Hi there, it’s been awhile!  Today’s video explains why that is.

We’ve now been on our little rock for over 3 years.  After 3 moves and 2 category 5 hurricanes, we are still here and celebrating LIFE!  This weekend, we celebrated with a variety of live music, Mardi Croix, our new local brewery, and a hike to the Tidal Pools. Today’s video also features some of our favorite people + animals and I share some of my all time favorites like what I’m currently growing in my garden, my go-to beautifying and nurturing smoothie recipe, and hacks to being the best version of myself!

My Favorite Green Smoothie – Updated Recipe

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Ingredients

• 2 cups coconut water
• 2 tablespoons baobab powder
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground flax, soaked chia and/or raw hemp seeds
• 1.5 cups frozen packed moringa leaves – or 2 cups frozen packed greens of choice
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated turmeric and ginger
• 2 frozen spotty brown bananas
• 2 cubes frozen passionfruit/lilikoi or fruit of choice

Instructions

1. Blend everything together.
2. For a smoother texture, blend the coconut water, baobab, flax/chia/hemp, greens and turmeric and ginger first. When creamy, add in the fruit and blend again. Add more liquid if you desire a thinner consistency.

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Here’s my superfood smoothie guide and a how to on homemade baobab powder.

A long weekend is always welcome but this one was particularly delicious as it capped off a whirlwind of a month with a nice and relaxing end.  We enjoyed a laid back Thanksgiving  meal with island fam then attended the largest Jump Up of the year in Christiansted.  ‘Jump up’ means ‘to dance’ and simply put, this is the spirit of this traditional street party featuring local food, art, culture, Mocko Jumbies {stilt dancers}, steel pan drummers, quadrille dancers, fire dancers and more.

It’s free to attend, fun for the whole family and happens just 4 times a year on Friday’s in Christiansted along the boardwalk from about 6-10 pm.

1. February on the Friday closest to Valentine’s Day
2. May on that first Friday
3. July on the Friday closest to Alexander Hamilton Day
4. November on the Friday after Thanksgiving

I almost always get to meet viewers at these Jump Up’s so if you see me, come say hi!  I give great hugs.  You’ll often spot me at the fire dancing show or in line for fresh sugar cane juice.  A fresh local coconut with local rum is also a very popular choice.  J is a huge fan of roti {west Indian styled flat bread wrapping curried filling from goat to conch} and pates {empanada-type snacks filled with everything from lobster to chicken}.  You can also find local fruit drinks like sorrel or maubi and handcrafted jewelry or crucian honey and mead along with lots of other goodies.

A long weekend also meant extra beach days from west to east, including diving, foraging for coconuts, and exploring.  I even get to try sprouted coconut for the first time.  The island really struggled after Maria and it’s only just now that my fridge is fully stocked with fresh cocos which is hands down, one of my top 3 favorite things ever.  The mango trees are coming in with a late and confused flush but I have high hopes that they will return with vigor next year.  Regardless, I am happy to show you my full fruit haul in today’s video and gleefully dig in to all the tree-ripened fruit Mother Earth still gifts us with.  There’s not much that rivals the pure, unadulterated joy of picking sweet fragrant fruit, still warm from the sun’s beams for me.

It’s definitely been awhile since we had a long relaxing weekend with nothing on the agenda but enjoying our little rock.  All the recent rain has transformed the entire island into a lush green landscape and everyone is back on the beach and limin’.

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You shouldn’t move to St. Croix {or the Caribbean} if…

If you need all the modern conveniences that stateside living has to offer

There are no ubers, postmates, amazon prime and the like.  Chain restaurants (we have maybe 3 or 4) are rare and free shipping doesn’t seem to apply.  The one “mall” we had got destroyed in Maria.  It consisted of just a handful of stores, no food court to speak of, deserted, unlit corners with a bottom floor that was largely abandoned minus the college that was operating out of it.  Currently, there are plans to revamp it to offer a more “mall experience.”  However, I will be shocked if it is anything like in the states, still.  Here, everyone shops at Kmart when back in the states, we didn’t even have one in a 100 mile radius anymore.  One of my Crucian friends once told me,  “It doesn’t matter who you are, you’re still shopping at the Kmart just like everybody else.”  The prices are high and there isn’t a great selection and I find myself wistfully yearning for Trader Joe’s (kidding, not kidding).

Hurricanes

Living through Hurricane Maria was one of the top 10 life defining experiences of my life.

The large transient population

I can’t tell you how many times we developed close relationships with people only to have them move away.  Island life is not for everyone.  Life is definitely more difficult here and since living here, we’ve probably lost a dozen or so amazing people back to the states.  It’s a known fact here that it takes people awhile to warm up to you because this happens so often.

Island time

Most times, it’s refreshing and affords the opportunity to “stop and smell the roses,” but other times, it goes at an excruciatingly snail pace and it feels like it takes days to weeks to get done what would take only hours in the states.  It took us almost a year to get our business license when we first arrived and the same went for getting electricity and internet back after Maria but hey, there’s virtually never any traffic anywhere you go and beaches you get all to yourself can be a regular thing.

Bugs or wildlife

This was particularly bad post-Maria as all the bugs seemed to move in all at once but even on a regular day, there are bugs galore.  One of the first things I do every morning is sweep up dead millipedes and jack spaniards from our kitchen floor.  Along with them are the regular suspects like mosquitoes, the ever annoying ‘no see-ums’, roaches, wasps, lizards, moths, you name it.  We have a dozen little lizards running around our house at any given time.  We welcome them and even give them names.  My favorite one is Penelope who is the littlest one of all not being more than an inch or so long.  J also guides bees out to a dedicated watering hole outside as well.  I never really mind any of the bugs really until it’s the dreaded centipede!  Nala has gotten really good at warning us about them now –an occupational hazard of being an island pup, I suppose.

Expense

There’s not much to say about that except you can subsidize your costs by being extra resourceful, maintain a DIY attitude and grow your own food.  These are the ways we thrive in abundance here.

Schooling

I can’t personally attest to the schooling here but my friends present me with a mixed bag.  However, most of them send their kids to private school {there are also pockets that home school} as the general overall opinion of the public education here is not positive.  Private school is said to run something like $15k a year.

No individual health insurance

Also {no personal experience}, but we also hear that the health care system here isn’t the best.

Potholes galore 

We ditched the idea of having a pretty car way before we even moved here as it was never a priority for us.  It was a good thing we did because the potholes are no joke here.  Our trip in Kenya proved they have better roads than most on our island.  A lot of the roads here aren’t paved or if they are, haven’t been kept up with in a very long time.  At our last place, it took 15 minutes up a very rocky, never-been-paved road where a storm washed out part of said road.  Last I checked, it still hadn’t been filled in.

With all that said, if you’re still here reading on and still feeling the call of island life, here’s what I love about living in the Caribbean.

Year round sunshine

It never drastically veers from 85 degrees and I find it warm enough to swim 365 days a year.  Rainy season gifts us beautiful rainbows and you can still wiggle in beach days.  Oh, and the Christmas winds that blow through to cool you down throughout the year?  It’s absolutely delicious bliss.

Island family

After Irma, St. Croix united in our efforts to help our devastated sister islands.  After Maria, we helped each other.

The best beaches

Turtle Beach on Buck Island was rated one of the most beautiful by Travel and Leisure and National Geographic.  Sandy Point is a local favorite and there are dozens upon dozens of beaches no more than 10 minutes away no matter where you are on the island.

A natural life

Since moving here, I’ve spent more time hiking, swimming and overall ‘earthing’ more than I have ever before.  The nice year round weather makes this possible and when you’re surrounded by striking cacti dotted mountains to the east and lush rainforest to the west with a postcard beach just minutes away at every turn, it also makes it easy.  My husband regularly spears supper and has joined many groups on island that particularly combat the invasive lion fish.  He’s managed to fuse a hobby and his passion for environmentalism.  For me, meditating on the top of a jaw dropping peak, snorkeling amidst the brilliance of a mermaid world or kissing beneath some of the most intense tropical sunsets all sums up for me what feels like the most natural way to live my life.

Rich culture and fantastic food

There is history everywhere on this island from the broken shards of chaney and old coins that can still be unearthed today to the sugar mills sprinkled throughout the island.  The colorful tapestry of food can be seen through offerings of Indian or Trinidadian bites, Caribbean pot fish to fine dining and food trucks or Ital cuisine.  We make our own rum, host our own food festivals and celebrate every day with local farmers producing exotic fruits or regular festivals that boast Johnny cakes and Mocko Jumbies.  Mango season alone instantly seduced me.  I am currently working my way through the 15 varieties (there are 100’s more!) that my friend has growing on his property and it’s tough to say which I like best because they’re all so good.  Before moving here, I had no idea how different each kind of mango could taste with some growing as big as my head!

If the pros seem to outweigh the cons for you like it does for us, check out my ebook, Moving to Paradise.  In it, I carefully detail what it takes to make the move including the before, during, and after process with fun stuff mixed in like the best happy hours, cheap eats and local digs.

You know how it says when it rains it pours?  In this case, it’s been very literal.  The past two weeks have seen torrential rainstorms and we experienced blackouts and loss in phone and internet service (which the latter for me lasted for more than a week).  This time was also during J’s sailing trip so not only was he out at sea and unable to communicate with me most of the time, I didn’t have any service anyways.  Of course it all coincided with Thanksgiving being tomorrow, finding a new place to live, and 3 of our closest friends returning back to the island at the same time and helping them move as we moved ourselves.  Most importantly, all of this was going on as I became an auntie for the first time!  My mother who has never traveled overseas alone made her first solo journey to Rotterdam to meet her new grandson and hopefully, when things settle down here, we will be on our way to meet the little one soon too!

Needless to say, there’s been a lot going on and I haven’t updated on Youtube as much as   I have on Instagram.  However, I will be returning to my video schedule here very soon.  In the meantime, we have been carving out a place on our friends beautiful property as we build our forever home in the rainforest.  The goal is to build something self sustainable where we can grow as much of our own food to our hearts content.  I was sad about leaving behind many of my mature fruit trees but I’m glad to see wild papaya, lilikoi, carambola, noni, caribbean plum and sour orange all thriving here just beyond our doorstep.

A new friend gifted me some basil and I plant some of that and show you around our new place and its own wild nature.  Since Maria, I’ve been magnetically pulled back to what first thrilled me about living on our little rock.  Maria ravaged so much of our natural abundance here but I’m happy to report that it’s all coming back and coming back bountifully.  The beaches now have most of their sand back, late season mango that missed their initial turn are making their fragrant effort and what once stood as naked, brittle limbs now proudly display brilliant foliage setting the bees and butterflies abuzz and aflutter.

I look forward to the weekends all week.  I mean, doesn’t everybody?  Before moving to St. Croix, we lived on a small island off of the east coast.  Though it was mighty beautiful, it was hard to ignore the fact that we could only use the beach a few times out of the year.  2 years later, we moved further south to our forever home.

St. Croix is amazing in that there are constantly cultural affairs to attend, rich history that’s steeped in every corner of the island, world class diving, an array of local and modern cuisine, jaw dropping hikes and natural wonders. Plus, the realization that you’re never more than 10 minutes away from any beach is a wonderful thing. St. Croix is also home to one of the best beaches in the world, Turtle Beach on Buck Island {as voted by TravelandLeisure and National Geographic}.

There’s so much to do and if you’re looking for in depth details about every corner of our island with practical tips on daily life or insights on how to make a life here, check out my ebook, Moving To Paradise which features 50 pages of all the steps we took.

Saturdays typically begin with our usual lemon water and green smoothie but after that, we tuck in to a brunch out or on this particular day, pancakes in bed.  They say you’re not suppose to eat in bed but so far, the benefits have far outweighed the bad and it’s become a sort of weekend tradition around here that we both look forward to.

From my ebook, Beginner Vegan.  This is hands down one of my favorite weekend breakfasts.  These cakes are incredibly light and fluffy and I’ve actually conducted a taste test with friends and family who couldn’t tell a difference between these and ones cooked up with conventional ingredients.  If I’m feeling extra indulgent, I’ll top these with coco whip, shaved dark chocolate and raspberries or fresh sliced bananas and vegan salted caramel sauce.

Sundays are reserved for our “lazy day” but Saturdays are typically spent entirely outdoors.  If it’s not snorkeling, we swim or go hiking.  This day we went for a walk after breakfast in and around Frederiksted.

There are historical forts in both towns on island.  This clocktower is by the fort in Frederiksted.  The pier is located in front and also makes for a nice walk.

While we were still out west, J got a cinnamon roll from our favorite gypsy vardo food cart, Nidulari that was as big as my head.

Afterwards, we headed east to hike to several overlooks.

This beauty composed of staggering shards of tectonic rock is located beyond Point Udall, past the sundial and is the eastern most point by travel in the United States.

We hiked further up and ambled around most of the day before working up a sweat and diving into a nearby beach.

Tip: wear your bathing suit beneath your clothes at all times to facilitate spontaneous beach trips.  Even on days when we don’t have plans to hit a beach or the day starts out overcast, more often times than not, we still find our way there and the skies will open up to a cerulean blue.  Reasons #465 why #ILoveSTX : pretty much every day is a good beach day.

We ended the day with a meditation at Mt. Washington

and supper at home with crispy tofu noodle bowls drizzled with creamy peanut sauce and succulent veggie potstickers with Korean dipping sauce {both from my ebook}.

If you’re looking to just concentrate your fun day out east, check out my Ultimate St. Croix Staycation which includes a day trip out to Buck Island.

If you’re looking for a single day itinerary from the cruise port, check out What To Do in Frederiksted – 1 day in St. Croix.

If you’re visiting St. Croix over a weekend, check out my Weekend in St. Croix.

When it comes to fruit, it’s hard to pick a favorite -especially when St. Croix has so many to choose from.  I suppose for me, it comes down to what season it is because trust me, when mango season hits, you’ll find me beneath the trees mono-mealing a dozen of them, no joke.  So in no particular order, this is the second part to my Crucian Caribbean fruit collection.

Sugar apples {sugarsop/custard apples} have super sweet and creamy segmented fruit within.  They actually don’t taste like apples and are related to atemoya or cherimoya.

Lilikoi {passionfruit} as pictured in the center here, come more often in the yellow variety on St. Croix.  Their sweet tart gel is best slathered on watermelon or papaya.  The experience of enjoying this special combination is heaven on earth.  The orange fruit at its sides are sapodilla {a brown sugared pear tasting fruit} with purple star apples all around which is a new favorite of mine.  When cut into just right, the centers reveal a star shape, hence its name.  Its centers are jelly like and sweet.

Of course no list would be complete without mango.  It’s a pretty big deal here and with so many varieties to choose from, you’re bound to find one you like.  Before moving here, I had no idea there were so many shapes, sizes and tastes to choose from.  In season, the entire island is heavily fragranced with all of the mango coming in. It’s a beautiful sight {and scent!} to experience.

Sour oranges remind me of Korean yuja {yuzu} and they make for a popular cocktail mixer or dessert similar to key lime pie here.  It’s kind of in between an orange and a lemon and is certain to brighten up any salsa, drink, meal or treat.

I’m not sure if soursop {graviola, guyabano or guanábana} cures cancer like they claim but I do know that its creamy-dreamy pulp is delicious straight up or frozen into slushies.  Its leaves are also excellent in bush tea which is an all-purpose cure-all tea with things from the bush: lemon grass, hibiscus, tulsi, etc.

Carambola {starfruit} deserves props for many things but most of all, its resilient nature.  I noticed that after Maria, it was one of the only trees that remained untouched and began bearing fruit shortly thereafter.  In our house, we like it juiced, in fruit salsa, candied, pickled, in jam, in hot sauce, in smoothies…so many different things!

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The abundance of sweet, juicy, fresh, local tropical fruit is one of the many reasons I love St. Croix.  There’s such an abundance that first off, I couldn’t possibly name them all and second, it just wouldn’t do it justice to create just one post.  Keep an eye out next week for part 2 for more of my favorite Crucian Caribbean fruit.

I would be remiss to not begin with my beloved coconuts.  For me, there’s no better way to start the day than with freshly cracked coconut water with some meat to share with Nala {which is hands down, her favorite treat}.  I know that some people find it to be an acquired taste but in our household, we not only crave it,  we also repurpose it for everything from freshly blended coconut milk to charcoal {if we’re feeling particularly industrious}.  I’ve decided that curry just isn’t curry without the subtly sweet-creaminess of just-whipped and strained coconut milk married with rich spices to simmer over a low heat all day.

Egg fruit always reminds me of a cross between sweet potato and chestnuts.  The flesh is creamy and is often turned into pie, custard, ice cream and the like.  I find it too rich to eat more than one at a time.  I cut in to one in my tropical fruit farm video.

Guava is one of my husband’s favorites and it will always remind me of first arriving on island.  It’s the first fruit that was gifted to us by a new friend which I promptly turned in to this juice.  It has a ton of tiny seeds embedded in the flesh which you can strain out.  To me, it tastes similar to a papaya.

Ice cream bananas taste very much like such when they’re frozen for nice-cream.  I allow them to get super spotty and freckled which allows for optimal digestion and contains higher antioxidants.  Only then do I freeze them.

Genip/kenip’s are similar in structure as a lychee but with a larger seed.  Instead of floral-tasting, they’re much more citrus like and when they’re in season, the entire island is bursting with these.  It’s very sweet to see school children gathering bunches to enjoy.  Last season, my friend muddled them into a delicious punch.

Surinam cherries are not really cherries at all.  They taste completely different and if you’ve ever had an unripe one, they taste rather soapy.  For me, when they’re fully ripened, they taste unlike anything else I’ve ever had.  The best way I can describe them is …a sweet peppercorn?  Suffice it to say that these baby pumpkin looking bites are definitely unique.

Check back next Monday for my next collection of Crucian fruit!

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Today marks the beginning of Hurricane Season.

With two back to back hurricanes within a week last year, I learned a lot.  I spent a great deal of my time then scribbling down my reflections during that {literal} dark period that I posted on my blog if you’re interested.  Maria blew in the day after my birthday, just a day after Hugo so many years ago.  The number one thing I will remind myself and highlight here today is to stay calm.  Having had one of the worst attacks of my life then, I can confidently and wholeheartedly say that there is no room for panic or anxiety.  This can be applied to many of life’s situations but is particularly important for a natural disaster where your focus is linked with your safety.  I spent so much of my time as a big ball of anxiety that I failed to fine tune little details or even sufficiently prepare myself for the actual hurricane.  I thought I knew what to expect but actually going through it is a different story.  Here’s what I’ll be doing this time around, in no particular order.

1. Meditate.  As you know this is something that I’ve recently begun to do and it’s made all the difference in the world.  When I feel like I’m beginning to panic or feel the waves of anxiety swelling around the corner, I can manage my stress a lot better by taking a moment to pause, reflect, breathe and self-soothe.  Last year, I had so much extra energy, I didn’t even know what to do with it but allow it to make me feel even more anxious.

2. Fill up any vessels you have with water.  Before, during and a long while after the hurricane, we were without power for 6-9 months.  For us, that meant no running water as well.  I remember being grossly underprepared with my measly several gallons of water that we went through way too quickly for washing, meals, etc.  We were hunkered down for pretty much an entire day so I would make sure to prepare at least a couple days worth of water for each person next time around.  An average person typically needs a gallon of water a day and for this person, a tub can hold enough water for a couple days with a 150 liter water heater containing enough for a month.  A 50 pound dog needs about 1/4 gallon per day.  Preemptively store water for flushing next to the toilets.  To cut down on water usage, I’ll also be keeping around wipes.

3. Prepare wholesome, nutritious foods.  I was so focused on my fear that I was absentmindedly filling my cart up with the same nonperishables everyone else was.  I’ve always been very connected to my food.  When I’m depressed and eat crap, I feel even crappier.  There were weeks where we ate way too much canned food {but never an MRE which I’m happy to say}.  To break up the surrounding craziness, I think even a day or two of fresh foods would have been extra comforting.  I intend to fill my cooler up with fruit salad/dried fruit, quinoa salad, veggie or pb&j sandwiches, chopped veggies/dip, juice and more with reusable gel packs to have for at least those first few days.  Granola, pretzels and almond butter, popcorn, nuts and the like are also great to keep your energy up.  Don’t forget your fur baby either!  We’ve had Nala on a homemade diet since we found her but during the hurricane, I made a concession.  We fed her fresh food for as long as the cooler would keep it and had back up kibble for her as well.  Hurricanes can be stressful for them too so we also packed extra treats for her.

4. Find something to occupy your mind.  That could be investing in a decent battery powered or hand cranked radio, books, board games, a coloring book, or pre-downloaded movies.  An extra battery pack is great.  This was when I played Scrabble for the first time and I’m still hooked to this day {so much that my husband now groans when I ask to play, haha}.

5. Make the same to-do lists as you would when traveling.  Turn off the gas, water heater, power/utilities, lock up, turn off/unplug appliances, etc.  Last year, our landlord had forgotten to refill our gas from weeks prior and we had 1/2 a tank to stretch out.  I will definitely be making sure to be on top of that this time around.  It’s also a good idea to make sure your car gas tank, propane tanks, etc are filled as well.

6. Familiarize yourself with a back up evacuation plan and have a go-bag for said plan filled with first aid supplies/medications (most insurance companies will allow for 2 emergency refills a year), cash, hard copies of important documents {even of your back up plans}.  Also include deeds, maps {though it’s not as imperative on an island like ours} birth certificates, passports, and social security cards, etc in a waterproof/airtight container or vacuum sealed bag.  My first aid kit includes latex gloves, sterile dressings and bandages, alcohol and hydrogen peroxide, castile soap, antibiotic ointment, pain relievers, activated charcoal, scissors, tweezers, unpetroleum jelly and essential oils.  Consider inflating something like an air mattress or floats for the kids, just in case.  As a back up, designate an emergency safe place within your home.  Store some essentials right there.

7. Register for emergency alerts.  We get ours delivered to our phones via text message through vitema.vi.gov

8. On our island, not only do we batten down the hatches in the typical fashion, we also have to take into account for falling coconuts {which can be very damaging}.  Trim back your trees and remove any objects that could end up being dangerous.  This could include patio furniture, grills, potted plants, yard decor, etc.  Sandbag the doors.  Think about where you’ll be keeping your car during the storm too (consider storing some water in there, too).

9. Invest in a good generator. Our landlord’s generator for the property putzed out during the storm and we were without the entire time after Irma and Maria.  It wasn’t fun.  Don’t forget to purchase back up gas cans either.  Afterwards, fuel can be scarce.  When they did have it on island, there were hours long waits on top of a mandated curfew that had us trekking the long ride back home due to gridlocked traffic.  If you’re unable to purchase a generator, consider a DC to AC converter for your car with a heavy-duty extension cord to run the power into your house. While you’re at it, stock your home with “just in case” items like extra plywood, a fire extinguisher, tools, and duct tape/tarp.  A mosquito bed net and battery powered fans are just wonderful as hurricane season typically coincides with our hottest.  I can’t tell you how eaten up I got or how uncomfortable it was to sleep, particularly since my normal bed time of around midnight had now been moved up to 7:30/8 which is to be expected when you don’t have power and it gets pitch black.

10. Check on your rain gutters, windows, roof, etc.

11. Gather a list of contacts: hospitals, emergency management, local public safety fire/rescue/law enforcement, tv/radio stations, Red Cross, insurance agent {consider flood insurance?}, etc.  These things were difficult, if not impossible to find after the hurricanes since my phone was pretty much useless.

12. Be aware of tornadoes or the calm “eye” of the storm that can be deceptive.

13. Use flashlights vs. candles for safety.  Have lots of backup batteries.  There was a huge shortage here for awhile so it’s better to be safe than sorry.  Our 300 lumen outdoor solar lights were a lifesaver during this time.  We would pretty much have lived in the dark without them.  A manual can opener and machete {or ax} was also a very popular item around here.  After the storm, it was almost necessary to have a chainsaw.  For a week, we weren’t even able to get down our mountain due to felled trees.

14. Don’t forget the bleach.  There’s so much mold to come and it’s also great to sanitize items in a pinch.  Start clearing the debris sooner rather than later to help keep things clean and keep extra molding at a minimum.  Speaking of clean, wash all your dirty clothes and take out all the trash.  When it gets hot, things can start smelling funky really fast and you probably won’t be able to use the washer later anyways.  At the very least, make sure you have clean sheets.  You’ll be sweating…a lot.

15. Think of a way to get in contact with family.  After the storm, there were several different apps that could be used to text without service.  Google Play has a shelter finder app, The Red Cross has a hurricane app and there are also several first aid apps out there too.

This isn’t so much a tip but sharing something no one had told me.  Hurricanes make your ears feel like you’re on a plane.  It’s somehow very muted and loud at the same time and makes your ears hurt.  The symphony of Maria was that she would sound almost subdued and melodic only to rage up to a crescendo at a moments notice.  One of the very best things I learned about hurricanes is that they’re completely unpredictable.  From how severe her devastation will be and where she’ll really go to what makes her angry and be her point of attack.  The strangest thing I noticed were the pockets of completely undisturbed spots standing erect as if nothing had happened, sitting calmly right next to a world flipped upside down, ravaged by Maria.  But seriously, just stay calm.  What will come will come.  Just stay calm and prepare.

Leaving love notes in the geocache at the top of the hill

I had what began as an awful day last Sunday.  I woke up with a pulled neck muscle, broke one of my favorite dishes and it went on from there, following a particularly grueling work week.  After breakfast, my husband suggested we get outside and brought up Goat Hill.  We had been happily exploring the west end of the island and rarely got out east anymore.  He seemed excited for the hike and I knew that it would definitely begin to pull me out of my funk so I begrudgingly agreed to it.

Goat Hill is situated on the east end of St. Croix before Point Udall and is a relatively easy 30 minute hike.  We parked at Cramer’s Park and began the trek up past the gigantic telescope.  At this point, I was still feeling the frustrations of the week, which in all honesty probably created my neck tension to begin with.  As we walked up higher and higher, like magic I felt my anxieties begin to melt away and by the time we reached the top, I actually cried.  Here was a very loud and breathtaking reminder that none of the trivial crap mattered anyways.  Mother Nature always has a beautifully composed reminder for me that I’m part of a bigger, better picture.  Just like Maria taught us it would be, all is well in the end.

It’s one of the reasons I fell in love with our little island.  Back in the city, it was too irregular for me to spend a big chunk of my time out in nature.  I found that when I took the time to reconnect with it, I felt more calm and at peace.  Being on our little island where you’re never more than 10-15 minutes away from any beach with limitless options for hiking and exploring, it made this connection more prevalent and sustaining in its healing.

It’s not to say that I don’t still struggle with anxiety and depression but since I’ve begun spending more time outdoors and staying active, it has dramatically decreased and I can confidently say that I’ve never been happier.  It’s a daily work in progress but one that makes happy work of it when I’m drenched in sunshine.

If moving to the Caribbean sounds like medicine to your soul too, check out my ebook Moving to Paradise.

We’ve now lived on St. Croix for 2.5 years and its natural abundance and beauty still doesn’t cease to amaze me.  I get questions all the time about how to move here or fun stuff to do when you get here.  Though it really comes down to what type of experience you’re looking for, today’s video is focused on a weekend exploring east to west on our little island.  Best of all, it doesn’t cost you a thing except some time and a reliable vehicle.

Buck Island on the east end.  You can watch my day trip out there here or read about it here.

For the first half of the day, we traveled out east to see Point Udall which is one of the eastern most points of the United States.  It’s a spectacular place to take in the sunrise.  Along the way, there are sugar mills sprinkled throughout the entire island, each with its own unique story.  After Hurricane Maria, they actually uncovered a long lost sugar mill that is currently being renovated.

Of course it goes without saying that you could definitely spend your entire trip here relaxing at any of our beautiful beaches.  One of my favorite things about living here is that you’re never more than 10 minutes away from a beach.  I think one of the best ways to cap off a day is watching the sunset on the west end which is precisely how we ended day one.

We spent the next day exploring the rainforest.  I’ve done this a lot and can still find things I’ve never seen before.  There’s a magical aura about this part of the island and is dramatically different from the east end of our island.  Cacti dots the east end while lush tropical flora sprawls out on the west.

It definitely wouldn’t be a day exploring without foraging for wild coconuts, hibiscus for bush tea and more noni fruit and leaves for my noni salve.

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