All posts by Drew Meyers
A Budget Meal in Saint Thomas – Toast & Peanut Butter with an Egg
The Backstories of Two Travel Bloggers
I love where my feedreader (and Twitter) take me sometimes, and today was one of times. I started with one of the backpacking blogs I read regularly, Nomadic Matt, and came across his How I Became Nomadic Matt post . I’ve been reading Matt’s site for quite awhile (a year?), but never really had the backstory of how he got to where he is. Well, now I do — and I’ll likely be a more loyal reader as a result. From there, I read through the comments (and commented a couple times), and ended up clicking over to Toni White’s blog and seeing her “where my story began” post about halfway down the page. Both posts are fascinating stories. As I’ve said over and over, it’s the people and social components of the web that I enjoy — hence, the reason I enjoy reading personal stories like these and learning more about the actual individuals behind the blogs.
I’m a little over a year into my nomadic life, but I fully anticipate one of these posts is coming in my own future — might be awhile though. Those that really care can head to my personal blog and read away.
All You Can Eat Crab at Iggies Beach Bar in Saint Thomas on Tuesday Nights
Who likes crab and beer?
Umm, me.
So, if you are a fan of crab and beer and happen to be staying on Saint Thomas in the US Virgin Islands, Iggies Beach bar has all you can each crab every Tuesday evening, good from 6 pm to 10 pm. When my friend and I went the other night, there were probably about 40 people devouring crab legs.
What can you expect in the way of a bill? $40 plus drinks. I spent $60 for crab, 2 beers, and tip. A little pricey, but not too outrageous.
At the end of the night, what stopped me was not getting full. Quite the contrary, I felt I could keep eating crab non stop — but I was sick of cracking open crab legs to get to that wondrous meat.
So Iggies on a Tuesday? Well worth it.
Hitting the Travel Links – July 9
Here are a few links worth checking out:
Cost of Renting a Car in Saint Thomas – aka How to Get Raped
If you’re planning to visit Saint Thomas – it’s a good bet that you’ll need a rental car. In fact, after being here for two weeks, I know you will. You literally can’t do much of anything on this island without a car.
What does it cost for a rental car here in Saint Thomas in the US Virgin Islands? Well,I thought it was only $50 per day, but it turns out we ended up paying about $80 a day because we opted for the insurance (mistake #1).
A $945 bill for less than 10 days? Umm, yea, we got royally raped on that one.
Someone (aka me?) should start a business doing short term car rentals in Saint Thomas. Buy a vehicle for $4,000-5,000, rent it for $500 per month, and pay off the whole car in 8 months. Sounds like a good business idea to me.
Travel Photo: A Gorgeous Caribbean Night on Saint Thomas
What is the True Cost of Abundance?
One of my friends sent me a link to Contrast of Abundance written by Shelley Lewis on HuffPost Impact. I loved this paragraph:
As we consider how we educate children in this increasingly interconnected world, why don’t we start by basing our educational philosophies on the notion that the human relationship, the bonding and love which is shared in such a paradigm are just as important as any facts the teacher can impart to the child. Thereby, accomplishment can be measured by a sense of self and value for others not simply by what grades you receive. Schooling, housing, food and sanitation are all important but each human being needs the sustenance of the heart, a deep sense of emotional well being and strengthening of imagination to find meaning in one’s life. These qualities of spiritual enrichment are necessary to excel in the world of tomorrow, to dream beyond the norm and strive to fulfill a sustainable future.
Every time I read an article like this I think back to my time in the Dominican Republic, Kenya, and Ghana – and realize that traveling abroad for the first time in 2005 was the best thing I ever could have done for myself. If it weren’t for that initial trip, who knows, maybe I never would have made it to those other places and instead sat inside the friendly confines of the United States for my whole life (though I admit that’s doubtful given my group of friend’s travel habits).
Saint John Carnival Schedule for the 4th of July, 2011
St. John Festival 2010
St. John, Cruz Bay 4:00am
Event: J’ouvert, One of the most popular events of Carnival. It is an early morning party as thousands of people dance through the streets behind their favorite bands while others stand on the sidelines and enjoying the music. Starts outside the National Park Visitor Center.St. John Festival 2010
St. John, Cruz Bay 11:00am
Event: Parade, The parade is one of the biggest events of the St. John Festival. It takes place in Cruz Bay and includes thousands of participants and thousands of viewers that line the parade route. Come see mocko jumbies, carnival royalty, listen to bands play while colorfully costumed troupes dance along. Some troupes include masqueraders wearing from the smallest costumes of bikinis with beads to elaborate, large costumes that stretch the width of the parade route. The parade route starts at the National Park Visitor Center entrance and runs through Cruz Bay.St. John Festival 2010
St. John, Cruz Bay Harbor 9:00pm
Event: Fireworks Display. Fireworks over Cruz Bay Harbor.