Learning to Fly

So, remember how in a previous blog post I mentioned that my parents had two honeymoons? And that one of them was to St. Thomas? Well, little did I know, but my father had been saving a lot of money in secrecy for the past 12 years after that date. He wanted to go back to the Caribbean more than anything, and started to my mother. I, on the other hand, was an awkward 13 year old shut-in who didn't care much about anything at all. So I was pretty cool with whatever happened. In fact, up until I was 15 or so, I actually used to be so bad with travel that my parents were afraid to send me more than 20 minutes away from the house.

But in April of 2007, I learned how to fly. More importantly, I got my first taste of the lovely headache that can be airport security. Otherwise, I was acutely unaware of the world around me. Just how massive it is, just how incredible it is to be on a plane knowing that you're going somewhere new. Until one day, I was sitting on my first plane ride ever to North Carolina and then onwards to St Thomas in the United States Virgin Islands.

A few of many great photos taken in St. Thomas.

I remember getting up around 5 in the morning, white early than I am used to, as our plane was to depart around 9 from BWI airport in Baltimore. We got our suitcases packed, organized a loose schedule for the trip, and headed for the plane. At this stage of my life, I was battling an issue with depression, as I didn't fit in with any of my classmates back then. I was the nerdy outcasts looking for an escape, and I figured that this could very well be a wonderful Escape.

I put a Pink Floyd mix CD on my Casio CD player as the plane hit the runway, remembering to listen 1st to learning to fly off of a momentary lapse of reason. That song inspired me more than words could compare, filling me with an eternal sense of bliss every time I listen to the song to this day. Are playing taxi Off The Runway, speeds incomprehensible to any human on land, and bellowed towards this guy. I was really Learning to Fly. I was learning how free it meant to be when you are in a metal chassis several thousand miles off the grounds, departing at speeds unknown for something unknown. What a great gift, what a wonderful mystery and an exuberating feeling!

Although mostly independent, the US Virgin Islands have been part of United States for several decades. What is most interesting about them is that they drive on the left side of the road, but they drive standard American cars which are meant for right side driving. Lots of left-turn accidents have happened in the past, but anybody on St. Thomas takes a traffic accident with a serious grain of salt. Fortunately, we were not victims of any accident.

As far as weather goes, it was pretty mild all over the island. When it rains however, it would literally rain on one side of the street but not the other. We went on a submarine tour our first day, experiencing the wildlife underneath the sea in St Thomas. We stayed at Sapphire Beach, a nice Oceanside Resort, and spent a lot of time going to the bar for drinks, and for me a virgin daiquiri or martini, practicing for snorkeling, actually going snorkeling and seeing cool but scary stuff, swimming, or just in general hanging out. There were a lot of very cute Beach bods as well from what I remember.

Since the trip was literally a decade ago from the time of writing this, I only remember bits and pieces of what all transpired. I remember going snorkeling on a snorkeling tour and seeing a barracuda, as well as parasailing for the first time in my entire life. What a freaky feeling to be up in the air attached to a rope following a small little boat. I also remember playing steel drum at a local restaurant called the Agave Terrace, wishing that the street Carnival hadn't finished up the week before we got there, and going to the Skylift that crests a scenic view of the island. I also got to experience my first time (and hardcore blushing all around) as well as facilitate dialogue with the female kind for the first actual time in my life, regardless of their inhibitory status.

I also went parasailing!

As you can plainly here and imagine, there was a lot to see and do on this trip. There were plenty of geographical sites to be found, plenty of Memoirs, dedications, statues, and memorials, a lot of restaurants, and a lot of expensive food. There was a local who made a trophy for us out of coconut (which we let him keep because of customs). My dad got the message because he wanted to sit and talk with the guy as he works, and get to understand a bit about his life and culture. All in all, despite geographical location, life in St Thomas isn't too entirely different from life in the states. Although the entire population is right around as tiny as York is now, they're still quite mighty.