Christmas in Australia 2014

After The long flight and 4 movies later we arrive in Australia! Allan's son David picks us up and we head off on the straight and smooth roads! (nice change from the St. John roads) In between Brisbane and the Sunshine coast lies Bellmere where Allan's 5 kids live. On the 45 minute ride we pass several similarities to America including a Costco, KFC, and McDonalds. Am I in Australia? Well, they drive on the left and the steering wheel is also on the left! Something I keep forgetting.

The police car's look a bit different then ours back home as well.  I also notice immediately that we are now in the metric system and I must adjust the mileage, temperature and measurements. We get to Ken and Meg's where we will spend Christmas week and It feels like a combination of Vermont and St. John.

Setting up swing set

We are in the country with a field of cows out back, mountains in the distance, yet it is tropical with banana, lemon and lime trees in the garden! Christmas here will be festive with 2 kids Kale and Chase, ages 2 and 4. Amped up with Santa on the way, the kids are super excited and very cute. Kale gets a call from Santa as well as an email video complete with his name and the toys he asked for. Wow, Have times changed. Some things that don't change are the preparations on Xmas eve. After putting some cookies and milk and reindeer food out on the ground, the kids were tucked in bed. All of the adults got busy with the assemblage of a swing set, sand box and cars. Had to have some of the local beers of course! So by 1:30 am we finished, and I am amazed I am still awake after leaving at 12 am on the 22nd and its now the 25th!Christmas morning was busy with the tearing open of gifts and ews and awes. I was blessed with several generous gifts from Allan and his family welcoming me to Australia.   

Allan and I borrowed a car and snuck off to the beach for a swim. On the way Allan show's me a few of the places he has lived in the past. Mostly one level brick houses here in Australia, with nicely landscaped yards. The towns we pass remind me a bit of the 70's for some reason, simplistic in design.

Kings beach is a well thought out nicely designed area for the whole family. It was surprised to see how crowded it was. The waves were fun for some body surfing and the sand fine and clean. Good sand sculpting material, should have brought my tools! The sun in Australia is strong, as I soon found. Even with 60 sunblock, I managed to get a good burn. I think the temperature was 88 degrees, and the water was not as cold as I was expecting. Funny to be in the Caribbean Sea one day and the next in the Pacific Ocean.

Christmas Beetle

Prawns

Back at the house, Allan's family began to arrive, 5 kids with their spouses, girlfriends and kids and then Allan's brother Scott and his spouse Kim. My family Christmas meals in the past were a bit formal with a sit down Thanksgiving kind of meal complete with a grace. Here we ate delicious salads, ham and prawns around the table outside on the porch in bare feet and shorts! Lots of chocolate treats followed.

We sat around the table and talked of the snakes and spiders as Christmas beetles buzzed us.

I had to sneak off to crash as I believe the lack of sleep caught up with me. In the morning I was awake to the sounds of the birds. It's so peaceful and beautiful here, that is until the kids wake up! I must go play now, Kale has been counting the minutes.

Leaving on a Jet Plane(s)

Another beautiful St John day greeted us on the 22 December our last day on St John. It was both a happy and sad day for Annie. Happy because she was setting off on a new adventure and sad because she was leaving an Island and a large group of friends she had grown to love.

All good things must end and we set off on our journey to Australia at noon when Sue arrived to take Annie and I to the Cruz Bay Ferry terminal. 

We had five large bags and a heavy backpack between us and it was rather cumbersome making our way to the ferry, though some of this was alleviated by having a porter take our bags to the ferry. We boarded one of the new fast ferries for the twenty minute trip to St Thomas.

Annie looked back at St John and I think I detected a tear in her eye as she said goodbye to the place that had been her home for ten years. 

Annie's last sight of St John

On landing at St Thomas we had to haul our bags only a short distance to the large taxi that can accommodated a dozen passengers. St Thomas was a busy metropolis compared to St John, traffic lights, traffic snarls and fast food joints. St Thomas certainly doesn't have the laid back vibe of St John. 

We found ourselves in a scrum of people at the American Airlines check in. People everywhere with not too many rules. By the time we had struggled with our bags to the check in counter we were hot and frustrated. That all changed when the lady at the check in counter turned out to be a cricket fanatic and her and I had a discussion about the Big Bash League in Australia. Who would have thought I would come across a cricket enthusiast behind the check in counter in St Thomas?

Thumbs Up - On our way

To our relief our bags were checked through to Brisbane but unfortunately we couldn't say goodbye to our bags just yet as in St Thomas you have to haul your bags with you through Customs and Immigration. No easy task when you are shuffling forward in a large conga-line of people. 

We passed through TSA without any problems and were finally able to offload our bags onto a conveyor belt. Annie and I have a $10 bet as to whether our bags appear in Brisbane. I say yes, Annie says no. We will see!

Once through all the formalities we had an hour to chill in the waiting area, grab a quick bite to eat and purchase some duty free spirits for Christmas. 

We were seated towards the back of the aircraft a rather old and worn aircraft. Annie sat near the window and I was in the middle with someone on the outside. The service was minimal and Annie and I amused ourselves by watching shows on our laptops. 

Our aircraft departed late and we realised as we were coming into land at Miami after our 2hr 35 minute flight that we were going to be running short of time. An announcement went over the PA to allow folks who needed to catch a connection off first, but that didn't work out as everyone stood up. We walked ran to our gate which included a short two station ride on the Skytrain. On board we met two folks from St John who Annie knew.......is there no escape!

The screen is too far away - Laptop Time

We raced to the gate and proceeded through a doorway where we were met by a long boarding line which meant we could have taken our time. 

Once again we were down the back of the aircraft and once again for our 5hr 35 minute flight to Los Angles. Annie had the window seat and I was in the middle and someone on the aisle. The service was poor and American Airlines certainly once again failed to deliver.

A pleasant surprise was that we were met by a representative from Qantas and were escorted to a shuttle bus which took us to Tom Bradley International. After a short wait we boarded our 747 and headed down to the back of the aircraft. The flight to Brisbane was 13hrs 40 minutes a fact that Annie wasn't too keen to face.

We had a window and aisle seat hoping that no one would sit in the middle but that was quickly dashed when a young Aussie guy on a baseball scholarship to college in San Bernardino sat between us. After a moments consideration I swapped with him and moved to the middle seat of the third successive flight. I haven't sat in the middle seat for ten or more years and here I am doing it three times in one day!

Qantas Menu

We had an individual TV screen in the seat with over 100 movies and a multitude of TV shows, games and guides to watch. The service was fantastic and our two meals were fabulous. The cabin crew came through the aircraft every 30 minutes offering water to passengers, at the back of the aircraft were an array of self-service snacks. 

Breakfast is served

Finally, early in the morning on Christmas Eve we touched down in Brisbane. In  total we were in the air for 22 hours, travelled around 26 thousand kilometres, and slept for a combined total of around five hours. Thankfully we cleared immigration, bag pick up and quarantine in short time. 

Annie's first sight of the Australian coastline

Time now for Annie's Australian adventure to commence!

Annie and donkey's at Brisbane Airport

St John Reef Bay Trail

One of my must-do's since I have been on St John was to visit the petroglyphs at Cinnamon Bay. A number of things had conspired to prevent me doing this to the penultimate day of my visit. I was able to get a ride to the start point for the Reef Bay Trail http://www.seestjohn.com/trails_reef_bay.html early on Sunday morning.

The sign at the start of the trail states that it takes 2 hours to reach the petroglyphs. I had two hours to be back to catch my ride. I had packed light just some water in a backpack and set off at 0720.
The trail is well defined and the first 30 minutes it all downhill. There are several areas where you have to do a little rock-hopping but it isn't too severe. Interesting flora and historical points are sign posted along the way and this make the walk all the more enjoyable. As I came across the ruins of the Jossie Gut Sugar Estate where I marvelled at the determination and industry of these early settlers and the hardship and misery of the slaves who helped build and maintain these plantations in the early days. Life would have been one tough slog for all concerned.

After a forty minute walk I came upon a fresh water pool which I am told is sometimes serviced by a flowing waterfall. and so I am told sometimes a waterfall. The pool water was a brackish brown colour, which is probably caused by tannin seepage and just a bare trickle of water dripped from the rocks above. Minute hummingbirds darted in and out of the rock formation, hovering in mid-air to drink from the trickling waterfall.

The area surrounding the pool is lush green with strangler fig and calabash trees, whose shadow provides a cool and inviting place to sit and contemplate what may have gone on in this place before.

The Petroglyphs are found in two areas around the pool. The facial representations are found on the upper level, whilst the line of symbols is found on the bottom level. It is believed that these petroglyphs were carved around 900-1500AD by pre-Columbian Taino and their ancestors. The carvings exemplify the designs found on ceremonial Taino pottery. The pool and symbols were sacred dwelling places and ritualist sites for the spirits and their ancestors.

As it was still early in the morning I had the area to myself. The sun was just starting to send its rays through the foliage, casting dancing shadows across the pool and petroglyphs. Humming birds darted in and out, studiously waiting their turn to hover and drink from the trickle. What a magical time.

My reverie was interrupted by another couple coming down the trail and this was my signal to leave the pond and head back. The going was a little steeper but not too bad, actually the rocky path made it much easier to climb. I passed five other groups of people heading down the trail and that alone vindicated my early start.

The Reef Bay Trail was the best hike I did on St John, combining the outdoors and history with a smidgin of magic and mystery thrown in as well. What more could you ask for?

Maho Bay Beach Party

An impromptu farewell party was held for Annie on Maho Bay Beach on Saturday. The word had gone out on social media to join Annie near the pavilion. 

The day was sunny and the water was warm as folks gathered on the beach to swim, lounge, chat and relax. The palms swayed overhead as the luxury yachts bobbed in the bay. Annie spent much of the day being smothered in hugs and kisses and gaining promises from friends to visit in Thailand. 

It was great to see the genuine outpouring of love and affection as well as the warm wishes for Annie's upcoming journey and adventures.  Thanks to Linda for arranging the invites.

St John Reflections

As my time on St John draws to a close I thought it may be of some interest to publish my thoughts and observations of the five weeks I spent on island:

• St John is lush, green and very, very hilly;
•  The waters that surround the island are an artists palette blues with an occasional green thrown into the mix
• The sea is clear and warm and throngs with a multitude of interesting and in some cases spectacularly colourful sea life;
• Not all of St John's beaches are created equal, some are better than others. Some beaches are covered with golden sand, whilst others are strewn with grey and white pebbles of various shapes and sizes;
• The best snorkelling spots are closely guarded secrets to be shared with close family or a trusted friend;
• The island history and magnificent ruins;

• A St John resident is judged more upon the boat they own than the car or house they live in;
• Houses on St John range from lavish mansions to a shack in the bush. I still find it hard to comprehend how some of the houses high in the hills were built;

• Sea views from your home are a must;
• There appears to be a snobbery that exists between residents of Cruz Bay and Coral Bay. Residents of both Bays claim that theirs is the best Bay;
• St John has the steepest and windiest roads I have come across;
• Jeeps, Jeeps and more Jeeps. Do they breed somewhere on the island? 
• Rental cars that travel at 15MPH and brake constantly or stop with no warning;
• Locals that block the road with their car whilst carrying on a conversation with someone totally oblivious to those behind waiting;
• Chicken or chooks as we call them are everywhere around Calabash. The sound of roosters welcoming morning and the groaning and cursing of Annie in reply;
• Sunset and full moon rising at Ram Head;

• The generosity of St John residents;
• The restaurants of Coral Bay. Everyone of them a winner;
• Donkeys! Nonchalantly wandering the roads and byways. Annie's call of "hello cuties," every time she see one;

• Goats. Where do they come from and who taught them road sense?
• Annie's friends. Is there anyone I haven't met in Coral Bay?
• The number of folks who live in two worlds, Stateside and island life;
• The fact that unlike Australia there is basically nothing here that can harm you;
• Bizarre Bazaar. What a great day;

• Island wedding where the groom and groomsman dress in shorts and no shoes;

• Save Coral Bay no marina required here;
• Did I mention steep hills?

I am sure there is more but this list is long enough. I know Annie will miss St John and a part of her will remain here that is why I have promised her we will come back sometime.

British Virgin Island Adventures

Mid-morning Sunday Annie and I set off for a long awaited adventure to the British Virgin Islands, with bevy of bubbly, bouncing, beauties, Annie, Jen, Mary, Sue and Roberta. We were to spend the day on Roberta's, a.k.a Captain Happiness stylish speedboat Pirate Girl. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pirate-Girl-Charters/829302553787285

Pirate Girl

Pirate Girl skimmed across the sea, laughter intermingled with the purr of the engines as we passed by beautiful houses clinging to the steep, green hillside of Tortola. We passed one magnificent house which depending upon told the story was either owned by Johnny Depp or Michael Jackson. Whoever owns the house at Steele point has an awful lot of money and a great view.

We completed the short journey to Little Jost Van Dyke http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Jost_Van_Dyke which lay a short distance to the east of Jost Van Dyke. It is a small island hence the name. The islands were named after the Dutch privateer Joost van Dyk. We moored alongside a concrete wharf and made our way to the well known eatery and shop, Foxy's Taboo http://foxysbar.com/foxystaboo/

Being the only male amongst five females I decided to break the stereotype of being the lone person to by some clothing in the shop. 

T-shirt in hand I followed the leaders to what I was told would be a special treat. We followed a rocky but well-defined path that led us to the site of a well-known feature called the Bubbly Pool. 

Bubbly Pool

There is a serious side to the Bubbly Pool in that I was told there have been a number of deaths from folks who were a little too adventurous and careless and were washed out to be pounded upon the rocks. No doubt this is why there are warning signs posted at the pool as well as a life preserver. 
We made our way happily back Pirate Girl who waited patiently at the dock. Climbing aboard there was a short discussion about lunch and a decision was made to try a new eatery on Little Jost Van Dyke called B-Line Beach Bar which is located on the magnificent Paradise Cay http://www.blinebeachbar.com

As all the boat moorings were occupied Captain Happiness anchored a short way off shore and we swam to the B-Line. How Caribbean is that! There was a young crowd at the bar having a great time, drinking eating and playing a variety of games. We found ourselves a table and chilled out. When the meals came we were all blown away by the quality, taste and portions. Everything was served on natural and recycled materials which was another great facet.

With our hunger and thirst taken care of we made the swim back to Pirate Girl. Annie showed off a skill she could only have picked up living in the Virgin Islands and that is she swam back holding her drink above the water. A skill I am sure many employers would cherish!

Back on board a discussion was held about where to go snorkelling. I kept out of it as five women huddled around a marine chart is no place for a male. Decision made we headed off on a glistening sea bound for St John and Watermelon Cay to snorkel. 

Thumbs up from the Captain for a great day!

 Pirate Girl anchored around 150 metres from the Cay and we set off. Unfortunately the water was a little murky which cut down our visibility. Close to either point on the Cay the current was quite strong so we decided to stay in the lee of the Cay. There were patches of coral and plant life and a smattering of fish but not as good as other places I have snorkelled on St John. 


We made what appeared to be a longer journey back to the boat that bobbed serenely on the water. All aboard we headed for Cruz Bay to clear United States Immigration. The voyage to Cruz Bay was fantastic as the sun was setting in the west which cast a carpet of gold upon the sea.

We all passed through TSA with a minimum of fuss and were soon on our way back to port at Coral Bay. There was a swell on the way back and made for a slightly bumpy but enjoying ride in the twilight. I decided to ride the way home up on the fly bridge for the best view. Entering Coral Bay, Pirate Girl announced her arrival with some hoots and hollers and the ceremonial blowing on a conch shell. 

Tied up and tired we made our way back by dinghy to the shore. Hugs and kisses abounded as did the plaudits for a fun-filled day full of laughter, happiness and adventure. What better way to spend a day!

Bevy of Beauties

Bizarre Bazaar

Saturday 13 December marks one of the main events on the Coral Bay social calendar, Bizarre Bazaar. The open area behind Pickles Deli is transformed into an amalgam of colour, sounds, delicious wafting smells and a mixture of wonderful sights. The Bazaar is administered and orchestrated by the Coral Bay Community Council and many volunteers as a fundraiser for SAVE CORAL BAY and other agendas. 

Local artists share space with folks selling a variety of local foods and treats. Charter businesses sit beside local volunteer groups, whilst in the corner is a yard sale selling all manner of things. There is an activity area for kids and the adults aren't forgotten as there is a wide selection of tasty, local brews. 

Annie's Stall

Annie and I, with the help of Alan and his truck hauled everything out of the apartment and down to the Bazaar. There was activity all around us as folks went to and fro with their loads to set up their stalls. The tropical sun was beating down and the perspiration was pouring off both of us as we set up the tent.

The Bazaar commenced at 11am and we were set to go. Annie had done a great job dressing the stall and soon a throng of people were streaming past. There was a good mix of local folks and tourists and Annie had her hands full keeping up with queries and questions. Beth came along to help out and she was able to give Annie some respite from time to time. 

In the background was the constant sound of music as a wide variety of St John performers plied their sounds. Schoolchildren had their moment to perform on stage and probably received the most appreciative applause of the day. 

In one corner of the Bazaar a portly fellow dressed in red, with a long, white beard was a popular hit with the children. Pity poor Santa in that heavy red suit under a tropical sun!

The crowds ebbed and flowed throughout the day and started to taper off towards closing time at 4pm. Folks from various food stalls started to wander around selling at reduced prices or giving away delicious morsels. 

What we had built earlier in the day we started to dismantle later in the day, albeit many of the items we laid out earlier had found their way to a new home. The front of Pickles resembled an exodus from a disaster as cars fought for space, through traffic tried to pass and folks struggled to their cars under heavy loads. The congestion wasn't helped at all when a local goat herd decided it was time to saunter down the middle of the road causing more congestion and consternation.

Once again with the help of Alan's truck we loaded up quickly and then just as quickly unloaded everything again. Hopefully for the next to last time.

 Annie declared the day a huge success, not only in the sales department but also in the catching up with friends. The day wouldn't have been the success it was if it wasn't for the help of Alan and Beth and the good wishes and hugs from her friends.

Concordia Eco - Resort

As we inch towards our departure date on 22 December Annie has been busy either selling, shipping or giving away a houseful of 11 years of possessions. We are living a minimilist lifestyle at the moment in an all but empty apt. The bed is the last, large piece of furniture left in the apartment. 

Living in an empty shell isn't fun, so Annie and I spent 2 nights at the Concordia Eco-Resort. www.concordiaeco-resort.com The resort is on the eastern edge of Coral Bay and is set amongst the natural bushland. Guests have a choice of either eco-tents or full kitchen apartments. The accommodation is terraced which allows all guests a view of the ocean.

        Concordia viewed from Ram Head

We chose a eco-studio apartment set towards the property entrance. Check in was a breeze and of course Annie knew the folks who worked behind the counter. The resort is steep and hilly in places, we were getting a workout.

The apartment was roomy with a great balcony with views across the lush greenness to Salt Pond Bay. As it is an eco-lodge there is no air conditioning in the rooms, the room is cooled by several fans and the breeze that flows in through the screed windows. We had cooking facilities in the room, but that wasn't on our agenda. 

                                                          View from the balcony
On our first afternoon we had a swim in the large saltwater swimming pool which was refreshing. The pool and reception are the two places you can access the wifi at the resort so if you do need to check emails you can do so. 

The restaurant was closed our first night so we went to the Tourist Trap for dinner. The Tourist Trap serves simple meals well done and at a reasonable price. It is at the entrance to Concordia so you can either walk or drive. 

As there are no televisions or wifi in the room it is a great opportunity to catch up on reading or play some cards or games. Monday there is a nice open mic night, I believe from 4-7pm.

In the morning we awoke to a spectacular sunrise. Soon the room was flooded with sunlight which was a prompt for us to get going. As much as we would have liked to have done am yoga class and spent the day at Concordia we had chores to attend to. 

We rushed through the chores as quickly as we could and arrived back in the mid-afternoon. We took a path from Concordia that weaves its way through the dense bush, partly on a nice wooden boardwalk, before emerging at the beautiful Salt Pond Beach.We decided to take the short walk to Drunk Bay where it was a delight to look upon all the creations folks had made out of coral and rocks. 

By now we were hot and ready for a swim in the beautiful water of Salt Pond Bay. 

That night Annie and I had a lovely dinner at Cafe Concordia. The meal was wonderful and the service with a smile was first class. 

All too quickly our short stay at Concordia came to an end and we had to return to an empty apartment and more organising for our move. Our batteries have been recharged and we look forward to our last week on St John.