I had to put Mandy behind the wheel in Revenge Cafe’  because it’s the perfect place to put a horrible driver. Driving is something of an art there. With American cars (hence, steering wheels on the left) driving according to British rules (hence on the right side of the road) on narrow lanes, steep inclines, and mountainous switchbacks, you would think the traffic engineers there have a wicked sense of humor. But at times, you’re rewarded with the most amazing views. Here are a few visuals.

When Mandy lands, Charlie brings her to the Revenge Cafe’ that sits on the harbor in Charlotte Amalie, the main city on St. Thomas. This is a roadside view of that harbor:

 

Throughout the book, she complains (rants) and freaks (more than a little). One of her legitimate concerns is the seeming lack of safety rails on the cliffside, curvy roads. Of course, her anxiety is only heightened because she seldom knows where she’s going:  the street signs seldom match the maps, they don’t correspond with GPS, and they almost never resemble what the islanders call the roads. Add in what seems to be everywhere: lost and potentially drunk tourists, and you get quite the adventurous road trip even when you’re just going to the supermarket.

Here’s a blind turn going down hill (yes, this is a 2-lane road):

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s what’s called a “switchback” for those areas when the mountain is too steep for a straight line — and yes, this is also a 2-lane road:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And perhaps this is one of the reasons why “island time” was invented — to give your car a few minutes to cool off after a little sight-seeing drive (and little indeed, the island is only 32 square miles):

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lest you think the roads are tight only in the country, here are a few views of Charlotte Amalie:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And when it’s time to park, you find any space you can: