For our last goodbye to Nevis I flew in for Johns Graduation dinner. I was sad my flight missed graduation. Traveling alone is always scary and this time was no different. A guy was watching me every time I got up and moved around and he tried talking to me so I decided to make friends with an old couple to feel safer. They were so sweet and were even on my flight. The older women held my arm when we hit some doosie dives in the mini plane. I arrived late at night. When I arrived it was a take your breath away moment, to get through security and open these big doors to see my Bubba waiting for me with a big smile! We immediately rushed to graduation dinner because if you were late they wouldn't allow you to come in. As we are waiting in line for our food John couldn't find his meal ticket, they initially refused to give him a meal. After many students vouching that he was an actual student they served him. The dinner was sub-par, definitely island food! Can't get enough of this view.......
The next night we went to dinner with Jayen and Mina. This was my first experience eating indian food, it was pretty good. Although, when they say cheese bread I don't expect some pita bread with no flavor. :)
To celebrate John's birthday we went to the Four Seasons. He got a giant hamburger, his favorite! Our lunch cost as much as a fancy dinner, but for a birthday it was so worth it!! Then we walked around and took in all the beautiful views.
That night I surprised him with a birthday cake. I brought all the stuff in my suitcase so the pan was a little squished, but he was sure surprised. It was the big "30"!!!!
Pretty much our days consisted of relaxing at the beach. We did make trips into town to go to the new grocery store, play tennis or get our favorite bear claws at the best bakery ever!
We decided to go on an adventure and take our scooter, get on the ferry and go to St. Kitts.
We first went to Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park. We stopped at the Marriott to get instructions and off we went. It was a long ride! We kept thinking we missed the turn off, and the main road up to the fortress was spooky. There were lots of trees, it was dark and so quiet. But soon after our arrival, the tour buses flooded in.
It was designed by British military engineers and built and maintained by African slaves. In 1782, the French, laid siege to the fort. During the siege, the adjacent island of Nevis surrendered, and guns from Fort Charles and other small forts there were brought to St. Kitts for use against Brimstone Hill. After a month of siege, the heavily outnumbered and cut-off British surrendered. However, a year later, the Treaty of Paris (1783) restored St. Kitts and Brimstone Hill to British rule, along with the adjacent island of Nevis. It began to be restored in the early 1900's and Britain's Queen Elizabeth II unveiled a plaque naming Brimstone Hill as a National Park.
We rode back toward the Marriott and stopped for lunch at a little cafe. John had eaten here before and said it was the best sandwich ever, he has been on an island for far too long! We played in the waves, John snorkeled along the reef, and we walked the beach shore. Supposedly lots of students come here so when our towels didn't match the guests towels no one questioned us and we had a wonderful day at the beach.
As we sat waiting for the ferry we watched all these little fish swimming around the port. And to add to the excitement a police car came cruising around all crazy like they were trying to catch someone before they got on the ferry. We rode back to Nevis at sunset, what a day. When we got home we looked in the mirror and we both had black covering our faces from riding behind buses and cars all day. I love riding on that scooter behind my husband!!!
Relaxation.....
We would walk everyday to see the progress on the new hotel next door, pretty much the same day after day, because it is an island and so it's very slow moving. Our favorite the Yaughtsmen Grill is being built in the middle. Maybe we could come back and stay here, although John says he is never coming back.
Our daily routine: breakfast, beach, lunch, beach, dinner, beach. Not a bad way to spend the holidays!!
The hospital John worked at....
John with his diploma.
What a goof-
I said we were not leaving the island without his diploma picture! That was the culmination of a lot of hard work, John said it didn't matter but for me he posed. So the last day we rushed from sun-up to sun-down with crazy packing, ending his condo lease- which took eternity-we did pay with nevis coins so that didn't help, doing a walk through showing he didn't do damage- and wow they checked everything, and we gave a majority of his stuff to a family in need. To top it off we had to ride the scooter with chairs and even a table up the street so that the Latter Day Saint Church would have their chairs for any meetings. Gotta love this picture. We sure had a good laugh, especially when I got on too and held a table, we just imagined what anyone thought when they saw us drive by.
We rushed all day so we could have our last sunset at the beach.
We said our last goodbyes to the island. Just glad we were leaving together!!!!
We had a layover in St. Marteen so we hauled our bags to the beach. Why spend the day at the airport when you can get some sun and watch planes come in.
We can't wait to see what the new year has to offer!
