Two days in Tortola
Leaving St. Thomas, Debbie and I caught a ferry to Tortola, the British side of the Virgin Islands. We rented a car for a couple days. Sounds simple, but add to the crazy steep roads with razor sharp and constantly occuring twists and turns that appear to defy gravity, add the fact that driving occurs on the opposite side of the road (only in the UK, why?). Really, we consider ourselves pretty hard to scare, but both of us found it quite stressful. Spectacular. Beautiful. Really glad we saw it that way. And also really glad to have returned the car. Regardless, everyone was very gracious, accomodatimg and helpful.
As a general rule, we keep things small, as authentic as possible (whatever that means), and as do-it-your-self as possible. We typically pick the most independent car rental companies (thanks Dede!), hotels, cabins, refurbished old trailers and charter companies. I think, in the case of Tortola, if we were to do it again, I’d lean toward taking the easier route. Tortola is beautiful and the people are wonderful, but we kept getting lost, left our food provisioning until Sunday and then realized EVERYTHING IS CLOSED on Sunday. Except for the touristy charter clubs where we are embarrassed to say we found gleeful refuge And food. Wifi Drinks. I think we needed a few more days to shake off our Chicago-cultivated expectations. I kept thinking we had been cast in an episode of Portlandia.
We stayed at The Tamarind Club, a slightly-run down expat hang out in the mountains that had good food, good drinks, an animal-rescue family for owners and lots of good pets. For two nights this was not bad as a base. Seems like everyone on the island knows it and finds it worth mentioning. I’m sure there is a discount and helpful hand in there somewhere.
Set A Course 
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