Antigua--Part One

 December is bursting with activities and gatherings and celebrations.  I love it and I love all the wonder and fun of the season.  That being said...

IT IS EXHAUSTING.

A week after Christmas, Abe and I packed up and ran away from home.  We joined Andrea and James on a weeklong adventure on a private yacht circumnavigating the island of Antigua (in the Caribbean).  What a way to ring in the New year!  I came home relaxed and happy and ready for life again.  

As we were getting off the Trax train, we saw this cute couple and I thought I recognized him as the son of my college roommate-- Katie Felker (now Reall).  I was right!

Travel buddies

In Antigua they drive on the left side of the road.  Abe drove on the left in London on his mission and he was so excited to rent a car and give it a go.  Now, in his defense, there were no accidents and we did successfully get where we needed to go...  you know what?  Let's just leave it at that.  

It did melt my mind a bit.

This was the view from our bed and breakfast, overlooking English Bay.  Unreal.

Walking down the road to Nelson's Dockyard.

It was a really cool old English Naval Fort.

A fancy Friday Fish Fry at Nelson's Dockyard

Breakfast

Where we stayed

I thought I would be fabulous and wear this hat all day.  As it turned out, these pictures represent the only times on the whole trip I wore the hat.  

Getting ready for the Antigua Rainforest zip line course.  So fun!

Andrea and I had a fun time scoring (Olympics style) each other's landings on the platforms.  

Our first mocktail hour on board our glorious catamaran-- The Ohana

When we went on a similar trip about 2 1/2 years ago, the thing I loved the very most, was settling into "my perch" and just enjoying everything around me-- the feel of the boat gently swaying/sailing, sounds of the sails/ropes clacking in the wind, the smell of the salty air, the gorgeous blues of the sky and water and the greens of the island in sight.  Oh it was so heavenly.  And I could relax-- I mean, REALLY relax.  Not surprisingly, finding my perch and recreating that experience was at THE TOP of my list of what I was looking forward to on this trip.  

Abe took a picture of me each day in my perch.

Gah!!! It felt soooo good to body and spirit.

And I listened to audiobooks.

And the last one as we docked in the harbor where we started.