NetNude - Club Orient Report.

Club Orient
Report

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St Martin / Club Orient Report

Xmas week, New Years December 2001

Our first trip to St Martin / Club Orient was just GREAT, a few lesson's learned though.

We left Miami with THREE BAGS OF CLOTHE'S, AND ONE DIVE GEAR BAG-- you need one bag and dive gear only and a cooler with frozen food. The flight was uneventful and immigration no big deal. Take a taxi to Club Orient $25.00 and keep your camera handy some great views as you ride over the mountains," being from Florida anything over 100 feet is a mountain.

We froze Half and Half and brought our own coffee, in hindsight we should have brought frozen lunch meats and a few steaks. The local market's have meat's but they are far from "PRIME", they also sell "Goat Meat" on the same shelve's if you get my drift. We had the cab driver stop at the large market going down the Hill and loaded up with liquor, and beer and Cig's $10.00 a carton" GREAT PRICE'S". The market has all the caned good's and basic's but it's not your U.S. Supermarket !!

The road going into Club Orient off the paved road is rough to say the least, but once you arrive at the front desk you are at Heavens Gate.

We made our reservation back in September for a Beach Front Chalet, and only the first 8 unit's from Papagyos have a ocean view the rest are set back at least a 100 yards from the beach and not worth the price. Ours was the 3rd unit from the restaurant and just 200 feet to the beach and the view was unbelievable all times of the day and night. Now the chalet's only have air conditioning in the bedroom, but there are ceiling fans and a very nice ocean breeze, most of the time. Bug spray is handy in the evening as we learned. The unit's are very clean and the maid staff is very nice. A nice little thing is a safe in each unit to put passports and money just to be on the prudent side.

The kitchen was well stocked with all the basic dish's and essentials, and a full size fridge & stove. Do not leave any food out on the counters as ants are a problem.

The beach staff sets up umbrellas early and are very attentive to keeping you out of the sun, and believe me you can get burned real easy as I saw many red butt's and face's. So be generous with your sun block, also lip balm.

The cruise ship's seem to drop off bus loads of textiles to walk the beach and GAULK, most people just seemed to ignore them but many ladies seem to be distressed about that when we met for cocktails in the evening. I did notice no cameras were prevalent if that any constellation, and once I saw the restaurant staff demand the film from a textile tourist who was in the restaurant and just clicking away at the beach.

We spoke to several couples who got 1/2 price deals at the last minute to stay at Club Orient so deal's can be had.

Average age of most of the guest's seems to be 45-65 and every one seems open and friendly on the beach and the restaurant.

We rented a car for a one day tour of the island from Hertz which the front desk arranged. $45.00 for a compact and they charge you $18.00 for CDW insurance and should you have a fender bender you are still responsible for the first $600.00 even with the insurance. Now there is only one 2 lane road that circles the island, and believe me traffic jams are common during the day. Local drivers are VERY AGGRESSIVE DRIVERS SO BEWARE. Phillsburg is very TOURIST ORIENTED THE ONLY DIFFERENCE I SAW FROM KEY WEST WAS ST. MARTIN PRINTED ON THE OVER PRICED TEE SHIRT'S. But the market was very colorful and worth several pictures.

New Year's night the restaurant put out a fantastic buffet, and a floor show of Brazilian dancers, followed up with a great DJ for dancing. The club also built a large bon-fire on the beach that night, and everyone in attendance had a great time.

Lesson's Learned:

Bring frozen Lunch meat's and a few steaks if you plan to cook in, $10.00 hamburgers get old quick.

The water is fine to drink as it's made from sea water through a process known as " REVERSE OSMOSIS ", no problem's like MEXICO..

Do not over pack clothes, listen ladies a few short set's and beach wraps are all you need.

PLAN ON THE BEST VACATION OF YOUR LIFE, IT'S HERE..