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I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
“You can't stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.”
― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh
Hello, my name is Cherry and I am pretty sure I am addicted to Negril. I will tell you for sure in 20 or so days, when I return with my husband for our second trip.
Having enjoyed so many of the reports on the board, I have thought for a while that the right thing to do would be to contribute back with a report of my own. I thought this back somewhere in April and have continued to think it would be a good idea. Thinking and actually doing is of course not the same thing. Now with only three weeks until we head back to Negril, the excitement is starting to drive me to distraction. Rather than quietly go crazy, I thought I might channel that energy into reliving our first trip with all of you on the board.
I will warn you upfront that if you are a big fan of the short version of a story, this report will not be for you. Though there will be a certain amount of we ate here and did that to the report, I am hoping that I will be able to successfully share with you moments that helped make our first trip so unforgettable. I aim to share my opinions and I do not claim them to be fact. If our opinions differ, please don't take offense.
Cherry is not the name I was born with, though it has been a second name of mine for a long time. There is no deep meaning to the name, it actually came from an obscure video game character, but over time it stuck. North49 is really a statement of geography, as I live North of the 49th parallel, in Winnipeg to be more exact.
The title of this report is from the first line of this song, which has without fail, made me think of Negril each and every time I have heard it since it came out last winter. The video was actually shot in Barbados, but close enough.
For this report, I am going to name my husband Sunshine, because he really is my sunshine. Even on the darkest days, I know he is there and will be there again the next day and the day after that. It is a warm and comfortable feeling.
Sunshine and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary back in May. We have no kids and no pets, though I've nothing against either one. We met in university, Sunshine was in his second year and I was in my first. Our first meeting was at a fraternity keg party, which I will admit is not the most romantic of venues. Romance together wasn't the plan though, as we were both there with other love interests. We soon became good friends and before the school year was done we were an item. I don't want to make it sound too perfect or easy, because over the last nearly twenty years there have certainly been times of challenge.
Outside of our jobs, we are one of those couples who tend to do most everything together and I like it that way. I prefer to think we are cute as opposed to nauseating. If that isn't the case, no one has yet to have the stones to point it out. We are both known to suffer from the excessive politeness that afflicts many Canadians, especially with people we don't know. Don't let the polite face fool you, we both have a rather wicked sense of humor that lurks right beneath the surface, but I will have to get to know you before I let it out.
I am an optimist and prefer to seek out the silver lining in life rather than dwell on the bad in things. I once described myself as laid-back to Sunshine and he actually laughed in my face. I was a bit put out. What can I say, I like to be organized and have a plan in place. I am however easily talked away from my plans and I generally don't let much of anything get in the way of having a good time.
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
Chapter 1
“It is our choices, Harry, that show us what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Why Jamaica? The short answer is because it was there. But really, that doesn't make much of a story, does it?
Last fall I came to the conclusion that I needed a vacation rather badly. I should say that we needed a vacation, since Sunshine was coming along, but the reality is that even if he had been fresh as a daisy ready to take on anything life throws our way, I still really needed a vacation. He did too, but if I waited for him to lead the way to vacation land, I would die of old age.
Why such a need? It was really only the usual trials of life.
My parents live in Europe, so for 11 months of the year they are extremely low maintenance. So where are they for that last month? They live at our house. To be fair, they are very good house guests. They do a multitude of chores without being asked; make sure there is always milk in the fridge and generally aim to make our lives just a little bit easier. Still, a month is a really long time to have houseguests; I have been led to believe it is especially tedious if they are your in-laws.
My husband's family are local to us. Do you know people who whenever you see them they just seem to make you feel calmer and better about life in general? This isn't this family's story and it hadn't been a good year.
So it is mid-October and we are half way through my parent's visit. We have just celebrated three family birthdays and Canadian thanksgiving in the past ten days, all hosted at our house. I am the type of person who pretty much always has a countdown going for something. At this point the best I can come up with is Christmas. Yes, if you are wondering this blessed event will also be at our house and will include overnight guests.
For my sanity's sake, I need something positive to countdown too, and I needed it fast. So I beat up on Sunshine until he got a week's vacation at the beginning of December approved and I set off to find us a deal. I had at Sunshine's request agreed to a couple of criteria that this random vacation would have to meet.
1. We weren't going to Mexico. Sunshine has decided that one would require a death wish to go to Mexico, despite the fact that seemingly half our friends return from Mexico tanned, relaxed and happy on an annual basis. Whatever, I am learning to only fight the battles that really matter to me.
2. Our chance of being a victim of violent crime couldn't be worse than home. I have mixed feelings on this criterion, as statistically our home town is one of the most violent places in the entire country. I would suggest that one should always be a bit suspicious of statistics, as we live in a pretty safe place. All the same, I thought we might actually want raise the bar a bit on this one.
3. Jet Lag was to be avoided. There is nothing like crossing 5, 6, 7 time zones twice in one week to send you back to work feeling like you'd been beaten with a sack of hammers. This was supposed to be a vacation, not an extreme sport.
4. Preference would be given to destinations with direct flights. There is just something really appealing about getting up, going to the airport and only needing one aircraft to get you to your destination, or so I'd heard as I don't know that I have ever actually done it.
So armed with my criteria I starting searching the web for just where in the world our adventure would take us. It took very little time to start focusing my search on the Caribbean. I also soon discovered that Westjet was flying direct from Winnipeg to Montego Bay every Saturday. Better yet, there were packages we could probably actually afford.
Hmmm, Jamaica eh? My preconceptions of Jamaica were mixed.
One of my best friends as a child was Jamaican and her and her family were wonderful. Big smiles, fluffy hugs and an always genuine welcome were always on offer. That said they had come to Canada to escape the poverty and violence they faced in Jamaica.
Very early on in our marriage, I had read an article in Condé Nast Traveler that waxed on poetically about the virtues of Jake's at Treasure Beach, so much so that I had been to the website, priced it out and had a dreamy 'someday' conversation with Sunshine that had us both lost in fantasy land. He agreed that it sounded like a perfect slice of paradise, but it seemed like a small fortune at the time, especially with the sixty cents to the dollar exchange rate. There was also a government travel advisory that recommended not traveling by road in Jamaica, at least in some parts of the country.
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
I love the report so far. Please, go on.
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
All I can say already is WOW!! Can't wait for more Cherry .........
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
Great start! I'm hooked :-)
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
I'm feeling it...loving your style of writing
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
Great start - can't wait for more!!!
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
CherryNorth +Sunshine, super style, great wit, love it. More Please! No betta place to prepare for a trip to Jamaica than right here.
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
Thanks for the comments Gluecipher, Rinakim, Lorax, Kaycee, Mamade and bjritz. I see some of countdowns that look pretty close to my own. It won't be long now. More of the report is on its way.
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
I needed more current information, so I started with the government travel site and all looked good. The country had been stable for a while, still a few places in Kingston that weren't tourist friendly, but otherwise no real concerns. The only real advice of note was that travel during an election should be done with extreme caution, as Jamaican's were passionate about their politics. I figured the chances of that were slim, so no worries there. Not yet satisfied, I went to newspapers and local media websites. I googled crime rates and all sorts of word strings that might identify a dark underside lurking beside the palm trees. Was Jamaica without incident? Of course not. Did it have a better record that the blocks surrounding my office building? Probably.
I would like pause at this point to say something that might be starting to seem obvious. I have been accused of being almost compulsive in my research before we settle on any vacation plan. I used to try and hide that fact; now I have come to appreciate it is part of what makes a vacation for me. I might also say that the compulsion doesn't just end when the vacation is booked. It's in the end how I found Negril.com.
Now you can't do this kind of research without learning a few other things along the way. For me, the most positive surprise was the fact that the drinking water pretty much all across the island is perfectly safe to drink. Not to get TMI on you, but I don't have an iron stomach. Spending my week worried about where my ice cubes had come from and what my fruit was washed with sounds like a real holiday bummer. This is especially true since I know it would only take one misstep to end up with my vacation sponsored by Pepto.
So at this point, I have to admit I was totally sold. Now I just had to get Sunshine on board. I should say the drinking water wasn't the only tidbit I picked up in my research. When trying to sell someone on something, it pays to know your audience. The conversation went something like this.
"So, I think we are going to go to Jamaica the first week of December," I say.
"Jamaica? Isn't that dangerous?" Sunshine replied.
"No, Foreign Affairs has lifted all the travel advisories. Would you believe there is actually a direct flight, it is only one time zone away and they have good drinking water so you probably won't have to deal with me getting sick."
"Ok, sounds interesting."
"Yes, doesn't it? Another interesting point is they seem to have an awful lot of sandwich joints in Jamaica. It seems like folks don't really need a special occasion to enjoy a good sub. Every day is a good day. In fact, sounds like people are pretty relaxed about chowing down almost everywhere."
"Seriously?" he says.
"Uh, yeah."
"Sold! We're going to Jamaica."
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
Hey don't stop now my fellow Canuck. I just poured my self a beer!
Great writing, looking forward to reading more
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
Opps we posted at the same time. :p Carry on
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
LOL, that last selling feature reeled Sunshine right in. LOve it!
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
Oh yeah.....I am loving this one already!
Good stuff
Especially loved your disclaimer at the beginning about people who like a short read need not continue...HA! That sounded like someone I know ;)
LOVE it!
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
Hey Cherry! Please carry on at length, but finish before you leave! :)
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
Cherry!!! This is awesome, I love the way you write, and you're funnny! SCORE
Lookin forward to the rest of the story....and the next ;)
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
Quote:
Originally Posted by
CherryNorth49
"Sold! We're going to Jamaica."
LOL! The subs are like the icing on the cake.
Carry on, please!
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
this is going to be a good one!!!
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Lady Jane
Hey don't stop now my fellow Canuck. I just poured my self a beer!
Great writing, looking forward to reading more
I hate to waste a fresh beer, I hope my last post caught you in time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
marley9808
Oh yeah.....I am loving this one already!
Good stuff
Especially loved your disclaimer at the beginning about people who like a short read need not continue...HA! That sounded like someone I know ;)
LOVE it!
There are enough folks with mad trip report skills on this board that I can't actually narrow my guess to just one...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Guirigay
Hey Cherry! Please carry on at length, but finish before you leave! :)
I don't want to promise, but I am pretty confident that we are going to get there. Honest!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
TizzyATX
Cherry!!! This is awesome, I love the way you write, and you're funnny! SCORE
Lookin forward to the rest of the story....and the next ;)
Thank you! Speaking of the rest of the story, I can't seem to recall how your last report ended... :D
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Mike_D
LOL! The subs are like the icing on the cake.
Carry on, please!
They sure were, more is coming soon!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Luvsdaislands
this is going to be a good one!!!
Thanks Luvs, it was a great trip, hopefully it will come trough in the report.
Now to finish off Chapter 1.
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
Now as far as Sunshine was concerned, our vacation planning was pretty much done. I know better. Having narrowed our search down to a single country, I now needed to figure out where on the island we were going and where we would be staying.
The direct flight with Westjet was too good to pass up and we have had good luck with their vacation packages in the past, so I cut the field to the properties and areas they were promoting.
We land in Montego Bay, so I started there. It's a city, which isn't really a plus for me. Most of the resorts looked a bit crowded in and not that far from the airport. I grew up on airbases, so I am pretty good at ignoring aircraft, but I would prefer not to have to. Not that I think hip excludes me completely, but the idea of a place called the Hip Strip didn't appeal. I would rather things be a little more chill, so I crossed Montego Bay off the list.
Runaway Bay? It kind of looks like you are nowhere. There doesn't seem to be anything to walk to, no Jamaica to really see.
What about Ocho Rios? There are lots of attractions and activities around there, which is a plus. It is a big cruise ship port; that is a real minus. It isn't a natural beach; well I can get over that. Not ideal, but interesting.
What's this Negril place? It's a beach, 7-miles-ish of natural sand. Protected by a reef so the surf is gentle. Called the 'Capital of Casual.' Sunshine could have majored in casual in college. Not much to do but no one seems to mind.
So how to decide? Despite my ability to make things really complicated, sometimes the decision is simple.
Sunshine and I have only once before vacationed in what you would might call a beach destination. It had been a miserable, cold rainy summer and with a harsh winter likely on the way, 13 days before our scheduled camping trip to Minnesota, we said screw it and booked a vacation to Maui. It was at the height of the recession in 2009 and we scored a great deal. We had a fantastic condo right on the water, with floor to ceiling glass facing right into the sunset. Our activities everyday were planned around being back to enjoy the sunset. It was soothing, special and to me worth repeating.
Alright, so where in Jamaica are the best sunsets? Interesting, Runaway Bay and Ochi all seem to face north-ish. Montego Bay might do ok, but almost none of Jamaica actually faces west, but Negril does.
Decision made.
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
I have pretty limited experience with all-inclusive. I spent a week at one in Turkey with my parents when I was in high school. It was heavenly. Unrelated to this trip, I had suggested a couple of times to Sunshine that we ought to do an AI, and he always kind of shrugged his shoulders with a 'whatever' kind of attitude. Still, most of my impressions come second hand and generally the stories are really good. Jamaica is the birthplace of the all-inclusive, so if ever there was a time it would be now right?
Westjet had packages to all the big AI resorts in Negril, some of which were more affordable than others. I pretty much eliminated the fanciest places because I didn't want to spend that kind of cash and I didn't want to have to dress up for dinner.
In the end, I narrowed it down to two options: Sunset at the Palms AI on Bloody Bay or Rooms on the Beach, which included breakfast. There was a bit more than $1000 in difference between the two, but I figured that our Red Stripe bill on the beach would close that gap in a hurry. In fact, Rooms would probably end up costing us more. SATP looked beautiful. I liked the concept, the pictures and reviews on Trip Advisor were great. It did seem a bit away from things though. Rooms on the Beach wasn't as fancy, but it was on the main beach and looked to be walking distance from a tonne of places and not far from the nightlife. Reviews were good, no red flags.
So it was time to go back to Sunshine to get his impression. I start off the conversation simply, "So I have been trying to decide between AI and non-AI."
He immediately replies, "Non-AI."
I forge on, "There are a lot of things we should consider."
"Non-AI makes the most sense to me," he replies.
"Ok, so I am just going to spend the next 10 minutes going over pros and cons with you." I'm paraphrasing a bit here.
"I think non-AI is a good idea," he quite patiently states several more times as I go through my mental list.
"So, considering all that I think I'm leaning towards non-AI. Should I go ahead and book it?"
"Yes dear."
Fifteen minutes later we were the proud owners of two tickets to Rooms on the Beach. That was with only 43 days to go. Let the countdown begin!
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
Eeeeeeeehehehehe
I'm stoked....let's go!
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
This is great Cherry. Keep going. Pass the popcorn somebody
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
I love your style, Cherry! So enjoying this~
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
Great report! I love the way you use your mad skills in researching/planning your vacations. I'm the same way. I live in a resort town and i'm so surprised by how many people show up with absolutely zero knowledge about their vacation destination!
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
Chapter 2
“There's nothing worse than waiting and not knowing what'll happen to you. Your own imagination can be crueler than any captor.”
― Richelle Mead, Frostbite
So the countdown has begun, that can only spell relief, right? If only it were that simple.
I feel the need to share that I had some real anxiety around going to Jamaica. It was going be a really different kind of vacation for us. It would involve a lot of firsts for both of us. The unfamiliar makes me a bit anxious and I am the generally the calmer one. Strange places, strange people and crowds have on occasion proved taxing for the both of us.
I consider myself reasonably well travelled. I lived in Europe for almost a decade and covered a lot of ground while I was there. I have visited 38 of the 50 US states and been to 7 of 10 Canadian provinces. Fundamentally though, this has given me a great experience in the 'western' world.
Everything I was reading was telling me that Jamaica wasn't going to be like that. I had never traveled to the Caribbean. I had never been to a place where there would likely be frequent signs of people living in what I would describe as poverty. I have never been someplace where the price of almost everything is negotiable and everyone is an entrepreneur.
I was worried for me and I was really worried for my husband. This was my idea though, so it was time to be a big girl; I will cope. With some good planning and the right activities lined up, this should all be great. Once the vacation was booked, Sunshine had one other request.
"Please honey, can we just plan on doing nothing?"
"No problem," I say, "I mean, I am sure we will want to do a couple of things, but not more than one a day."
"No dear, I really mean, can we plan to do nothing?" he repeated.
"You mean like really nothing? But then we won't really get to see anything of the area. I am sure there are lots of things that we are going to want to see." I am thinking to myself that he must be crazy or I must have misunderstood. I mean why would you travel all that way and not see anything?
"But that should be ok, shouldn't it? We can just sit on the beach and enjoy the hotel? We are always off and doing things, can't we just try doing nothing for this trip?"
"Well, I mean I guess so. If it is that important to you," I concede.
"Promise?" he says.
"Well, ok, ummm I guess."
"No seriously, do you promise?"
"Yes dear, I promise."
What can I say? I talked him into taking a trip. I sold him on my destination of choice. I guess it is fair that he get to contribute some input on the whole thing.
This puts a real wrinkle in my normal pre-trip anxiety relief program. Normally, I would burn off my excess energy by compulsively planning an excess of potential activities for us once we arrive at our destination. I mean you never know when a little planning will come in handy right? On an average vacation, I swear I have a list of possible 'to-dos' twice as long as our trip will be. Now what am I going to do?
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
Oh my gosh. I love the way you think...and, more important, the way you translate your thoughts into words. This is priceless! I'm going to make sure and have a bottle of wine on hand this weekend and hope and pray that you continue this report. And since I'll be visiting Negril for the first time next month, I'm anxious to hear how the story goes...:)
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
By the way, I, too, am an obsessive planner when I travel to. I've been reading the board for about 6 months and already have reservations in place (for the One Love Bus Crawl, dinner and show at Seastar and dinner at Ivan's). But I have to admit- your hubby's way of thinking is kinda nice, too. I'm hoping to "do nothing" for 80 percent of my trip. Just...can't...help...but...plan...a...little. It's compulsive.
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
great report cherry....mavmaiden, those are must do's even on a trip of do nothing....
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
Hey Cherry and Sunshine:
Nothing wrong with getting hooked on a good thing! Plus you have so much more to see and experience in our year long summer paradise.
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
Quote:
Originally Posted by
mavmaiden
Oh my gosh. I love the way you think...and, more important, the way you translate your thoughts into words. This is priceless! I'm going to make sure and have a bottle of wine on hand this weekend and hope and pray that you continue this report. And since I'll be visiting Negril for the first time next month, I'm anxious to hear how the story goes...:)
Thank you! Get that wine ready, I won't leave you hanging over the weekend :)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
mavmaiden
By the way, I, too, am an obsessive planner when I travel to. I've been reading the board for about 6 months and already have reservations in place (for the One Love Bus Crawl, dinner and show at Seastar and dinner at Ivan's). But I have to admit- your hubby's way of thinking is kinda nice, too. I'm hoping to "do nothing" for 80 percent of my trip. Just...can't...help...but...plan...a...little. It's compulsive.
On this I think we are pretty similar, as you will probably see as the story goes on...
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
Chapter 3
“Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It's splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.”
― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
So I have agreed to go on vacation and do nothing. That shouldn't be much of a challenge. In fact, it kind of sounds like that is what a lot of people do in Negril. Something called 'sand gravity' seems to take hold of many visitors. Not my normal scene, but I am up for giving it a try. If I am really honest, the thought of doing nothing sounds pretty awesome.
Doing nothing once we get there isn't the problem. It's the reality of having nothing to plan that is starting to make me feel a little bit crazy. More accurately, having nothing to occupy the butterflies in my stomach is what is making me crazy, but it pretty much feels like the same thing.
I need to do something and it is not like there is nothing I can plan. I mean, we will have to eat. We will have to drink; I guess one doesn't technically have to drink, but it would be seriously out of character. We might want to see a show or go dancing. Surely that doesn't count as doing something, does it? So I start surfing the net or more accurately, compulsively searching for any and all information I can dredge up on our hotel, the beach and everything surrounding it.
I want to step back for a moment and say that I really enjoy going to new places for the second time. I guess that technically means I don't really like going to new places, I prefer to go to familiar places. The first time someplace new, I am a little anxious. I find I have a fear of not being welcomed, mixed with a good dose of concern over making an idiot of myself that gets my heart rate going a little faster than it should. It can be exhausting. The bigger the newness, the greater the fear. In my mind, Jamaica was freshly minted and I was not sure I would ever be prepared. Not to jump ahead, but I have heard lots of boardies talk about how good Negril is for the soul. Negril was like a soothing balm for my jittery self, but that tale should unfold all in its own good time.
So back to my coping strategies. If I can read enough material, hear enough of other folk's stories and see enough pictures, I can knock just enough of the new off the experience to make it seem bearable. I sometimes wonder if all the information available on-line is actually a help or a hindrance. If there wasn't a nearly endless amount of information to search through, would I compulsively research less and get on with doing or would I never leave the house?
It doesn't take long before I have fully exhausted Trip Advisor. I am not going to embarrass myself further by admitting just how much actual reading that entailed. I feel like I have been through every tourist site even remotely related to the country. I was running out of content obvious to me.
I should say that I have never before really been a participant in on-line forums. I had a facebook page once, but after the first month I pretty much stopped using it. There was something about posting details of my life on-line that made me really uncomfortable. I had never spent any amount of time following a forum, and I had certainly never joined one.
Following a long chain off a Google search for Rooms on the Beach, I came across a trip report. It was from a couple from our part of the country, about the same age as us with seemingly similar attitudes. It was their first time to Jamaica (though they had been to Mexico), they stayed at Rooms and they'd had a great time. There were pictures of the rooms and reviews of where they ate.
I was amazed. Not only had I never read a trip report, I had no idea they even existed. This was exactly the kind of thing that might settle my butterflies down. If this person had done it, surely there must be more such wondrous reports out there. New Google search string 'trip report Negril.'
No surprise that right near the top of the list was Negril.com. This wasn't my first visit to the website. I thought I had pretty much read every scrap of information there was to be found. I had also been through realnegril.com; I had even logged into to a couple of webcasts (not the chat mind you, that would be very un-lurker-like behaviour). I had never even clicked on the Forums link.
But now I was into the forums and there was a lot of reading to be done.
If I recall correctly, I found the board about two weeks before we left for our trip. It was mid-November right around the time Clarity and Hubby-man started reporting on their second trip to Negril. Tizzy was recounting her first adventure with her less than stellar traveling companion. Sprat was posting some of the most beautiful and thoughtful photos I had ever seen. Poolguywindsor was logging miles and reporting live, Red Stripe always in hand. Sweetness was also reporting in on her adventures, with plenty of pictures to go along. TicToc was gearing up for her epic December adventure, family in tow. Patty Sather was packing up all the colors of the rainbow, prepared to match any cocktail that might come her way.
I am not prepared to go back and dig back up some of the comments that helped me along the most. I know over time, that my mind has a tendency to re-write history a bit to suit its purposes, if only in subtle ways. I read so much that I may credit the wrong people with the right things. In the end, I prefer my recollections of how things went down. Please don't feel slighted.
In the end, it wasn't the most current trip reports that had the biggest impact on my state of mind before we left. Clarity and Hubby-man were really only working their way through Day 1 of their second trip when we actually left for Negril. That was no never mind though, as Clarity had kindly linked to their first trip report. For those of you who enjoy trip reports for more than just the details of where you stayed and where you ate (which I'm guessing you do, since you are still reading this), this report is a must read. (Read it here)
It was such a heartfelt and personal recounting of their trip, it ultimately provided a bit of anchor for me as we started in on our own adventure. Without intending to sound like a lunatic stalker, there were several times before and during our trip when I said to myself, "Clarity made it through better for the experience and so will you. Get over it and get on with it."
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
I love this so much LOL
I've was gonna add to mine today but you're a tough act to follow, lol. Really fantastic writing Cherry :)
Clarity's first report was the first one I read if I remember correctly....sucked me right in
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
You are good! Very, Very good! And no liar either :) 4 pages of backstory? All slammin'? I can wait a little while for you to get to the island... Love the quotes, please continue! :)
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
This is a fantastic report. I keep checking in to see if there is more.
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
I think that we have found another Guirigay. I hope that we have!
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
Chapter 4
"When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money."
– Susan Heller
Having only booked our vacation six weeks before we were due to leave, there really wasn't that much time on the countdown clock. That also meant there wasn't that much time on the get ready clock.
For all you folks who spend 15 minutes the night before packing, I am making a face at you right now. I dream of being able to pack like that and maybe someday I will. It won't be this year.
Getting ready for this trip was extra complicated, because we had almost nothing useful to pack. We discovered neither of us had swimsuits. When we went to Maui in 2009, Sunshine was sporting a 44" pant waist, now he is in a size 34. We discovered just how much his old swim trunks weren't going to work with some hilarity during an overnight stop at a Holiday Inn. Don't be alarmed, no children were traumatized in the incident. Though not able to brag of nearly as dramatic a change, I was in need of new beach wear as well.
For those of you who live well below the Mason/Dixon line, getting a swimsuit in November is likely of no particular consequence. When you live in the north, be prepared to spend real $$$. For all things summer, we were in a total retail void. The summer stuff was all gone and the 'cruise-wear' wasn't going to be in stores until after Christmas. That left us with specialty shops. Without exaggeration, we could have extended our trip 3 days for what swim suits cost us. Not really part of the budget, but as we weren't booked for c/o, what can you do.
I must admit, shopping before a trip is an activity I generally enjoy. I have been known to be a bit tight when it comes to spending cash, especially on basics that I deem that I can 'make do' without. Underwear has a hole, no problem. Taking underwear with a hole on vacation - I can do better than that. At least half the socks in my drawer can be tied to a purchase before heading on vacation somewhere. Strangely enough, they almost become happy souvenirs. As I pull them on in the morning, I think to myself ah (insert vacation destination here), what a great time that was and it starts the day off right.
Jumping ahead, I have taken a bit of a different approach preparing for our trip this year. Since I started this countdown with well over 200 days to go, I needed to spread out the anticipation. I don't think that there has been a month that has gone by that I haven't bought something that I plan to take to Negril. New sunhat, won't I look cute in Negril. Oh, sunscreen is on sale, better stock up for Negril. Need floaties for the beach, let's by ones we can also take to Negril. The nice thing is, maybe I will actually be able to pack in something less than a week. Also, it is nice that this part of the shopping won't be on the vacation bill.
I get the suitcase out mid-week and start packing. I've read half a dozen times that the key to success in Negril is to bring half the clothes and twice the money. Neither is going to happen, but I do my best.
I did leave two items at home which I found quite liberating - no flat-iron and no make-up for me. They call Negril the capital of casual? That means to me that I can be fresh faced and frizzy haired and the world can just get over it.
Three or four days before we were due to leave, Sunshine came home from work with the sniffles. I am sure there are men out there who are capable of maturity when they are sick. Not so much with Sunshine. He becomes like a petulant four-year old, railing at the universe for placing this pox upon his head. What frustrates me is that he doesn't do anything about it.
What happens when a week before we go on vacation and I start to feel the sniffles? I will take anything and everything that promises to stop the disease in its tracks. I have had mixed results, but I figure, at least am trying. Sunshine's approach? Pour a whiskey and hope it helps. I decided this trip was too important for this laissez-faire attitude and I read him the riot act. He had the good sense to look chagrined and headed off for the pharmacy.
In my world the latest in magic cure-all was, at this point in time, Oil of Oregano. I have half a dozen people at my office that swear by it and claim it works every time. It was a nasty cold season and the stories of miraculous recoveries were flying around like mad. So after three days of Cold-Fx and Oil of Oregano, I'm not sure Sunshine had achieved much. He still has an unpleasant head cold and he is now starting to smell like Mediterranean food and not in a good way. Ironically, he doesn't feel better, but I actually do. Not because I was getting sick, but because he actually tried to do something about it.
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
Chapter 5
“You're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting,
So... get on your way!”
― Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You'll Go!
We were leaving very early on Saturday morning. Sunshine is one of these people who needs to be at the airport early. If the airline says check in 2 hours before, he will want to be there 2.5 hours before, even though we actually checked in the day before on-line. It is like traveling with my mother, so at least I have had a lifetime to get used to it.
I think our cab picked us up at home at 4:45. The early start didn't really matter though; I hardly slept a wink the night before. To be fair, I hadn't really slept the previous three nights. I was just too excited/anxious/nervous to settle down to sleep.
In case Jamaica was not enough, I had a second reason to be excited to get to the airport. Only one year behind schedule, the new Winnipeg airport was finally open and it was my first chance to get inside. Our old terminal was just that - old. I felt somewhat embarrassed every time I was in there, hoping that first time visitors wouldn't put too much of the airport into forming their impressions of our community. The new terminal felt like a coming out party to me. As a city we were all grown up and putting our best face forward, reflecting the vibrant city we are. I was really impressed.
There was some confusion as people were checking in, since this was a first visit to the new airport for many folks. There was a small army of Westjet agents manning the 'self-serve' kiosks so it was all rather painless. At security, we got selected for special screening (the rub your bags and test for residue kind), but it meant we got to go straight to the head of the long security lines. I wish I could volunteer for that every time. It was a breeze getting through.
As every good Canadian airport does, they were pouring Tim Horton's coffee as fast as it could be brewed. Timmy's breakfast in hand and our duty free secured, we were ready to board.
I have to say I got quite a charge being in my home airport dressed and ready to get off the plane at the beach. I don't care if it is a bit silly, but I've always kind of stared at the folks so obviously heading for paradise with a bit of envy. Now it was my turn!
We get on board and my seating gambit to hopefully get us a row to ourselves has not paid off. Turns out our companion for the trip was a Negril regular who owned a condo in the area. Excellent I thought, I can gather a little local knowledge on the way. I do not have his permission to be in my trip report, so I am going to keep some of the details vague.
I was already wondering just how 'hedonistic' the whole Negril area was going to be. After all, there was a whole resort dedicated to the theme. I had read GerryG123's trip report from May 2011, which led me to believe you didn't need to be at Hedo to have a hedo good time. At the same time, there were reports from folks who I know wouldn't have darkened the doors of many of places GerryG described and they were having a good time too.
So back to our seat mate. We chatted a bit; I asked inane questions and he provided good information. Conversation started trending towards things I wouldn't normally go to with a virtual stranger (of the drugs and eventually sex variety). Whatever, I think folks should do what makes them feel good and I am not easily offended. I can smile and nod with the best of them. Now he's describing his girlfriend, offering to buy drinks and wondering how we are getting to our resort.
Ok, so Sunshine is in the middle seat pretty much ignoring the conversation reading his book as we talk across him. I mean, if I was on my own, I would be sure this guy had more on his mind that just killing time. But my husband is right there, so this is just weird. Wait for it...wait for it...I can be a bit dense. "Holy crap, this guy is trying to pick us both up!!!!" Add another to the list of firsts for the day. I hadn't even thought to put that one on list.
Sometimes body language can say so much more than words and in so much faster and kinder a way. As we approached Cuba, Sunshine had to use the toilet. I had a 'moment' with our seat mate as he pointed something out to me out the window. He leaned in, I leaned out and just like that everyone knew the score. Regardless, if I was wondering what kind of place I had signed us up for before, now I am really questioning things.
It was a bit cloudy over Jamaica when got within sight, but as we broke through the clouds and I caught our first glimpse, I was already in love. I admit I was a bit nervous for our landing. I had seen pictures of the runway to the ocean and I really hoped we didn't miss. I had to capture the moment on video (which I will post, but the tech is working against me right now).
Our seat mate's helpful hints continued and though he did pass on his Negril number I never did see fit to call. As we were negotiating the airport he pointed us towards the right lines and in twenty-minutes we were clear of customs and headed towards our bus transfers.
So we pour out of customs into the hall with all the tour operators. Our vacation included transfers with JTL. We found everyone in the hall very helpful at pointing us in the right direction. There certainly was no shortage of people ready to help and I didn't find people were pushy.
There was a very friendly fellow making sure that only one from each party was in line at JTL, so I headed up with our vouchers and Sunshine cared for our luggage. I am extremely paranoid about taking my eyes of my bags at the airport and after more than a decade of travelling together, Sunshine has learned to play along.
It took only a few minutes to get through the process and then we were out to the buses. There was one to Negril just about ready to go, so we were underway only moments after we got on board.
The bus was older, but functional. The driver kept up a bit of a dialogue of sites as we passed through Montego Bay. I was having a bit of trouble understanding him, but I was so overwhelmed with the sights and sounds that it didn't much matter to me. Reflecting back on that drive, I can recollect very little of the first half of the trip. The whole thing was a bit of a blur.
Just outside of MoBay, the bus pulled in somewhere which gave us all a chance to pick up some beverages. It was time for the first Red Stripes of the trip.
Continuing along, we started the process of dropping off all the AI guests. First stop, Grand Palladium followed by both RIU and Couples or Sandals or Breezes. Sunshine was laughing as we pulled away from the last AI, "I didn't know you could do so many variations on the 'tropical' theme. I am so glad we aren't staying in one of those."
With the AIs done, there are only two other people on the bus and Rooms would be the last stop.
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
The bus driver said something that sounded nice as he dropped us off, but I didn't quite catch it. Security welcomed us and pointed us to the front office. We head in and we are expected. The front desk lady pulls out a form, confirms the information is correct and gives us room keys, drink vouchers and towel chits. Inside of three minutes we were done. I'm thinking to myself this is a bit weird. I mean, I know we have prepaid, but don't you want to at least get a credit card imprint? Shouldn't I have to sign something? Guess they really do things more casually in Jamaica.
We get to our room and it is fine. It is on the first floor in not a great location, located right near the main office. Since it is on the main path, the patio is not at all private and it feels like everyone walking by is staring into the room. But who cares, we are in Jamaica.
Bags dropped in the room, our first order of business is heading down the beach. At this point is about 4:30 and sunset will be here soon. My goal was to get to the hotel before sunset, so mission accomplished. I was nervous heading out to the beach, having heard so much about the hustlers who ply their trade there. I was happy knowing that Rooms had a bit of a wall, so at least there was something to retreat behind.
We had not yet closed the last 10 feet to the beach wall when young fellow calls over to us from the other side, "Hey, you're from Winnipeg, right?"
"Pardon me?" I say.
"You, you're from Winnipeg."
I glance at Sunshine and down at myself. Nope, no sports gear giveaways or the like on either of us.
This is not cool. Who is this guy and how does he know where we are from? If I wasn't freaked by the hustle before, I sure am now. I'm not proud to say it, but my first visit to the beach lasted less than two minutes and I all but ran away.
I quickly suggest we head back to the room and pour ourselves a drink. That accomplished, we again attempt to head for the beach, drinks in hand. We are here for a week; I am going to have to leave the room sometime. I also promised Sunshine subs and he anxious to sample the local wares.
This time as we walk towards the wall, an older Rasta wanders over, claiming he thought we were some German friends of his. We exchange a few pleasantries; he asks us if we need a sandwich. We express some interest. He assures us that if a snow cone is more our style, he can help with that or most anything else we might want or need. We politely declined but did sort some cold cuts out.
I don't know what a sub ought to cost in a place where cold cuts seem to almost spring up in the ditches, but I know we got taken to the cleaners. I also know that this will the one and only time I ever make that sort of transaction on the beach. It was an unnerving experience, but neither of us was in jail, so it was time to get on with just enjoying the moment.
We picked a piece of real estate on the wall and watched our first Jamaican sunset.
As the sunlight faded, our drinks ran low and we headed back to the room for refills. Sunshine was also anxious to get to a sub. He has the fine motor skills of a bull moose, so sandwich making falls to me.
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Re: I've got to find my way back, back to summer paradise - Nov 2011 Trip Report
I will finish this chapter today, but I have a family birthday dinner that I have to get through first :(