St. Kitts & Nevis

By now I've lost track of the days. What day am I on? Let's say Sunday. Which makes this yesterday! Ah...island time. So we left for St. Kitts yesterday morning, a nice little hop skip and 20 min flight over from St. Maarten. We attempted to check into a hotel that never gave us a confirmation...did I mention this place looked closed? So our cab driver called the owner and he said he'd be down to pick us up in a few minutes, but by this point we had decided three strikes, you're out and checked ourselves into Frigate Bay a little bit down the street. The beach it was by was beautiful, just as soon as I've decided I've found the prettiest beach, another one blows me away. We enjoyed another delicious seafood dinner by the pier, apparently a hot spot for the locals to come out and swim. Afterwards we stopped by the Monkey Bar for a couple drinks, where I have found perhaps two of the best drinks over. A) Coconut rum and Ting...awkward combo but a delicious outcome. B) Chocolate pina colada..which was downed in a matter of minutes. It's a pina colada made with the local rum, Belmont Estes Gold Coconut Rum (you can actually taste the difference), rum cream, Hersey's syrup and a pinch of cinnamon. It's like a Mounds candy in liquid form...Heaven never tasted so good.

And all of these drinks, dinners, mishaps, adventures, etc. lead up to today, a day I never thought I'd actually get to! We spent the rest of the day on St. Kitts and enjoyed a quick little half day zipline tour of the greenery out by Old Road. We went on two different ziplines, and in all honesty I wish they went a little slower because we went over some really incredible (-ly high up) scenery, I wish I could have enjoyed it a bit more..however, I was more concerned with how close I was getting to the end...in the practice round I didn't stretch back far enough for the landing (at the end of the zipline your zipper-whatever-you-want-to-call-it pushes against the coils connected to the line so that you have something to stop you) which caused me to fly up and smack my head on the line (I guess that's why they make you wear helmets..?)-therefore, I was a little more concerned with landing properly than I was with my immediate surroundings-still an interesting time however!

After working up an appetite, we went out for a little "Indian Cuisine", which gave me one of the best channa masala dishes I've had in a while. I was a little hesitant to try Indian in a Caribbean island but it was just what I've been craving! Nom. We then hopped over to Nevis and after a little bit of a stressful afternoon, Rachel and I became acquainted with what is our new home for the next five weeks! Our group from State is staying in the Hurricane Cove Bungalows, they're INCREDIBLE. I had to emphasize the INCREDIBLE because I came in and jumped around like a giddy girl while Rachel laughed at me because it's just that amazing here. Our view is perhaps the best (for real this time)-we get to see the ~3,000 ft volcano that lies in the center of Nevis to our left, Oualie Beach lying in front, and the mountains/hills of St. Kitts (where the sun sets) to our right...welcome to the good life. Our bungalow is named "Coconut," one of my top obsessions so I was automatically won over. It is surrounded by trees and flowers, lizards, monkeys, and everything natural. Inside we have a little kitchen where I'm currently mastering the peanut butter and guava jelly sandwich...hello college budget, we missed you! We have a queen bed next to the kitchen, and then you walk down a stair or two where there lies a single bed and little sitting area, which is where you stare out the two large windows and ponder what you'd have to do to see this view everyday for the rest of your life.

It's indescribable, finally being here and whatnot. I want to know this island like the back of my hand before I leave-I want to know every local restaurant, every good market, where the best music is played, where to get the best deals, everything. Wish me luck!