Pre-Trip Checklist

1. Wake up at 3:30 AM to head to the airport (thanks MOM!)
2. Minneapolis to Atlanta - rushed from terminal A to terminal E with several minutes to spare.
3. Atlanta to St. Thomas - aborted! Remnants from Tropical Storm Rafael kept the winds too high to land on the VERY short runway at STT. We circled STT for an hour until we started running low on fuel and the pilot wisely decided to divert us to Puerto Rico. We were on the ground long enough in San Juan for the winds to die down (slightly) and enjoy a Margarita.
4. San Juan to St. Thomas - a success! Flying into STT is an experience of it's own. The larger planes can only land in one direction because the runway is surrounded by mountains. If you're lucky enough to be seated on the right side of the plane, the only thing that can be seen is the sea until seconds before the wheels hit the ground.
5. Airport to hotel - arrived on foot. For our first night, we opted to stay at the Best Western Emerald Beach which is walking distance from the airport. Fortunately, we packed light. Below is the view from our room (notice the power catamaran in the background. It seemed much farther away last night...)

 

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