I Just Got Taken For A Ride

I'm trying to do as much as I can before I lose my internet :)  I left my conch fritters and trapsed back to the ferry docks where we then proceeded to switch to what they call "island time" which means that, no one ever is on time here.  "We start boarding at 2:20" actually means, we'll board when we're good and ready - which then turns out to be like 2:45.  Ah well - I'm on vacation so - island time it is!

I got on the ferry to Tortolla and found a seat right by the open door.  The pict above was my view from my seat.  And oh, in case you hadn't noticed, I've now taken out my "big girl" camera :)  I'm going to try and use that a little more and give poor little IPhone a break for a while.

So right across from me there was this guy and his son seated.  The little boy was seriously the cutest kid I'd ever seen and he just sat there quietly leaning against his dad's leg or perched on his lap.  He was just looking around and observing life.  It was so hard no to stare at him because he was so dog gone cute!  I had to pick up a book to divert my attention - it worked for a while, but then they ended up getting on the taxi with me at the ferry.

Here's a shot of the Marriott that I stayed at last night.

And here we are pulling into BVI, Tortolla - I was through this port before when I went to Virgin Gourda.  I love all those brightly colored buildings.

So I had been instructed to take the ferry to West End and then take a taxi to the Beef Island airport (where I believe I'm now sitting, but I'm not 100% sure that its Beef Island).  Anyways, I got onto this open taxi with all these other people and he said he'd take me to the airport.  We drive and drive and he drops all these people off and we pass the Road Town ferry (which I could have taken as well but didn't as I was told to take the West Town one...) and then we pull into this parking lot and he tells me to get out that this other guy is going to finish taking me to the airport.  I'm like "what?" but I oblige and he asks for $10 and I look at him, but I give it to him.  And I get into this new can with this islander who is like in his 70s and he immediately starts telling me the history of the island and when the Queen came and made this road and where he yacht was moored and all this stuff and I'm not even listening but he's yammering on.  I kind of look over towards him and I do a double take as he's flashing his hands around - AYE!  He's got an enormous gold ring on EVERY finger and all but two fingers has a TWO INCH long nail with a pearl nail polish on it!  FREAKY!  Then we're driving and I see this sign with an arrow pointing to the airport and its at a fork and he starts to go the other way, still talking and he says something to the effect that "that way is the main road but he's taking me on the scenic route" and at that point I'm like "excuse me?  Am I paying extra for this scenic route as I didn't ask for it.  I wanted to go to the airport, not take a tour of the island."  and then he proceeds to tell me how much his fare is and I double take and I have suddenly learned - I am not getting into another islanders taxi without knowing exactly where I'm going and how much it costs to get there!  No more!

But, I'm putting my brain back on vacation and I'm going to chill and pretty soon, hopefully if I'm at the right airport, I'll be walking over to the boat and getting on and sailing away from Captain Creepy-Nails!