Our plane lands on a small airstrip near the middle of the island. We both saw the beach as we crossed with violent waves crashing against the shore.
We retrieve our luggage and head for the exit from the airport. Our limo driver is waiting at the door and collects all of our luggage and deposits it gently into the long Cadillac.
As we head towards our ocean front cabin the driver begins telling us about the storms that have been hitting and that there may be rough weather approaching. We look at each other and smile.
The long car pulls up and deposits us and our luggage in the hands of the bell hop. We look around and the lobby is not quite the way the brochure and website portrayed it.
As we walk up towards our cottage I cannot help but notice that it is somewhat open air in that the walls do not seem to hold the world entirely out. All the other cottages appear empty, some even seemingly falling into the sand below them.
We ask the bell hop where all the other guests are and he laughs and responds, "This time of year? . . . You will probably have the entire beach to yourselves " Once again we look at each other and smile.
As we try to find safe places for all that is contained in our luggage the wind whips the walls of our tiny abode. The sounds are so strong and powerful. The walls nearly buckling under the strain of the stormy air.
The wicker and bamboo walls make a whispering sound as the air slips through them and we feel the winds gently slip in and engulf us. Your every attempt to light candles is thwarted by the fury that lurks outside these thin bulkheads that surround and protect us.
I finally coax the fireplace to cooperate and a warm fire begins to glow in the dark corner of the small room that we will share for the next few days. The smell of the wood burning is a welcome and familiar aroma as we attempt to settle in to our nest.
The air outside is cooler than we packed for, so each of us dons the one oversize sweatshirt and jogging pants that we brought not thinking we would need in our tropical paradise.