Things I dislike about the BVI

A couple of people have asked what I DON’T like about being in the BVI, and there are some things.  I’ve become more of a food snob over the last few years.  This shows up in Santa Fe and it becomes clearer here in the Islands.  Yogurt is a great example.  Dannon is the brand of choice and I simply can’t grit my teeth enough to eat the sugary stuff.  Scored a couple of weeks ago with eight vanilla and coconut Chobani but haven’t seen anything like that since.  The only alternative is plain Dannon.  I have discovered there are some Chile wines that are drinkable but I sincerely miss my regular brands, my scotch AND lattes.  J  (Although Steve makes great morning coffee!!)

Organic foods are minimal if at all.  Catching veggies on the day they are stocked is a score since they don’t last well down here.  Red peppers and lettuce have to be eaten quickly or they are fish food, and the fish don’t seem to care much for them.  Fish prefer cheese, which I share with the dog instead.  We are down to ground beef, after finishing the last of the chicken brought frozen from home.  We will see if we find any meat to buy at RiteWay. 

I’ve rediscovered that I don’t like humidity, even in this beautiful place.  There is a reason I live in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  Clothes and towels don’t ever seem totally dry. I remember, when I first moved to Santa Fe, hearing a radio announcer talk about going back to the Midwest for a wedding.  He talked about getting out of the shower and after drying off with three towels, giving up and getting into his clothes still damp.  In Santa Fe, he insisted, as he got out of the shower and reached for a towel, he realized he was already dry.  It feels like that, to me, down here.  One cure is hanging towels and clothes out on the life lines to air – and then rushing to bring them in when it starts to rain at midnight. 

Grit, sand and salt aren’t favorites either.  I get frustrated that about the only time I actually feel clean is for the first 10 minutes after getting out of the shower.  Sitting on the trampoline in a lovely night breeze is a sure way to undo a shower.  And, while I like my curly hair, down here it is too close to dreadlocks to suit me.

I miss my nightly PBS Newshour routine, walking Iris a mile and a half every day, biking in Eldorado and the gorgeous Iris blooming in my yard right now. (I wonder if any of them will still be blooming when we get back?)

And, as much as I’ve learned about sailing, particularly on this trip with only Steve and me on board, I still worry about what I’ll do wrong that will break something or put us in danger.  We have successfully anchored, caught mooring balls, sailed around many gorgeous islands and haven’t died.  Today, after a beautiful sail to Anegada (jib and mainsail up) I feel a little less unsure. 

All told, my dislikes seem minor when you balance out the beautiful breezes, gorgeous moon and/or stars at night and calm, blue waters for sailing.