We will be back in SXM this fall for our third visit. We stayed at Divi two years ago and at Oyster Bay last year. Both had pluses and minuses,as do most resorts, but we always make the best of our travels and enjoy the island very much. Does anyone have a recent update on Divi? Reading the recent posts concerning crime and the recent dissappearance of the woman from California have caused us to wonder about the overall safety of the island. I understand that crime happens everywhere and that you can attempt to put yourself in a position to lessen your exposure,but I am concerned about the overall safety of the island. We quickly became aware of the peculiarities of the island and accept them as part of the experience of SXM, but we are not willing to accept a higher level of crime. Most of the people we have met are kind and gracious and we have fond memories of our last two visits and hope to add many more.

I agree! Crime if not controlled will kill this beautiful island. We expect crime in the US not the friendly island

Regarding the woman that disappeared on the island, if you put yourself in the same situation of being completely drunk and walking to a casino on a desolate road in the evening, then I will warn you now not to do this, no matter where you are.

No one can predict what exactly will happen during your vacation. We can't tell you that you will be perfectly safe but on the same note, we can't guarantee that you will not get robbed at the bar down the street from where you currently live and that we will be reading about it in tomorrow's newspaper.

What I can say is that if you are staying at Divi, I hardly think you will be in danger while staying there as it is a secure facility as you know already and so, if you will doing what you have done for the past several years and have enjoyed it, then based on the odds, you will have a wonderful, relaxing time once again.

Some things you just can't avoid, no matter where you are and how cautious you are but if you don't play by the rules of caution like the woman who disappeared, then you would need to accept the consequences of your actions.

In a closing note, there are a few people I have befriended who frequent this and another popular SXM site that have had tragedy upon tragedy happen to them in the last several years. These tragedies have had nothing to do with crime but health related deaths. These people have suffered greatly (the ones left behind always do) and I feel terribly for them. Husbands, friends, sisters, and brothers, dying at such young ages...no longer around to share the excitement of life, love, friendship and family.

But these tragedies have only reinforced my belief that we should live our lives every day as if we have just been told we only have a short time left on earth. To me, anything less than the fullest is a wasted day.

[www.vrbo.com]

Life is not a child's game of follow the Leader. Instead, life is more about finding one's own purpose in life....your life's plan, and then making a positive difference on earth.

John, it is always a pleasure to read your post. Honest and straight forward. I get so sad reading the negative views. It is like no one looks for the beautiful and positive. Years ago when I lived on St. Maarten people would visit and ask what would make you love this Island so much. I would always answer, ' You have to look at the forest, not just at a tree'.

Thanks for the input, John. As I stated in my previous post, one can normally avoid bad situations; seems there has been a great number of recent posts about people experiencing more than the usual car break-ins and petty vandalism and thefts. I am familiar with the road to that casino and wouldn't walk it sober, let alone drunk at night. We know the security at Divi is above average and have never felt in jeopardy there or on the island as a whole for that matter. I agree, no one can predict the future or guarantee your safety in any environment. Living in a midwestern city, we are not immune to crime, as there are bad folks everywhere. Life is too short not to enjoy all it has to offer. We have enjoyed our visits and look forward to many more to come. We can travel to most any destination, but we choose SMX for the same reasons most people do. I also know of the sorrow life can bring. I lost my mother, my dear cousin(who was like a sister to me), two of my other cousins, two aunts and an uncle, all in a six month period. My best friend of 30 years died unexpectedly at age 49. I hug my wife and kids and tell them I love them many times each day. Can't wait to get back to SMX!

Thank you jimandi...it was a pleasure to read your comment as well.

I was just out having a cigarette...yes...naughty me...a cigarette, on my back porch and pondering my life so far and pondering the comments read on another board. I just shook my head in disbelief at the fear that can take over peoples minds. The venom spewed from some, the hysterics from others... Yet I looked back on my life thus far and found something that the others have not yet experienced. They think that their lives have been torn up side down from things they've experienced or read about? I can most assuredly say that most of them have not experienced the one thing that I have, and that is a doctor telling me that I've tested positive for cancer.

That is when my life ended. 38 years old, sitting in that office by myself and having the doctor quietly tell me that the tests had come back positive and that I would require an operation immediately. Knowing that a girl I went to school with had died years ago from this and that many continue to die daily from this disease. All I could think about was my husband, my parents... and that my life was ending so soon. I don't remember anything from that day until the time I was on the stretcher in the waiting room. I just couldn't stand not being in that operating room. That's all I could think about. Before the operation, the surgeon assured me that it had spread even though I had not been tested yet. My family doctor did not feel the same way. He felt strongly that it had not, even though the signs were there.

Then there was a friend of a friend who was diagnosed at the same time as me. I often thought about how strange it was that we would both be diagnosed with the same thing at the same time. She was a health food addict and took all the precautions in life...I did not... Yet she died and I didn't. That was 18 years ago. It had not spread although the signs were there.

Since then, no matter what people tell me to do and not to do, to feel and not to feel, to experience and not experience, I can strongly and thankfully say that every day of my life has been a full one without interruption. My goal in life has been to amaze people and to amaze myself. To help others and help myself. And only those that have experienced this will know what I am talking about.

So to all those out there that have consumed themselves with fear, then I am happy for you but sad at the same time. I am happy that you most likely have not experienced what I did, but at the same time sad that you haven't experienced the joy of being, in a sense, reborn. No matter what precautions you take in life, you never know what's around the corner so why not just live every day like it's your last. Why? Because I truly know the feeling.

[www.vrbo.com]

Life is not a child's game of follow the Leader. Instead, life is more about finding one's own purpose in life....your life's plan, and then making a positive difference on earth.

And to Richard, you made me very happy to read your positive post. So very sad to read about your family and friends though, but happy that you know the importance of what I said. I truly hope you have a wonderful vacation and if, as they say, life serves you lemons, try as best you can to make lemonade.

[www.vrbo.com]

Life is not a child's game of follow the Leader. Instead, life is more about finding one's own purpose in life....your life's plan, and then making a positive difference on earth.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/14/2008 10:29PM by John.

Thanks John, He was a great friend. I was his best man, his son and my oldest son were born 8 days apart; we traveled together as young men, and our families enjoyed holidays and special occasions together for many years. The more sour the lemons, the sweeter the lemonade, especially when you put in a lot of gin!

Thanks Richard for that last comment...now I can go to sleep with a good chuckle!

Have a great evening everyone!

[www.vrbo.com]

Life is not a child's game of follow the Leader. Instead, life is more about finding one's own purpose in life....your life's plan, and then making a positive difference on earth.

Thanks everyone for your input. Drinking a high octane lemonade as we speak! Unfortunately, no"lemonade stands"(reference to a previous post about the charming little establishment known as the Seaman's Club) in our neighborhood; guess I'll just have to keep squeezing my own until I return to SMX. Any update on Divi? Saw a post sometime ago about the addition of a casino at the resort. Did they put one in? I don't care about gambling; learned my lesson at ten years old. Put a nickel into a slot machine at a gas station in Reno and didn't get a gumball. Stopped that potential vice dead in its tracks. But I suppose I will have to wander downtown to the sports book. Last time at Divi I was going to watch some football and to my surprise, both Fox and CBS were not available in our room on Sunday afternoon. Being that it was our first time to watch TV, figured it wasn't available, but lo and behold, it was on at the poolside bar. Go figure. Suppose they wanted NFL fans to buy a drink or two? Just as well. The Cheifs were not on and got pounded by the Steelers anyway. Probably be the same scenario this year as well. They open the season on the 7th against the Patriots.I think I'll just watch the news for the final score and opt for Orient. I may be a fan, but let's get real. Big sweaty guys beating the stuffing out of each other or cold rum drinks and nekkid babes frolicing in the surf. Let me think...Orient it is! Got to go, bought a bag of sand at the lumber yard, hooked up the sprinkler, and the neighbor lady is climbing across the fence with her walker. Man, I can't wait to get back to SMX.

Good post! Regarding Divi, they have done some revamping of the rooms so depending on the one you get, only time will tell. Regarding a casino at Divi, that is not one in your future. There is one further down the road at the Great Bay Resort. It's a small one I presume.

Have a great trip and enjoy your makeshift beach until the real one comes along.

[www.vrbo.com]

Life is not a child's game of follow the Leader. Instead, life is more about finding one's own purpose in life....your life's plan, and then making a positive difference on earth.

Good. A casino would only attract more of blue hair/black socks crowd, which I guess isn't so bad. The neighbor lady's hair has turned the water in the wading pool so blue I feel I'm closer to the island with each passing minute.