The "Like Walking On Powder" Story

It was an ordinary day. Just got back from the travel agent with the final plans for our next destination with friends Jerry and Just Sue from State College, PA. Couple of weeks ago they visited with us in Lancaster and we made a trip to the Chesapeake Bay for lunch and some sightseeing. Quite a few points on the bay that make for a fun day. But, the main reason for the visit was to plan our next vacation. For me, the planning and anticipation are almost as much fun as the trip. We talked and talked about where we might want to go for our next trip and came up with a few choices. I made a preliminary visit to see Karen, our travel agent at Liberty Travel at Park City Center, and made a chart listing room prices, airfare and miscellaneous prices for Hawaii, St. Thomas and Turks and Caicos. After Carol and I talked, I called and talked with Jerry and Just Sue about all the prices. I told them to discuss the three destinations and when we talked next we would make our final decision. Called a few days later and we finally agreed on Turks and Caicos, the conch capital of the world. We had that on our list for the last couple of years, but it never made it to the top. We visited the island of Providenciales in 2003 and had a great time. Not much to do at that time except relax on the beach and eat. The island was just starting to see signs of development with construction of resorts along the 12-mile-long Grace Bay beach. Grace Bay beach is probably the most beautiful beach we have ever visited. Shoal Bay East in Anguilla is just about as beautiful, but the water in Provo is what makes the beach tops on the list. Crystal clear, calm water that is rimmed with pure white sand that you swear is poured from a container of Johnson and Johnson's baby powder. If you have never been to this island, you must go. And that is precisely why we are heading back. Days and days of lazing around on a beach chair, reading a novel, sipping a cold drink, watching the girls go by, splashing in the 85 degree water, and still finding time for a nap. That's what vacation is all about. Boat rides, snorkeling, trips to town; they are also part of the vacation, but the main part is the beautiful beach and all it has to offer. Turks and Caicos is the first trip that I took after I switched from a film camera to digital camera. The results that I got were amazing. The beach colors were so dramatic. The islands are home to the world's third largest coral reef system in the world which makes for great snorkeling. The Turks and Caicos island chain consists of 40 islands and cays, eight of which are inhabited. The are actually located in the Atlantic Ocean, 550 miles southeast of Miami. Temperatures range between 85-90 degrees with water temps in the low to mid 80s. A constant trade wind keeps the climate at a very comfortable level. Even though there may not be ruins to explore, shipyards to walk around and all-day duty-free shopping to occupy your time, the beach is the thing on these islands. And, Grace Bay beach on Provo is our island of choice for our next destination. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - the photos above are from the top: map of the Turks and Caocos islands, flag of the islands showing the British influence and a photo from their web-site showing the beach on Provo. Photos that follow are from our trip in 2003.