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A Much-needed Vacation!!!
This timeline represents the decision-making and planning for our summer vacation. My family all agreed that we needed some time away to relax, unwind, and have a great time. My dad could have easily made all of the decisions and just told us where we were going and what we were going to do, especially since he was paying for it all, but instead, he chose to let us have some input, representing collaborative decision-making. So many decisions!!! -
Location Chosen! St. Croix USVI, HERE WE COME!
My dad gave us four location options to choose from: Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Florida, or the US Virgin Islands. From those choices, we researched the costs involved with travel only and decided that Hawaii would cost the most. We have also been to Florida before, so it wasn’t as appealing as a new vacation spot. This collaborative decision-making also brought us together and created buy-in for the whole trip, as nobody felt that their opinion didn’t count -
What to Do?
Once we had decided on where to go, we needed to decide how we would spend our time there to make it fulfilling for each of us! We started researching what activities were available and how much each would cost to do. And then we started booking the trip. -
Day 1 - Snorkeling on Buck Island
Since St. Croix is known for its clear waters, we decided to learn to snorkel on the first full day there. We went on a guided excursion to Buck Island, which is a protected national monument, for its great snorkeling. This was an activity that we were all interested in! -
Day 2 - Deep Sea Fishing
On the second day, we went deep sea fishing. I wasn't a fan, but my dad and brother both had it on their bucket lists. It definitely wasn't my decision, but the group decision prevailed. I caught a barracuda, which was cool. They caught Mahi Mahi. -
Day 4 - Scuba Diving
We all decided that we wanted to go scuba diving, too, but that required taking a class for the first half of the day. Afterward, we went on two dives. -
Day 3 - Jet-skiing at Rainbow Beach
On day three, we did the activity I was most excited about: Jet-skiing on the open ocean. The jet skis were fast! The waves were awesome! I flipped a jet ski, but didn't get hurt. We almost didn't get to go because my dad lost his wallet while snorkeling on Rainbow Beach before we arrived. Luckily, we had already paid! No picture for this one because we were driving too fast, but they have a pretty cool video online: https://youtu.be/jBAiRoOcvEE -
Day 5 - Snorkeling at Chenay Bay
We decided to take it easy on day five. I relaxed on the beach while my dad and brother snorkeled some more. My brother found a small barracuda eating a fish while he was in the water. I was content to get some sun. -
Day 6 - Point Udall
My brother and I weren't excited and didn't want to go, but my dad decided that we were all going to Point Udall, the eastern-most point of the United States. It wasn't fun. He liked it. -
Day 7 - Poolside
We spent our last full day in St. Croix relaxing by the pool and taking in what was left of the island that we hadn't seen. We all decided we were long overdue for a day of resting. -
Day 8 - Heading Home
We had a half day before our flight, but we didn't take advantage of that. We loaded up and prepped for the flight home.
