My Life In Villas: 2005

In February 2005, in the Caribbean, but under such horrific circumstances. See, Valentine’s Day was on a Monday that year, and I had taken only a few days off to spend it in Montserrat, leaving on Friday, and returning to work on a Tuesday. To get to Montserrat, I would have to fly into Antigua, and then take a ferry, which only left two times a day, to the remote island of Montserrat.

Well…they said that they hadn’t seen winds like these in over 30 years. Strange hurricane-like gales which put the ferries, helicopters, and all other methods of transportation out of business.

What would I do? I was all alone, didn’t know the island and, worse yet, wasn’t the least bit prepared to roam the (really, truly rather rough!) island. But luckily, I met some friends, and we all stayed at the Amaryllis together, waking dutifully every morning to try (note – try!) to get the ferry to Montserrat. The first try was a no go, and we turned around and went back to the modest motel. But the second morning we made it. That was the morning of Valentine’s Day.

On August 27th, 2005 we ventured to The Sagamore, a sprawling, idyllic, one-time-estate on Lake George. It was a little cool for August, actually, and surreal in that the Monda of our visit we woke to Hurricane Katrina all over the news.

September of that year brought yet another villa, this time in the rolling hills of Tuscany to celebrate a very, very monumental birthday. I had been to Tuscany in August of 2004, but the change from August to September made all the difference. The nights were cool, and the tourists scarce. It was a truly magical time…anything was possible that September.