Pictures of 01.07.05 -- A trip to Tortola

Then, it was time to depart for warmer climes as we had done in
2004
and
2003
so we said good bye to Ben ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0601 and Jane ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0602 as Suzanne gathered her things ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0603 and the limo driver appeared ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0604 to load us into the car ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0605 and go pick up the Kramers ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0606 as we drove through the darkness ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0607 which was almost dark in the car as well as the driver provided us with some unique memories by not knowing how to turn on the lights and not having enough money (or E-Z-Pass) for the tolls. But we did get to the airport ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0608 and celebrated passing security ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0609 by stopping for coffee ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0610 before boarding the plane where I took this self portrait ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0611 and this picture of Suzanne ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0612 as we headed off ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0613 and my meal ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0614 looked better than Suzanne's ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0615 even in good light ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0616 though both benefited ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0617 from being buried. Before we knew it, we were looking down on San Juan ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0618 ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0619 and stretching the wing ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0620 because the runway was approaching ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0621 for our landing ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0622 and we found ourselves in the air terminal ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0623 where this map ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0624 told us where we might go as the American Airlines gate ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0625 told us how we'd get there though we'd have time to explore the shops ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0626 and walk the corridors ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0627 into and out of yet another shop ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0628 as I paused for a self portrait ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0629 and a profile ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0630 and another try ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0631 while Suzanne and Peter found a champagne at a good price ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0632 before we made our way to Domino's pizza ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0633 where the individual pan pies were waiting ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0634 but the service was painfully slow though we did get back to Seva ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0635 and Suzanne ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0636 so that Peter ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0637 and I could enjoy our water ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0638 and pizza ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0639 before heading back through the gate ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0640 to boarding ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0641 even as our luggage ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0642 got on the front of the plane for the hop to Beef Island Airport. The view looked good ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0643 as we got off the plane ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0644 at the airport building ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0645 and took the requisite picture of the airport sign ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0646 even as our plane was being refueled ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0647 and we waited in line for immigration ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0648 and then customs ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0649 before this woman ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0650 got us ready ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0651 to check out the local license plates ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0652 as our car was being brought forth ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0653 to ferry us around the island.
On the trip to the hotel, I proved ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0654 ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0655 ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0656 that a flash doesn't work through a car window as I tried to capture images of the Xmas directions at the rotary but instead ... At the hotel, the desk clerk ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0657 checked us in but then posed for a better picture ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0658 so that we could get to our room and I could notice that we overlooked the pool ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0659 as I tried to place myself in the room ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0660 ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0661 which had nice space ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0662 ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0663 and a semi-functional bathroom ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0664 even as Suzanne rested ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0665 while we waited for dinner.
Dinner began with the clinking of glasses of the drink they called the painkiller ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0666 which amused Suzanne ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0667 and Seva ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0668 and me ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0669 as I admired the plates ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0670 and ate my salad ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0671 as Suzanne had her fish ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0672 and the coffee ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0673 closed the meal as we wandered off to see our first palm tree ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0674 of the trip and viewed the lap lanes ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0675 ../../../Sabbat/2005/01.05-12.05Tortola//IMG_0676 in the pool.