Normally, come autumn, Gail and I take off for Europe, or perhaps for some more distant and exotic spot. Those trips, while always interesting, are seldom relaxing; too many must-see sights and things to do. After the ups and downs of 2009, relaxation was what we craved this past fall. So, when the question arose, “Where to this year?” the answer was easy—some place familiar, undemanding, warm, and rejuvenating, like the British Virgin Islands.

From the mid-1970s through 1990, these idyllic islands were practically my second home, but then other places beckoned. I was as anxious to see how they had changed as I was to just kick back and relax.