Winning Strategies

A Walk in the Clouds

I have traveled over 2 million miles and- so often- our surroundings slowly blur and we miss the world around us.  We stop 'seeing' our surroundings because- well- we've seen it all before.   So, on my plane ride back from St Kitts, with my relaxation 'mode' set to ON- I set out to SEE and NOTICE things in my surroundings that I've been ignoring. 

About halfway through the plane ride, I looked out over the wing of the airplane to see the sun setting.  It was an amazing view. 

 

The puffy clouds seemed to part as the sun broke through in its last attempt to 'shine' and be noticed.  I sat mesmerized by the view and lost in thought.  I tried to grab a perspective.  I decided to burn this moment into my memory to call upon at another time.  This moment is but one moment of my life.  How many of these have I missed, just being unobservent- just not noticing.  I challenge you to notice something today that you normally miss.  Find a perspective.  Burn it into your memory to call upon it another time. 

Discovering St Kitts

Our last full day on the island starting off with another hike.  We ventured to our favorite hill and this time decided to scale to the top.  I don't know what piece of insanity made me think this sounded like a great idea, but somehow reason escaped me.  We had hiked up the hill several times to the lookout point, but never had we taken the rickety trail further up to summit the hill.

The climb was very steep.  We had to stop on many occasions.  I was completely out of breath.  The hot sun was glaring down on us and my body cried tears of sweat.  When we finally reached the summit, the fresh wind blew in to cool us and to commend us for a difficult hike up the hill.  Wow, what a view.

 

From one direction we could see the St Kitts Marriott and the coastline, and from the other direction we could see coastline on the other side of the hill as well the island of Nevis far out in the distant background.

 

The views were amazing.  We enjoy the view and, considering it is a pretty hectic hike back down still, we sit for a few minutes.  We reflect back on our time in St Kitts.  We have discovered an island of adventure, beaches, sun and fun.  We found the island intriguing and delightful.  It's people are kind and gentle.  We found our stay at the Marriott wonderful, it's staff and services a nice respite from a busy life.  We think back over our entire stay and catalogue the trip in our minds.  We think over all the restaurants that we ate at, like the lovely Sunset Cafe' on the Caribbean Sea, and Blu, and we sit quietly, enjoying the replay of our memories from the week.

We hike down and head directly to the breakfast buffet at the Marriott.  After a hearty hike, we were ready for a hearty breakfast.  We devour the food like hungry animals.  We enjoy an egg white omellete, oatmeal, fresh fruit and delicious coffee.  The large booths are comfortable and private.  They have become our favorite sitting area and place to plan our days in St Kitts.  They feel regal and quiet.

Once refreshed with food, we head out for a lazy day at the pool.  There are two corporate reward trip groups still here and the pool is surrounded by large groups from these parties.  We find an open set of chairs and sit down with a good book.  Aaahhhhhhh relaxation.  It feels so good.  At this stage of the trip, we are relaxed and enjoyable people.  It amazes me how stress and responsibilities changes you into someone else.  I finish the book on Natalee Holloway and sit for a moment contemplating all that Beth Holloway has been through.

Dinner is delightful.  We get the great opportunity to dine with the General Manager of this Marriott location, Flor and his wife Ilia.  We enjoy an amazing meal at the seafood restaurant here at the Marriott.  Dinner conversation is wonderful.  Good food, good people, great location, great fun!

 

If you decide to explore St Kitts, send me a note and we'll set you up with a long list of amazing things to do and amazing people to meet. 

Dining in St Kitts

There are some great places to dine in St Kitts.  We enjoyed the following restaurants during our stay:

• Blu
  Blu is part of the Marriott St Kitts.  It is a fabulous seafood restaurant.  We found Blu a delight to the senses.  Find it on the web at :  http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/skbrb-st-kitts-marriott-resort-and-the-royal-beach-casino/
  
  Monday is a special menu night with a set menu.  We ate here twice, once on Monday and also on Thursday.  We tried the mahi mahi and the seabass and found both to be delightful.  The place has ambiance, with a quiet atmosphere amenable to a romantic setting.  Enjoy a delightful dinner here.  The views of the beach are amazing and this would be a great spot to pop the question or just to renew your relationship. (smile)

• Sunset Cafe'
  Our second favorite dining spot was the Sunset Cafe'.  It is a casual beach restaurant on the banks of the Caribbean Sea.  Set just to the left of the Shiggidy Shack on the beach, you will find a delightful staff and menu here.  The red snapper was the best we've ever had.  We ate here on several occasions. Prices are amazing.  It is part of the Timothy Beach Resort.  Find it on the web at:  http://www.timothybeach.com/
  
  
  
  Here we are posing with new friends Anthony and Stephanie from Dallas on the outdoor patio of the Sunset Cafe'.  There is an awning that keeps you dry if it rains.  There is only outdoor seating.  The views are beautiful of the beach.  
  
  We loved the staff here, they were friendly and sweet.  We enjoyed several opportunities to get to know them.  Our waitress, Juliet,  survived a hurricane in Grenada, and relocated to St Kitts with her husband and baby.
   

• Serendipity
  Number three on our list is Serendipity.  We enjoyed the views here.  Set just off of the downtown area of Basseterre on a hillside, the views of the city at night are breathtaking.  The food is great and the setting beautiful.  Find it on the web at:  http://www.serendipitystkitts.com/
  
  The pictures on the web site don't do it justice.  The scenery and sitting areas are quite nice.
   
  The restaurant has both porch (outside) and indoor dining.  Here we are posing with our new friends Don and Michele Hooper.  We also toured the indoor dining area.
   

• Shiggidy Shack
  We never had a chance to eat at the Shiggidy Shack, but we did have a drink or two here.  We sat on the beach one evening outisde the shack, the night that they had a giant bonfire. 
  
  Beach chairs were pulled around the fire, and we sat around the fire, laughing, talking and enjoying a cool evening on the beach.  It was a blast (as long as you don't mind a little sand).
  
   

On a Monkey Safari

Wednesday started out like all the rest, up and off for a morning hike. We sauntered over by the Carribean Sea and up the hill towards the amazing view.  As we headed up the hill at a 90 degree incline, panting and huffing and puffing along- - - we hear the crunching of leaves.  I look to the right and low and behold there is a large group of monkeys hanging out in the trees.  There are over a dozen of them bouncing around from tree limb to tree limb.  They fly through the air with the greatest of ease.  They look like flying acrobats.  We sit mesmerized as if we are attendees at a circus with great seats.

We are stunned to silence.  Watching the monkeys in their natural environment is quite exhillerating.  There is a baby monkey high atop one of th trees munching on what appears to be a peapod that he is pulling off of the tree.  A big monkey comes running up from behind us and passes us by, heading towards the tree full of monkeys.  It is really like the monkeys in the barrel that we had as kids, they are all sticking together.

 

We have walked by this spot every day, yet today it is filled with monkeys.  They must rotate around to different locations eating on the vegetation and then allowing it to grow for a few days.  The monkeys come in various sizes and time seems to stand still as we stand glaring at them, amazed that they have not run off into the bushes to hide as they have done in all previous encounters.  For some reason, maybe it is sheer hunger, they continue to eat and play despite the large humans staring at them from only two to four feet away.

 

Our monkey viewing experiences weren't over.  Once we were back to the resort, we spotted a man on the beach with two baby pet monkeys, there to make a few dollars charging tourists for pictures with his pet monkeys.  Our new friend Stephanie, posed for a picture with the adorable baby monkeys.

 

We enjoyed another delightful day in the sun and I prepare my mind to begin to melt back into the real world with real responsibiltiies and real work.  I've enjoyed my vacation from kids, work, responsibilities, paying bills, and basically anything to do with anything.  I have wasted time, read three books, wrote 3 chapters on my Book #2, and enjoyed time with my husband- - - - all things that I rarely do.  I have met new friends, molded relationships, help a local tour operator develop verbage for his web site, and all in a week of vacation fun.

For dinner we taxi'd with friends over to a restaurant on the other side of the island.  It boasted of great lobster and after many days here, I was ready for a big lobster.  It was delicious. 

 

I begin to feel like a celebrity today as I receive my first email correspondence written in a foreign language.  I will use an internet translator to discover what they are asking and will prepare a response.  Life is good.  We have one more full day on the island before we fly back to the states.

I stop and pick up a shirt for Mike Monahan, the wonderful guy that is covering for me at Perot Systems while I lounge on a beach in St Kitts.  He is the Market VP for Metro NY/NJ and I'm indebted to him for his gracious offer to cover my Dallas/Ft Worth and Houston responsibilities for the entire duration of my absence.  There are wonderful people at Perot Systems.  Mike being only one of them.

Ahhhhhhhh, a little more time to relax.  A little more time to write.  A little more time to feel like a celebrity (smile).  I miss my little angels (Caleb, Brandon and Heather).  I will see them soon.

A Hike through the Jungle of St Kitts

We woke early and prepared for a hike through the Jungle of St Kitts.  The Marriott had set us up with Kenny, the owner of Captain Sunshine Tours.  He arrived at 8:30 in a nice air conditioned van and we began our exquisite tour. Find him on the web at www.stkittscaptainsunshine.com or email him at Kenny@stkittscaptainsunshine.com).

We stopped by his mom's house since it was her birthday, and had a chance to meet the cutest pet monkey you've ever seen.  The little guy jumped on my shoulder.  He was wearing a diaper.  I wonder if it is as hard to potty train monkeys as it is to potty train children.  (This and other very serious dilemmas I ponder when on vacation) (LOL).

 

I could get a lot of material out of this little guy, you know, hey- I have a monkey on my back.  When he jumped over to Michael's back, he wanted to only show his back side.  It was the funniest thing.  For some reason, he didn't want to pose for Michael.  Maybe it was a boy monkey and he was a little jealous.  Grin.

 

We proceeded to the trail head that we would hike.  The thick wooded jungle area was beautiful.  It was completely covered by the shade of the tall trees.  roots of the trees hung all the way to the ground.  The many long vines hanging everywhere gave it a mystic feeling.  Many of the trees were mango trees.  Covering the ground were little green mangos with monkey paw prints on them.  The monkeys were eating the unripened fruit.

We hiked in the direction of the sound of a waterfall.  It wasn't far into the hike before we saw a stream flowing down from the mountain.  The scenery back behind the curtain of the forest was a delight to behold.  Every turn in the trail led us on to new sights and sounds.  The trail began to get steepr and I noticed at one point that my heart rate was increasing due to the steepness of the trail.  All I could hear for several minutes of the hike were my feet crunching on the leaves that had fallen from the trees and my heart beating in my chest.  It was serenity at its best. Thump thump thump thump went my heart and crackle pop crackle went my steps.  My eyes enjoyed a bountiful feast of variating scenery and I paused to enjoy the moment, to try to make this moment last.

 

I reflected on my vacation, my life, my children, my marriages, ok- yes- even work.  My mind reviewed - L-I-F-E as it is for me today- right now.  I thought of areas I wanted to work on and areas that were great.  I made promises to myself in the solitute to work on the things I didn't like.  As I walked through the natural scenery and watched nature like a reel from a movie on either side of me- - -I evaluated all.

 

We passed by a waterfall and I realized how relaxing the sound of falling water is.  I can't quite explain why, but it seems that the sounds of nature have a calming effect on the soul.  They soothe us.  They bring us back to the realization that we are creatures here for a time.  They scream to us to 'notice us', 'enjoy us'.  A butterfly stealthily moves past me.  It is black with the most beautiful wings.  Birds are chirping from the high treetops.  Every few steps, the sun is breaking through the trees and a ray of sunshine stands in front of us.  It is beautiful and breathtaking.

 

We turn and suddenly the trail heads downward.  Rope alongside the trail keeps you from going down the slippery slope on your butt.  We begin to descend the steep trail, not even realizing that we had scaled the hill and were now heading down.  The rope was a godsend as I would have rode down the hill on my bottom if not for the rope that kep me from missing a step or two.  The climb down was excillerating.

At the end of the climb, we had gone about 2.5 miles through some of the most beautiful jungle I have ever seen. 

 

Captain Sunshine did an amazing job and was thoughtful enough to even run us through town on the way back and let us pick up a few t-shirts for the kids. 

At the close of the tour, we were tired, but refreshed.  wow- what an amazing adventure.  Why do we stop exploringn when we grow up?  Why do we lose that sense of adventure?  I haven't figured it out.

We enjoyed another lovely day at the pool, sitting in a poolside chair and wondering if the vacation ever had to end.  It is, a great way to spend a day.

Evenings are fun since we dress up and go out to dinner every night.  This is a vast variation from normal life since I normally cook every day.  Eating out is a real treat.

 

Ahhhh, what will our next day hold?  Smile- I'm sure it will be something fabulous.  I encourage you to discover an adventure right where you are.  We walk right past them in life, not noticing the opportunities/adventures around us.

St Kitts Day 7- Hanging at the Pool

With the come hither and go yonder rain clouds, we daringly decided to spend the day at the pool.  We weren't quite sure if the rain was going to break away and give us sunshine, but ultimately it did and we were rewarded with bright Kittician sunshine.  For a couple of the brief showers, I sat in the lounge chair, watching the rain plummet down and enjoying my brief encounter with the water droplets.  Heck, when do I ever get a chance to sit in the rain?

The loung chairs have awnings, and they are desperately necessary as the sun heats up into its afternoon splendor.  Wow, does the sun get hot here.  It gets blazingly hot.

I have received many questions on 'where is St Kitts'?  Great question.  It is in the West Indies, in the Islands of the Carribbean below the British Virgin Islands.

 

Shaped almost like a guitar, it is hilly with miles of beaches around the oddly shaped island.

 

The day rolled past faster than I could have ever imagined, and before I could blink, the day was gone.  I spent a little time typing up all the pieces of Book 2 that I wrote in the beach chair and transcribing it onto a computer before readying for dinner.

We ate at Blu, a restaurant that is part of the Marriott.  We had Wahoo as we were in the mood for fish.  I have no idea how to spell Wahoo fish- laugh.  The atmosphere, food and entire experience was delightful.  Nothing like a savory rocket tot he senses and amazing island music to accompany it.  The wine slowly entered our systems and we watched the incredible ocean view and tried to make each minute last for 10.

 

We left the restaurant feeling full and satisfied.  A few evenings ago we ate at a pricey restaurant on the island and left hungry.  What a terrible thing when that happens.  We came back to the hotel on that evening and bought some sushi from the lounge.  The sushi was great, but after spending a boatload on dinner, we shouldn't have had to come back to the hotel to 'fill ourselves'. 

 

Today we are taking a hike into the rainforest.  I'll fill you in later.

St Kitts- The Destination of Corporate Reward Trips

The surprising discovery about the St Kitts Marriott is that it has been home to now 3 different groups in the past week representing reward trips for their top 5 percent producers. This would have been a great recruiting ground for anyone in the last few days as everywhere you look there is represented over 450 of 'the best and the brightest' talent in sales from around the US. It has been all medical sales.

This is a crowd I can enjoy. A seemingly unending array of over achievers. They work hard- and from what I've observed- they play hard. The companies allowed them to bring a friend or spouse. (I am not one of the group here on a reward trip- but it definitely has me thinking through my career path and evaluating each and every career decision). Each 'winner' (we will call them) can choose from 3 different tours: a volcano tour, catamaran trip to Nevis, ect as well as collecting monies for daily meals.

Ok- I'm sold- where do I sign up (big grin). I'm not mentioning the company names since they are trying to remain 'under the radar'. I will respect their privacy.

I can say that I'm greatly impressed by companies that reward their best and brightest achievers and I know that it will continue to lead to even greater success. I commend them. Great job on continuing to recognize and reward talent even in a tough economy.

Writing- From Mother to Mentor- Bethany's Book #2

Today the rain plummets down and I get drenched at the pool without having to dive in.  Then, like the tropics, the rain suddenly goes away and the sun comes out.  Then, flash, there it is raining again.  It is a bit like plucking petals from a flower (only rather than 'he loves me', 'he loves me not'- it is more like 'it is raining', 'it is not', 'it is raining', 'it is not').  Laugh

Well, even in the rain, I can find something to do.  I have written chapters 7 and 8 of Book #2- From Mother to Mentor.  I worked through a chapter on Discipline, and then proceeded to cover Family Time ranging from Vacations to Theme Nights, to Weighing Time, Connecting, and on to Planning for Independence.  I am now beginning Chapter 9, Creating Positive Energy with your Teen. 

I see a faint glint of sun sneaking through the clouds and I fight it hard today not to think about work assignments, projects, and anything office related. Onwards and Upwards- I think- and I make a concerted effort to think only vacation thoughts and avoid any negative work stress (for now).  There will be plenty of time for that later.  Cheers.  This drink is for you.

Lazy Sunday in St Kitts

We began our day by exploring around the beach that surrounds the Marriott St Kitts.  The Marriott is on a very long stretch of beach that stretches both to the north and to the south.  On our trip we encounter a student from the veterinary school and four dogs.  Many of the students rescue the pets here on the island and care for them until adoption as part of a PAWS program.  The little white dog was adorable.  I think my son Caleb would have loved to have this little guy.

 

With more time spent on the island, it grows on you.  As you discover its many bounties, you begin to love its natural appeal.  We saunter further down the beach and the Marriott begins to slowly disapear from the background as we walk further and further down the long stretch of beach.  The sun is out but a cool breeze keeps you from feeling the full power of the hot sun.

 

What I love abound exploring is the unexpected constant ability to find and discover new things.  They seem to dot the landscapes and open up their arms to you like peacocks open up their tail feathers.  As we browsed the beach, we came upon a Man'o War.  It was a brilliant purple color.  It is also known as the blue bubble, blue bottle, or the Portuguese man of war.  It was named after a Portuguese war ship from the 15th century that had triangular sails.

 

The remainder of the day after our lazy morning beach stroll was spent poolside.  The General Manager of this location, Flor VandeVaart was very accommodating and moved us to a gorgeous ocean front view that takes your breath away.  From the deck we can see the sun, sand, and a beckoning call to explore more.  We had a chance to meet his lovely wife Ilian, and even on vacation I get a chance to encourage a business woman.  I love it!

All for now.

Day 5- Exploring the Island

We rented a car from Hertz and decided to spend the day exploring the island.  There is something so incredibly fun about exploring when we live lives that , on most normal days, seem to lack much adventure and exploration.  We decide that today we will be like the explorers that discovered this island.

We start off in the direction of Nevis and turn towards a hill and begin to climb to great heights in our little island wore car.  The island has 30,000 inhabitants (and 60,000 monkeys).  Most of the time we are wondering why we don't see monkeys more often.  They are stealth hiders and stay in the bushes and trees well hidden from view most of the time.  (unless you are sneaky enough to sneak up on them, which, of course, Michael is.)

I think maybe he (or she) is even posing in this picture.  Awwhhhh, how cute,  When you see their tails slipping through the bushes, it almost looks like a cat.

At the top of the hill we encounter amazing views.  We veer out over the island with Nevis in the background and stare at the waters of the Carribean. It is mesmerizing.  It takes your breath away.  We linger at this spot for a warm embrace.  The beauty of the location envelopes you.

 

Onward we go to explore the nether regions of the island.  This has turned out to be our favorite day so far.  We develop a new appreciation for the island as we see it bathed in sun, showing us its many treasures.

At the base of the hill we encounter a beach seemingly unattended.  It is South Friar's Bay. For this time of the year, it is basically deserted.  We walked the extension of the beach, then climbed back in the car for more exploring.

We drive past Great Salt Pond and drive to Turtle Beach.  A year ago, a restaurant opened here called the Beach House.  It has become a popular spot for tourists.  We continue to meander in our car onwards to Cockleshell Bay (what a name- laugh).  The locals call this Regae Beach.  It is crammed with people.  This island is home to Ross University, a veterinary school and also a pharma school.  I think every student that attends school here must be on this beach, right now, partying and enjoying the sun.

 

Music blasts from a radio and toons fill the space.  Michael loves this environment.  People watching is an interesting art in crowded beaches like this one.  We sit and sun for a little over 3 hours.  At the far end of this beach is a beautiful location of quiet with beach chairs and 2 restaurants.  We wander in that direction to further explore Cockleshell Bay.

 

It is a beautiful stretch of beach.  We wander slowly to the end of it, thinking that it is time to head back to the hotel to join our new friends Don and Michele Hooper for dinner.  We are heading out to the Beach House.

Ahhhhhhhhhh, what a beautiful, delightful day.