The crossiant made us do it

Excitement time!! It was St Thomas day!! We got up early (well, late for me, but early for E) to get our midday flight, on Liat, the airline famed for never being on time. E was keen to get there early early early but I convinced her a little later was OK. At the airport, there was a small hiccup in checking in, as we didn't have an address and for the very first time the actual counter at our embarkation point would not issue tickets without it.

I had thought about this, and figured I'd just wing it when the time came for customs forms, but that seemed not to be a viable plan this time. Thankfully, we'd eaten the last of N's special crossiants and were but mildly disturbed by the fact we had about 10 minutes to somehow magically come up with an address in St Thomas. Whatevs.

Out came the iPhone to look for wifi signal, when that didn't work I asked a worker on his lunch break if I could borrow his blackberry, that was really slow, there were no internet vouchers at the newsagency... eventually we came to hotel site and just picked at random the first one that sounded not too expensive for our mid-range looks (turned out to be half a km from where we were staying anyway!).

On the plane, well n truly relaxed from said crossiant, we literally just stared out the window and before we knew it, we were on our descent to St Thomas. The flight is just 30 minutes, so I guess the 50 minutes on our tickets was to allow for their regular tardiness. Tut tut. I think it is the shortest flight I've ever been on, and I know E was freaking a little at how small the plane was. At least we could see (and hear) everything that was happening! haha

At the airport. I wondered if L would be there, considering I hadn't saved her number or called her to tell her we'd set off (she'd asked me to since Liat were so late)... but sure enuf, she was standing there when we arrived. Well, I assumed it was hear since I'd told her I was probably the only white girl on the plane with rastas, and she welcomed us into her arms with no hesitation. You see, I'd not actually met L face to face before since she was a friend of a friend, so it was all kinda "hope it works out" which, to be fair, is the way I travel 99% of the time.

The rest of the day was a bit of a blur.

L kindly took us for a short tour of the island, first Magen's Bay, made famous by the write-up by National Geographic or someone that said it was one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Now I am the first to admit living in Australia makes someone a kind of beach snob, BUT this beach was certainly not one of the most beautiful in the world. And I say that having SEEN some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. I mean, yeah, it was nice buuuuuut... I've seen better.

Regardless, we just went for a quick dip and promptly fell asleep through post-New Years exhaustion.... and the crossiant. L actually had to wake us up (she felt bad, said we looked so peaceful) to get us going. I was literally out. E moreso. Grabbed a rum punch for the road and headed back the long way to the gorgeous place they call home.

Seriously, this place was beautiful. Situated at the top of the mountain (funnily enuf, called Mountain Top) about 50m from the touristy lookout for the whole island, with a house entirely made of special hardcore wood with imported blue, extra glazed tiles and its own water tank (which is good since the water wasn't working for most of the town at the time!). Then there was our apartment - a Mediterranean style almost villa, bedroom with a bathroom and a view to kill. Wow. It was more than either of us ever expected.

We needed more rest so it was back to bed for us, stuffing some random food from the fridge into our mouths beforehand. Ahh, the munchies. Finally admitted to L also that we were not usually so durrrrrr, it was the crossiants! She just laughed and said I should've told her earlier, she'd have told her husband and we'd have had a huge fatty altogether. That was exactly what we didn't need at this point - more excuse to have no brain.

I managed to get up in time for a late dinner... E not so easy. I thought she needed the rest so didn't push her, and I headed over to go out to dinner with L and her husband B. We went to Red Hook, the area renowned to be a good nighspot, except on this night, the Monday after the New Years long weekend, it was dead. The first place we trekked to, in the middle of nowhere, was also dead (after the boss just told B it was heaving after its reopening), so we went to the centre of Red Hook and found a nice place with a super energetic waitress. I wonder if I ever come across that energetic. It was kinda scary.

Ate way too much on B's tab and was fading fast when we called it a night. Fell asleep in the car home, not great for my directional skills since we were hiring a car tomorrow, but it couldn't be helped. I was beat.