This truism pretty much sums up our day. We passed up an otherwise delightful destination and leisurely day to go island hoping in search of additional “countries.” In this case, our objective was Anguilla — a British outpost that I couldn’t have identified on a map a few years ago, back when I didn’t know Anguilla from Antigua or Barbados from Barbuda.

To get to Anguilla, we took a a shared taxi ($20) from Dutch St. Martin (#69) to French St. Maarten (#70). We then proceeded through short ferry booking, embarkation tax ($5/pp.), and immigration queues in order to board the boat for Anguilla ($15/pp.). Paperwork in order, we embarked on a blissfully pacific ride over to Anguilla at which we cleared immigration and customs.

Anguilla (#71) done.

Of course, getting right back on the boat would have seemed a bit lame, even if technically allowable. So, we took a quick island tour (45 or so minutes; $30) before returning to the ferry pier. Tour “highlights” included the airport and high school.

We then repeated the process in reverse, spending an extra half hour or so in Marigot (the primary town on the French side of the island) before returning to the pier.

Mission accomplished! We had only eight hours from docking to departure, but we managed to do everything in about five hours. I figured we could do it in three at best (with no sightseeing), and I think my calculations were largely correct.

I sometimes think Libby humors me on days like today. She doesn’t quite have my sense of adventure. And, while this was fairly “mild” in reality, there’s a certain uneasiness associated with independently island hopping when a) having no prior local knowledge, b) only a scant amount of information to go on, and c) needing to be back aboard a ship on the first island in only a matter of hours. Nonetheless, our confidence as world travelers grows each time we so something a little less ordinary (such as driving across the UAE).

It’s the journey that is so much fun!

Today’s box score: +3 countries

7 Day Eastern Caribbean on Ruby Princess

We’ll be aboard the Ruby Princess, adding at least three new “countries” to the total (St. Martin, St. Maarten, and the Turks and Carcos). If I can pull it off, Libby and I might also try to make a run for Anguilla from St. Martin / St.Maarten as well, which would give us one more. Emerson, on the other hand, will bag at least five: she’s not been to the Bahamas nor the US Virgin Islands yet.

More to follow… I’ll try to write most days from the ship.