Girls Gone Mild 2014

After 12 years of friendship and 8 years of taking girl's trips, it's already that time for our Friendship Fiesta 2014!  We've had several returns to Las Vegas, 4 bachelorette parties between us, and an adult long weekend to Orlando, FL visiting Disney & the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  So we decided that we'd go big this year because this year was particularly special.  2014 was the year that we all celebrated turning 30, and what better way than to celebrate together in the picturesque backdrop provided by this year's destination selection - The Ritz Carlton, St. Thomas, USVI!?!?

I've had a countdown on my phone every day since we booked this trip exactly 6 months ago (oh we had such a miserable winter!).  Every day that the calendar ticked closer to our July 9th departure was one day closer to my yearly reunion with my favorite girls.  And when it was finally upon us, I think I slept for like 3 hours before having to wake up early and catch my flight to the US Virgin Islands.  My flight got me in a good 4 hours before all 3 of the other girlies landed.  So naturally, I spent my time at the bar, sipping on rum drinks (I became particularly fond of a treat called the Lime in the Coconut...because why not?!), reading my book and enjoying the view from the pool bar before the 3 crazy girls from Texas arrived at the hotel.

Before I could even finish the 3rd installment of the Divergent series (OMG, so good), my friends arrived and they were a tropical, festive sight to see!  I think we checked in to our hotel room, enthusiastically exchanged a few surprise gifts, slapped on our swimsuits, grabbed our  floating devices, and headed out to the ocean within minutes!  We were fully submerged in the Caribbean waters with painkillers (St. Thomas's specialty cocktail, not the pills you crazies!) in hand just moments after being reunited.

I'd say that there was a bit of a fundamental shift in this particular trip vs some of the girl's trips we've taken in the past.  First, we had a whopping ONE night where we dressed to the nines. A big part of our girls trips is usually around our lady routine of primping - coordinating outfits, helping each other curl our hair, swapping jewelry, giving each other advice on shoe selections, and maybe even sharing a lipstick or two.  But on this trip, we had ONE night where we actually got dressed in something other than our swimsuits and cover ups.  ONE night where SOME of us actually did our hair (contrary to what some of you may think, my Caribbean inspired dread-like curls are actually natural! :P).  ONE night where we actually wore shoes to dinner.  And it was magical.  I think all of us needed a trip without wardrobe woes - and where our biggest problem was making sure we kept all of our belongings inside our kayak as we paddled through the crystal blue water (we did have some small casualties lost to the sea...but it made for a few hours of laughter).

Second - we had no agenda.  On past trips, we had jam-packed days that extended well into the evening.  This time, we actually "played it by ear".  No pre-meditated dinner reservations, no daily itinerary, just going with the flow - the island way!  There was an excursion day that we planned ahead of time - and that was our private boat charter - the Lion in da Sun.  We had an unbelievable trip island-hopping with our very own friend, Captain Rick.  We cruised around St. John, Tortola, Jost Van Dike, and a tiny little spot called Sandy Spit - a real life Corona commercial.

Captain Rick let us bring our own refreshments on the boat, and we stopped at Foxy's and Pusser's for well-deserved painkillers, provisions, and shopping!  We were invited to hop off the boat for a little swimming with our sting ray friend, snorkeling around some of the Caribbean's most colorful reefs off St. John, and drinking at the world Famous Soggy Dollar.  Our fantastic captain was extremely accommodating and I'm fairly certain our entire experience would not have been the same without the fabulous navigational skills and island narrating from Captain Rick and his trusty apprentice.  If you're booking a trip to St. Thomas or St. John - he's a MUST.

Third, our nights on this trip did not extend into the wee hours of the morning.  I'm not embarrassed to say, that we were nestled in our cushy down pillows and matching pajamas by 10p every night - with the exception of our last night...probably my favorite night.  Instead of the fancy black & white coordinated outfits we had scheduled for our last night together - we slipped into matching American Flag printed leggings (because everyone needs those) and big cozy matching long-sleeved t-shirts.  We had a bottle of rum and several flavored mixers to polish off before we all headed our separate ways the next morning - so we mixed our own cocktails & took them down to the beach to watch moon rise over the Caribbean.  Little did we know, that we were actually seeing a very special moon rise - it was the SUPER moon.  We chatted on the lawn chairs and hammocks while watching the sun move from between the palm trees to the wide open sky above the ocean.  We walked along the beach with our drinks in hand, taking pictures and hunting for tiny little sharks swimming parallel to the shore line.  There were a lot of giggles, a lot of hugs, and a lot of memories made and recapped under the Super Moon light.

Maybe it's because we turned 30, maybe it's because we were joined by our calming presence Lauren, or maybe it's because our selected destination was the low-key island of St. Thomas, but there was a much needed soothing aura around this trip that we all appreciated.  Every trip I get with these special women is amazing and full of precious memories, but this was definitely my favorite so far. I know that we will have many more chances to take more adventures together as we continue our traditions, but this one is really going to be hard to top.  Girls - I hope you all know how much these getaways mean to me, and I hope that in 10 years we're doing something fabulous for our 40th, and then 20 years after that, jetting off somewhere exotic for our 50th!  There are few things as special to me as the memories I make with you all, and how happy it makes my soul.  Here's to a successful and particularly exceptional Friendship Fiesta 2014!  Now...when can we start planning for next year! :)