Books, Bites, and Sights

For this post, I want to write about my favorite type of book: the memoir. I have always enjoyed reading the trials, the tribulations, and the inner dialogue of others, especially of those who can eloquently capture and express themselves. Additionally, I enjoy both the relatability (oh, been there done that) and the unrelatablity (wow, I can’t even begin to imagine what that was like) of the memoir genre. If you’ve never picked up a memoir, here are a few of my favorites. And if you have, please share your favorites. For me, memoirs are hidden gems that radiate lasting inspiration, and I would love to add more of them to my TBR list on Goodreads.

• Sister Wife: A Memoir of Faith, Family, and Finding Freedom by Christine Brown Woolley
  • If you know me, you know I love reality TV. My little sister and I were hard-core TLC fans growing up. I mean – what else can bored ten year olds out of school for the Summer do besides watch endless episodes Sister Wives or Cake Boss via DirectTV. So, while Christine’s memoir had its flaws (I could have done without all the repeated references to “earning” calories), I really enjoyed hearing about her experience being a sister wife directly from her, rather than interpreting how TLC portrayed her on the show. With each chapter, I began humanizing her rather than seeing her as the spectacle I had grown up with – which not only gave me insight into her life but also insight into my own.
• Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
  • Every time I am asked what my favorite book is, Glass Castle immediately tumbles off my lips. Jeannette Walls’s unconventional upbringing is gripping, heart-breaking, inspiring, and worth sharing. Just writing about this book makes me want to pick it up and reread. The power of this memoir lies in the fact that no matter who we are or where we come from, we all struggle to overcome parts of our childhood. Many times throughout our life we are fed toxic positivity; “You didn’t have it that bad,” or “Others have it worse.” But a truth about life I have come to learn is: Everyone’s trauma is their own, and the worst thing that has every happened to someone is the worst thing to have happened to them – and memoirs like Walls’s help to normalize sharing our traumas, especially in an effort to process them. Bleh. I will get off my soapbox and let the 8th grade English teachers doing literature circles over The Outsiders take over (iykyk lol).
• Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
  • Mother-daughter relationships. Grief. Food. Zauner, Japanese Breakfast’s lead singer, creates a light-hearted yet deeply inspirational memoir with Crying in H Mart. While the memoir’s focus is on Zauner’s Korean identity and the loss of her mother (neither of which I am or have had to deal with), her journey to forge her own identity amongst it all is something that we all can align with.
• Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
  • Apartheid: something no-one teaches you about nor mentions, or at least not at my bible-belt hometown school in middle Tennessee. And all the more shocking: The apartheid-era only ended 34 years ago. First-hand accounts like Trevor Noah’s (someone who grew up in South Africa during the apartheid-era) are integral in documenting the racism and injustices that have, can, and still occur in our modern society. But him writing and publishing his memoir is only half the battle because we can only learn from these accounts when we actually pick them up and read them for ourselves. And pardon my French, but screw blame. I am no longer blaming my upbringing or schooling for my lack of knowledge even if I feel that they should feel some shame in it. Rather I am taking responisiblity in my own education of our world. How? By taking the time to read, process, reflect, and share stories like these. Why? Because reading for yourself, rather than relying solely on what you hear (or don’t), is essential for developing a true, independent understanding of all that surrounds you.

Looking for quick bites for a picnic lunch?

• Shaibu’s Gourmet Grab & Go: This was my favorite bite of the trip. I originally went to Shaibu’s with the intention of only getting their Seamoss Spice smoothie (organic seamoss, cashews, chia seeds, almond milk, agave, and spices); however, I walked out with their in-house-made green plantain chips and ginger shots too because when in St. John – cheers readers.

Need a cold, vegan, sweet treat to cool down after snorkeling?

• Irie Pops: While Irie Pops does have a store front downtown (with loads more stuff I’ve heard), Amory and I bought our pops from the camp store at Cinnamon Bay’s. I think these local delicacies are found all around the island, but what I loved most about these sweet treats were the island-inspired flavor options and the fact that they are all vegan, gluten-free, local, and organic.

Want a sit-down restaurant with good drink options, outdoor seating, and light but delicious Caribbean-inspired tapas?

• The Longboard: At Longboard, the food was refreshing and the atmosphere was laid back. You’re on an island, so expect to pay more for less, but overall, I enjoyed being able to sit back, feel the breeze, laugh, and fill my belly after a long day of exploring St. John.

Logistics

• Flights: Amory and I flew out of Orlando International Airport to St. Thomas’s Cyril E. King airport. The flight was 3 hours long and costed $300 per person. Books, bites, insights? We were greeted with free rum shots upon landing, and while I don’t drink, I thought this was such a fun way to kickstart our time in USVI. However, when leaving the island, TSA took nearly three hours, and we barley made it to our gate in time for boarding.
• Taxi: To get to St. John from the airport you’ll need to get a taxi from the airport to the Red Hook Ferry. There is no Ubering on the island, but don’t worry. We walked out of the airport and were immediately greeted by drivers asking where we needed to go. I have been to other countries where the taxi drivers and companies are a bit intimidating and demanding, but I did not feel pressured on St. Thomas. The drivers simply just asked if we needed a taxi, told us it would be $25 a person, and loaded our things into the back of their vans. The taxi held roughly eight other people who were also heading to the ferry and took about an hour (keep this in mind when planning for your flight back to the mainland).
• Ferry: After taxiing to Red Hook, you’ll catch the ferry to St. John. The ferry runs every hour, on the hour from 9 am to 11 pm, costs $10 a person (an additional $5 for checked bags), and takes about 30 minutes.
• Rental Car: Once on St. John, you can opt to get a rental car. We went with Dolphin Jeep Rental which was $309 total for 3 days. Even though the company is called Dolphin Jeep Rental, we actually rented a Chevy Equinox. And it was an easy process. Took about 10 minutes to walk to the company from the harbor. Keys were in the car ready to go. All we had to do was text the company that we had picked up the car. When dropping off, we experienced the same ease. Filled the tank with gas, parked the car, left the keys on the dash, and walked to the ferry.

Camping

• For lodging, Amory and I booked all three nights at the Cinnamon Bay Campground which is the only campground in the national park. We paid $170 total, or roughly $55 a night for a tent site. The campground had plenty of amenities – hot showers, flush toilets, dish pits with running water, potable water, a cafe that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, a general store, WiFi at the main office, and the best part: it was oceanside – perfect for early sunrises or lazy sunsets. Our tent site had a shade covered platform alongside a picnic table and a trunk for storage, but it was a walk-in site meaning we had to park and lug (only about a ten minute walk) all our things to the site. The campground is also centrally located: a few minutes from many popular beaches like Trunk Bay, 30 minutes from the furthest hiking trails in the park like the Salt Pond Trail, and only 20 minutes back into town. All in all, I enjoyed the site, felt it was perfect for our stay, and would book with Cinnamon Bay again.

Hiking

• Reef Bay Trail (4.2 mile out-and-back): Historic trail that leads down to Reef Bay Beach, historic sugar mill ruins, and Taino petroglyphs. To get on the trail we had to park on the road shoulder (no parking lot) which was tricky but not impossible.
• Ram Head Trail (2.6 mile out-and-back): With a rocky cliff ending where you can sit and watch the Atlantic waves crash ashore, this short trail offered the best views of the island imo. Bonus: the hike will also take you past Salt Pond Beach which is notable for snorkeling and white sand.

Snorkeling

I wish Amory and I would have had more time in USVI because of one thing: world famous snorkeling. A trip to USVI is well worth it just for the snorkeling alone. And while Amory and I didn’t get to do all the snorkeling our hearts desired, we still saw an array of rare and unique marine life.

• Cruz Bay Watersports Pizza Pi Snorkeling Experience: Because USVI was our last tropical island destination on our 63 in 365 journey, Amory and I wanted to have a more exclusive snorkeling experience, so we booked two spots with Cruz Bay Watersports for their Pizza Pi Snorkeling Experience for $260. This epic experience is a full day affair. Departing from the Westin on St. John with about twenty others, we stopped at two off-shore cays where we were able to snorkel for about an hour at each. Amory and I saw two types of rays: a spotted eagle ray (which was nearly 6 foot long) and a southern stingray. Alongside the vibrant coral reefs, we saw barracuda, parrotfish, angelfish, a sand diver, trunk fish, and more. After snorkeling at our first location, we climbed back aboard for handcrafted pizza (they had a gluten-free option, and we opted for no cheese, but you have to let them know ahead of time when you book your reservation) and an open bar. Yes – an open bar. Amory and I don’t drink, but if you do, you will be be highly satisfied on board. The captain and crew were so attentive and professional. And after snorkeling all afternoon and stuffing our faces with pizza, we were able to sit back and enjoy the 45 minute boat ride back to shore.
• Maho Bay – This off-shore snorkeling is less than five minutes from Cinnamon Bay, completely free, and is very popular. Because of the popularity, keep in mind that parking during peak hours can be tricky. Books, Bites, Insights? The best times of day to see unique marine life is earlier in the morning or later in the evening, so plan your snorkeling accordingly for best results and to avoid crowds. We went to this spot specifically because we really wanted to see sea turtles (something we had yet to see on this whole 63 in 365 journey). Our captain on our Cruz Bay snorkeling trip suggested this location because of the abundance of seagrass. We brought our own snorkel gear and swam toward the seagrass, but after 45 minutes of snorkeling, we were losing hope. However, once we went a bit further off shore (maybe 50 – 75 feet), we spotted one. And after we spotted one, we spotted so many more. We saw four total sea turtles! Two were quite large with remoras (suckerfish) attached to their shells, and two seemed to be adolescence playing with one another. All were the green sea turtle. We also spotted multiple starfish the size of our heads and a plethora of queen conches.