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Here - 5 mins late [Westin St. John]

In regards to shuttles and maintenance/housekeeping -

shuttles are no problem except around dinner time.

Maintenance has been eerie - I called twice and they have been here instantly - even around 7pm last night - AC controller upstairs went out - and guy was at door in about a minute. also had toilet level break - again right away someone came to replace.

We had no notice of mid-week tidy (usually Mon/Tue) and yesterday (Wed) morning I called to get towel refresh - we dont need anything else and prefer to clean ourselves (we bring our own fitted sheet and didn't want to have them accidentially take it) - and housekeeper came immediately - and someone also showed up with even more towels.
 
i am going so slow - i think i am moving backwards.

we are so glad we got a 2nd week - it would really suck to have to pack up last nite and go back today.

of course - WSJ thought we were checking out today - because someone with my exact name has week 24 reserved - amazing... {of course our 1st week had me living in North Carolina - with the same street address... good old SVO database}

yesterday was a slight drizzle for a good part of the day - went to Cinnamon Bay and snorkled out to Cinnamon Cay - beach was practically empty.

Rhumbl Lines for dinner - Ultimate Pad Thai, Blackened Scallops and Pupus - yummy - and mojitos and a real Painkiller (ouch - must be 151 dark) - of course it was ~$200 for 4 of us (w/ tip) - glad we are eating at the villa more. And off to Beach Bar to drink our dessert (Bushwackers) - got parking in front of Beach Bar (lucky) and walked to Rhumblines. Humid night - sat under fans.

$4.95 for dark and light Cruzan Rum at Starfish Market. Almost cheaper than water or soda.
STJ market had Conumdrum (2006) - unmarked prices on wine - they didn't know the prices - so they sold it to us for $14.95 - we bought 2 bottles (lol)
 
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OK - smoke smell still in our Bd - but now its smells like old man's pipe smoke because I have been burning berry-scented candles... glad I am at 0.15% when i go to bed... lol

Tomandrobin - you may need to take over thread... my mind is going fast... man- we are 50% through... cant believe we did this in just one week before - thank you susan and steve for selling us week 23 - gonna write them a thank you note.

we LOVE this place - please help me - i am going to end up like one of those old sailor dudes at the end of the bar - sound asleep with a warm bud-lite bottle sitting in front of them (and not a care in the world...) what did i do for a profession again? Robin... help!
 
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entire day at Trunk Bay today - incredible w/no crusie ships and low Fri crowd - sunny w/ cotton clouds - simply incredible. went to normal spot - right side looking at ocean - found a parking place close - and perfect shady spot to set up camp. snorkled both right side and around the cay - amazing - especially when sun was shining.

bought an o'neil water shirt (SPF 50+) in CB - CB Dive shop - totally worth the price of 3 sunblock lotions ($45) - these are great sun protectors
 
The Two Robins!

Doubley cute...
{at the Soggy Dollar in JVD}
P6120121.jpg
 
Saturday - took public ferry from STJ to Jost Van Dyke (BVI) - saw Tom of tomandrobin taking the Bad Kitty charter when we were walking to the ferry - and then briefly again at the Soggy Dollar Bar when they were arriving and we were taking off to catch the ferry home (late arriving taxi man was making me nervous) - just enough time to snap quick photo above - and quick hello/goodbye (The Robins didn't have time to even meet...)

We had a group vote - and next time we are not taking public ferry - too much hassle and waiting. Hire a private captain for a day (best) or a good charter like BK (next best) - worth the extra money.

Had dinner at Crazy Crackers in CB - went to go to The Lime Inn, but they were closed {?} - very quiet in CB on a Saturday nite - lots of parking - skipped dessert (Bushwacker at Beach Bar)
 
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Thanks David once again for sharing your experiences with us.

The video looks like my kind of place! I think I am going to try to contact Jim Johnson at Starwood to see about trading / upgrading my WPROV weeks to a 3 BR WSJ pool villa. Does anyone have Jim Johnson's phone number? If so, please PM me with it.

Thank you!
 
Westin5Star --

When I was there the last week of May, I was told there were no 3-BR pool villas in inventory. Of course, they were really pushing the new phase, so it could have been untrue ... not to imply that a Sales Rep would lie or anything.

Also, when I bought last year, they told me they couldn't do upgrades (I had several resale voluntary resorts I would have loved to use). Again ... I don't trust anything they say, but letting you know their "story" at the time.

I LOVE my pool villa, but it's only an EOY ... and I've decided to go with the new phase for the alternative year. After corresponding with Tom a while back, I've grown to love the idea of having a floating week for that 2nd year. My dd intends to teach school ... and depending on where she ends up, I want to be sure she and my future grandchildren (I'm thinking 3 :)) can come. I'm going to watch resales, but bought the explorer package just in case (can't believe I'm considering a 2nd developer purchase ... must be losing my mind or having a mid-life crisis or something).
 
I took the owners update yesterday. I was offered a pool villa and an upgrade. My friends were nOt Offered the pool side villa, but they are not current owners.
 
Upgrade from your existing WSJ or an upgrade from another resort (I wanted to trade-in a SBP when I bought and they told me they couldn't do it)?
 
The 3Bd (pool) villas are sweet - since you travel with a large group and can afford it - why not?

We were offered some type of 3Bd (pool) but wasn't interested - so got no info. We are loving our villa and are fortunately to get 2 consecutive weeks - now we want 3 weeks.

Our internet has been out since Monday morning. Hard to remember back that far - where was we?

Waterlemon today... has to be the best snorkling (and everyone seems to know) - we snorkled from the beach - and we had our own turtle escort most of the way out to the cay. At one point we had the turtle, a very large stingray and medium barracuda all within view. Went around outside of cay since current was slow - coral life out there is doing well since not getting as mashed by poor snorklers.

Hey Tom/Robin - hope you guys have been having a great time (sans rain) - sorry we blew bye so quickly at JVD - taxi to catch. We haven't even gone down to the resort since the BBQ over a week ago. It will be just Robin and I for our last day - maybe we will see you guys.
 
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So David, what did you do with that bottle after you got out there? :D
 
aren't they biodegradable?

actually we bring bottle 'coozies' {Beach Bar} otherwise the beer (in our case - Sierra Nevada) warms up immediately - in this case the bottle got tossed back to the beach - we always pack-out what we pack-in (and sometimes more)

can't believe that we did this in just 1 week before

i would say the only downside of this vacation has been the numerous mosquitoes this year - it has prevented from us hanging-out (being still) outside more compared to other years w/o out soaking in bugspray

had our anniversary dinner last night at Asolare (sunset over St Thomas) - it was great - get there at 5:45 for tables along balcony rail (good suggestion from Westin Vacation Services) - we definitely head back there in years to come.

off to Honeymoon today - great weather today - calm seas
 
anyway... sorry I couldn't keep up on the trip report - going too slow and internet was out for 2 days (and the rum was in) - i will try and fill-in {maybe} and post photos/videos

if you have questions - please ask - we learn more and more each time we go

it took 14 hours dock to door to get home (1:15PM WSJ ferry/taxi {$50pp one way} - STT - 4PM Delta flight ATL {dinner} - 9PM flight to SFO - crazy friggin' SFO taxi ride home at midnite {even i was nervous - idiot doing >100mph on 101S - i actually told him to slow down eventhough i was so ready to be home...}} - a bit different than STJ that has a max speed limit of 20mph
 
we never went to Honeymoon (didnt want to walk there) - so Robin and I went to the western side of Maho Bay and snorkeled out to the reef at 'America Point' (very long snorkle) - the beach there has Palm shade

Eastern side of Maho is better (Maho Point toward Francis), but we had done that already (twice - once from Maho and once from Francis) - that area between Maho and Francis is some of the best/easy snorkle.

then we headed out to our last and now traditional snorkel at Trunk Bay after the NPS booth is closed (around 3PM) and parking is easy - lifeguards get off a 4PM - we snorkled out to the end of Trunk Cay on the west side (one with the underwater trail signs) and had great sunlight - and no other snorkelers - we then said goodbye to Trunk Bay and our final snorkel

we had found that one of the fun things to do after a long day at beach/snorkeling was to stop by the to-go window at Woody's and each get Bushwackers for Happy Hour ($1 off) - yum
 
it looks as if TnR and DnR will have competing WSJ/STJ pics

Sunset from villa (2009 this time)
SunsetB.jpg
 
Keep Left sign in Coral Bay
20 mph is the maximum speed limit on STJ
KeepLeftEE.jpg
 
villas of B34
(note vehicle parking - a big plus for Hillside villas)
B34Villas.jpg
 
combination cemetary and basketball court in Coral Bay
CementaryBasketball.jpg
 
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