So I walked to Cinnamon Bay which is the closest destination
to Maho. There is a loop hike around the what was once the most prosperous sugar cane plantation on the island.
The campground is flat and the beach is really beautiful
with the outline of trees that set the frame beautifully. It’s small and perfect. It’s a
different vibe than Maho and I was chatting with a couple who have been coming
to St. John for over 17 years and the have a tent a stone’s throw away from the
beach. The woman was about 4 feet
tall and a smile as wide as the bay. Her short gray hair was spiked and
efficient and the lines on her face were from squinting in too much sun. She
said that her husband promised to never take her on a cheap vacation so instead
they moved from Boston to St John.
They gave me tips on what to do before I leave, hiking to Rams Head
being one of them. We talked apples and oranges of Maho vs Cinnamon and the
price and steps were the deal breaker for them. It’s far more
expensive to eat and taxi here than in the big fat capital of the world, NYC,
but worth it, it seems, even if your in a tent.
I said my farewells to them and ventured to the main road to
attempt hitchhiking, with their blessing and assurance that it’s commonly done.
Not with the thumb though, never with the thumb, just point in the direction
you are going and you will be picked up.
