Hey everyone! Things are officially underway here on Saba, and let me tell you, the first few days have been a whirlwind of coffee-related disasters, Christmas cheer, and bittersweet goodbyes. In exciting news, to me anyway, this is my 50th blog post! Cue the confetti cannon, or maybe a coffee cannon?
So, you know how Dave isn’t exactly a coffee connoisseur? Well, he tried to stock up before I arrived, but let’s just say his efforts were… valiant yet unsuccessful. Thankfully, I managed to snag the essentials at the market. However, my caffeine dreams almost ended before they began.
Picture this: I open the can of coffee, ready to brew that sweet, sweet nectar of the gods, and BAM! Coffee explosion! Apparently, air travel and coffee cans don’t mix well due to pressure changes. It was a hilarious cloud of coffee grounds, and I couldn’t help but laugh. Kim, ever the first to jump in to help, assisted me in cleaning up the mess.
The brewing process itself was another adventure. The can was covered in descriptions of how amazing the coffee was, in about fourteen different languages, but zero instructions. My first attempt resulted in something resembling flavored water. Take two was… drinkable. Progress!
With a *slightly* caffeinated buzz, we decided to explore the island. Lunch at Tropics Cafe in Windwardside was a must, and it was even more beautiful and delicious than I remembered. Saba is seriously embracing the Christmas spirit! The decorations are everywhere, and they’re absolutely magical. We even got a visit from Hermes, the resident top dog from Juliana’s Hotel (home of Tropics Cafe). He’s basically the island’s unofficial mascot.
In the afternoon, while Dave was busy with a meeting, Kim and I wandered around The Bottom. We explored, soaked up the atmosphere, and stopped for a refreshing locally made strawberry juice at Mirabella’s. Seriously, it was outstanding. Our adventure ended at Queen Wilhelmina Park, where two adorable little girls yelled goodbye to us as we left. Everyone here is so friendly, regardless of age!
After reuniting with Dave and making a few shopping stops, we headed home to relax. After a little debate, we decided to have dinner at Amonhana, and I’m so glad we did! The Christmas decorations in Windwardside were even more spectacular at night.
Friday morning brought Kim’s departure. I can’t even begin to express how grateful I am for her support this year. From my injury to this crazy move, she’s been my rock. She saved me from countless nervous breakdowns, and I honestly don’t know how I would have managed without her. Saying goodbye was tough, but now that she’s experienced Saba, I’m sure she’ll be back sometime in 2026!
After Kim left, I hung out at the house until Dave got home from work. I took the week off for the move, leaving me free to worry about the arrangements for Albus. Albus was scheduled to be picked up at 1pm, but I had to push it to 2pm because FedEx was running late with his health certificate. Of course, it arrived at exactly 2pm! Samantha rushed it over to the Perfect Imperfections, and just like that, Albus was on his way!
We had an appointment at 2:30 to see Park Lane House, which was my top pick when we started researching homes on Saba. It definitely needs some TLC, but the rooms are nice and large, and the location in Windwardside is very convenient. Dave had done a video walkthrough with me of all the houses he’d visited already, but he had some connectivity issues at Park Lane the first time around and wasn’t able to loop me in.
After the house viewing, we headed home for a bit before going out for a holiday dinner with some of Dave’s colleagues. It was great to finally put faces to names. We got home around 9pm, and I promptly crashed. My sleep and eating have been off since Dave left Connecticut, and I’m definitely feeling the mental and physical exhaustion. Time to recharge!
So, that’s the update from Saba! Stay tuned for more adventures (and hopefully fewer coffee explosions) in the next chapter!