st john

Basking in the waves

When I hiked to this remote beach in the Virgin Islands, I wasn't expecting much. Barely a couple of hundred yards long, this small beach sandwiched between the a tropical forest and the gentle waves wasn't much to look at. But being a mile away from the nearest road meant that I had the place to myself for a while.

Walking on the soft white sand while listening to the soothing sound of the waves, and basking on under the warm sunlight instantly made me forget about my worries and just enjoy a grand vista of puffy white clouds and azure blue waters. Because there’s nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it’s sent away.

Virgin Islands National Park
USVI

Caribbean Paradise

After going through multiple days of cold winter weather, including what has been the snowiest day in over 30 years, I cannot wait for the days to get longer and warmer. And even though the winter isn't yet over, the signs of spring are just beginning to blossom everywhere. Pretty soon, we will witness colorful blooms, meadows of fresh grass, carpets of wildflowers and more.

But until that occurs, I keep myself hopeful with my travel memories accumulated over the years, including this one from the beautiful tropical beaches of Virgin Islands National Park. Here, the azure blue waters dotted with catamarans and sailboats meet the white sands of a palm-fringed beach that anchors this part of the mountainous island. I delighted in driving around the island, seeing these blissful vistas, and creating soul-enriching imprints that I would treasure for a lifetime.

Virgin Islands National Park
USVI

Island Paradise

Life's needs are simple: food, water, shelter and clothing. But in the process to procure these needs, we humans engage in an activity called work. And for most of us, our work consumes more than half our adult lives, and its tedious monotony necessitates another need: physical and mental well being. And so, we have invented the concept of vacations where we escape the reality of our everyday lives and try to experience a different existence. The whole leisure and hospitality industry is built around this.

As condescending as this may seem, I too need such an escape to a different destination, a place where I would rather be than where I am....

Virgin Islands National Park
USVI