Category Archives: International Travel

The International Move from the Black Lagoon

American University of the Caribbean, Arizona, AUC, Expats, Expats and TCKs, International Travel, Spouses Organization, United States, , , , , , , , , , ,

 

The good news: we made it back to Arizona!

The bad news: it took 24 hours and about half my remaining sanity.

If you’ve ever moved internationally, you know it’s not exactly a piece of cake. Actually, it’s pretty tough, emotionally and logistically. It’s like I was being ripped in half, because I was so sad to leave St. Maarten, but at the same time so excited to see my family and my hometown. And while I was trying to deal with those emotions, I had to be getting rid of all my stuff and cramming the few things I was keeping into our suitcases.

 

 

Fact: You can only drag so many pieces of luggage through the airport.

Also fact: Suitcases hold less than you expect them to.

 

 

As we were going through all our stuff, I was wondering where the heck all that crap came from. We only lived in St. Maarten for a couple of years, and I was intentionally trying not to amass copious amounts of things. So even after selling, donating, giving away and throwing out the large majority of what was in our apartment, we still had three suitcases, two gigantic backpacks, and a couple of small backpacks. Plus the dog. And by the way, getting the dog back was incredibly stressful. But I don’t want to even think about that right now. She’s here, and that’s all that matters.

 

 

The first thing that happened when we got to the airport, as we were struggling to get our luggage to the counter, was a cranky security guard stopping us and demanding to see our paperwork for the dog. Not only was it bad timing, but she actually has no authority over whether or not a dog goes on the plane. We have to show it to the lady at the baggage counter and the people a customs. I took this total waste of time as a bad sign about the way the trip would go, and boy, was that accurate.

 

Kenny driving us to the airport

 

Kito was thoroughly freaking out by the time we made it through customs, but the hour wait to get on the plane calmed her down. We planned to get on the place last of all, so that Kito wouldn’t get in anyone’s way, but they actually let us get on the plane first. That was really nice, and it gave us a chance to get settled. Kito was so worn out that she lay down at my feet and fell asleep.

 

As soon as the engine started, she shot straight up in the air and landed on our laps! Ben comforted her while I watched my beautiful St. Martin disappear beneath the clouds. I had thought I would cry at this moment, but I was already too exhausted for any tears. The last thing I saw was Pond Island growing smaller and smaller beneath us. It was strange to think that my Little League team was practicing right then and I was not there to help.

 

Kito literally shook with terror for the entire three hour flight to Miami. Poor dog! The good news was that she was so quiet that I don’t think anyone noticed her.

 

 

We had booked a flight with a 1.75 hour layover so that it would be easier on the dog. Here’s a piece of advice: never book a short layover when going through customs in Miami. We had intended to use the really cool new customs app (Guys, it’s really cool. You have to use it next time you fly internationally!) but it doesn’t work if you have an “x” on your customs form. Kito is technically an imported animal, so we still had to wait in the long line.

After the long line, we were taken to another special customs area for people who are importing stuff. We were the only ones waiting in the room, and we waited for fifteen minutes while the staff slowly stacked papers, watched basketball on TV, had a conversation about illegally imported mangoes, and complained about having to multitask when they finally decided to get around to seeing us.

Even through we were slowly watching our chances of catching our connection slip away, I was more concerned about Kito’s rabies shot. I had called my vet to set up Kito’s health certificate appointment, and she told me not to worry about making a separate, earlier appointment for the rabies shot. So I got it a week early, along with the health certificate. St. Maarten is a rabies-free country, so it technically doesn’t matter, according to the CDC. A lot of my dog-savvy friends, however, told me that I might not get Kito through customs if her shot was less than a month old. So I was really worried about that. As it turned out, though, the customs people looked the shot record over, smiled, and handed it back without a comment. Of course, seeing that they didn’t appear to take their job very seriously, I wouldn’t count on that being the norm.

 

 

We left customs and realized that we had just missed our flight. We were directed to customer service, where we waited in another long line to get a new flight. When we finally got to the front, the representative told us that the next flight was at 7 AM– twelve hours after we had landed in Miami. Since the delay was not the airline’s fault, we didn’t get a room or even a meal voucher. I could tell that the manager felt bad, but there wasn’t much she could do about it. Another woman who was on our flight was MAD. She was incredibly mad, and she really wanted us to be as mad as she was. Honestly, though, we weren’t that upset. Maybe it’s because we were too exhausted to feel anything other than tired, but I think it was because we were just thankful to be through customs and in Florida. There’s nothing like getting your newly-stamped passport back and hearing, “Welcome to the United States.”

 

 

The airport wouldn’t let us through security a “day early,” and when we got our new tickets it was 11:00 PM. So we had to wait an hour just inside the door and get overpriced Pizza Hut, which was all that was open. Boy, did that Pizza Hut taste good just then. At midnight, we went through security. It was actually nice to be doing the TSA thing so early, when there were only five people in line ahead of us. We just had to slide on through, and we were done in ten minutes. Phew. We still had six and a half hours before boarding, so we found a quiet terminal and tried to sleep.

 

 

We actually did manage to sleep a little bit. It’s amazing how easy it is to fall asleep in odd places when you’re so exhausted! Even the dog just dropped off to sleep, all curled up on an airport chair.

Of course, we couldn’t sleep the whole time. I was worried about Kito peeing on the carpet, so we took to her to the special doggy bathroom a few times to make sure to avoid a mess. Thank goodness for the doggie bathroom!

Also, Ben made a new friend named Leo. Leo works at the airport, and he didn’t have any assigned duties for a couple hours during the especially slow parts of the night, so he talked to Ben for a while and found out our predicament. He helped us get seats together on the plane, and then drove us an all our stuff to our terminal on his cart.

 

 

When it was finally time to get on the plane, I was surprised at how quickly the night had gone. The plane ride didn’t seem so short. I slept for a while, and tried to do a crossword puzzle with my fuzzy sleep-deprived brain. Mostly, I held Kito, who was really not enjoying the whole experience. The upside to the early morning plane ride was that my parents didn’t have to pick us up at midnight, which I was happy about.

Finally, we touched down in dusty Phoenix! I have never been so happy to see the familiar outline of Camelback Mountain. We were so excited to see my family, and Kito was excited about the new kennel they bought her. Seriously– I have never seen a dog who loved a kennel so much. How wonderful to be a dog and have a grassy yard for the first time ever, and a cozy kennel to sleep in at night!

 

 

After the whole experience, I can safely say I will never fly with a dog again. At least not for that long of a flight! It was the worst flight experience I’ve ever had, but we got through it with pretty good attitudes and made it home just fine. Now that we’ve recovered a bit, I’m looking forward to seeing family and friends and re-integrating into the United States. This is just the first chapter of a whole new life.

 

 

Saint Martin / Sint Maarten Travel Guide

American University of the Caribbean, AUC, Caribbean, Expats, Expats and TCKs, International Travel, Saint Martin/ Sint Maarten, Spouses Organization, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hi everyone! It’s been about a week since I posted, but I haven’t been twiddling my thumbs. This week is a bittersweet week for Ben and I as we pack our bags (all three of them) and get ready to move back to the States. And yes, I am losing my frickin’ mind in the process, thanks for checking. If you find my brain anywhere, let me know so I can toss it in my carry-on before we fly out.

If you’re loving the Saint Martin adventure posts, never fear! I still have a lifetime’s worth of post material and photos. So you should see a new mix of Arizona adventures and Saint Martin adventures each week.

Rather than give you another hike or beach post today, I thought I’d update and share my Saint Martin/ Sint Maarten Travel Guide. This is a great resource to help you plan you trip to (Saint Martin or your next weekend, for you islanders and expats). Sometimes, getting out and doing something feels pretty uninspired if you feel like you have been everywhere already. So check out the list and see if there’s anything new you can do! Here it is: Saint Martin Travel Guide.

Before I sign off, here’s a sneak peek of the next few Saint Martin posts I’ll be writing, so stick around (and subscribe or follow) to see them when they come out.

Five Reasons to Snorkel Baie Rouge

The History of Saint Martin’s Forts 

How Not to Get to Fort Willem

Four Things You Didn’t Know You Could Do at Mullet Bay Beach

St. Barth’s for Under $100

Why $230 is Totally Worth 5 Hours on Saba

Also… look out for a slew of new Arizona posts! Saint Martin peeps, you’re going to want to come visit after seeing how cool the desert can be. I know you can’t imagine life without the beach, but you have to see what we desert rats do for fun. This is where I’ll be in two days. See you on the other side!

Babit Point Hike at Oyster Pond

American University of the Caribbean, AUC, Caribbean, Expats, Expats and TCKs, International Travel, Nature, Saint Martin/ Sint Maarten, Spouses Organization, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , ,

Oyster Pond in Saint Martin has transformed into a high-end yacht paradise over the last few years. Much to the chagrin of those who knew the tranquil beauty of Oyster Pond’s former wilderness, the area is now a huge tourist center. Like it or not, that’s the way things are. But what if I told you that there is still a wonderful getaway on the shores of Oyster Pond? This is Babit Point, a lonely peninsula of criss-crossing paths and stunning views. Bring your kids, your sweetheart, or just yourself– anyone can enjoy this easy hike.

Babit Point is to the North of Oyster Pond and the south of Coralita Beach. Actually, there’s a trail of sorts leading from Coralita to Babit Point. To drive to Babit, go toward the St. Barth ferry in Oyster Pond, then keep going until you see a dirt lot and some donkeys behind a wooden fence.


To be honest, this is one of those places you might have to hunt for. We drove into a wrong street or two before we found it.


This whole area reminds me of rural Arizona, where you can always see donkeys browsing among the cactus.

The hike to the top of Babit Point is short, and there are some large boulders to climb on. Wow! What a view. We could see Oyster Pond and Dawn Beach, plus St Barth, Statia, and St. Kitts in the distance.


We went down the path to the water’s edge. Oyster pond is pretty much totally developed today, which made me a little sad. I’ve heard rumors of a beach and mangroves that used to be there, and I would have liked to see that. I guess it’s all the more reason to give some love to the island’s remaining healthy pond ecosystems. It looks like the reef around the area is still really nice, though. Maybe we can snorkel it on a calm day.


I don’t come to this side of the island very often, so visiting is always a treat! I feel like I’m exploring a new island altogether. It’s a nice way to shake the Saint Martin claustrophobia I feel now and then.


If you haven’t been here, you need to go at least once. It’s the less steep and potentially deadly version of Guana Bay, even though its not nearly as long. Boy, I love these trails! They’re a huge part of what makes Saint Martin an amazing place to be.

Coralita Beach

Caribbean, International Travel, Saint Martin/ Sint Maarten, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , ,

So, I finished visiting every beach on mainland Saint Martin today! Call me a nerd, but I am really excited about this. My final beach was Coralita Beach on the east coast of Saint Martin.


Coralita Beach is all but deserted, and it’s a bit challenging to find the entrance. It looks like there are three or four entrances, but we parked across from this restaurant:


And we walked through this charming path through the seagrape trees.


A short walk through this path led us to this beautiful beach.


La Belle Creole gets a lot of attention for being a creepy, hurricane-desroyed, abadoned resort. The remains of the Coralita Beach Hotel are a close second. 


These ruins are a little more sunlit, though they are melancholy, like something out of Planet of the Apes.


The graffiti on the pool was pretty sweet, too.


The beach itself is also a lonely, abandoned place. There were a handful of other beachgoers there and some of the beachhouses looked occupied, but the sand was unkept and the little dock crumpled up from wind and waves.


To the north of the beach is an area shades by palm trees, and to the south is a rocky area where you can walk to Babit Point and Oyster Pond. It was crawling with crabs and black iguanas, who looked for all the world like little dinosaurs. It felt a bit like we were walking through prehistoric times. 


It looked like an amazing place for snorkeling. Seriously, I have got to get into that reef sometime. 


We were lucky to go on a clear day, when the view of St. Barths was fantastic. A perfect afternoon for beachgoing!

If you like being alone on a peaceful beach, Coralita is a great place to relax. Don’t expect any facilities or landscaping, just the wild solitude of the wave-swept shore.

Gustavia

American University of the Caribbean, Caribbean, Expats, Expats and TCKs, International Travel, Spouses Organization, St. Barth, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

St. Barth’s is a magical island. Full of pirate history, tales of buried treasure, and beautiful beaches, this tiny Caribbean island is perfectly enchanting. Since it’s been a couple of years since our last adventure to Anguilla, my friend Emily and I decided to take a last-minute trip to St. Barth! Believe it or not, we managed to do a full day trip for under $100 each. We began our St. Barth explorations in Gustavia, the capital and port town.

We had reserved an ATV to take around the island, but before we picked it up, we decided to explore Gustavia. There’s actually a lot to see in a small space. There are two or three forts (we only made it to two of them, but I’m pretty sure I spotted another), plus a beautiful little beach called Shell Beach. I’ll tell you about those a little later, because Gustavia deserves its own post.

St. Barth was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1943. Although he often named islands after the saints whose feast days fell on the day of discovery, Columbus named this island after his brother. My guess is that he discovered it the same day he saw St. Martin, and had to pick another esteemed namesake.

Although it was “discovered” (I use that term loosely since there were already people living on it) in the 15th Century, it wasn’t until 1648 that colonists on St. Kitts immigrated to St. Barth. In the 18th Century, a successful colony was finally built on the island by the French. Not long after, the French traded it to the Swedish. The port city was named after King Gustav, and the Swedish flag still flies in places to commemorate the hundred years of Swedish rule. In the 19th Century, the island was returned to the French.

Throughout Gustavia, you can see both French and Swedish colonial imprints in the architecture and in the streets. Lovely old building have been preserved for hundreds of years, and old canons still sand like ancient sentries on the hills above the city. Today, the forts are used for hiking and whale-watching rather than for protection.

Gustavia has changed a lot over the years, despite the old houses and roads. Now, there are malls and fine restaurants lining the wharf and the back streets. Gustavia is a destination for the rich and famous! Being neither of these, we opted to wander and window shop, keeping our wallets in our pockets. Aside from an acai bowl (something you can’t get in Saint Martin, where we live) and a couple of postcards, window shopping was the order of the day.

We enjoyed wandering around and exploring. There were so many interesting things to see! I liked the gigantic coloring page outside a curio shop. Everybody who passed by stopped for a moment to color a little bit.

It was also fun to play tourist for a little while! Emily and I live in the neighboring island of Saint Martin, where we see tourists all over the place and are often mistaken for travelers. In St. Barth, we really were tourists! There’s no shame in a great, big Canon camera and a big, floral print backpack when you’re a tourist. Who are we kidding, though? I walk around like that at home, too.

Stay tuned for more St. Barth adventures. Don’t forget to subscribe or follow me on Facebook! I have a lot more Caribbean adventures that intend to pack in over my last few weeks living in Saint Martin. Until next time!

 

 

Petite Plage: An SXM Beach You Never Heard Of

Caribbean, International Travel, Nature, Saint Martin/ Sint Maarten, Uncategorized, , , , , , ,

School’s out, and I’ve been doing a lot of exploring lately! Most of my adventures are documented on my Canon, which I haven’t been able to upload since my laptop cord died. Fortunately, I was able to replace it this week– for a whopping $45. In the States, it’s only $26. Go figure it couldn’t survive just one more month. Still, I am really happy to have my computer back! All that to say that I’ll be uploading great photos from St. Barths, Anguilla, and St. Martin soon. Today, though, I have something special: Petite Plage.


Petite Plage is one of the lesser known beaches on Saint Martin. It’s pretty tiny, and it’s hidden away. Plus, it’s right next door to Grand Case Beach, one of the best beaches on the island. Still, this quiet little beach is worth visiting.


To get to Petite Plage, walk north on the main road in Grand Case. Keep walking until you hit a gate to a private driveway, and then go through the small gate to the left. You’ll see the type of sign that marks the entrance to every beach on the French side.


When you get to the other end of the walkway, you’ll find a lovely little strip of sand with a killer view of Creole Rock.


You know, I had no idea that Petite Plage existed until Sunday. I’ve scoured the maps, planned my excursions, and even kept a list of all the beaches on Saint Martin that I hadn’t yet visited. Yet this one managed to slip past me. After my friend mentioned it last weekend, I checked the map again.  Yup, there it was– right next to Grand Case Beach. I’m so glad I found out about it in time! I’m trying to visit every beach on Saint Martin. What a bummer it would have missed this one.


Ben and I aren’t big “chill on the beach” people. If we were, we would have loved Petite Plage. If the beach bum life is your thing, rent a chair and umbrella for 20 Euro or get some food at Sunset (which I’ve heard is really fantastic).


Rather than stay at the Beach, Ben and I waded over to the rocky area to the left and went exploring. Aside from some cows and a ninja iguana, we found an awesome view  of Creole Rock and the whole bay.


All in all, this wasn’t our favorite beach. It’s definitely somewhere to visit at least once, though. If you need a place to get away from it all and relax, Petite Plage is your place!