white fluffy clouds ... I paid $40 extra for a view I'd probably only look at for 15 minutes ... and believe me, after a severe case of corporate burn-out, this view was worth the extra money.  The scene was like a picture contract - you are on vacation, it will be incredible, you will be fully recharged and you will be very happy, very relaxed and have no worries for the entire trip.  But before I start singing "Hakuna Matata" (sp???), we still had one last day of logistics to maneuver before our true vacation started on the Yacht Promenade.  

As a Corporate Drone in the United States of America, I am very used to a Western Mentality of WORK, WORK, WORK - harder, faster, more efficient.  At my company ("Typical Giant Corporate Conglomerate Number 74"), if you are a good worker you are "rewarded" by receiving more and more projects ... it's like waiting to see how much they can load on you until they break.  I love my corporation dearly (sadly so), but this policy of work the hardest workers the hardest while the middle level of softer slackers kick back and think their lives are hard but are in my reality, my version of a dream - is a pain in the arse.  Metaphorically and literally.  

But a side product of this, is that I have become ridiculously anal (no pun intended).  I want things MY WAY, RIGHT NOW.  It's like working for corporate America gave me a license to be an even bigger than normal.  As a consequence, when I travel to places that run on "Island Time" and "No worries, Mon - just relax" - I tend to have a minor (ahem - OK major) freakout when I am trying to get things done.  "My plan" was to get up early, hit some of my favorite shops and get some shopping done.  "BVI's plan" was that people like to sleep on Sunday and not work.  I don't know why I thought shops would be open at 8:30 a.m. on a Sunday in the British Virgin Islands.  Looking back on it, it sounds utterly ridiculously.  I can only cite wishful thinking.  

Squidge and I headed out to Roadtown.  Even at 8:30 a.m. on a Sunday, it was already strong sun and HOT.  For Squidge, going from artic Minnesota to the BVI was a major impact.  The sun slowed her down like quicksand.  After seeing that the first shop I wanted to hit (Sunny Caribbee Spice Shop) was closed, our priorities reshuffled - it was now to buy juice - both sustenance and hydration were needed.  

We headed over to a large cluster of brightly colored casitas near the ferry port in Roadtown.  These are small shacks, painted in glorious fresh Caribbean colors, where vendors sell a fabulous array of tropical clothing and souvenirs at reasonable prices.  We hit the first stand that we could find and bought two bottles of pineapple-orange juice.  Now the problem with buying from the first stand you see is that you don't realize that about 100 feet away is a stand that sells fresh squeezed tropical juices.  A fact we later found out and were slightly bummed out about - but at the time, that bottled juice hit the spot in an almost "vision of Jesus on my French toast" sort of way.

Giving up on the idea of a major shopping venture, we decided to walk along the waterfront.  I gave Squidge a mini tour of Roadtown.  It has been 4 years since I was last here - but walking the streets, I felt like it had been just yesterday.  It definitely felt like a homecoming of sorts.  Chickens and roosters greeted us like Grand Marshals in some Poultry Parade.  Squidge told me that the crowing roosters had woken her up early in the morning.  I had been oblivious - living near an agriculture free range chicken zone has made me deaf to roosters and their dawn-greeting sounds.

The Royal Caribbean Brilliance of the Seas cruise ship was docked in Roadtown.  A massive boat filled with excited happy tourists.  A small line of shops lined their pathway from outside the port to the hub of Roadtown.  I like cruise ships, but for the British Virgin Islands I really prefer small boat sailing with a small number of people.  You really get to truly experience life in the BVI in a relaxing, soul-reaffirming way on a smaller boat.  (In my humble opinion ...)

After our mini walking tour of the port area, we headed back to the hotel's restaurant for a waterfront breakfast.  We hoped that after that some stores would be open.  Even though I live near a channel of water and a marina, sitting waterfront outside for breakfast is still an amazing treat for me.  I could feel the waves of relaxation entering my bunged up corporate body.  Squidge ordered a Western omelet and I ordered a ham, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich.  They came with a side of simple roasted potatoes.  But after a day of traveling and the first sleep we had had in what felt like days, the simple breakfast felt like a royal banquet.  

My sister and I would be embarking on a 10 night sail on the Yacht Promenade - a fabulous trimaran sailing charter.  I have sailed with the owners and crew of the Yacht Promenade twice before and it is tied with Egypt as being my favorite vacation ever.  Since I vacation A LOT, this is a distinct honor.  Normally the Yacht Promenade is only available if you rent the entire boat - which normally handles 8-12 guests and a crew of 3-4.  Since I have not won the Lottery (yet - emphasis on the word YET), I do not have the disposable funds to rent out the entire boat (but oh what a dream THAT would be!)  So the first two times I sailed on Yacht Promenade for six night sailing trips, I went with a women's adventure travel group tour company.  Being single, my idea of a good time is NOT sailing for a week with honeymooning smoochie couples.  The only time I enjoy public displays of affection is when I am one of the two being obnoxiously happy.  Sound harsh?  Well whatever, I own my pettiness gladly.  
 
Yacht Promenade historically has one or two sailing charters a year where they do what they call "Open-cabin sailing."  Where you can purchase one cabin versus the entire boat.  My baby sister Squidge had recently graduated from college - and as a former competitive swimmer and a water lover like myself - I knew that a sailing trip on the Promenade would be a fantastic gift for her - and a wonderful trip for the both of us.  

On this particular open-cabin sail, every guest except for my sister, were repeat customers who loved the Yacht Promenade as much as I did.  The owners of the Yacht Promenade - the loveable, sassy Captain Kerry from Canadian and her husband - the Zen Master, Chief Engineer Australian Captain Bazza - had recently turned over the reigns of the charter business to Kerry's oldest son Chad in December 2012.  

I have never sailed with Captain Chad, but was excited for a new component for my third trip on the Yacht Promenade.  Also, Kerry would be joining us for the trip - not as a crew member or Captain - but as a full-fledged guest.  EVEN BETTER.  Kerry, who has worked in the hospitality industry for most if not all of her adult life - has this easy, roll with the punches demeanor combined with this warm, Earth Mother style wrapped in sassy, devil may care pajamas.  OK does that description even make sense?  How about this one-- she's a super cool chick that doesn't let the small stuff phase her and she's a delight to hang out with -- better description?

In addition to Kerry as sailing guest, there are two women - Miss M and Miss B - who I had sailed with before in 2009.  Miss B is from Rhode Island and is always the sunshine of any sailing trip.  Miss B also loves many of the things I like on a Yacht Promenade sailing trip - collecting sea glass on Salt Island, fishing and seeing the local singer Michael Beans (think Jimmy Buffet but more laid back).  Miss B loves Michael Beans so much that she has earned the nickname "The Bean Stalker."  I had told Squidge about Miss B's love of Michael Beans, so when we were having breakfast Squidge looked at the stage area near the restaurant and asked "Is this where the Bean Stalker plays?" I was about to correct her to say that no Michael Beans is not The Bean Stalker, Miss B is - when all of a sudden MISS B APPEARED.  It was as if saying "The Bean Stalker" in the BVI was like the magical words that released Miss B out of her bottle!  I almost fell out of my chair.  When did Squidge become a wizard?  Was I going to get magical powers too?  

Michael Beans, himself!

After four years, it was good to see that Miss B was still as sweet, wonderful and wacky as ever.  She had arrived on Wednesday (it was now Sunday) for the sole purpose of relaxing before the sailing trip.  At first I thought having 4 days to lay around by the pool, reading and indulging in local beers BEFORE a sailing trip seemed a bit of a waste - but after enjoying more of the BVI sun and "island time" relaxing mentality, I soon grew to understand Miss B's wisdom.

Squidge and I had an after breakfast walk while Miss B went for one last dip in the small Village Cay hotel pool.  To my delight, many of the shops were now open.  We first hit my favorite spice shop, Sunny Caribbee.  I had run out of my favorite spice mix "Down Island Dill Mix."  Unfortunately Sunny Caribee was out too!  They told me I could also order online - which will save me from lugging around the products in my suitcase for the entire trip anyway.  I am looking forward to trying their Ginger Beer Syrup - that is going to make great gifts!

Side Note:  Turns out not only is Sunny Caribbee not selling Down Island Dill Mix in their two stores (Roadtown and West End), but it's no longer available on their website either.  I asked the staff and they said they didn't know when it would be back.  (Not helpful!)  Also, their Ginger Beer Syrup is not available on their website currently.  So unless you're one of the two people who I brought back bottles of Ginger Beer Syrup for as gifts - you may have to go to Tortola to get this tasty syrup!

Another of my favorite gift-buying places is Pusser's Outpost.  But on this trip, the gifts were only for me - I bought a small yellow backpack that would be folded into a tiny pouch and a windbreaker that could do the same.  Being a tropical cluster of islands, the BVI does get its share of very short rain showers.  But the only rain slicker I have is a fisherman's worthy parka from Nautica.  On this trip. that would not be needed!

Time flew and we headed back to the hotel to check out.  The hotel will let you store bags - but only be letting them sit in their lobby - unsecured.  No one I know has ever had an issue leaving their bags in the lobby ... but it doesn't make me feel the most comfortable.  The worry was unwarranted, as our bags spent several hours in the hotel lobby unmolested.

Now usually with the Yacht Promenade - the trip starts around noon on the day of departure.  Because the entire guest list (with the exception of Squidge) are guests who have sailed multiple times, the owners were letting us sleep on the boat the night before the charter started to save us all the high BVI hotel costs.  But because the boat had had a charter of ten Northern European tourists that just ended Sunday morning, there was a lot for the crew to do to "turn" the boat before our charter started.  As such, we weren't sure when Captain Chad would be picking us up.  For an anal-retentive PLANNER like me, not knowing when we would be picked up was akin to waterboarding.

Tune in tomorrow for Part Two of Day Two in the British Virgin Islands ... will our heroes meet up with Captain Chad or will they be devoured by rural chickens?  Check LilyOnTheLam.com tomorrow and find out!