The British Virgin Islands in the background, left to right: Tortola, Salt, Peter and Norman Island. On a clear day, in the distance, Between Tortola and Salt Island you can see Virgin Gorda from Bordeaux Mountain......




I am not, nor do I profess to be a professional writer.....However I am so eager to share this incredible journey...our highs as well as our lows at building in a totally different culture. First of all, I find it most fascinating to take a jungle precipice land, that has been sitting since its inception, its previous life different stages of an active volcano, millions of years ago......shaving and sculpting, layer after layer, eventually it will end up being HOME.....
The road to Bo Atabey before it was paved....



JULY 12th,2003-- Two months after purchasing sight unseen We finally get our first look at the property. At least now Seagrape's road is paved.....What do We think ???.....Great view of Coral Bay Harbour !!!!!! Now what ?.....How do we even get on to the property ???!!!! How do we even go about building ? Tuesday we have an appointment with Michael Kaye of Design Associates, he'll figure it ALL out !!!!
The view of Coral Harbour from the future site of Bo Atabey. There were no ladders in sight....duh....so We climbed up the property through the bloody "catch & keep" to take pictures of the property and the harbour....Now
I understand why Cees, our Realtor, took pictures from the road in front of Bo Atabey and not the property, he couldn't get on it !!!!!



JULY 15th-- Our meeting with Michael Kaye goes well, he is down to earth and very easy to talk to, again the BIG questions are........
"How do get on the property, where will the driveway be and how steep ?!!.... also We don't want the house to look as if it is falling down Seagrape Hill !!"



TIMELINE:
OCTOBER 2003--Topographic and As-build Title Survey done.
DECEMBER 4th 2003-- Closing on property.
JANUARY 2004--Another meeting with Michael Kaye before heading back to Connecticut.
JULY 2004-- We hire Michael Kaye to be our Architect.
JULY 31st 2004-- Send Michael a signed agreement and retainer check, no turning back at this point....We also send him our rendition of what style house We would like.....Simple, Primitive, Old World, West Indian, British Colonial....anything else ????
The main level will have two master bedrooms with ensuite baths and outdoor showers, or maybe one bedroom on the main level with ensuite bath and outdoor shower and a bedroom loft with a half bath....do they do half baths in the Caribbean ???
Another major issue, Bo Atabey can't look as if she is on stilts nor can't she look like she might plummit down the hill !!
AUGUST 12th, 2004-- We receive our permit package to sign as well as the site cross section.... finally a solution to getting on the property !!!
SEPTEMBER 9th, 2004-- We tweak the preliminary site plans.
OCTOBER 8th, 2004-- Michael faxes the drawings for the house lay-out. Every step gets more and more exciting !!!!
OCTOBER 2004-- We sign the Coastal Zone, Earth Change and Driveway Permits and mail back to St John.....
HURRAY !!!!!....We are on our way......NOT so fast !!!!NOW.... We get to see first hand what "ISLAND TIME" is all about !!!!
DECEMBER 16th, 2004 The first set of "blueprints" arrive in the mail...this by far is the best Christmas present ever how exciting !!!!
JANUARY 2005-- This trip to St John is not all vacation. We make another appointment with Michael to tweak the blueprints. We also head over to Tortola to the J.R. O'Neal Botanical Gardens and to find Burke's Garage.... If and when I bring my car to St John it will need to be serviced. Mr. Burke reassures me that servicing Rover is "No Problem"...He has a yellow 2005 M.G. on the lot and offers me 10K less than sticker price, what a deal, the only problem is how do I get it back to Connecticut ....and oh yea, that is NOT what I'm here for........focus... Lin"DAH".....
There is also an AWSOME 2oo5 Land Rover Defender on the lot.... I absolutely LOVE- LOVE- LOVE this style truck. Landrover stopped bringing them to the U.S. in 1997, We are told because of of an air-bag issue, so put air-bags in them !!!!!! You can pay top dollar $30K- $50K for a ten year old Defender, literally worth more now, than what they originally sold for when brand new, what an investment !!!!! Bob and I found the People of Tortola to be extremely friendly, upon leaving Burke's Garage, the owner gives me a kiss goodbye, on my cheek !!!
Picture below: (left) 2005 M.G. Burkes garage Tortola, B.V.I. (middle) Cuban Royal Palm (roystonea regia) at the J.R. O'Neal Botanical Gardens Tortola, B.V.I. (right) 2005 Defender at Burke's Garage in Tortola B.V.I.


Burke's Garage
Tortola B.V.I.

Copley Motor Cars
Needham, MA.


APRIL 23rd, 2005-- Send a project proposal to "This Old House" thinking they might be interested in doing a winter build in the Tropics.....
SEPTEMBER 26th, 2005-- Receive C.Z.M. and building permits.
NOVEMBER 14th, 2005-- The building loan process begins.
DECEMBER 2005-- Finally... We decide on a builder, John Stadler, of Stadler Construction, who also lives on Seagrape Hill, which should work out great....so let the Carnivale begin !!!!
DECEMBER 6th 2005-- Surveyor pins put in for the house, driveway and pool....
-------------------------------------------------
While on Island We met some of our neighbors, they posed for the pictures, below. This Island is one big Tropical Farm, which to Me is totally awsome....All God's Creatures Great and small exist here, Cows, Donkey, Deer, Dogs, Goats, Cats, Roosters, Chickens, Iguanas, Lizards, Tree-frogs.....don't forget the Puma that lives out in Annaberg...I LOVE cats !!!!!
After fifty years of avoiding airplanes (me & Mr.T) this is our third trip this year....We are now old pros at this airplane thing.....NOT !!!!!



HISTORY behind Bo Atabey....How DID We get here ????!
Please....CLICK !!!



DECEMBER 13TH, 2005--Clearing of the bush begins, plenty of "Catch and Keep"....Finally a way to get on the property...."Our hill is hilly and our weeds are weedy." (Michael K.)



DECEMBER 19th, 2005-- EXCAVATING BEGINS !!!!!!!!! The driveway being cut-in.... an even better way of getting on the property !!! "Our rocks are rocky and our dirt is dirty." (M.K.)


BO
ATABEY
TWO