A nice beach

Better than Agadir then. The only persons on the beach there where selling things.

JohanR

Skiathos is similar,the planes dodge the boat masts to land there..

This wise advice tends to get ignored...

rod,

surely that planes super imposed on the photo ! NO ?
Scotty

Rod where is that? Should be an automatic entry in the "Plane Spotters Good Holiday Guide"!

Maho Bay, St Maarten.

LOADS of videos on youtube.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=zAfQwDizpRo&

Jeez

I'm no plane spotter but I must say it is quite an entertaining afternoon out. For some reason all the big planes (Paris, Amsterdam, Miami) land within around a two hour slot.

I was sitting in a bar sipping an ice cold "Presidente" (a fine brew) when I took the photo - not superimposed - as Christian's link amply demonstrates (the cockpit vid is especially good). I was quite pleased because even at that height I think a 747 is travelling at racing car speeds so to get it (almost) all in shot is something of an achievement.

Have to say though that this island has 37 beaches and every single other one is nicer than Maho from a more classic perepective. I'm working here for the winter (honest) but have a week off the week after next to go exploring and have been drawn to the British Virgin Islands upon discovering that their building regulations stipulate "nothing taller than the tallest nearby palm tree". Which I rather like.

I also have a day trip by (8 seater) plane to nearby St Barth's, which I am told is amongst the scariest landings of all. Can't wait.

Cheers

Rod

pics please rod.
scotty

Does this link work?

Try to read the captions, but some of the pictures are of a personal in-joke nature, sorry for that.

And I have just found some film on youtube of planes landing in St Barths and now I'm not so sure!!

Day off and going sailing today either to Anguilla, or circumnavigating St Martin/Maarten!
I can't believe there are very many people whose Sunday will improve on that!

Cheers

Rod

Hi Rod

And there was me thinking you might be missing the UK - looks like a great place to be whilst the UK is suffering from rain

Try and give you a call in the week

Antony

ROD,
looks like paradise mate especially as im typing this and looking out the window as it pours down !
good luck to you my son and thanks for the pics.
best regards, scotty

OK - here's an nice winter beach...

Rod

I don't envy your situation, How could you swap it for dark, damp January in England - Let's face it this photo of yours looks like hell on earth...........................................




Sob, weep, howl, etc


Regards (jealously is a terrible thing )

Diccus

Rod

If you get a chance, and if the airport improvement works haven't changed too much, the approach to Tortola (BVI) used to be rather dramatic. It is my favourite island in the region for a relaxing holiday.

Peter

Off to Tortola tomorrow. Yippee.

Have pics from Anguilla (rainy - but then it is British) and St Barth's (exquisite, but also exquisitely expensive). Will post stuff when I return. Back to cold Europe (albeit South of France) next weekend. Meantime four days of Virgin Island sun I hope...

Cheers

Rod

Anguilla has some lovely beaches - my main memory of that island was arriving on the last flight at a rather precarious angle before the airport was closed - just before the hurricane struck!

I was stuck there for several days as the storm took out the island's power. A surreal experience but somehow still enjoyable! (Except perhaps the night of the storm when the winds caught the glass jalousies of my bedroom so hard that the rain was driven through at an angle which caused it to bounce of the ceiling and all over me in bed!!

Tortola's airport used to have two arrivals queues titled "Belongers" and "Non Belongers" - things have no doubt got more PC since those days! Some of the beaches and snorkelling on the north coast can be wonderful. Oh, and the roads have some of the steepest gradients I have ever encountered on this planet - especially on the corners!!

Hope you enjoy your trip to BVI.

Peter

If you are going to Tortola, try to visit "Bombas Shack" which is a beach-bar/restaurant made entirely from stuff washed up on the beach and which has a great atmosphere in the evenings.

Do not go there however if it is a full moon as the locals go beserk and start partaking in various concoctions such as "mushroom tea" and start playing wild and raucous "beat" music.

That is of course unless you like that sort of thing...........................

Lucky,lucky man

Hello!

What a coincidence - I was in Bomba's shack (no hallucinogens needed the punch was so strong) probably whilst you were writing that, last night (for me). Amazing. Have to echo the above comments, I am totally taken with the British Virgin Islands, as close to paradise as I have come - St Barth's is wonderful and the Frenchness is close to my heart, but it is all too manicured and millionaire playgroundy, Anguilla frankly looked conscience-prickingly poor, and St Maarten - the Dutch side anyway - is going the way of a fractionally upmarket Torremolinos for Americans on a budget with jangly casinos and slightly-too-high-rise "condos". The BVIs however offered a perfect balance of laid back Caribbean creole and reggae flavoured what-you'd-expect in a staggering naturally beautiful setting that mankind has not spoilt (yet at least). I actually stayed in a place right next to Bomba's called "Sebastian's on the Beach" - and no trades description person could question that, it was right on one of the finest beaches I have ever been to. The kind where the sand is so fine you want it to stay between your toes and the water was that beguiling shade of aquamarine tht only the Caribbean seems able to produce. New Airport terminal, Peter, although I did hear the "non Belongers" thing on the radio which raised a smile.

Back home tomorrow alas, although I have been away for 10 weeks so am ready to return. And I hear the mountains above where I live have received the best covering of snow they've had for a decade, so am looking forward to that.

I will post some more photos via the facebook medium and deposit a link here for anyone who's interested.

Cheers

Rod

Some more pictures...

Looks fabulous. You lucky man.

Rod

Thanks for the photos. I used to stay in a house along Ridge Road looking down over Road Town when I visited. The last time was a good few years back when I managed to stay for a month. My favourite spot was down at Smugglers Cove and another bay just east of Smugglers which had incredible numbers of fish - usually great for snorkeling, except for one day when the biggest fish I have ever seen emerged through a shoal of fish. Scared the bejeezus out of me!! The sky at night there has to be seen to be believed and the views of the many surrounding islands is magnificent from the high points of the island.

I must get back there one of these days!

Peter

quote:

Originally posted by scottyhammer:
rod,

surely that planes super imposed on the photo ! NO ?
Scotty

Video here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oB4rcr7gT0.
Seemingly standard procedure!

Hello Jeremy and welcome to the forum.


A few pics from my favourite website, www.trekearth.com:







Both pictures are taken by David Entrican.

Am back home now. It's cold, but in the nicest posible way...