Cruz Bay, Saint John - random and general

A few observations:
- chickens clucking around the main street
- multiple, conflicting caribbean and south american music playing everywhere - music blaring from bars, cars and pretty much everywhere
- the smells of barbeque permeating the streets
- poor driving, given everyone is drunk on rum pretty much all the time
- rastafarian-looking guys wandering past with huge dreadlocks and/or huge beanies full of dreads
- four-wheel drives slowly driving past, stopping frequently to chat to pedestrians

Virgin Islands so far

Had a fantastic day yesterday... got up early and drove around, checking out some beaches. Went for 2 short-ish hikes around the Cinnamon Bay area - one was through tropical rainforest and was beautiful (but very very sweaty) and the other was a steep climb up a hill - also beautiful and also very sweaty.

Then drove on to Waterlemon Bay... a great beach reachable only by hiking along a fairly good path. The little bay was great - although a little rocky - but with a white-sand beach with probably the best snorkelling I've ever done just close to the shore. The coral was unspectacular - the floor was mostly rocks and sand - but the fishlife was amazingly varied and plentiful. Plus followed a number of beautiful green sea turtles.

After that drove to Maho Bay for more snorkelling. A much larger and more popular beach - there may have been as many as 20-25 people there, along the long beach. We set up in the shade - incredibly relaxing - then snorkelled. Quickly found a HUGE green sea turtle and followed it for ages.

In the afternoon a walk around town and towards Salamons Beach - very humid.

Relaxing evening - cooked a bbq at the resort, and bunkered in.

Tropical Storm Ana (now downgraded to Tropical Depression Ana) hit overnight - lots of wind and rain.... Today is fairly grey - a relaxing day

Animals seen wandering around Saint John

Donkey
Goats
Deer
Mongeese
Lots of lizards
Spiders

M was rejected for a tip again

Having previously been rejected in LA trying to tip the security guy at the hotel who found her watch, M was rejected today trying to tip busking musicians in the Virgin Islands who had been playing Jazz she was enjoying from our hotel room patio.

It emerged that:
- they were not buskers, and did not appear to know what 'buskers' were;
- they were warming up for their upcoming gig at a beachside bar; and
- they were not at all interested in taking $2 on being accosted by a weird Australian.

Saint John, US Virgin Islands

Me, a pretzel and the Statue of Liberty

Today

Slept in and had a badly-needed quiet morning.

Hired a Jeep Patriot this afternoon and drove around the island, visiting a number of amazing beaches and Coral Bay, the town at the other end of the island. Snorkelled at Trunk Bay, the biggest (and most populate) beach on the island - but still only a few people there.

Dinner tonight at Uncle Joe's Barbeque - amazing chicken and ribs. A tiny shack without any signage whatsoever somewhere in the centre of town (near the post office) it has a miniscule menu and minimal amenities. A waitress and a cook. While we were there, the cook was busy washing dishes and the barbeque caught fire. The waitress rushed over and put it out with a glass of water. Everyone continued what they were doing. A fantastic meal - but you'd hate to be in a hurry.

A few random notes:roads on Saint John, USVI

1. Roads here do not have names and there are no street numbers.
2. In the US Virgin Islands, cars are driven on the left-hand side of the road (like Australia, but unlike the USA).
   
3. In the US Virgin Islands, cars are left-hand drive (like the USA, but unlike Australia).
   
4. The combination ensures poor visibility around the many corners on the wind-y roads.
   
5. Roads are very narrow and are shared between pedestrians, cars and random wild animals.
6. Driving around the island this afternoon we encountered various donkeys, and a number of goats.
7. Many of the drivers are tourists from the USA who have previously driven only on the right side of the road. They are now expected to drive on the left - but with a left-hand drive car (as at home). This contributes to the generally poor quality of driving seen on the roads.
8. The remaining drivers are primarily Virgin Islanders. As far as I can tell, the principal pastime on the USVI is drinking rum.
9. It is legal to drive while drinking.
10. Seatbelts are compulsory, unless a passenger in a taxi or riding in the back of a pick-up truck (aka ute).
    

Saint John - Friday

A very early start - up at 4am, subway to JFK and a plane to Saint Thomas in the US Virgin Islands - about a 4 hour flight. A share-taxi across the island and then a ferry to Saint John.

Saint John is an island about the same size as Manhattan (approx 20 miles) but with a population of just over 4,000 (compared to Manhattan with about 1.6 million). It is a US dependancy - it uses US dollars and no passport is needed for Americans to travel to it - but residents cannot vote for President and elect a non-voting member to Congress. It is in the middle of the Caribbean - past Cuba, past the Dominican Republic and next to the British Virgin Islands. Very beautiful, with warm water, lots of great beaches and about 2/3 of it is National Park.

Staying at Gallows Point in a suite right on the beach. Because it is hurricane season (a minor detail easily ignored) prices are reasonable. Furnishings are a bit dated, but the location is incredible and it is very very comfortable.

We have been supertouristing for a couple of weeks now - so a few days of rest and relaxation is very welcome. This afternoon swam in the (very) warm ocean and read in a hammock.

USVI

Pretty excited to be heading to the US Virgin Islands in a couple of months as part of our July/August American trip.

According to the official USVI website:

Our long standing, enviable international reputation is not solely based on our pristine beaches, warm weather, and crystal-clear waters -- we're also the most culturally diverse, ethnically rich, and artistically vibrant society in the tropics.

If you're an American it's probably like going to Bali - but not that many Aussies make it to Saint John et al.

How heavily retouched does this picture look?