# Negril.com Message Board Forums > Negril Message Board >  10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report

## Clarity

On April 19th, 2012 we went on a vacation to Jamaica to celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary
It was the longest trip we've ever taken: *12 nights*
We stayed in 6 different hotels during our stay.
We made memories we'll treasure for the rest of our lives.
This is our story.... :Smile:

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## Hubby-man

Wow! - ...where to begin..

How can I explain what happened during this trip? How can I bring you all along on this journey, so that rather than being just readers of a trip report, you can become experiencers - participants  yet - in every lick of joy and love and miracle that this trip was to us?

It was not the broad strokes and big events that made this trip so special. The greatness of what happened occurred between the lines, lay in the subtleties of the interactions, in the how rather than the what. We gathered as a small tribe of human beings, brought together by Negril.com, and made a big celebration out of life. A window opened in the fabric of the Universe and a fresh breeze came through.

Something opened up inside as a consequence. The walls came down and we talked. We had good talks, and angry ones, short ones and long ones, deep ones and shallow ones. But most of all we all had open talks. Talks with words and hugs and gestures, Dollar bills and coconuts.  

I also want to explain the word above: EPIC. At the end of it all, we felt, it was the most appropriate one-word description for what we experienced

I found the following definition on http://www.urbandictionary.com :

_The most overused word ever. [...].Epic car. Epic haircut. Epic movie. Epic album. Epic shut the ***** up!  (voted  #1)_

and:

_A word, whose meaningful definition(s)and correct applications are now obscured and have been raped to death mostly by the 25 and under crowd. It has been overused as "the" catch phrase used to describe a situation, person, event, movie, taking a sh*t ,etc. . (voted #2)_

Angry stuff. That is certainly not like OUR epic. 

Here is Merriam Webster-with some help:

_extending beyond the usual or ordinary especially in size or scope_

Better, but still not perfect... . I think, what we meant was : _Meaningful, timeless and unforgettable, something that we have never experienced quite like that._

When we left we also agreed that the end of this trip was not an end at all, but rather a beginning. Not like a high or an acid trip, but  a shift in insight. A shift that everyone can participate in and be part of. The kind of shift that going to Jamaica causes every time, but when you share it with so many people you love, the energy changes an order of magnitude, like a chain-reaction in a nuclear explosion.

Like the meaning, that the mysterious book had to my trip last time, I cannot promise this trip report will live up to the expectation this introduction promises. After all, I am writing a preface to a book before the book is written. Not a smart idea, but that's how this works. On the web everything is work in progress, and revisions are already too late before they are made. So let's hope words soon come, and we won't let you down with a taste, but no sustenance.

If I can't get the words out the right way, the best way to experience this trip might be to read about it from the perspective of the others as well, to get the whole 3D-idea. Hence I will keep posting links to other trip reports that describe the same experience here, as they pop up on the board :

*Marley and Ninja* - http://negril.com/forum/showthread.p...ort-April-2012

*Guiriguy & Sweetie-Pie* - http://negril.com/forum/showthread.p...pened%E2%80%A6

*Booger* - http://negril.com/forum/showthread.p...ood-Times-Trip

*SpottyCatz* - http://negril.com/forum/showthread.p...es-What-a-Trip!

*Katho* - http://negril.com/forum/showthread.p...pril-2012-EPIC

*PattySather* (w/Joe & Manda)  http://negril.com/forum/showthread.p...-big-adventure

*Gerryg123* http://negril.com/forum/showthread.p...-Negril/page31

*Luvsdaisland* - http://negril.com/forum/showthread.p...-Stay-With-You

*Sweetness* - http://negril.com/forum/showthread.p...iddle-Quarters
http://negril.com/forum/showthread.p...-2012-YS-Falls

Investigating a *Love Story* - http://negril.com/forum/showthread.p...ATX-amp-GonJon

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## Sweetness

Love the photo collage EPIC graphic - you are so talented sweet man.  I am so excited to live this with you as you write about your adventure. I loved you both before I met you (I know that sounds weird) which is why I felt so much love when I did meet you.  You are beautiful souls.  Waiting with baited breath.....whatever that means lol.

Your title is so clever......you really should be a professional writer/photog.......

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## booger

Yes sir, and I loathe the word as well. Epic indeed with all sorts laughter, debauchery, and good times for sure. And like Sweetness I love the collage. Do me a favor and let me know when you are done, like 2 weeks from now or so, so I can read the best ever trip report. LOL!

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## Coco

Love you guys !!

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## gerryg123

Rubbing hands together .... this is going to be GOOD.

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## spottycatz

Yay, someone else's words to fill the gaps in my memory of what happened!!!!! :Smile:

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## marley9808

Yep! Everything Markus just said and everything Daisy and Markus will say and all that was just said after and will be said soon....yep, it all happened, just like they said and it was........ E P I C

(That's my report) lol

Love you guys, love the photo, love the start! Perfect!

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## Seveen

tears welling up in my eyes already!  get the kleenex 

i am such a chump - lol

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## TizzyATX

YAYAYAYA!!!  I can hear it as though Markus is speaking to us. LOL

Perfect title.

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## wpyogi

:Big Grin:

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## TizzyATX

wpyogi!!  Correct me if I'm wrong but yall are the fun couple I got to hang with one crazy night yeah??

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## marley9808

Nope! That wasn't them! LMAO

YES! Wpyogi and her +1 who looked like the twin brother to Jon! hahahaha
Very fun couple yes!

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## TizzyATX

you cut that out... you know I get confused easy. LOL

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## booger

> you cut that out... you know I get confused easy. LOL


You do as we hung with them more than one night! Lol
Eddie's, Mi Yard, country country. I so cannot wait till you write your trip report so I can put my editor hat on.........

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## marley9808

Lmao!!

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## Jim-Donna

YIPPIE!!~~~ You two are so nice! So happy we got to meet. XO

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## TizzyATX

> I so cannot wait till you write your trip report so I can put my editor hat on.........


 take it easy, i'm still debating on doing one at all. LOL

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## marley9808

Tizzy, I can write yours:

I drank, I lost my iPhone, I made out, I <censored>, <censored>, <censored>, I found my iPhone, I had fun! - Tizzy

lmao  :Smile:

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## Jim-Donna

> tizzy, i can write yours:
> 
> I drank, i lost my iphone, i made out, i <censored>, <censored>, <censored>, i found my iphone, i had fun! - tizzy
> 
> lmao


roflmaf~~!!

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## Patty Sather

Its all true! Hahahah Poor tizzy! 

This is fantastic..I love the beginning and just knew it would start as great as this....Got the camp fire going and friends are gathering for the story of Clarity and Markus tissues handy (sigh) You know how much I think of you....EPIC!!!!!  :Cool:

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## Muzikdoc

> Tizzy, I can write yours:
> 
> I drank, I lost my iPhone, I made out, I <censored>, <censored>, <censored>, I found my iPhone, I had fun! - Tizzy
> 
> lmao


LOL Tizzy.. But she laughed and she smiled through it all. Tizzy had a great time..No worries ,just lead her to the next party!! Love Ya Tizzy!!

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## TizzyATX

Love all of you!!! Hey, what can I say, I needed a freakin vacation. LOLOLOL

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## marley9808

> LOL Tizzy.. But she laughed and she smiled through it all. Tizzy had a great time..No worries ,just lead her to the next party!! Love Ya Tizzy!!


Amen, and that is why we all love her! How could you not.....Tizzy IS the party!

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## booger

> Amen, and that is why we all love her! How could you not.....Tizzy IS the party!


Marcus and Clarity please excuse my hijack. However I have to agree that this girl knows how to PARTY! She honestly was the only one who could keep up with me.....

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## justchuck

WOW, there's a whole bunch of great reading on this board. Loving all these great trip reports. Keep it coming!

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## wpyogi

> wpyogi!!  Correct me if I'm wrong but yall are the fun couple I got to hang with one crazy night yeah??


Yes, lol!!!

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## Bella Bea

I hope BABY was made in epic Trip! ure the cutest couple ever!  a child may not help ur negril adictiion but I know ull put things in perspective!

respct

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## lisapat

Looks like Patrick and I should have booked our trip a month later....we had a great time in Negril, did and saw more than ever this reach, since we broke our Couples Negril addiction....but reading all the experiences that all of you had makes us envious as hell...I am loving that you are all so generous to share your time with us, so we can vicariously re-live it along with you  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## TizzyATX

Where are you guys??? I'm sitting with my cup of coffee....clicking my nails on the desk.....lol

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## Clarity

I'm sorry for the long intermission, It’s been a crazy hectic and busy week…

We've been back in the states for over a week now and we *just* unpacked our suitcases today. 

We laid out all the mementos from our trip on the kitchen table..



I picked up each item on that table and turned it over in my hands. Everything held a special meaning in my heart, There is a beautiful and treasured memory attached to each item in this picture...We’ll share the stories behind them in this TR.


****

I don't know if words can adequately describe how much this trip meant to me, to both of us.

 It was truly epic, just as Markus stated and more amazing than our first two trips to Negril. I didn't think that was possible!! 

I don’t even know where to start…

I guess the best place to start is the beginning... 

Everyone in my office knew that it was "Jamaica day" when I entered the office on April 18th. This time my co-workers didn't give me a hard time about going back to Jamaica... This time, I feel like they truly understood and respected my need to go back. 

The past two months had been incredibly difficult and painful, not just for me but for everyone I worked with. Our co-worker had passed away. 

 For me, She was more than just a fellow co-worker.

Michelle was my best friend. 

This is the first time I’m really writing about this and It’s hard…

After her death, I spiraled into a dark place. Something just shut off. It was like a light went out inside of me. Michelle and I were the same age. Her passing was so unexpected... Once again I was confronted with the true fragility of life and It shook me to the core. 

When I requested additional time off for my vacation, no one said a word. My boss just nodded with a sympathetic understanding look. 

I *really* needed to get away so I used every vacation day, personal day and sick day I had in the bank for this trip.

I was hoping Jamaica would help me heal. I needed to learn how to embrace and enjoy life again, I needed to feel the sunshine on my skin, I needed to taste fresh fruits, swim in clear waters and be with Markus.

 Life is short, and we only have a limited time on this earth. I knew Michelle would want me celebrate her memory, her life, and our times together, not shut myself off from the world. She was playful, compassionate, loving and a ball of happy energy. I loved her and She brought out the best in me...in everyone... I had to channel that..

I knew exactly where I needed to go. 

I'm sorry for such a sad beginning, it's just provide a background from the place I was coming from…It also gives you a deeper understanding of how meaningful this trip truly was…

I promise It's all happiness from this point on...I didn’t want to bring you all down…

We had saved up a long time for this trip, it was going to be the longest vacation we've ever taken together in our entire lives and the day had finally arrived. It was the most wonderful feeling in the world...

Markus was waiting with the bags rolled up to the front door when I arrived home from work. I was so excited, I could barely contain it. Our friend, Jamar hugged us goodbye and promised to take good care of our kitties. 

"Say Hi to Bella Bea for me!" He said with a smile.(Jamar just started a new job, so he couldn't join us this time.) 

We hailed down a taxi and threw our two carry-on bags into the trunk. I had worked later than expected trying to wrap up all the last minute tasks so we were running behind schedule. It didn't help that there was a Giants game letting out...combined with the rush hour traffic it was literally bumper to bumper on the highway. For a while, we weren't moving at all, I felt my heartbeat racing in my chest as I gazed out the window at the hilly San Francisco landscape and the setting sun. I started worrying that we weren't going to catch our flight...

We were one of the last to board the plane to Miami and the flight attendent stopped us in our tracks when we were entering the plane. 

"I'm sorry guys there is no more room in the overhead compartments, we're going to have to check in your bags"

After all the ridiculous packing strategy I had employed over a two week period to fit everything we needed into two carry-on bags we still had to check them in. It's was ironic in that Alanis Morissette kind of way... but at that point, I didn't even care. I was just happy to be on that plane!

Markus really doesn't like flying, He gets restless leg syndrome on long flights and he can't sleep on planes. We always fly red eye from CA to Mobay. This time we decided to purchase some wine to make the trip less painful...



and it worked!!!


When the airline stewardess found out that this trip was for our 10 year wedding anniversary, she provided us with additional complimentary bottles of wine! We ended up hanging out in the back of the plane with a bunch of flight attendants and had a little party with a few other passengers. It's all a bit of a blur...mixed in with alot of laughter and some turbulance. That was hands down the most fun I've ever had in a plane! 



We definitely paid for it though during our 5 hour layover in Miami...We were hung over before we even arrived in Montego Bay...

Despite that, There is nothing better than that first beautiful glimpse of turquoise blue Jamaican waters from the airplane window...I felt like Dorothy emerging from her black and white world to the technicolor land of OZ.



A rush of energy, happiness and excitement filled my entire body...Our vacation was just about to begin…

I knew this was going to be a special trip, I just didn’t realize at the time how truly special it was going to be…

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## Hubby-man

As we approached the landing strip at Montego Bay Sangster Airport the cabin pressure slowly rose to a full atmosphere. The pressure in my ears adjusted with lengthy squeak that only I could hear. I felt relief. I had endured a torturous total of 7 and 1/2 hours of flight in what felt like a coffin, and a lengthy 5 hour layover in good old Florida, where Kenny G, Smooth Jazz, Plaid Pants and Polo-shirts had slowly simmered my brain to a mush. The plane touched down with an unusual amount of applause from the cabin.

I knew I should have been ecstatic. After all, the day, we had talked about and anticipated for months, was finally here. Yet, sleepless travel and exhaustion had gotten the better of me once again. I tried to bottle it up, but inside I was a miserable stinker with a groundless disdain for everyone and everything.

Disembarking the flying metal tube took the usual amount of patience and self-control. Everyone was in everyone’s way and no one was helping anyone get out any faster. So I tried to hang back and relax until I had the room to get our stuff out of the overhead bins further back.

This enraged an equally irrational older man sporting the aforementioned golfing attire, who began scolding me, calling me names and telling me, because I was sitting ahead of him I had to get our first. With flushed cheeks and frothing spit, he asked, if I had ever flown before or whether I was just _stupid_.

This oddly calmed me down and made me reach for higher ground. At least I am not the only one who doesn't travel so well. And as a bonus, in the eyes of the other passengers, I was now the victim. Hurrah! What a coup!

Finally out of the plane and up the tiled ramp we went, passed the massive Margaritaville Ad and the latest high school-student art work, towards immigration.

_“Are you guys traveling together? What is the purpose of your visit?”_

Daisy volunteered more than the required information to the officer and got the first of the later common complimentary responses.

_“10 Years! No that’s impossible; did you get married in Kindergarten?”_

_“No. Ph-shaw! We got married when I was […]*(* information withheld), see there, in the passport.”_

_“Well you look much younger!”_

Stamp! Stamp!

_“Thank you, Sir!”
_
We swapped some USD's for Ja-Dollars and finally headed towards the sliding doors, beyond which lay the little picket fence that separates the cab drivers from the arriving passengers like farmers from the cattle at auction.

As soon as we got out the bidding started, everyone was yelling their best offers, but the guy with the sign that read “Rocky's Taxi” had already won us and we willingly gave ourselves into his care.

He introduced himself as Wayne. We were early and he seemed pleasantly surprised to have his wait cut short.  Slightly nervous and infinitely accommodating, he carried our luggage to the curb and apologized for having to retrieve his vehicle from the parking lot.

“Just wait here! I'll be very fast!”

“No worries, Mon!” I replied and gleefully dragged a pack of cigarettes from my pocket, while Daisy rushed to get some fruit-juice from a vendor. A blanket of heat wrapped itself comfortably around me. The sounds of Jamaica, the yelling and honking, the odor of the spices, everything brought back memories, as exotic as they are familiar.

*“THERE IT IS!”* It came suddenly and utterly unexpectedly.

Another driver aggressively tried to solicit his service to me, but when I told him, we already had a ride, he bumped his fist against mine and said “Respect!” with a smile and warm voice.  

My fist moved towards his (Imagine this in slow-motion) and on impact - BOOM! -my nasty mood fell off me like an overripe ulcer that had festered and held on way beyond its expiration date.

Holy Sh*t! I am in Jamaica! Hell Yeah! WTF am I grumpy about? That “Me”, from the moment before, suddenly seemed like a pitiful brat, a little child with no self-control and no appreciation for its blessings. That's not me!

 I was suddenly the happiest guy on the planet, on vacation and about to be married for ten years, to the most beautiful, warm-hearted and intelligent woman I know! Damn me for needing a fist-bump to remember that!

 I was one person one moment and  _'in Jamaica'_ the next.

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## Coco

More, more, more... :Big Grin:

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## garysteph1018

> Damn me for needing a fist-bump to remember that!


I'd say that's pretty cool if that's all it took! I can't wait to feel that!!!! I'll be coming off the plane with fists ready!

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## marley9808

Yes!!!!
This is what I was waiting for....big smiles  :Smile:

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## booger

You crack me up man..... Pure German comedy, if there is such a thing. How can someone be so unhappy to scold you on the plane headed to Jamaica. His name wasn't Harley was it?

Discloser: I'm kinda German so I can say that...

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## bjritz

> There is nothing better than that first beautiful glimpse of turquoise blue Jamaican waters from the airplane window...I felt like Dorothy emerging from her black and white world to the technicolor land of OZ.


Here I sit, about five blocks from OZ (I live in Kansas City, MO), not sleeping in anticipation of the azure described above and very much needing that picture looking down on the amazing sea. Thank you so much for posting these pics and the lovely well written story as it is unfolding.

You are making _board_ here on this forum an absolute delight. Keep it up.

Heading to Xtabi on Thursday!

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## spottycatz

Great start team. I't's brilliant knowing the lead up to all of our trips and arrivals in Negril.  :Big Grin:

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## Fun in the sun

A miserable stinker with a groundless distain for everything...everyone! my GOD is that good!!!
I love both you and Daisey writing skills. I think you both could write a book and then never have to worry about saving up again!
Daisey is  too damn funny with not showing her face! i really like your honeymmoon suite! wow...
oh yah, the plain pants kenny g polo description turning your brain to mush??? i love it!

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## Katho

Couldn't wait it out Daisy, lol! Beautiful, sad, funny, exciting...amazingly written as always!! Now more damn it!! (please and thank you)  :Wink:

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## irieworld

ok I am not even going to try to read this now, I will wait till I am home. Like Seveen I am a huge mushball and for some reason Clarity and hubbyman reports make me cry! How ridiculous is that. I think in part because your experience of and love for Jamaica is so close to mine--yet it is also framed in the beautiful relationship you have with each other. Well and then it is packed with similar humor and reflections that I have had on my travels and the gorgeous photos-- it is such a full package. Draw it out as long as you like --Booger can wait till it is all done to read it and I will do the installment package even if it takes 6 months. Or a year.

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## booger

LOL. I have to say that Clarity and Hubbyman are truly genuine people. It's really hard to describe them however I will make an attempt. Regardless, they are both beautiful peeps and my description will not do them justice.

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## Clarity

Thank you so much everyone for your kind comments!!  :Embarrassment: 

Im so sorry weve been slow as snails. Were going to step up our game now.

 An update a day, thats our goal. At that rate, we might get this Trip Report done before Christmas.  :Wink: 

Here we go

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## Hubby-man

The standard white sedan pulled up. Wayne jumped out and loaded our tiny suitcases into the trunk. Daisy, on a mission to avoid checking luggage, had compacted our clothes to the density of a black hole. Wayne shrieked a little as he tried to lift the unexpected amount of mass. I rushed to help him. But he adjusted to a weightlifting stance and was done before I could get there.

We sat down in the back seat and were quickly handed another mood lifter in the form of two seriously cold Red Stripes. Man I love this place!





As we pulled out of the airport Daisy whispered: “You think he would stop for some Jerk for us? At Jerky's?”

For some reason we were both still very shy. So I stuttered more than asked: “Could you stop for some food? For some Jerk,... like at Jerky's,... maybe?”

“Ya Mon, Ya Mon. Jamaican food, Ya Mon!”

Silence.

We were all in a competition of shyness. I wasn't sure, if he understood we wanted Jerky's specifically, or whether that place is even commonly known around here. “But I didn't dare ask again, (...like, so embarrassing, right?) so we muttered to each other in the back seat, like first-timers:

“You think he understood?”

“I don't know, but he's gonna take us to some sort of Jerk place, no?”

“Yeah I think so, but did we pass Jerky's already? Where is Jerky's? After the next light?”

Oh, boy! Sad sh*t! Why am I even telling you this? I seriously don't know. Maybe, so you don't feel so bad, if you go to Jamaica for _the third time_ and it seems at first, like you are still as much of a '_Fresha'_ as the first time you came. It's alright. Don't worry, it'll turn “epic” soon enough.

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## Hubby-man

Of course Wayne knew Jerky's and yes, it was after the next light. Granted, this is not your typical tourist destination. It's located in something like a strip mall and has signage like a fast food restaurant. But it's close to the airport and yummy and cheap. It also has sentimental value to us, as our first ever encounter with Jerk chicken occurred right here, almost exactly one year before.





We ate a huge  a chicken and bought two more Red Stripes (at the protest of Wayne, who offered to provide them at no cost from the big cooler in the trunk) and hopped back into the vehicle.

Leaving MoBay the familiar streams of uniformed pupils lined the road. We drove in silence for a while, feeling impossibly exhausted and only able to take in the view, the water, the hills and the goats, but we couldn't quite speak about it.

Wayne put on the obligatory Bob Marley CD. I contemplated asking him to change it, thinking _“Could You Be Loved_” and _“Exodus”_ must be about as familiar (mind-numbing) to him as _“It's a small world after all”_ to a Disneyland employee. I just couldn't form proper words and I really didn't want to end up offending all of Jamaica in one foul swoop.

After our third beer and passing Sandy Bay we finally felt some life coming back . The conversation picked up. We talked about the drought, the recent elections and such.

 Suddenly a spark crossed and we began a really lively conversation. Wayne asked us a few polite questions about our trip and finally I had to bring up Daisy's newly discovered relatives in Jamaica.

“Mandeville?? Mon. I grew up in Mandeville!!” Wayne said

“Wow, do you know the Mandeville Hotel? “ Daisy asked “My family apparently owns and operates it.”

“Mandeville Hotel, Mon. Ya, Mon, I used to always hang out there, every day! I know a lot of people that work there.”

The ice between us was now completely melted. It IS a small world after all! He didn't know Daisy's cousin specifically, but that was irrelevant. We had now fully arrived in Jamaica and felt right at home with Wayne.

As usual we there was lots of laughter and emotion. By the time we got Negril, Wayne had also taken care of all of our shopping and supply needs. We had nothing left to ask of him, when he pulled up through the magnificently heavy gates of our new abode for the next two days, the amazing *Villa sur Mer*....

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## Clarity

The ride to Negril was very smooth, relaxing and chill. At first we were both very shy with Wayne. It was overwhelming to be back in Jamaica and there was a half hour of silence while we just took it all in. Maybe it was the sheer exhaustion mixed with the lightheadedness from the Red Stripe consumption so early in the day…I was in an odd state of disbelief that this trip was _actually happening_...with the lush Caribbean landscape passing by the car window… It felt like a dream sequence…

… but once we opened up and started talking the whole atmosphere changed. We were laughing and sharing intimate stories in no time. I went from feeling like a newbie all over again, to feeling like I was truly coming back home. 

We pulled to a stop in front of Villa Sur Mer. It didn’t look like much from the outside, just white walls and a big gate. The resort is entirely hidden so you could easily pass it without even realizing it. Wayne honked his horn once and someone slowly began to pull open the gates. He ushered us inside and closed the gates behind us. 

We said our cheerful goodbye’s to Wayne…Great driver and very cool person! 



Wayne explained that Rocky had our cellphone and that he would be coming by later on to deliver it to us in person. It had been a year since I last saw Rocky, so I looked forward to seeing his smiling face again.

Kimi was the first person we met at Villa Sur Mer. We had been in correspondence with the owners Peter and Kimi through email over the past few months. It was amazing to finally meet her in person. 

She greeted us with a hug. “Happy Anniversary! It’s truly a pleasure to have you both here”

They made us feel so incredibly special from the very first moment we arrived, Kimi assured us that we would be well cared for and have the privacy we needed for an intimate anniversary together in their resort. 

 I had fallen in love with Villa Sur Mer from just the pictures on the website but I was beginning to realize how unique this place truly is. You feel like a VIP  here. I’m not used to this kind of posh treatment!

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## Clarity

Kimi took the key out of the lobby area and gestured for us to come with her to our Villa.



“As I mentioned in the email I sent you yesterday, we have upgraded you both to the Honeymoon suite for your anniversary” she said leading us through the pathways lined with palms and lush flowers. Butterflies fluttered over the trees and we could hear the leaves rustling from the warm breeze. It all felt very surreal and I just couldn’t digest it all. It was so quiet..so peaceful…




We passed a bunch of villas, each was unique in it’s own way. Tropical, mediterranian and Spa-like. like something out of a Travel magazine… You could tell the person who designed this resort wanted to create an environment that takes you away from everything and gets you in touch with nature.

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## Clarity

I was in awe when she opened the door to our Villa



It was absolutely over the top beautiful…sparkling chandeliers with translucent paper thin shells.. a huge bed in the center

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## Clarity

There was a full kitchen cove to the right..



In the back was the bathroom..

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## Clarity

And I’d never seen a shower like this in my life…It was HUGE!




Every stretch of wall had windows on it with wooden blinds that opened to reveal the sunshine streaming through the bright green tropical landscape…

She was walking around showing us everything “Here is the remote control for the flat screen, we have a ipod stereo here.. You can make complimentary phone calls here, international or local…” She kept going but her voice kind of faded away and I started feeling dizzy, like I needed to lay down… this was all very surreal… I couldn’t digest it. I looked around and covered my mouth…

Was this really happening? Were we really going to be spending our anniversary in this over the top beautiful honeymoon villa? How could we be so blessed to be able to experience this? How do we even deserve this? 

And that’s when my eyes filled with tears…

(*Note:* My eyes will fill with tears many times during this trip. You could make a drinking game out of it –“R_ead Clarity’s trip report and take a shot each time she starts to cry tears of joy._” You’ll pass out drunk before you reach day 5.)

Kimi looked concerned “Is everything okay with this villa? Is something wrong?”

“No.. I’m just, it’s…incredibly beautiful…” I whispered “thank you for upgrading us… this is…I..”

“No crying now. Stop that”, Kimi said with a smile and a wave of her hand. “I’m very happy you like it here,”

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## Clarity

I wiped away my tears and forced myself to stop blubbering. 

That’s when I noticed there was an envelope on the bed.. “What’s that?” I asked.

“It’s for you and Markus – from a friend”, Kimi said “I’ll let you two get comfortable. When you’re ready Patrick will give you a tour of the grounds. If there is anything you need, just let us know and we will provide it. Anything at all..”

We said our goodbye’s to Kimi and she left us alone in our new villa to digest what was happening.

I picked up the card from the bed and opened it.

It was an anniversary card from the SPOTTYCATZ…


Thank you both, from the bottom of our hearts

I smiled and looked at Markus. This card was our _first official boardie contact_ … it was our first taste of what was to come…and the amazing people we would soon be meeting for the very first time…

*To be continued….*

----------


## booger

Clean up your inbox so you can receive PM's. LOL

----------


## beccajean_ca

> Tizzy, I can write yours:
> 
> I drank, I lost my iPhone, I made out, I <censored>, <censored>, <censored>, I found my iPhone, I had fun! - Tizzy
> 
> lmao



LMAO Marley that was perfect ! You hit the nail on the head with that one !

----------


## beccajean_ca

WOW guys you sure know how to put emotion into your writing...Great writing and Daisy you have a way of making me sad when your sad and me cry when you cry ! stop it ,its only 830 am here and I have already cryed 2 times lol. Great report so far...love you guys and sorry for your loss girl .Sad.

----------


## Patty Sather

Love your report sister........... spottycatz and da misses are da bomb!

Im so happy to read what i wasnt around to wittness....... such happiness

----------


## Hubby-man

> You know how much I think of you....EPIC!!!!!


We think the world of you too girl! 




> Love all of you!!! Hey, what can I say, I needed a freakin vacation. LOLOLOL


You crack me up! Sooo much. You really were the icing on the cake of this vacation! - Epic!




> WOW, there's a whole bunch of great reading on this board. Loving all these great trip reports. Keep it coming!


Will do, justchuck! Hope you have the patience for this snail-speed report! 




> Looks like Patrick and I should have booked our trip a month later....we had a great time in Negril, did and saw more than ever this reach, since we broke our Couples Negril addiction....but reading all the experiences that all of you had makes us envious as hell...I am loving that you are all so generous to share your time with us, so we can vicariously re-live it along with you


This is Negril.com, you are already part of the experience even if you couldn't be there physically for this specific reach. Looking forward to meeting you on the rock someday!




> I'd say that's pretty cool if that's all it took! I can't wait to feel that!!!! I'll be coming off the plane with fists ready!


WORD! A small bump for your fist, a big step for mankind!




> You crack me up man..... Pure German comedy, if there is such a thing. How can someone be so unhappy to scold you on the plane headed to Jamaica. His name wasn't Harley was it?
> 
> Discloser: I'm kinda German so I can say that...


Booger, Booger. You are about as German as apple-pie! Lol




> LOL. I have to say that Clarity and Hubbyman are truly genuine people. It's really hard to describe them however I will make an attempt. Regardless, they are both beautiful peeps and my description will not do them justice.


We love you too!!! Feels like we are just a bunch of hippies braiding flowers into each others hair! Lots of L.O.V.E. to go around! Lets paint the world with it!




> I love both you and Daisey writing skills. I think you both could write a book and then never have to worry about saving up again!


Thank you sooo much! Don't I wish that were true, but then again, people tell me I should be an artist when they see my drawings. I don't know how to tell them, I already _am_! ...and it's not making me much money, lol. This as good as we get  :Smile: . But I am so glad you are enjoying it!!!




> Like Seveen I am a huge mushball and for some reason Clarity and hubbyman reports make me cry! How ridiculous is THAT.


Sometimes I am crying on my keyboard while I write!  *Now that's ridiculous!*




> Daisy you have a way of making me sad when your sad and me cry when you cry ! stop it ,its only 830 am here and I have already cryed 2 times lol.


Damn it! What is it with us and the crying, lol. I guess we found our niche, lol. :Wink:

----------


## wpyogi

Thank you...for cranking out another fab report.  And for weaving in the perfect amount of laughter amist the tears, lol.  And for the hilarious memories!

You two deserve all the happiness in the world, and then some :Smile:

----------


## marley9808

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! You finally reached Negril! LMAO

You know I love you guys (gathering more flowers to braid into your hair now) but I had to stop by and add what I forgot to tell you in person during our trip....and that is that I am SO UNBELIEVABLY HAPPY that you both got to book your dream aniversary at Villas Sur Mer! I can already tell it was every bit as amazing, fancy, over the top, romantic..EPIC as the two of you deserved it to be for that day. Happy Anniversary again to you two love birds. I was lucky enough to witness the love you two share for each other during our trip and it made me smile. I know that 10 years is just the beginning of your love story, but I am so glad you got to have such an amazing trip to celebrate such an amazing couple (YOU). You both deserve every bit of it!

Now more! More! MORE! I want to hear and see more of this fabulous place! It looks so nice....I want to stay there!  :Smile:

----------


## booger

​Is there a link to the cliff notes version?

----------


## Hubby-man

> ​Is there a link to the cliff notes version?


Glad you asked, actually there is : 

http://negril.com/forum/showthread.p...ood-Times-Trip

jk  :Wink:

----------


## booger

​LOL! Classic! I haven't laughed that hard for a couple of weeks...

----------


## Clarity

Aww thank you Wpyogi! It was so great meeting you in April! I hope our paths cross again soon! Such a fun time!




> YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! You finally reached Negril! LMAO


LOL!!! Yeah! it only took us six pages to get there! We're on a roll!

We love you too!!  :Embarrassment: 

 It really was a dream come true to be able to spend our 10 year anniversary at Villa Sur Mer. Most romantic two days ever. I still can't believe we were actually there when I look at the pictures.

 It's a memory I'll treasure for the rest of our life.

Markus is up next. Two entries in one weekend! Unheard of for us, I know, lets see if we can keep it up..lol

----------


## Hubby-man

I have been asked several times during our trip to describe Villa Sur mer. I tried, as some of you know, but now I finally have the time to think about the right words.

Our first impression was Kimmi the manager, who I knew from an email that had come moments before our departure. It said:” It is my pleasure to inform you that you have been upgraded to the honey moon suite. How is that for a start?” -  Pretty damn great!  :Smile: 

All our dealings with Peter, the owner and now Kimmy, previous to our trip, had been extraordinary. The courtesy extended to us was beyond what anyone could ever expect. So naturally I am somewhat prejudiced in their favor. Still I believe that I am not exaggerating in saying, that our welcome at Villa Sur Mer was the warmest and most relaxing one I have ever had at any hotel. 

At first glance the grounds were beautiful, but not radically different from what one might expect. We were standing next to our suitcases in the midday heat with full Bay Area gear, jeans, jackets and all. The sunlight from almost straight above was blinding. All I could see were pitch black shadows and bleached out bright spots.

When the aperture of my pupils adjusted and my eyes focused, I found myself in a spa like environment with unusual twists and turns. A dark wooden fence lines the property. The houses were also framed with the same very darkly tinted wood. This provided a uniquely ideal background for the tropical plants, which shone with unusual green vigor against the black backdrop.

One quickly had the impression every plant and even every leaf had been arranged individually, just to make the whole more beautiful - much like a drip-painting by Jackson-Pollock: utterly random and yet carefully composed.

Every palm frawn seemed to be curving over the pathways between the houses in just such a way, as to allow a person to pass below it with a pleasant breath of space between.  The garden sort of gently caresses the person walking through, giving shade and just brimming with beauty and color.





I later learned this was indeed no accident as I found countless branches and frawns gently tied together using their own fiber, as to conform to someone’s delicate and deliberate vision of height, proportion and design.

Between the black framings all walls were freshly whitewashed. All Elements in concert, the place had the appearance of a Japanese Zen Temple, a perfect Harmony of architecture, nature and light. I almost did not dare touch any part of the beautiful composition.


(Honeymoon suite)

While the amazing honeymoon suite was presented to us we collected a small entourage.
•	Kimmi the manager, wiping the tears out of her face Daisy's own tears had caused her to cry (This will not be the only time this happens on this trip)
•	 Richard, the concierge, who explained more remote controls to me than I had ever seen in one room,
•	Jonalee the house keeper, who assured us that we were in good hands, and,
•	from outside the window Shakespeare (“Shakes”), the gardener, was peeping in, curious about all the commotion.

Kimmy warned us about Shakes obsession with his home-made broom and told us to halt him, should he not quit with the sweeping at 6 am outside the bedroom window.

 Shakes, overhearing the slight, mouthed “I-don't-know-what-she's-talking-about” and continued sweeping.

----------


## Hubby-man

Richard was excited about showing us the underground access to the cliffs on the other side of the street, where the original villa of the Villa Sur Mer is also located. So after we got settled into our room, he took us on a tour.

Near the entrance a stone-staircase led into a dark cavern locked by a rusty, pirate gate. Richard removed the chain and padlock and the double doors opened with a long squeak. Cool!



We followed into the darkness and fumbled forward until the eyes adjusted again, then went around a bend and suddenly faced a breathtaking view. A large half-dome shaped room had been cut out of the rock, beyond which lay a terrace with sun-chairs and then ...the mighty Ocean!



Waves were crashing thunderously against the cliffs, spray was misting the terrace and whitewash framed the perfectly turquoise snorkeling paradise in the middle of a large cove. I was still wearing my jacket, which suddenly started feeling really uncomfortable on me. My body was itching so bad to jump into this water I felt imaginary webbing grow between my toes. The Sea is calling!





But the tour was not done yet. Daisy hopped around excitedly: “Let’s go, let’s go see the main villa!”

----------


## Hubby-man

Richard left the entrance to the cave open and got another key from the office. Across the street the fence was not nearly as fortified as on the garden side. Daisy of course had read up on everything there was to know, but I had no idea this property had been the original extent of Villa sur mer.

Through the fence my first thought was that this must be Ian Flemming's house! The structure to the right was large and looked tropically pompous with the Mahogany shutters. To the left was an industrial size grill over a fire pit, for all your occasions, that call for a whole side of beef.

Straight ahead, through the arch formed by two palms the turquoise water sparkled even more enticingly.

After we passed the side of the house, the full extent of the wooden deck came into view. It included a good size swimming pool, a basketball hoop and a hot tub. There was room for at least 20 sun chairs, stacks of which were dispersed strategically.






Daisy just so much as _looked_ at a sun chair and Richard immediately jumped to grab her a cushion, to make sure that her highness' buttocks did not have to suffer painful indentation by a hard surface. 

She giggled and waved off: “No, no, I just wanted to touch it.”

We peaked over the handrail, which was mainly built from bullet-proof glass, as not to obscure the fantastic view. To the left was Ricks Cafe, and a quick glance told me that the handrail was slightly higher up from the water than the cliff diver’s platform, raised above the ground next door.



“You gonna jump, Mon?” Richard asked.

“Hell, no!” I replied “This is higher than the highest spot at Rick's cafe!”

“Mon we jump all a de time here. Just don't hit the dark spots!”

“Are you kidding me? It’s like a marble cake down there! How can you make sure you come down right?”

“Ash just close your eyes! But if you hit the coral it's very bad!” he comforted me.

Another guest was lounging on a float in the pool. Richard explained: “As long as these rooms are not booked, all the guest can enjoy this area. Let me show you the house.”

Daisy and Richard disappeared through the enormous glass doors. I just couldn't be inside right now, but I could see the decked-out sound system with large commercial speakers on movable tripods. This place was a grown-up kid’s playground! I could just picture what kind of parties could be happening at this pool.

(Wouldn't advise to bring Sandy, Booger or Tizzy here though, since they surely wouldn't be able to help themselves from leaping off that dang hand-rail at night. (“_Now I am paraplegic and I know why.. cause I got high , cause I got_”....and so on)).

Daisy saw all of the six bedrooms and took some great pics from one of the master bedroom windows.



*To be Continued....*

----------


## booger

Why haven't we rented that villa yet? The place looks killer! That last shot has Travel channel written all over it........

----------


## irieworld

wow, that last shot is amazing--that lovely blue sea all the way to the lighthouse. So inviting. Very nice digs. I am surprised you were able to refrain from stripping and jumping in, Marcus. I always do the rush to change into my suit and hit the sea the moment I am at the spot I am staying. Love seeing Sur Mer as there is a chance I will never be there. I like how you took us on that walk through the property and from one side to the other.

----------


## garysteph1018

> ​Is there a link to the cliff notes version?





> Glad you asked, actually there is : 
> 
> http://negril.com/forum/showthread.p...ood-Times-Trip
> 
> jk




OMG I actually fell for that!!!! Hilarious! And I do sincerely love the pics and the simplicity of Booger's trip report!!!

----------


## marley9808

> Why haven't we rented that villa yet? The place looks killer! .


Exactly!!! Get on it, booger! Like I said the other night....this is totally in my future plans!!!!

----------


## spottycatz

Six bedrooms, 12 people, could be messy!!!!

----------


## Seveen

yep i cried :-)

----------


## TizzyATX

WOW. wow. wow.  That place is so unbelievable. Can we all go and just rent the whole property out and have a party?  I want to party there.




> (Wouldn't advise to bring Sandy, Booger or Tizzy here though, since they surely wouldn't be able to help themselves from leaping off that dang hand-rail at night. (“_Now I am paraplegic and I know why.. cause I got high , cause I got_”....and so on)).
> 
> ..[/B]


Hahahahaha, Markus....you're funny. Promise I wont jump...at _night_ anyways. LOL  (ok well that might not be a promise, but I will at least think twice. now if sandie goes....well i'm as good as over the edge.) 

Seriously, couldn't be a more beautiful setting for your anniversary, so happy that you could spend that time there together. Bless up!

----------


## Eden

"One quickly had the impression every plant and even every leaf had been arranged individually, just to make the whole more beautiful - much like a drip-painting by Jackson-Pollock: utterly random and yet carefully composed."

Markus, Love your description!!!!  Now I am wondering if that honeymoon suite might be available when we arrive in Dec.   After reading your review and seeing the stunning photos, I would love to spend a night or two there!  On second thought, they probably don't allow kids, sigh.  Absolutely breathtaking!!!

----------


## gerryg123

You do have great taste in hotels, Clarity n Hubbyman .... For all of us scorekeeping at home, they're batting 1.000! ....

----------


## HuskerJohn

When we stayed at Catcha Gardens next door, the people at Villa Sur Mer let us use the tunnel for access to the Sea for snorkeling.  What a magical little cove!  Did you notice if LTU had their stairs to the Sea done yet?

----------


## beccajean_ca

Wow those are some fantastic pictures the color is amazing

----------


## ralonzo29

> Glad you asked, actually there is : 
> 
> http://negril.com/forum/showthread.p...ood-Times-Trip
> 
> jk


Best comeback EVER

----------


## Clarity

Thanks everyone for your comments! :Big Grin: 




> When we stayed at Catcha Gardens next door, the people at Villa Sur Mer let us use the tunnel for access to the Sea for snorkeling.  What a magical little cove!  Did you notice if LTU had their stairs to the Sea done yet?


Huskerjohn - I didn't even realize Catcha Gardens was right next door! That's awesome that they let you use the tunnel for sea access! It's pretty amazing, isn't it?
As for LTU Pub having the stairs to the sea yet, I'm not sure. At one point a bunch of boys came from that area while we were hanging out in the cave area. It looks like there is definitely some kind of ladder built into the wall over there at LTU pub. I'm not 100% certain on that. Does anyone else know?

----------


## Clarity

> Why haven't we rented that villa yet? The place looks killer! That last shot has Travel channel written all over it........


Thanks Booger!
I agree that we need to get together a big group of boardies and rent out the main villa. 12 boardies in the house and then fill up the 11 Villas across the street. That would be _insane_! lol

Marley was contemplating it for her 40th birthday. That's still far away yet, but we can start dreaming about it now! :Cool:

----------


## Clarity

aww thanks Tizzy. Girl, I miss you so much! 
Thanks Becca for the compliment! I miss you too! I keep thinking back to that last day I saw you at Fun Holiday, I hope your paths cross again soon.
Spotty - lol! it would be a GOOD mess!
Eden - they might allow kids, you should email them to find out. You would love it at Villa Sur Mer, regardless of which Villa you stay in. 
Seveen - Hey! when are you heading back to Jamaica? I really want to meet you someday!
Irieworld - I'm the same way, My first goal is to get into the water. It was hard for us both to resist leaping into the sea during the tour! lol




> You do have great taste in hotels, Clarity n Hubbyman .... For all of us scorekeeping at home, they're batting 1.000! ....


haha! Thanks Gerryg123! There are so many great hotels in Negril, it's hard to find a bad one!
We've been really lucky though :Smile:

----------


## Clarity

After our tour of the grounds, we went back to our villa to finally get out of our San Francisco clothes and change into Jamaica gear. 

Markus began placing his folded clothes carefully into the wardrobe (Typical German)



… while I just yanked my bikini and sundress out of my carry-on bag. Attempting to fully unpack seemed futile to me, since we would be moving again after two nights. I was too excited about jumping into the ocean for the first time. I could already feel the warm salt water on my skin…I was already enjoying that feeling of underwater weightlessness…I was already envisioning the fish darting around below my feet…

“I can’t believe we’re here!” I must have said that a hundred times since we arrived in Negril. It was all still very surreal to me. I let my body fall backwards onto the huge king size bed in the center of the suite and closed my eyes…

At that moment lack of sleep hit me full on… I realized that if I kept my eyes, I would pass out from the exhaustion of it all…The bed was so soft…my head began to sink deeper and deeper into the plush pillows…

Markus closed the wardrobe with a thump and the sound caused me to snap out of it. I quickly sat up straight “What? Huh? No! I’m awake!!! What?”

Markus laughed. “You can sleep, honey, it’s okay”

“No I can’t! we’re FINALLY in Jamaica, I want to enjoy the sunshine! I don’t want to miss a minute of it”

I looked at Markus and I could see that even though he was trying to hide it… he was beyond tired too.  It was masked behind a huge grin, but his eyes told the story of our many hours of sleepless travel. They were completely bloodshot. We decided to check out the bar at Villa Sur Mer and have a drink to hopefully wake us both up. 

We wandered down the tropical pathways…passing “Shakes” who was still sweeping with this homemade broom… until we reached the bar in the back of the resort. It was to the left of the lagoon pool





Reggae music was playing and a man was there behind the bar bopping his head to the beat while he cleaned out cocktail glasses. 

We eased ourselves into the barstool and the bartender introduced himself as Radcliff. “What can I get you guys?”, He asked with a smile.

We ordered two dirty bananas…

After that first sip of creamy goodness, I felt the energy rush through my body again. 

This delicious dirty banana marked the official start of our vacation. 



We chatted with Radcliff for a while until we decided it was time to dip our toes in the ocean. We couldn’t resist the siren call of the sea any longer.

----------


## Clarity

We head into the cave which led us to the ocean. The water was crashing against the side of the rocks sending a spray of foam up into the air every few minutes or so. 

Markus was ready to go…



I was ready too… but a little wary. The ocean was more turbulent than I remembered it. Markus immediately jumped in and then gestured for me to join him. I hesitated at the foot of the ladder.. The water was swelling up to my toes and then sinking down way below the ladder to the coral beneath. Coral covered with sea urchins... 

I finally closed my eyes and jumped when the water was at its highest point. I let the current pull me away from the ladder and then push me up close to the rocks. Under the water, I could see all the fish bobbing also back and forth with the current. I was worried that I wouldn’t make it back to the ladder… that the ocean would slam me into it face first…I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I’m not the best swimmer. I’m more of a doggy paddler. 

Markus wasn’t deterred by the waves, he enjoyed it. Meanwhile I scrambled out the minute I was able to grab hold of that ladder again. 

From that point, I was content to lay out on the sun chair watching Markus snorkeling and letting the sun lick the salt water off my skin. It was ultimately peaceful just listening to the sound of the waves, just gazing at the sparkling sea…




All my anxieties dissolved and I smiled. This was it, this is what I had been waiting for…

We had arrived  :Smile:

----------


## Hubby-man

We were enthusiastic about having our own kitchen. Not that we needed it. Our credit card was on file and anything we could think of, we could just ask to have brought to us. But still, it's kinda cool and new having something amounting to a real apartment in Jamaica! We had a gas-stove with four burners, a toaster, refrigerator,  microwave and all kinds of utensils. I would not mind replacing my own kitchen at home with _this_ one.

So after we dried off from snorkeling, we headed off to* Wise Choice*, maybe a hundred yards down the road. I wasn't gonna whip up a Lobster thermadore tonight, but how about supplies for a midnight sandwich?

On our way out, we were again assured that, if we wished, any staff would be happy to make the run to the store for us (imagine that, I felt like I was Brangelina on vacation!), but of course we are not that type of traveler. Now in our shorts and T-shirts it felt wonderful kicking the dust on the side of the West End Road.

Right next door was the parking lot to Rick's Cafe, where minivans, busses, sedans and scooters where involved in some sort of carnival of motor vehicles. Drivers were honking, gesturing and exchanging banter. In New York City this mess would have surely caused much grief and anger, but here the jam was taken as an opportunity to exchange the latest news between drivers. No one, was going anywhere fast, and as we passed by, it looked as though it was going to stay that way for the time being.

When I tore my eyes off the mayhem, Daisy was leaning down to one of the little boys with a box of waffle chocolate bars.

“_Whereareyoufrom?, Youareverypretty!, DoyoulikeitinJamaica?, PleasebuyacandysoIcangotoschool!_” He rattled of the phrases like a second grader a Christmas poem. He must have repeated the same sentences so many times, that the words had lost but all meaning to him, just a sound, like a bird song.

Daisy asked him his name. He seemed befuddled, nervously ran his hands through his thick hair, stomped his feet and said: “Anlik!” (Not sure how to spell that (sounds like un-lick)). It seemed like he was chained to this box of chocolates like to an iron ball, I’m sure he would much rather be out playing with his friends.

Daisy of course started digging in her backpack and found four 100 Ja-notes to hand to him. He dutifully counted and handed the appropriate number of severely melted chocolate-waffles to her. 

Daisy took only two bars and handed the rest to him. This thoroughly confused him and he ran his hand through his hair again seemingly wanting to pull it out. Daisy took a waffle bar and opened it, then handed it to him.

He looked sort of happy, bit into the waffle and ran to join the other children, who were already chasing another tourist.

Daisy seemed satisfied as well and smiled at me, chocolate smeared all over her cheeks. “How cute was he? Oh man, I wish I could take him home with us...”

“No worry, we'll make our own” I responded with a smile and kissed the chocolate of her face.

A little further down the road lay "Catcha Falling Star" resort. Passing the closed gate brought about a little pinch of pain. Villa Sur Mer being what it is, I certainly had no desire to leave and run to another hotel, but we have such amazing memories there. It felt like passing a relative’s house. And not being “allowed” in just hurts a little. But, no worries, we would make new memories there soon enough!

 “Wise Choice” lay straight across the road. The dusty parking lot with the cracked concrete blocks was  busy. Motorcycles puttered under their conversing owners, dogs checked out every new-comer for an unlikely treat, a girl was chasing a rooster. 

The small window in front of the store always had a congress of people waving pieces of paper and involved in lively discussion. A fellow pushing a bicycle held up a pink slip of paper.

“I put a '10' , Mon, '11' came, MON! One number, Mon, I would have won, Mon!”, he told us with a big laugh. Before we could respond he grabbed another fellow and told him the same story, stabbing his paper-slip violently with one finger.

He was in good spirits despite the dreadful closeness of his lottery miss. It appeared to me that the lottery in Jamaica is much more than just a shot at the Jackpot. It seems it also serves to exhibit ones prowess of prediction. Losing tickets are much discussed. Patterns are imagined and found. The process of picking ones numbers is also much discussed and council is taken or rejected.

 A lot of the discussion this morning involved a heated deliberation of how to interpret ones pattern of losing and winning numbers and how close one had gotten. What was one to make of it all, and how would one improve future bets?

A ticket with a near miss is not a total loss at all. It's soooo damn close and therefore sooo damn sweet! The fellow had good reason to smile and show of  the printed evidence, that he was indeed one of the best betters today.

The store inside was nearly empty of customers, but stuffed to the ceiling with goods. A true general store with Tomatoes and Eggs, Shampoo and Sunscreen but also hammers and breast pumps. Every available square inch of wall had a hook with merchandize in it. A regular walmart in the space of a seven eleven.



The large lady behind the counter changed her grim face to a smile for one moment as we came in then returned to the algebra on her accounting pad. We grabbed some essentials to make coffee and sandwiches.


Daisy found the hair-product she wanted was not available in the usual containment. Instead it had been portioned off into tiny little plastic bags with roughly enough for one application. She scrunched up her nose to emphasize her most serious “this-will-not-do”-expression, but had no choice but to pile the little crack-bags into her shopping-bin.

We checked out and proud of our groceries headed back down West End Road without mentionable incident.

Next up *LTU Pub*…

*To be continued…*

----------


## Eden

Great report, Hubby-man!  The photos look like something out of a magazine!  You mentioned a bar at Villa Sur Mer.  Do they also have a restaurant or perhaps a cook to prepare meals for you in your kitchen?  It looks like the kind of place you would never want to leave, not even for an hour, to go out to eat somewhere!  I could definitely spend my whole 2 week vacation in a place like that and never get bored of those amazing views!

----------


## Hubby-man

> You mentioned a bar at Villa Sur Mer.  Do they also have a restaurant or perhaps a cook to prepare meals for you in your kitchen?  It looks like the kind of place you would never want to leave, not even for an hour, to go out to eat somewhere!


Hey Eden,
Yes they absolutely have a cook available. You can asked them to prepare any groceries you purchased (or fish you caught  :Smile:  ), or ask them to purchase groceries for you. They even offered a candle light dinner in the cave (unfortunately only Daisy knew that, Ninja can tell you how panicked I was before we left, because I booked too late and it was really hard to find a place that would take reservations for our anniversary dinner with only two weeks notice (find out how it turned out in a later episode - only here on negril.com!))

Alternatively you can order anything from the LTU-menu and have it brought to you. Anything you order can also be put on your tab at Villa Sur Mer for convenience.

----------


## Eden

Thanks for the info, Hubby-man.  Villa Sur Mer sounds like a very special place, and definitely is now on our list to try.  A candlelit dinner in a cave sounds very enticing!
 Looking forward to reading about your anniversary dinner!




> Hey Eden,
> Yes they absolutely have a cook available. You can asked them to prepare any groceries you purchased (or fish you caught  ), or ask them to purchase groceries for you. They even offered a candle light dinner in the cave (unfortunately only Daisy knew that, Ninja can tell you how panicked I was before we left, because I booked too late and it was really hard to find a place that would take reservations for our anniversary dinner with only two weeks notice (find out how it turned out in a later episode - only here on negril.com!))
> 
> Alternatively you can order anything from the LTU-menu and have it brought to you. Anything you order can also be put on your tab at Villa Sur Mer for convenience.

----------


## gerryg123

Great reporting, great photos, as always. I miss Negril.

----------


## negrilaholic

oh man I am loving reading this, Villa Su Mer looks like a gorgeous place, and I'm so glad they gave you the honeymoon suite!  :Smile:

----------


## beccajean_ca

Keep going guys ! Great play by play :Big Grin:

----------


## Clarity

*Thanks* Gerryg123, Negrilaholic, Eden and Becca_Jean!
Man, we’ve been updating every day…we’re on page 9 and we’re still re-hashing the events of DAY 1.
It’s time to get this trip report _moving_. Lol

*Trip Report continued…*

It was getting late. We decided to grab a quick meal at LTU pub before heading over to the Canoe webcast to catch the sunset. I was excited about meeting some boardies for the first time, Sweetness had mentioned she was going to be there. Maybe, I would even get to meet Patty Sather and Delta. 

But you all know there is really no such thing as a “quick meal” in Negril.

LTU pub is located across the street from Villa Sur Mer. We had heard a lot about it on the board, but we’ve never been there before. Everyone had raved about the Chicken Lola and Pumpkin soup so we already knew what we were going to order before we sat down.



It had a nice vibe there and a great view of the sea. I can’t tell you what else is on the menu because we didn’t look at it. We just said “Chicken Lola and Pumpkin soup please”

I noticed Markus was looking over my shoulder at something.

“What are you looking at?”, I asked.

He leaned in close and whispered “I think I spotted a boardie”

“Who??” I whispered back.

“I don’t know”, He hissed. “Don’t turn around she’ll know I’m talking about her”

I started laughing “Okay…” I said “Can you describe her to me?”

“Wait, she’s coming over”, Markus sat back with a smile and waved hello to this stranger. He gestured for her to come closer.

I didn’t recognize her. 

“Yes?”, The strange woman said “I know you, don’t I?”

“Are you a boardie?”, Markus asked excitedly.

“Am I…a what?” She asked with a confused laugh.

FAIL.

You have to understand, we were both utterly exhausted and started imagining that EVERYONE in Negril is a boardie 

Turns out we weren’t far from the truth. Her name was Oya, and she IS a member of Negril.com. Just not a regular poster. She is a massage therapist, and gives massages in different hotels all over Negril, mostly Catcha Falling Star. She recognized us from our trip there in November. 

We all got to talking together and we discovered she’s German. She lived in Negril for many many years now and loved it here. She gave us the inside scoop on every day life in Jamaica and was actually really funny! She pulled up a chair and we all hung out for quite a while.


(Markus and Oya)

Eventually our food arrived. I glanced at my watch and realized we were going to miss the Canoe webcast after all. The sun had set, and the webcast would be ending in 30 minutes. 

So we just sat back and enjoyed our meal in leisure. We had a long stretch of vacation in front of us so there was no urgency. We would catch the Canoe webcast next Thursday instead.

The pumpkin soup was killer and the Chicken Lola was delicious.. in that “I-know-this-is-crazy-fattening-but-I-really-don’t-care” kind of way. The cheese just spilled out of it and the outside had a delicious crunch…the chicken was really moist. Sooo good.  We shared a plate and it was more than enough for both of us



You can see how exhausted Markus is in the shot, but look at that happy face.. we were both in bliss. 

That’s when someone tapped me on the shoulder “Hey Daisy”

I turned around and it was ROCKY! Seeing him here at LTU pub threw me off guard! I was surprised that even after a year, he still remembered what we looked like! It was good seeing him again.

Rocky handed us our complimentary cellphone “Sorry I couldn’t be the one to pick you up this time, I hope Wayne took good care of you” 

We assured him that we did, chatted for a while and then he wished us the best for our anniversary before heading off to pick up another passenger. 

If you’re reading this, *thank you Rocky* for going out of your way to find us and deliver the phone to us in person! We really appreciated it! You’re the best!

We said our goodbye’s to Oya and went back to Villa Sur Mer with full stomachs. We decided to hit the resort bar for a night cap before calling it a night

We asked Radcliff to make something to strong to knock us out because we were still really hyped and excited. We were in JAMAICA! How could we sleep?



He made us two stiff Rum punches, that definitely knocked us out of our stool and head us stumbling back to our Villa in really really good spirits. We were both cracking as we tried to figure out how to work the massive elaborate shower.

I don’t remember how or when we fell asleep.. I just remember the feeling of Markus’s arms around me and feeling completely content…

*End of Day one*
We did it! Woot!

----------


## Clarity

*DAY 2*

I woke up to the sound of rustling palm leaves and the tinkling of the hanging glass shells of the Villa chandeliers clinking against eachother in the breeze…

I opened my eyes and saw the sunlight streaming in through the open wooden shutters illuminating the room. I was tangled up in the sheets, curled up next to Markus…

It took a second to register where I was, I felt like I was still dreaming…

I sat up and looked around with a smile.. We were in Jamaica! Best feeling in the world! I got up and opened the wooden doors to let in some more fresh air…The sun was bright outside, the weather was perfect.



Markus was still sleeping so peacefully, so I crawled back into the big king sized bed and gazed at him while he slept.

*I realized at that moment that today was officially our 10 year wedding anniversary.*

10 years…

My mind flashed back to _the first time I met Markus_…it feels like just yesterday....

I was a freshman at college in Florida and it was late at night. There was a party that I had been invited to but I had lost the invitation with the address. Back then I didn’t have a cellphone so I was just wandering through the college campus looking for another person that had the directions to this party. All of my friends were waiting for me in the car. I told them “Don’t worry I’ve got this, just give me a minute. I’ll be right back”

I bumped into someone that assured me his roommate was going to this party and had the direction in their dorm room, so I followed this stranger to his apartment. (hoping that he wasn’t just some creeper that was trying to lure me into his makeshift S & M dungeon)

When I entered the dorm apartment... I laid eyes on Markus for the very first time…

He was sitting in the sofa in the center of a group of laughing college students. His hair was long, wild and down to his shoulders, he was wearing a loose white shirt, khaki shorts and his then trademark birkenstocks. He was gesturing wildly and telling some dramatic story, while everyone around him was in stitches. I have _no idea_ what he was talking about, but just looking at him made me involuntarily smile…He just had this energy about him that made me want to sit down with everyone and hear this story too!

The guy I was that had brought me here realized he had lost my attention and said kind of loudly “My roommate is in another room, Do you want the directions to this party or what?”

At that moment Markus looked up at me and our eyes met. He stopped telling his story. I couldn’t help but stare back. I was in awe of his eyes, green in the outside with a burst of yellow in the center. He was also incredibly handsome..


Markus in college
( An early version of “Blue Steel”)

His friend whispered something to him and Markus’s expression was so intense, that I started wondering if there was something wrong with the way I was dressed or that I had food in my teeth or something…I nervously touched the back of my hair and looked away.

I went into another room for the directions and when I turned around I walked straight into someone’s chest. 

It was Markus. He had followed me into the bedroom.

“I’m going to that party too, do you think I might follow your car?”, He asked. (He used to construct interesting sentences like that back in the day)

I stuttered “Yeah… um, sure… come on”.. and we both left the dorm apartment together.

We started walking down the dorm staircase towards the parking lot. I tried to make polite small talk but I was nervous. When he said he was from Germany and I heard his accent, I started talking to him in a very slow voice thinking that his English was perhaps not so good… this made him smile and it’s so embarrassing in retrospect because later on I realized he was _very_ fluent in English.

While I was heading down the stairs, I tripped because I was looking at him instead of where I was going. He quickly reached out and grabbed me. He was holding me up and we were suddenly in this oddly intimate position. Our faces inches away from each other. I felt like I was enjoying that moment more than I should..

He smiled down at me. I thanked him and pulled away.

I had a steady boyfriend and I was already feeling guilty.

Once we reached the party, we both went in separate directions, but I wondered about him afterwards.

3 days later I bumped into Markus at the student rec room. He was playing the piano. 

I said “Hey!” and he patted the spot next to me on the piano stool.

“Come. Have a seat”, he said

I was heading somewhere at the time so I hesitated.. I was about to formulate an excuse but then decided I would rather get to know him better. So I mentally erased my previous plans and plopped down next to him.

He started showing me how to play the piano, guiding my fingers over the keys..

We spent the day together. That night we went to Subway and sat there together talking 4 hours after our food was done. Eventually the Subway employee had to ask us awkwardly to leave because they needed to lock up and turn off the lights.

That was the night I found out about his love of Whoopie Goldberg. How could I compare to Whoopie? Clearly I wasn’t his type, plus I had a boyfriend who I knew was probably wondering why I hadn’t called him at all that day…

He walked me to the door of my dorm apartment. We stood out there together for a while. That was when he told me that he wanted us to be friends for the rest of our lives. For the rest of our LIVES? That was a really intense thing to say.

So we shook on it. “Friends forever” and he pulled me in for a hug.

That marked the beginning of a special friendship that stretched over 3 years. We shared everything with each other. Eventually I broke up with my steady boyfriend but I was so close to Markus at that point that I started seeing him as _a brother_. I decided that we could never be together in a romantic way, because that would be just too _weird_ at this point. He knew everything about me, everything! How do you start dating someone that knows that much? 

Markus and I never did date.

It just evolved. One day we kissed, it was the most intense kiss of my life (to this day we argue over who initiated that first kiss, It was him) Our relationship transformed… suddenly we were together but we didn’t put a title on it. I joked that we were bestfriends with benefits. I didn’t want to define it, I just loved what it was because it was unlike any relationship I’d ever had in my entire life. 

2 years later he proposed to me. I said “yes” and that marked the beginning of our adventure in life together. We moved to Germany for four years, we lived in New York for 2 years and eventually we drove across the country to start our life anew in San Francisco, California. We’ve had times of complete poverty where we didn’t even know if we’d be able to pay our rent. We had many struggles to overcome but we faced every challenge in life together and he never left my side. When things got really hard, we would rely on humor to get us through. He makes me laugh so hard, every single day.

It was the best 10 years of my entire life. I love him with every fiber of my entire being. 

Gazing down at him sleeping that morning I thought of how we had started with nothing, just eachother We experienced period of times in our life where we were eating Ramen noodles and sleeping on blankets on the floor. 

Now here we were on our 10 year wedding anniversary in this amazing Honeymoon Villa in Jamaica…it truly was a dream come true. I just felt so lucky…so happy… so blessed.

I reached out to stroke his hair and he woke up with a smile. (He really does wake up every morning smiling and I have no idea how he does this!)

I whispered “Happy Anniversary” He whispered it back…

He made coffee that morning, and brought it out to the patio. He called me over..

I snapped this picture of him sitting on the swinging chair with a big tired happy smile, tousled hair and puffy eyes handing me that first cup of coffee



I love this amazing beautiful man so much. I'm so grateful for all of the years I've been able to spend by his side and I'm looking forward growing very very old with him...

I took the cup of coffee, turned off my camera and sat down beside him on the cushioned swing chair. 

We sipped our coffee together and took in the lush surroundings in a quiet state of ultimate contentment, just enjoying that moment together.

Because that really is what life is all about. These times in life when you catch yourself in a moment and you’re just happy. You’re not thinking about tomorrow or yesterday, just enjoying and appreciating the right now. 

Where ever you are..

*To be continued…*
Day at Villa Sur Mer, Anniversary dinner and Booger’s 4/20 bash is up next.

----------


## Schuttzie

That is beautiful, Clarity...you are tearing at my heartstrings  :Smile:   I feel that way about my husband, too, he is such a special man.  It is wonderful to be so blessed in life and you wish everyone could have that, too.  At least, they should have that perfect person in their lives.  We celebrated our 22yr anniversary in March.

----------


## Marie

That was so beautiful I'm here at work with tears running down my face.  You guys are really soulmates and I wish you both a life of continued bliss.

----------


## Sweetness

Oy - tears of joy rolling down my cheeks as I read this.  No coincidence that you two beautiful souls found each other.  I am witnessing the blessing that flow to you guys because you live "in love" of each other and others and it is so cool.  From the moment I recommended Villa Sur Mer I knew you guys needed to stay there and of course......a way presented itself......the simple natural beauty and wonder of that place matches you two perfectly.  Thank you for sharing your story of meeting with us - it is inspiring and fills me up.  I love you both deeply (but you know that).

----------


## Seveen

okay i'm SOBBING . . .

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## marley9808

> He was sitting in the sofa in the center of a group of laughing college students. His hair was long, wild and down to his shoulders, he was wearing a loose white shirt, khaki shorts and his then trademark birkenstocks. He was gesturing wildly and telling some dramatic story, while everyone around him was in stitches. I have _no idea_ what he was talking about, but just looking at him made me involuntarily smile…He just had this energy about him that made me want to sit down with everyone and hear this story too!


Yep!! Just like I said.....that is the perfect description of your wonderful husband.


This post had me laughing. Even though I heard this story recently in real life, I was sitting here in my office laughing so hard I had to stop reading because co-workers kept calling me wanting to know what I was doing. WHOOPIE!!!!!!!! LMAO.
OMG I love you guys so much.....here I am laughing and the next thing you now I am crying. You BOTH are pretty amazing people and the thing I loved the most was witnessing your love for each other all throughout the trip. Subtle moments of quiet touches or cuddles or hair caresses, you both always took a moment to do that even during the craziness and chaos and comedy shows. Your love is so apparent and it makes me smile to be in the presence of it. I am so happy that you spent this special day together in such a special place. Like I said before, you absolutely deserved every single bit of it!!!!

<3

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## TizzyATX

Dont mean to be redundant....so I'll keep this short and sweet. lol

You are two of the most beautiful people I've ever met in my life.  I feel inspired and blessed to know you both and to witness the kind of love you share...you sure touched my heart. I love you guys so much.

I want us to be friends for the rest of our lives.  :Wink:

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## TizzyATX

P.S....

BLUE STEELE....omg

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## marley9808

I know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lol

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## Eden

*tears* thanks so much  for sharing your beautiful story of your love together.  So glad you two found each other!  I feel the same way about my Anthony, and even though we aren't married in the sense of having that official piece of paper, we have been together for 8 years, created two beautiful children, and are so connected by our souls that I could not feel any more married to him than I am right now.  One day I might feel the need to have that ceremony (he asks all the time) but for now I am just so content and blissful with the way things are now.  
Love that you and Markus were able to celebrate your 10th anniversary in such a beautiful place.  You are both so deserving.  Keep on loving each other.  Xoxo

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## irie luv

Inspired is an understatement. I'm such a damn baby when it comes to your reports. This is beautiful.
Love the facial expression on Markus in college...PRICELESS!! :Smile:

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## irie luv

Can you post any wedding pics?

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## Eden

Oh, and that college pic of Markus shows he has not aged one bit in 10 yrs!  Clarity, you must be his fountain of youth, hehe

----------


## Seveen

i read it again and cried some more - lol  

the love of my life is my child . . . not quite the same feeling

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## Eden

Aww Seveen, that is so true for me too, but of course like you said, it's a different kind of love, but special nonetheless!
And, I cried reading their report too. Their words just pull at my heartstrings.  This couple really needs to write a book! It would be a bestseller for sure!



> i read it again and cried some more - lol  
> 
> the love of my life is my child . . . not quite the same feeling

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## marley9808

Awwwww, what a lucky guy, Seveen  :Smile:

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## spottycatz

I couldn't say anything better than wee Tizzy said above!!  As I told you in Jamaica we feel we are part of your fairytale, and is such a privilege.  We have been together for 30 years now and married for 28!!  We only hope we can grow older getting to know you two lovebirds and all the rest of the turtles, until there are no more tales to be told.... only making new ones.  You are such a wonderful couple. x (Mrs S.)

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## ralonzo29

Okay 2 things 1) thanks for making me cry Clarity, now I look like the crazy crying guy at work  :Wink: 
and
b) “I’m going to that party too, do you think I might follow your car?”, He asked. (He used to construct interesting sentences like that back in the day) USE TO, try still does.

Truly love you guys

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## Guirigay

> Oh, and that college pic of Markus shows he has not aged one bit in 10 yrs!  Clarity, you must be his fountain of youth, hehe


A lot more than 10 years between those pics, Eden, which only makes your accurate statement more amazing. I think it helps that there is an appropriately sized chunk of Markus's psyche that is still something like 7 years old...

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## gerryg123

Wow, this stuff really pulls at my heart. A great love story. Very well-written, too Clarity -- as always.

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## Fun in the sun

I think next time you go to Ja.you should both get a 4 day free stay on the house at the Villa ? The pictures...angles/lighting/mood are a great advertisment for the place ! You both have a gift to express that which is in yo head on paper so much that as a reader,we all are there too. It seems after reading everything that you both have written...Jamaica was so meant to be a major part of your lives. Jamaica reflects on you well. Like its a big fat playground that you feel to your bones. I am serious when i say write a travel book. You truely breathe the essence of her in your words. I think the vibrations are so easily felt there because they havent cemented and condoized the **** out of her yet,life flows easy there.
im sure ince you have your daughter ...you will want to share ja with her also. Im sure this is going to be a place you will know very well in the future.
Thanks for sharing such a personal insight to your feelings and how jamaica felt to you both.
Bravo.

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## Fun in the sun

ps 
read you want to have a child...just felt like u will have a daughter! My predictions are usually spot on in this dept.
 :Smile:

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## TizzyATX

FunintheSun.....I get that feeling as well, and I spend a good part of the week around them.   :Wink:

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## Coco

What a blessed kid !!

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## marley9808

:Smile:

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## Clarity

Awww thank you Fun in the sun. I was really moved by what you wrote! I agree with what you said about the vibrations in Jamaica. When you go there it just removes you from everything and you get in touch with your most true self. 




> ps 
> read you want to have a child...just felt like u will have a daughter! My predictions are usually spot on in this dept.


Oh I hope so! We’re secretly hoping for a little girl, but as long as the baby is healthy.. we’ll be happy. Boy or girl. You definitely made us both smile with your prediction though. Maybe we WILL have a little Clarity JR that we can eventually bring to Jamaica. That would be a dream come true for us. :Embarrassment:

----------


## Clarity

> Oh, and that college pic of Markus shows he has not aged one bit in 10 yrs!  Clarity, you must be his fountain of youth, hehe


Thanks Eden, that comment made Markus smile too! His hair is a little shorter now, but that’s about it.
Thank you so much for your kind words, it sounds like you and Anthony have something very very special. When you find that person, it’s really a blessing. You’re a lucky woman and he’s a lucky man.

----------


## Clarity

> Dont mean to be redundant....so I'll keep this short and sweet. lol
> 
> You are two of the most beautiful people I've ever met in my life.  I feel inspired and blessed to know you both and to witness the kind of love you share...you sure touched my heart. I love you guys so much.
> 
> I want us to be friends for the rest of our lives.


Aww Tizzy, I love you to pieces!!
I still think of that last night we were all together, I didn't want it to ever end. 
I had the time of my life, girl
I hope we’re all friends for the rest of our lives too.  :Smile:

----------


## Clarity

> Yep!! Just like I said.....that is the perfect description of your wonderful husband.
> 
> 
> This post had me laughing. Even though I heard this story recently in real life, I was sitting here in my office laughing so hard I had to stop reading because co-workers kept calling me wanting to know what I was doing. WHOOPIE!!!!!!!! LMAO.
> OMG I love you guys so much.....here I am laughing and the next thing you now I am crying. You BOTH are pretty amazing people and the thing I loved the most was witnessing your love for each other all throughout the trip. Subtle moments of quiet touches or cuddles or hair caresses, you both always took a moment to do that even during the craziness and chaos and comedy shows. Your love is so apparent and it makes me smile to be in the presence of it. I am so happy that you spent this special day together in such a special place. Like I said before, you absolutely deserved every single bit of it!!!!
> 
> <3


Your comments always make me teary eyed. I spent so much time with you, I feel like we’re sisters! You’re family now

You and Ninja are so beautiful together. Your love, respect and admiration for each other is also so apparent. I know you’ll both be together forever

----------


## Clarity

> That is beautiful, Clarity...you are tearing at my heartstrings   I feel that way about my husband, too, he is such a special man.  It is wonderful to be so blessed in life and you wish everyone could have that, too.  At least, they should have that perfect person in their lives.  We celebrated our 22yr anniversary in March.






> I couldn't say anything better than wee Tizzy said above!!  As I told you in Jamaica we feel we are part of your fairytale, and is such a privilege.  We have been together for 30 years now and married for 28!!  We only hope we can grow older getting to know you two lovebirds and all the rest of the turtles, until there are no more tales to be told.... only making new ones.  You are such a wonderful couple. x (Mrs S.)





> That was so beautiful I'm here at work with tears running down my face.  You guys are really soulmates and I wish you both a life of continued bliss.





> Oy - tears of joy rolling down my cheeks as I read this.  No coincidence that you two beautiful souls found each other.  I am witnessing the blessing that flow to you guys because you live "in love" of each other and others and it is so cool.  From the moment I recommended Villa Sur Mer I knew you guys needed to stay there and of course......a way presented itself......the simple natural beauty and wonder of that place matches you two perfectly.  Thank you for sharing your story of meeting with us - it is inspiring and fills me up.  I love you both deeply (but you know that).


Mrs. Spotty, Schuttzie, Sweetness and Marie - Thank you so much...Okay, now you guys are making me cry…

Schutzzie - Congratulations on your 22nd anniversary that just passed, may you have many more years of happiness together!

Spotty - Congratulations on 30 years together! I hope we embrace and love life and eachother as much as you two do 20 years down the road. You both are our inspiration. 

Sweetness – I’m so glad I was able to meet you…we treasure the heart you gave us…

----------


## Clarity

I was so moved after reading all these loving, caring and supportive comments.
I started responding to each individually, but then it made me start to cry. This is going to become a mush-fest
I just want to thank everyone for joining us on this journey, for all the advice you've given us.. 
all the support, all the friendship...
for reading our ramblings...for caring about us and our life story...
That means a lot more to us than you will ever know...

This is a really special, amazing, heartfelt community of people here at Negril.com and I'm really happy to be a part of it.

We have visitors this weekend, so we wont be able to update during the memorial day weekend, but we'll be back with more ramblings soon :Smile: 
Hope you all enjoy your memorial day weekend!!
With lots of Love,
Daisy

----------


## booger

​Group Hug

----------


## Angel

Am enjoying your story too Daisy/Markus have a great Memorial Day weekend. We will be looking forward to more next week. I'll have my popcorn ready while reading.

----------


## Maryann

What?  Must have missed something while I was gone.  Are you expecting, Daisy and Markus?  If so, congratulations!!!

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## marley9808

> Your comments always make me teary eyed. I spent so much time with you, I feel like were sisters! Youre family now
> 
> You and Ninja are so beautiful together. Your love, respect and admiration for each other is also so apparent. I know youll both be together forever


Awwwww, thanks sis!  :Wink:  That makes me happy too
And yes, sisters indeed......I feel so overwhelmingly blessed....I went to Negril for vacation and came back with a whole new extended family. I am so overjoyed by that too....in fact, the only sad thing is how much I now miss all of them!  :Smile: 
And I too loved what Tizzy said.....I hope we are family forever!!

----------


## spottycatz

I keep thinking ..... something magical happened to us turtles this trip, we are family 4ever!  Miss you all, every minute of every day. x

----------


## Sweetness

feelin the GROUP HUG.....and Spotty/Tizzy/Marley I feel the same way......missing everyone so much and amazed at how tight our bond formed.  Turtle love man!!!!

----------


## TizzyATX

And we will always migrate back to the same beach...same time...same place.  :Wink:   RIGHT???

LOL

ONENESS

----------


## marley9808

Awwww you guys! That is perfect.....the turtle meaning really is on now.....yes, just like turtles we shall return to our beach of birth each year (to lay our eggs....HA lets leave this part out) but you get the meaning....I miss all of you too just like the catz said, every minute, every day!
Love Fest!

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## TizzyATX

Yeah, ummm...think I will leave the "actual" laying of the eggs to you rookies...Hahahaha cause I'm done thank you. 

I got good pointers though lol, and will be more than happy to offer up my moral support!!

Love my turtles <3

----------


## Laurel

bless your hearts ... this really is such a wonderful Love Story ... looking forward to tagging along for all the rest.

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## beccajean_ca

Oh Clarity/Marcus thanks so much for sharing your love story...it gives me hope that all is not lost. You to have the biggest hearts of anyone I know and I feel blessed to have gotten to meet you and hope to see you both again .And yes as turtles we will keep migrating back to Negril as long as we all can.Where have you all been  ? Wish I would have met you all sooner :-) Thanks for giving me some great laughs and some fantastic memories and hopefully many more to come :-) Your all invited to my wedding when that time comes in Negril of course :-) love ya all.Keep the story coming Clarity . :Big Grin:

----------


## Sophie2012

Love this report. The writing is beautiful, I feel like I'm experiencing it myself. Thank you! Looking forward to more

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## Fun in the sun

ok
MORE... please!

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## Clarity

Thanks Booger, Angel, Maryann, Marly, Spottycatz, sweetness, Tizzy, Laurel, Fun In the Sun, Sophie2012, BeccaJean! :Big Grin: 

I’m so sorry for the long intermission!
A close friend of mine is getting married this Friday and I’ve been helping her with the prep. 
It’s a BIG wedding… I had no idea how much is involved in a big wedding… It takes over your entire life…
And Markus has been involved with massive project for work.
At any rate…. Next update coming soon!  :Smile:

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## Clarity

> feelin the GROUP HUG.....and Spotty/Tizzy/Marley I feel the same way......missing everyone so much and amazed at how tight our bond formed.  Turtle love man!!!!
> 
> Attachment 14765


Awww, Sweetness I loved those turtle pictures!!
You all feel like family! :Embarrassment:

----------


## Clarity

> I keep thinking ..... something magical happened to us turtles this trip, we are family 4ever!  Miss you all, every minute of every day. x


Miss you all too!
Not a day goes by that I don’t think about this last trip to Jamaica and all of you.
Something magical DID happen to all of us Turtles
It was the best vacation I ever had in my entire life!

----------


## Clarity

> Oh Clarity/Marcus thanks so much for sharing your love story...it gives me hope that all is not lost. You to have the biggest hearts of anyone I know and I feel blessed to have gotten to meet you and hope to see you both again .And yes as turtles we will keep migrating back to Negril as long as we all can.Where have you all been  ? Wish I would have met you all sooner :-) Thanks for giving me some great laughs and some fantastic memories and hopefully many more to come :-) Your all invited to my wedding when that time comes in Negril of course :-) love ya all.Keep the story coming Clarity .


So glad we met you too, Becky!!
Im looking forward to that wedding, you know well be there!  :Big Grin:

----------


## Clarity

> Love this report. The writing is beautiful, I feel like I'm experiencing it myself. Thank you! Looking forward to more


Thank you Sophie!
I just looked at your ticker! One week and 5 days! That’s awesome!
Have an amazing time in Negril!
 :Cool:

----------


## Clarity

> What?  Must have missed something while I was gone.  Are you expecting, Daisy and Markus?  If so, congratulations!!!


Haha! Thanks Maryann but no, I’m not preggers yet.
We ARE just hoping to start a family very soon though.  :Embarrassment:

----------


## Clarity

I’ve been trying to find the right words to describe our anniversary day at Villa Sur Mer. I’ve been finding it really hard…

All of these beautiful memories and emotions keep coming back to me. I can’t think about that day without smiling… 

There was a warm breeze stronger than usual on that day, it caused all of the curtains in the Villa to billow out around us… I just remember feeling that wind against my skin while laying in bed with Markus...

I remember drinking our first Mango Coladas and gazing at the lagoon pool… feeling so relaxed, so at peace…

I remember floating on a blue foam mattress in the lagoon pool, hearing the water rush over the rocks… the palm trees overhead rustling against eachother… I remember Markus coming up from under the water and smiling at me. He was so happy… The droplets of water dripping from his hair and off the tip of his nose..

We walked through the underground cave, Everytime we go through there, I feel awe when the dark cave opens up to the turquoise brightness of the sea. I sunbathed there and Markus swam… 

Then we went to the main villa and went snorkelling together holding hands in the water and gazing at the fish below us…

I just remember feeling like the luckiest person in the world that day, I was deeply grateful for every single moment that we were experiencing… 

Here is video footage from this day







At around 4 PM, we were laying together on our stomachs on the sunbed and gazing at this little hermit crab that was crawling around in Markus’s snorkel mask... 

That’s when Markus said “Oh! We need to get changed! We have to go soon!”

“Where?”, I asked.

“I made special dinner reservations for our Anniversary”

Now I’m usually the person that plans our trips, books the hotels, flights, reservations… and Markus prefers to be the tail on the kite. So This was a change of pace for me.

I was really excited. :Smile: 

*I’ll let Markus take it from here because he wants to describe the dinner. He’ll be updating tonight.*

----------


## gerryg123

Awesome, you guys are back .... (not sure video is loaded?) ......

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## Clarity

Thanks Gerry! I just fixed the video link, it should work now. :Smile:

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## marley9808

OMG! That video made me so happy just now. I think my heart just smiled!
Awesome video......the footage of the underground tunnel.....it's as amazing in real life as it has been in my dreams! Thanks for sharing
And the frame where Daisy is staring out at the water and the leave falls near you....that gave me the chills (in a good way) I don't know why, but that moment spoke to me real heavy like!

And the footage of you snorkeling hand and hand....gosh you guys....how do you do this to me? every single time? lol

I love this so much! Again.....so happy that you were able to experience this magical place on your anniversary!

----------


## Eden

Love the video!  So nice to watch it right after reading your description, it's almost as if you narrated it!  Just beautiful!  Did you have someone video the two of you snorkeling together, or did you set up a tripod and auto timer?   Looking forward to reading about your special anniversary dinner!

----------


## TizzyATX

DAISY!!!

I love this <3

Thanks for letting us peek 

 :Smile:

----------


## Clarity

Aww thank you Marley! :Embarrassment:  yes, it such a special day for us and it had some bittersweet moments too. I cried at least three times that day. Happy tears though.

Eden - Thanks! Markus propped the camera on the edge of the cliff using his GorillaPod for that shot of us snorkeling and just let it run. At the time, I thought it was silly, but _later on_ when we returned home... it was so much fun to watch. I still haven't gone through all the footage he has taken from this trip.

Hey Tizzy!! miss you! :Wink:

----------


## justchuck

Loved the video, now I'm ready for the anniversary dinner!

----------


## booger

Great video kids!!! Look forward to booking the villa with a couple of other chill boardie couples one day. Ninja when we doing it?

----------


## Clarity

Justchuck - Thanks! Markus is working on that now :Smile: 

Booger - Thanks! I vote for as soon as possible!
Ninja and Marley - c'mon get this started already  :Wink:

----------


## Hubby-man

*Trip Report Continued...*



****

“Do you think he'll be alright?”, she asked me almost touching her beautiful eyebrows together in the center of her forehead. She looked ultimately worried and concerned.

“I don't know? It's a pretty big drop from here.” I answered honestly peering over the hand rail at the villa. 



The ocean below was sparkling in all shades of turquoise. I almost didn't want to leave, but I was also looking forward to the upcoming anniversary dinner. Wow! Ten Years! It really is today! I hope she'll like the place, where I made reservations….

My mind turned back to the matter at hand.

“Maybe we shouldn't drop him from here. You should just walk him down the stairs and gently throw him in at the ladder!”

 “O.K.”, she chimed, very content with the decision.

She cupped the scuba mask with her hands, careful not to spill any of the water of Albert's temporary biotope. Albert, a handsome, but tiny little hermit crab had crawled out of a shell I had found on the bottom of the cove.

First he tried to pinch me, but when he just couldn't dent my skin, he gave up and crawled back into his house, peeking only his eye-stocks out. After he calmed down he posed for some pictures, proudly strutting around in the mask. 



Now  it was time to say good bye, since we still needed to change and wanted to have a drink at the bar before leaving. So Daisy gently dropped the little shell from the lowest platform. We stood watching it slowly tumble down towards the Ocean floor, waving good-bye and saluting.

“I hope the Lion fish won’t get him...” Daisy whispered.

Back in the amazing honey-moon suite I pulled out my best khakis and a button down shirt. Not exactly tropical attire, but if the Colonial British could bare it, I surely could too, especially for an occasion such as this one.  

Daisy pulled one of the most stunning dresses I had ever seen - on her or anyone - out of her suitcase.

“You look stunning, babe!” I pulled her in for a kiss.

“Really?”, she asked insecurely, blocking my lips with the index finger. There was that worried face again!

“Yes, really really, honey! Come on, let's grab a drink. It's time to celebrate!” 

Finally a BIG smile!.. and a kiss.

Shakes and Radcliff were both at the bar. Shakes was a little upset. Apparently he had come in late this morning and had gotten a talking to. He seemed very embarrassed.

“Don't worry, Mon!” I said. “I have never been on time for anything in my life. I for one won't judge you.”

He frowned at that notion and lectured me on the importance of punctuality. That made me remember the time. 5:29 PM! Perfect.

“Look at that Shakes! Our ride will be here in one minute. Now your lecture has caused me to be on time for something for the first time in my life! That should cheer you up!” We both laughed.

Our ride was there indeed. 5:30 on the Dot. Good Negril drivers are incredibly reliable with the precision of a Swiss watch! This one was a young guy named O'Neill.

At some point this day seemed so far away. I had really *not* taken care of reservations very well. I was late, just as always, waiting for the pressure to build.

Daisy had been talking about _“Night of 100 candles”_ at Catcha falling Star ever since she read Guirigay's trip report. When I finally called to make reservations for our anniversary, they were already booked for the date, apparently months ago. Drats!! Now what?!

I wrote to *Guiriguy* in panic. We had never talked before, but he was so amazingly sweet and very helpful, I took to him immediately, just from our correspondence.  He had some great suggestion,... had done his research. (You are a lucky girl, sweetie pie - what a romantic!).

I called a few places. Some were already booked, others just too expensive – unreasonable no matter what the occasion (well, I guess that depends on your budget!) Finally I stumbled on *The Spa Retreat*. The manager was on the phone when I called and she was very excited.

“I will send you a car at 5:30. You will be here in perfect time for sunset!”

That's a deal!

The light was already hitting the magic hour. The shadows were a rich purple, softly contrasting the golden color of the light. When we stepped out of the taxi the manager, Diane, was waiting for us at the gate with a few staff members to great us.

“We’ve been waiting for you!”

‘Really?’, I thought, ‘Dang! We are traveling in style, honey!’ I looked over at her. She was smiling happily absorbed in the moment. 

Diane led us around a curving stone wall that was set on fire by the setting sun. The entire resort was perfectly immaculate, as fresh and pure as an architectural sketch. 



In the center to the right a very high thatched roof covered an open walled lounging area. One could sit on stools or large couches to observe the kitchen at work directly behind the bar.

Beyond the large pillars holding up the roof an enormous open space stretched to the ocean. Countless tables, covered in the finest white linen, were spread out with plenty of room between them. 

To make the scene even more magical, waiters in fancy uniform were lighting little storm candles, that sparkled in competition with the sunset over the water.

----------


## Hubby-man

One table immediately stuck out, because it was the only one with a small delicate red flower arrangement in its center. It sat right at the edge of the cliff. The chairs where drawn back and we both set down gleefully taking in the mesmerizing scene.

“I have a surprise for you!” the manager, flanked by two doting waiters, said with obvious excitement. “Please let me know when you are ready to order.”

We both smiled broadly. This day could not go any better! 





We both looked up from our large leather bound menus. Daisy looked so happy! She leaned over the table offering a kiss. I closed my eyes and felt every bit of my being tingle with happiness as our lips met. 

*Oh that kiss! …every kiss!*


Well, I guess I might have dreamed of something like this kiss, the first time I saw Daisy, but to be honest, _in that very first moment_ I was probably dreaming of something slightly more crude in nature. Seriously, most guys would have felt their hormones go a little wild. She is that kind of a sight - daisy dukes and all! 

But for our first meeting this was of little consequence, in fact it would not play much of a role for another three years. It was _something else_, something deeper that she triggered in me, something that happened only minutes after she stepped into my life, something subtle and utterly unexpected.

She rushed through the living room that day giving everyone an equally warm smile. She cast me a quick glance before she disappeared with a look of determination, to finish whatever business she had come into in this dorm room for.

It was an exciting night, like all nights in those first days in College, it was laden with promises. 

We had all gotten used to life’s wildest promises and desires being fulfilled on a daily basis. The air was heavy with sexual thoughts, creativity and rebellious intellectual urges. Just being here, here in College was the accumulation of all my dreams: studying in America, being secluded amongst other artists -  all of it, just like in those American television shows!!

I had spent the 6 month before in a strict born-again household, which confused me utterly. No one here had any parents to tell us anything and many of us were discovering themselves for the first time, spraying a potent cocktail of freedom and uncompromising individualism into the atmosphere, which made us all drunk. 


Freedom, it was all about limitless freedom!

So the group of guys, who had just been smiled at so warmly, gave each other excited glances and nodded in unanimous agreement. Someone let out a silent wolf-whistle. I turned around and saw Daisy in the hallway between the bedrooms gesturing dramatically.

I drank up her sight, slightly buzzed from the night and a beer that had been handed to me.

When she disappeared again, one of the guys leaned in and motioned at the others to form a huddle, paused dramatically and said: “Forget it! - .....That chick is like _MARRIED_ to her boy!”

He  smiled with satisfaction and watched the news sink in in. He was now an authority on the subject at hand. With obvious joy he observed how the guys fell back into their slumped positions on the sofa letting out deflated sighs. 

Everyone except *me*! 

On me this remark had a profoundly different effect. It rumbled through my innards and down the highly convoluted corridors of my “self”, of my perception of what the world was and how it worked. 

I felt a rush, an internal reorganization taking place.

I felt excited in a very different way than when I first laid eyes on this girl.

OK,  I have to explain something here: while my English at this time was not at all bad ( I had held my own in quite a few challenging conversation and would not have had any trouble understanding or passing the SAT exam), but still, there were some holes in my knowledge of English, especially when it came to casual phrases in casual contexts.

 Therefore I completely (I mean utterly) disregarded the little word* “like"*....(married). I thought she _WAS_ married.

I had to turn around again catching glances of her as she moved to and fro, sucking up her sight with an entirely different quality of emotion then before. I felt something warm, something unfamiliar. I felt like the world had taken an unexpected quantum leap, something unusual, like my first arousal, but not sexual. I felt a shift in my deepest core. The bulwark of my understanding of the world came crumbling down and beyond it lay a new beginning...the world was opening up.

"Go talk to her!", someone ripped me out of my daydream. 

"...?" I looked at the three guys in bewilderment searching for the one who had addressed me.

 "The party! Dude, You were looking for a party, right? Well,...she is going to one. Go! Go get directions!"

"Oh,... oh yeah!" I mumbled, got up and walk over to the bedrooms. She was still engaged in noisy negotiations, I waited till everyone seemed happy with the exchange. I did my best to sound calm, as I ask her whether I could join their party.

She responded as welcoming as I had expected, but immediately folded up her forehead in the cutest gesture of concern. Thinking out loud, she pondered, how we could fit me into the small 2 door hatchback, which was already crammed full of people beyond regulation.

"I have a car." I interrupted her solo deliberation.

As we walked out through the pink maze of the dorms’ balconies and staircases, I could feel her intense presence. I immediately noticed how observant she was, how *kind*. She asked me all kinds of questions (some of bizarre nature). As soon as I had told her, I was from Germany she began talking in a more slow and enunciated manner, as if she had suddenly disregarded any of my former verbal utterings as proof of my ability to speak and understand English. It seemed like for her the fact that I was from Germany, did not at all go together with my speaking English. 

But for what seemed like an eternity of time I couldn’t even correct her mistake, I didn’t even notice. All I could think and feel was the resonance of that shift in me that had changed my world a minute ago. I couldn’t get enough of that undefined new thought, not enough of her sight. All desire to jump her bones or conquer her as a trophy of my sexual prowess and worth had vanished and had been replaced by a much deeper appreciation. I was filled with the astonishment of a spiritual break through and she stood in front of me as the one who provided it with nothing but her presence.

"Married" I thought. She is _married_. That presence of her that filled an entire college apartment and x-rayed everyone in there, such a presence had in my world, nothing, but absolutely nothing to do with the word _"married"_. It was impossible!

But there she was, living and breathing proof ...talking to me in slow over pronounced words and radiant with an irresistible field of warmth and kindness, deliciously unaware of her own beauty or how much she stirred me inside. 

And then, all of a sudden, like a rapidly clearing fog, opening to a stunning view, a thought began to break through. I thought what I NEVER, never, never ever thought before. I thought what I had been excessively trained by my very own mother *NOT* to think. 

I overcame all odds, racing down to the finish line, which separates a notion from clear thought, I tore through the ribbon and there it was: I hesitantly formed the words in my head: 

"I.. want ..to.. get… married....I WANT to get married! Oh my god? – Why am I thinking this? …,but I do! I do! I do!"

Everything else that happened that night was inconsequential. It didn't matter. I didn't mind that she just gave me a quick "Hey, here we are!" at the party and then disappeared in-between the beer spills and into the grinding crowd. Sure I tried to find her just to catch another glimpse of her. But by no means did I feel, that there was anything greater that she could give me than what she had already given me. It was the day she first changed who I am. Would there be other ways in which she could do the same for me again? Other things she could do for me?...it did not matter. I was a already a happy man.

Today, 14 years later. It's our 10 year wedding anniversary.



*And I am a still happy man. A happier man then I could ever conceive possible….and MARRIED!*

----------


## Hubby-man

“Lobster! I want Lobster! Let’s go all out!” she smiled. 

‘Yeah, let’s go all out’. I opted for the beef tenderloin. 

When the manager returned to take our order, she explained Sweetie Pie and Guiriguy had contacted the hotel and we were free to choose any bottle of wine or Champagne from the extensive list. 

Absolutely amazing! What a thrill! 1000's of miles from home, this rearly made us feel like friends are all around, invisible and omnipresent! - Thank you so much guys!  Daisy found her favorite Californian Pinot Grigio and it really rounded of the whole affair. When the wine was brought over, the manager did her best to repeat the entire speech you seemed to have charged her to deliver. She was so very nervous and started over once or twice. But it didn’t matter anyways. The sentiment came through loud and clear .


Our food arrived with the setting sun. The entire affair was utter bliss.

----------


## Hubby-man

The executive Chef, Kevin Brown, came by several times to make sure we were completely and utterly satisfied. As the light grew darker tikki torches were lit all around us. Stars came out to sparkle behind the dramatic Wagner-esque clouds. We sat for a long time sipping our wine and listening to the waves crash into the cliff. Utterly magical!



Coming up: how we kept on partying!
*Booger’s 4/20 Bash*

----------


## Marie

Good golly, such words, so much love. cyberhug for you both

----------


## marley9808

Ok, so I know I comment on just about every update you make to this.....but so what? Deal with it! LOL

First I want to say this:
Every time Markus types "Dude" in this trip report I am instantly transported back to the barstools at Ivans or the One Love Bus Pub Crawl, or the countless other places I sat and listened to him talk about something and I can hear him saying "Dude...Dude" And then I can hear that laugh he lets out after explaining something to me as I laugh my butt off! Oh the fun memories.

Next:
When you typed-
Do you think he'll be alright?, she asked me almost touching her beautiful eyebrows together in the center of her forehead. She looked ultimately worried and concerned.
I literally pictured her in that moment, because I saw that look of ultimate concern and worry on her face many times and this is a perfect description of the face she makes, and then I could hear her concerned voice too.


Guirigay wrote somewhere when we returned that he could now actually hear my voice when he read things I was typing and I am finding that too, especially in the really descriptive reports you guys do. I can hear your voices and I can imagine the faces you are making.....this is great!



Now I must say that reading your report about your anniversary and then hearing again about how you met (from both perspectives) and about how you fell in love makes me so happy. 
Markus, you once said to me in regards to another incident that (paraphrasing): You don't know why people would want to go out of their way to do something special for the two of you, you are not in need of any special attention and not any more deserving than anyone else, you were plenty blessed in your life as is
I tried then to explain to you why.....it is because the two of you are special....and you have a special love and you have a special gift of being able to let others see it, feel it and experience it. It is amazing. And people cannot ignore how it makes them feel....about you two, about love, about life. We are all in the presence of a true romantic love story....and ultimately people want to believe in love and happiness and good....and when the two of you are around, we all believe! And so I thank most of us want to thank you for that  :Smile: 

Thanks for bringing yet another smile to my face this morning....I know there will be MANY more

Love you both!

----------


## ralonzo29

> feelin the GROUP HUG.....and Spotty/Tizzy/Marley I feel the same way......missing everyone so much and amazed at how tight our bond formed.  Turtle love man!!!!
> 
> Attachment 14765


SO was just catching up on this reporta and I thought of something funny, but funny interesting not funny hilarious. When we got back I went back to my tattoo artist to get a tat I had designed before the trip. Some of you have seen it either on facebook or other places and you know I love the Polynesian style. I just read the above comments and thought in my tattoo is a turtle and I based it off of this Maori meaning

_The turtle, or honu, is another important creature throughout all Polynesian cultures and has been associated to several meanings. The word hono designating the turtle in Marquesan language has also other meanings, among which we'll report "to join, to stitch
together", which may explain why the turtle also represents union, family (another explanation may be the fact that sea turtles cross the whole Ocean to reach the shore where they were born and where they'll give birth to their own babies)._

And now the meaning is stronger to me. Love you guys

----------


## ralonzo29

> One table immediately stuck out, because it was the only one with a small delicate red flower arrangement in its center. It sat right at the edge of the cliff. The chairs where drawn back and we both set down gleefully taking in the mesmerizing scene.
> 
> “I have a surprise for you!” the manager, flanked by two doting waiters, said with obvious excitement. “Please let me know when you are ready to order.”
> 
> We both smiled broadly. This day could not go any better! 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I want to thank you for yet another combination of laughter and then crying DANM GERMAN. Miss you guys and I echo the thought of my beloved wife. Especially how now that I've meet Hubbity every story takes on not only a bigger understanding of the love you have but I can almost be there as the metaphoric fly on the wall really seeing the expressions and mannerisms that each story requires.

----------


## Seveen

i'm savoring every word

----------


## marley9808

> SO was just catching up on this reporta and I thought of something funny, but funny interesting not funny hilarious. When we got back I went back to my tattoo artist to get a tat I had designed before the trip. Some of you have seen it either on facebook or other places and you know I love the Polynesian style. I just read the above comments and thought in my tattoo is a turtle and I based it off of this Maori meaning
> 
> _The turtle, or honu, is another important creature throughout all Polynesian cultures and has been associated to several meanings. The word hono designating the turtle in Marquesan language has also other meanings, among which we'll report "to join, to stitch
> together", which may explain why the turtle also represents union, family (another explanation may be the fact that sea turtles cross the whole Ocean to reach the shore where they were born and where they'll give birth to their own babies)._
> 
> And now the meaning is stronger to me. Love you guys



LOVE this!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And funny enough, one of my first carvings from Jamaica is a little turtle I was actually given by a very nice old man near the lighthouse. It sits in our living room, and has lasted through a small dog chew toy mishap where he lost part of his tail....hahahaha but he still endures!

----------


## ralonzo29

> Justchuck - Thanks! Markus is working on that now
> 
> Booger - Thanks! I vote for as soon as possible!
> Ninja and Marley - c'mon get this started already





> Great video kids!!! Look forward to booking the villa with a couple of other chill boardie couples one day. Ninja when we doing it?



Well lets see since you two are calling me out we'll plan for 2016 Oct, you know why  :Wink:

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## gerryg123

Great stuff, hubby man ....

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## Lorax2

Hubby-man...That's love...dude...I know because something very similar happened to me...not the same situation...but the same feeling, that everything else melts away except for her feeling...26 years ago in May. You found the perfect wave dude. Enjoy the ride :-)

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## garysteph1018

Sure is great when you've found your true BFFL! I don't know what I would do w/o the love my husband has for me. "He completes me!" Great story...  :Smile:

----------


## Hubby-man

> Ok, so I know I comment on just about every update you make to this.....but so what? Deal with it! LOL
> 
>  […]
> 
> I tried then to explain to you why.....it is because the two of you are special....and you have a special love and you have a special gift of being able to let others see it, feel it and experience it. It is amazing. And people cannot ignore how it makes them feel....about you two, about love, about life. We are all in the presence of a true romantic love story....and ultimately people want to believe in love and happiness and good....and when the two of you are around, we all believe! And so I thank most of us want to thank you for that 
> 
> Thanks for bringing yet another smile to my face this morning....I know there will be MANY more
> 
> Love you both!


Oh Marley, oh Marley! Just how do you say these things! You are just too much! You really bring a big big smile to my face and make me blush crimson. You are gonna make my ego pop! Seriously, keep commenting! More, more,...lol! :Big Grin: 

I made same experience you and Ninja described. Granted due to my reading impediment I am working through this board as slowly as a snail through a record- breaking head of lettuce, but I can definitely hear all of you guys' voices in your reports now. You and Ninja, Guiriguy, Tizzy, Booger and so on, your words come with sound effects and visuals now.

----------


## Hubby-man

> _The turtle, or honu, is another important creature throughout all Polynesian cultures and has been associated to several meanings. The word hono designating the turtle in Marquesan language has also other meanings, among which we'll report "to join, to stitch
> together", which may explain why the turtle also represents union, family (another explanation may be the fact that sea turtles cross the whole Ocean to reach the shore where they were born and where they'll give birth to their own babies)._
> 
> And now the meaning is stronger to me. Love you guys


Thank you so much for sharing that, Ninja! That is utterly fascinating. It really enriches the meaning of the whole turtle metaphor. I wonder now how far this meme will reach. In my circle of friends in Germany we call members of the core group “Vgel“ (birds). In German it carries a connotation of harmlessness and being a little, how shall I put it delicately.... “off”, not so bright, lol.

I think turtle turned out to be the perfect term for us Negril birds.

----------


## Hubby-man

*Lorax2**  and *garysteph1018** : So glad to hear you had the same experience! Let's surf this lucky wave to the end of all waves. :Big Grin:

----------


## Hubby-man

Thank you so much, *Seveen* ,  *gerryg123**  & *Marie** . I am glad you are enjoying it. That's what keeps us writing  :Smile: . 

Much Love to everyone on the board! :Embarrassment:

----------


## Angel

Ok keep sharing please I love this Clarity and Markus.

----------


## Clarity

Thanks Angel!
Okay, Next update coming up :Smile:

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## Clarity

*Trip Report Continued...*

Our anniversary dinner was incredible and magical...The view right on the water, the beautiful sunset, the amazing food, that special bottle of wine, the staff at *Spa Retreat* surrounding us and treating us so special. I was utterly happy and in awe of all of it. 



Markus told me about about his fears that I would be disappointed. He told me how he had tried to get “_Night of 100 Candles_” reservations but they were booked out for that date.  I thought it was so sweet that he had actually tried to make that happen, and then contacted Guirigay desperate for advice... then spent days calling all these restaurants in Negril.... That really touched me...But he didn't have to worry about any of that...

I know it's easy to get caught up in the stress of trying to make the day absolutely “perfect” but I don't need tons of flowers, candles or fancy champagne glasses. I just need him. 

We didn't exchange anniversary gifts, we can't afford any of that. I'm not into that material stuff anyway. You can't take any of that with you when you pass on, it's all about the experiences you have in life that count. This TRIP was our anniversary gift to each other, it was only Day 2 and so far it had already surpassed all of my expectations. 

I was light headed from the bottle of delicious wine (thank you so much Guirigay & Sweetiepie) and full from all the food consumed.  It was 8 PM when dinner was finished. My eyes were beginning to droop and I could have easily retired to bed with Markus.

But I told Booger we'd be at his *4/20 party* and I was looking forward to it. 

Spa Retreat called in for a Taxi and it took about 15 minutes before it arrived because the driver was across town. 

Our driver was named “Gregory Peck” which I found really interesting...

“Where to?” Gregory asked.

I looked over at Markus, He was wearing Long heavy pants and a long sleeve button-up dress shirt. He was soaked in sweat at this point. Not a good outfit for this Caribbean weather. “First stop is Villa Sur Mer – we really need to change, then we're heading to a party Eddie's DeBar” I told him.

“What time did the party start?”, Markus asked as we sped down the dark West end road.

“um..I think 4:20?”

“It's almost 8:20 now, do you think anyone will still be there?”, Markus asked

“I hope so...” 

*Note:* We would somehow manage to make it to every boardie event that week, we were LATE to about 90% of them. But hey...we eventually got there!

Gregory Peck was waiting for us at the front of Villa Sur Mer when we emerged in more appropriate tropical attire. 

As we were driving towards, Eddie DeBar, I fully realized we might be meeting a lot of boardies for the very first time tonight. I'm going to be honest, I was suddenly kind of _nervous_ about it. 

You see, Unlike Markus, I'm actually really shy. It takes some time for me to open up after I first meet someone. You may have noticed that I don't even post pictures of myself in my trip reports. 

Once I'm comfortable with someone and feel relaxed, I become more a lot more outgoing but it's not an overnight thing with me. It was really hard for me after my best friend, Michelle died in February. She and I used to be attached to the hip and we always went out together. It was too painful to hang out with our friends without her now. It was just a reminder of this huge loss in my life. So I started declining all invites...and I retreated from all social activities for over 2 months. 

Going to this party tonight was actually a big step for me.

I'm sharing this so those that met me in April have an understanding of why I may have seemed quiet/reserved at times or not as outgoing as Markus. Believe me though, I enjoyed your company and I was so overjoyed to meet all of you. I just have some grief that I'm still working through and I know it's going to take some time. 

But this trip was so  healing and all of you helped me in ways that you don't even know... It got me back on my feet. I needed this trip (and all of you turtles) to help me learn to laugh again and remind me of how beautiful life truly is...

Okay, sorry..enough of that, on to Booger's party...

So the taxi rumbled up the rocky path into the driveway of Eddie's DeBar. I saw a fire pit flickering in the center, but no one was around it...

“Oh man, they're all gone...” I said “We're too late... party is over...”

Markus pointed to the bar area. “No I see Rob and Lisa over there!”

He was right, I also saw a group around them but their backs were too us. I could make out a slim woman with long dark hair standing next to a gentleman, a blond woman too...everyone else was in the shadows.

“When do you want me to pick you up?”, Gregory asked.

“I don't know..”I said feeling kind of nervous “I guess in like 45 minutes, we'll just have a quick drink and say Hi...”

We walked past the fire towards the group, holding hands. Markus squeezed mine and smiled at me. “Relax...”, He laughed. “it's going to be fun!”

Everyone was involved in a noisy conversation and joking around when we approached them. 

“Hey everyone...” I said shyly

The first to turn around was Patty Sather. My initial impression, was WOW! She's so beautiful! (She really does look like Sandra Bullock!) Her eyes lit up, and this huge smile spread across her face. “OH MY GOSH!!” she squealed and suddenly she was hugging me so tightly. “DAISY!!”

All my fears dissolved and I started laughing, I hugged her tightly back“PATTY!!”

Suddenly another smiling face emerged, the biggest sweetest smile I'd ever seen and the most kind eyes. I knew immediately that it was Beachgirl66 She also gave me a big warm hug . I felt right at home.. as though I had known them my entire life. 

There was a lot of “I can't believe we're here!!” and “So good to finally meet you!!” and “OmigoshOmigosh!!” We were like a bunch of school girls, I was so happy. I couldn't believe I was meeting them for the first time. It really felt more like a reunion than a first encounter. 

I saw Rob and gave him a hug. Then Lisa emerged and joked “What am I chopped liver? Geez... come here” (love her!) She hugged me too

Once the dust settled and we all regained our breaths, I asked “Wait, Where's booger?”

“You missed him by like 5 minutes!” Patty said “he just left!”

Seriously Boogs?? What's up with _that_?. Lol J/k 

“Brasi is over there though, let me grab him”, Patty said. I turned and saw Brasi in a deep conversation with another patron at the other side of the bar in the shadows. I could barely make him out. 

I turned back around and met Becca

She smiled. It was so great to meet her, I had been looking forward to it after reading her posts and hearing her story. I knew this was a special trip for her.

Suddenly Brasi was beside me and we hugged eachother. It was amazing to meet him too! He was just as warm and kind as I knew he would be. He apologized for having to go because his ride was there, but told me he was looking forward to talking more at the bellyflop.

Meanwhile, Markus was already at the center of the table in-between Rob and Lisa cracking jokes and causing the table to burst into laughter. 

“There he goes...”, I said to Patty. 

Babelew was there too, she and Markus got in some animated conversation about something. They looked like they were in a debate, but then they were hugging and laughing. 

Patty introduced me to her husband, and then she introduced me to Joe Trinidad and Manda. They were both really quiet that night, but I think it was due to all the drinks they had consumed. Joe was all smiles! Manda was wearing a winter coat and a scarf which I thought was a little odd, but I didn't say anything. 


Beachgirl and Joe Trinidad


Markus & Manda


Me and Manda

----------


## Clarity

Patty and Babs

It was such a fun night, I loved talking to Patty Sather. She has just the biggest heart and she's so warm. She makes everyone feel at ease. I really took to Beachgirl66 too. I wish I had the opportunity to talk to everyone a lot more, I felt like the night went by WAY too fast... suddenly it was really late, we had consumed a lot of Red Stripes and I realized that our cab ride never showed up. 

So Eddie called Gregory Peck for us



We all bid farewell and we were all looking forward to seeing each other again tomorrow night at the Luciano concert

Gregory Peck apologized for being so late, but explained that he when he saw how we were all hugging each other and looked so happy, he didn't think we'd be ready to leave after only 45 minutes and we would want more time...

And he was right...

I was all smiles on the taxi ride home, I was tired but I didn't want the night to end.  

The groundskeeper opened up the underground cave for us and turned on the lights. The cave is beautiful at night. It was wonderful just laying on the sunbeds, looking out at the sparkling stars and listening to the waves crashing on the rocks. I contemplated just falling asleep there in Markus's arms...

But we still weren't ready for our anniversary day to end, so we got back into our bathing suits and took a night swim in the lagoon pool. While we were swimming, the groundskeeper turned the lights on... the pool lit up and illuminated the waterfall in all it's glory. It was just magical...

After the swim, we head back to our honeymoon suite...we bathed in the massive shower room and collapsed into our king size bed...



I fell asleep happier than I'd felt in a long time, The whole day had been a dream come true...

*To be continued
Day 3
Moving over to Seastar and the Luciano Concert.*

----------


## garysteph1018

i don't get outta bed until i've done some lurking, & this was my wake-up story!  :Smile:  Thanks Daisy, it's a lovely one.

----------


## marley9808

"Cryling"

That is the new term I came up with.....it refers to crying and smiling at the same time.....this is what happens every time I read your posts!
Magical....loving every second of it
And I hav to agree with Markus......you look amazing in that dress!

 :Smile:

----------


## garysteph1018

> "Cryling"


Awelarious.... That's what I would use to describe your new word!!!!  :Smile:

----------


## marley9808

LOL garysteph....good one! I am going to work that one into my rotation as well!
Awelarious!

----------


## Seveen

my son always laughs at my boardie meetups - he says no matter what our real names are - we resort to calling each other our screen names - right down to the numbers - his imitation never fails to crack me up

this is so good i'm kinda happy it's taking awhile to write it and that we have TEN more days to read about - woot woot

----------


## Seveen

and i'm cryling awelariously :-)

----------


## rastagal

What a great end to the day! And you know I also had Gregory Peck as a driver on New Years eve...did he sing for you guys? He has a great voice!

----------


## marley9808

> Thank you so much for sharing that, Ninja! That is utterly fascinating. It really enriches the meaning of the whole turtle metaphor. I wonder now how far this meme will reach. In my circle of friends in Germany we call members of the core group Vgel (birds). In German it carries a connotation of harmlessness and being a little, how shall I put it delicately.... off, not so bright, lol.
> 
> I think turtle turned out to be the perfect term for us Negril birds.



Are you ready for your mind to be BLOWN?!?!?!?!?! Doooood
Check this out.

So yesterday when I was attempting to answer that post about Catcha's Night of 100 candles....I went back to Guirigay and Sweetiepies first Trip report from, what? February? because I wanted to post the link where he described the night and dinner etc and while looking at it and reading it, I noticed this picture.....does anyone see what is sitting next to their drinks on the table?!?!?!?!?!?



Mind = Blown!

----------


## spottycatz



----------


## TizzyATX

O...

M...

G...

You have gotta be kidding  :Embarrassment:

----------


## Seveen

i hear the twilight zone music sounding up in the background

AMAZING - or awelacious!

so for life ... all you guys have to do is call and say...turtle - lol 

i understand - i found my sister in jamaica - different mothers - different fathers - connected via the heart and a awesome holiday!

----------


## Sweetness

OMG - chills - big smiles today reading all this.......oy

----------


## TizzyATX

Sweetness shoot me a text or call me if your not busy this evening.....me nuh have no pickneys....

(sorry for the highjack)

Can't get over the turtle....LOL

----------


## marley9808

I Know!!!!!!!!!!!

Wait until you hear another turtle story........Garysteph........????

----------


## Guirigay

OK, that's pretty cool...  :Smile: 

Daisy and Markus - We're glad you enjoyed it and will just get ahead of the game by saying Thank You Too...

----------


## Clarity

> Are you ready for your mind to be BLOWN?!?!?!?!?! Doooood
> Check this out.
> 
> So yesterday when I was attempting to answer that post about Catcha's Night of 100 candles....I went back to Guirigay and Sweetiepies first Trip report from, what? February? because I wanted to post the link where he described the night and dinner etc and while looking at it and reading it, I noticed this picture.....does anyone see what is sitting next to their drinks on the table?!?!?!?!?!?
> 
> Attachment 15095
> 
> Mind = Blown!



It's a...It's a...



*gasp* no! It can't BE!! lol!

Shauna - that picture and the reactions had me cracking up. Love you guys!

Garysteph - I want to hear your turtle story!  :Smile: 




> What a great end to the day! And you know I also had Gregory Peck as a driver on New Years eve...did he sing for you guys? He has a great voice!


That's so cool! No, Gregory Peck he didn't sing for us! I wish he had, I would have loved to hear that!




> and i'm cryling awelariously :-)


lol!! Aww Seveen, I really really hope we get to meet you some day! Your comments always make me and Markus smile!! :Big Grin: 

Thanks Garysteph, Marley, Seveen, Rastagal, Spottycatz, Tizzy, sweetness and Guirigay

Sorry we didn't have time to update this TR for a few days. There was a Big wedding this weekend... but we'll keep it going tomorrow. 

Hope you all had a great weekend! :Smile: 

Love,
Daisy

----------


## Angel

We will be waiting to hear more. Hope the wedding went well. Lovely weather.

----------


## car

Nice montage...I like to see visitors loving Jamaica. www.turnerexquisitetours.com

----------


## Clarity

Everyone has been posting all these great trip report updates lately and we've been lagging here! It's time to step up and get this TR ball rolling again.

This will  not be my best update. I am currently sick with the flu at the moment and a little woozy from my cough & cold medication. So I apologize in advance for all the typos and run on sentences. 

****
*Day 3*

I woke up early to the sound of the wind blowing through the open windows of our Villa. It took me a second to register where I was... I was still a little hung over from Boogers 4/20 bash and our private romantic after party at Villa Sur Mer. 

There is nothing that compares to the feeling of waking up in Jamaica. This feeling of happiness washed over me, mixed with anticipation for the events that we had ahead of us.

Today was the day we'd be moving over from *Villa Sur Mer* to *Seastar Inn*

We had fallen in love with Villa Sur Mer, so the realization that we would be leaving was a bittersweet one. This was only the _first_ of the *six hotels* we would be staying at during this trip. We still had 10 full days in front of us. There was still a lot to look forward to.

Instead of packing, I chose to walk around the resort. It's so private, that you can stroll around barefoot in your nightgown without worrying about bumping into another person. The weather was warm with a sweet floral breeze... 



When I returned, Markus was already awake and making coffee... We decided to have breakfast in the bar area. Radcliff ordered food from LTU Pub and had it delivered to us. We enjoyed a private breakfast near the lagoon pool. 


I had the shrimp salad (delicious!)


Markus had an omellete w/callaloo

----------


## Clarity

After breakfast we swam in the lagoon pool. I just floated peacefully on my raft listening to the rushing waterfall...I'm in love with this pool...





Kimi extended our check out time so we didn't have to leave until 2 PM. We decided to go back to the main villa for some more snorkeling off the cliffs.



Markus wanted to snorkel further then my comfort zone allows, so I told him to go ahead while I dried off. 

“You sure you'll be okay all alone?”, he asked

I glanced around the private villa, not a single soul in sight. “Yeah, I think I'll manage” I laughed

Markus went off to explore a cave to the left of LTU pub underneath Citronella while I watched him from a distance.


(markus waving his arms around inside the cave)

That's when I heard someone shout “Hey beautiful!!”

I looked around in confusion. _Huh??_

“Over here!!”

I turned to the sound of the voice and saw 3 muscular cliff divers waving at me from Ricks Cafe. I laughed and walked a little closer to greet them. 

“Hey!” I waved.

“Do you want company?”, they yelled

“No!”, I shouted back. But then I laughed and politely followed it with a  “But thank you though for the kind offer!” _I didn't want to seem rude..._

“It's no problem, We'll come over to you!!”, One of the divers hollered

Suddenly they started scaling the wall between Villa Sur Mer and Ricks Cafe..balancing on the edge of the precarious wall and heading towards me all smiles. A daring move, one wrong step and they would plummet down onto the ragged rocks below. I was shocked!

“No no no!!” I said gesturing wildly with my hands for them to turn back “I'm here with my husband! No!” It was so bizarre, that couldn't stop laughing, What in the world?? I couldn't believe how agile these men were, but of COURSE they were... they jump off high cliffs and out of trees.

 I could just imagine Markus's response to this. He would flip out. How would I possibly explain the presence of 3 ripped shirtless men lounging around me in our private villa?!

“Well, Where is your husband then??”, One of the guys asked

“He's in that cave!” I said pointing to my right. Then I added “We're celebrating our ten year wedding anniversary!”

The leader of the threesome laughed and gave me a thumbs up sign. “Okay! Gotcha! Back up guys..back it up” They all jumped off the ledge back onto Ricks Cafe, cracking up and  hitting eachother playfully. 

I breathed a sigh of relief, waved goodbye to them and returned to watching Markus. 

I wonder what it must be like for a single girl in Negril?.. Really flattering but wow! A little crazy..

Markus returned 10 minutes later. He was excited to report that the cave was FILLED with bats, hanging out all over the walls. 

“Come!  You've got to check it out! It's amazing!”, he said grabbing my arm.

I pulled away and just stared at him wordlessly with a horrified expression.

“Oh that's right, you're not a fan of bats”, Markus said laughing

No. I'm not. But for those of you that ARE... feel free to check out that cave. You can reach it from LTU Pub, Villa Sur Mer, Citronella or swim over from Ricks Cafe. (Markus was probably waving his arms around in the cave to fight off the dive bombing bats)

We realized that it was getting late. It was time to pack up our belongings and bid farewell to the beautiful and amazing Villa Sur Mer..

----------


## Clarity

we said goodbye to Shakes and his homemade broom...


We said goodbye to Radcliff our awesome bartender...


We said a tearful goodbye to warm hearted Kimi. Before we left, we took a tour of the more affordable room that we WOULD have stayed at if we hadn't been upgraded for our anniversary. If anyone is thinking about staying at Villa Sur Mer, I'll send you the pics. They're really nice, like little houses with full kitchens and livingrooms. 

I know I've said this a million times already, but our stay at Villa Sur Mer was truly a dream come true for us. 

We were prepared to just walk to Seastar with our luggage, but Kimi wouldn't let us. She insisted that we accept a complimentary drive on behalf of the hotel. Wow!

We were driven to the gates of Seastar and said our final goodbyes..

----------


## Clarity

When the gates opened and we stepped inside *Seastar Inn* with our luggage, a familiar feeling washed over me.. It felt like coming home. It made me think of Webcasts, good times, and friends. Last time I was here was in November. I gazed over at the table that we had sat at with Rob, Lisa, Bella Bea and Jamar. I remembered our late night party closing down the bar and the laughter... Meinvancouver and his beautiful wife, Dolly, Blandy1 with her pretty blue eyes.. All the boardies dancing around...Luciano on stage... all wonderful memories! I just felt so happy to be back!!

Check in was a breeze, just like last time.

We explained that we had 2 nights booked but that there was a change of plans. Now we would be staying in Mandeville tomorrow night to visit my family instead. Would it be possible for us to have friends stay in the room that night on our behalf?

“No problem!”

Now we just had to find the right friend that would appreciate a complimentary night at Seastar Inn. We knew exactly who to offer this to and we just hoped that they would accept it.

We were led to our room. *Room 12*. It is one of the older rooms located in the back, second floor. I really liked how it was so quiet and removed from everything..

The room was spacious with large arched wooden ceilings, a fridge and big bed..




The balcony was my favorite part of Room 12. It is huge, with a view of the lush backyard...




(view of the garden from our balcony)

I  lay down on the bed and immediately fell asleep while Markus sat on the balcony bird watching.. I don't know what it is about the beds in Seastar, I can't lay on them without passing out. They're just too comfortable. 

I woke up with a start two hours later... 

“Oh no! What time is it? Did we miss the concert??” I sat up anxiously.

Markus reassured me that it was still early and we were fine. 

“So who is going to be at the Luciano Concert?”, Markus asked after we both showered and changed “Will My Boys be there tonight?”

My Boys = Ninja & Guirigay. (The two boardies Markus has been in contact with leading up to this trip. He was really excited about meeting them.) 

“Yep, Your Boys will be there” I laughed “and My Girls will be there too”

All of the rest of the turtles were landing in Jamaica today and meeting for the first time at Seastar Inn.

I looked forward to seeing Patty Sather, Becky, and Beachgirl66 again..

I also couldn't wait to meet Marley, Ninja, Guirigay, Sweetiepie, Booger, Sandie, Tizzy, Spottycatz, Indybob, RastaStan, Gerryg123!... the list went on and on! AMAZING!

“Ready to go?”, Markus asked swinging open the door to our room.

I took a deep breath and smiled “Ready.”

*To be Continued...*
Markus is up next

----------


## Angel

Nice once again Clarity, sorry to hear you are sick. Hope you get better soon. Looking forward to more of your trip report from both of you. The weekend is coming so maybe a time to rest :-)

----------


## marley9808

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love these reports and woo hoo, I am about to make my entrance LOL

I was reading this and actually found myself sad that you were leaving Villa Sur Mer......that place is amazing....like something in my dreams. I am so glad you both got the chance to stay there. I am not sure I could think of a better 10 year anniversary than what you just described! Awesome!

----------


## garysteph1018

:Smile:

----------


## bjritz

Great new addition to your awesome report, Clarity! Six hotels, now that is some _rambling_, girl. That cave swim would be right up my alley. Good on ya, Marcus. 

I love the Seastar pics, since I was mesmerised while there, and taking no pictures other than in the event area, thanks for sharing these awesome vews. Seastar just looks so, good for a stay. May have to do that.

Guys climbing cliffs after ya! They must have seen the other eye.  :Stick Out Tongue:

----------


## JaJodi

Clarity and Hubbyman - Thank you! 

I'm lurking around and planning a trip for next year and I have completely changed what we are going to do. Villas Sur Mer really should give you some free nights, I was going to do all 7 nights on the beach for our 20th anniversary and now I have to stay there. Your pictures make it look magical, and both of your great writing styles may have a little something to do with it.  :Cool:

----------


## marley9808

:Smile:   :Smile:   :Smile:

----------


## Clarity

*Thank you* everyone for your comments!

I'm sorry for the delay. Markus was up next to update this trip report but he currently has the flu. He caught the same sickness that I had a week ago. He is resting right now and has asked me to continue on his behalf. He will pick up the torch again once we reach Chicken's magic bus trip to YS falls and Pelican bar.

So without any further dilly dallying.. here goes...

****

Last update: we had left Villa Sur Mer, checked into *Seastar inn* and were about to head over to the *Luciano concert*. (_see previous page_ )

The main area of Seastar Inn was buzzing with activity..There was a sea of people congregating around the stage area, talking, laughing and hugging. My eyes scanned the crowd for some familiar faces as we walked in holding hands. I felt a little nervous and shy about meeting so many people for the very first time. I wished that everyone had name tags...

That's when I heard “Daisy! Markus!”

A woman with curly blond hair falling over her shoulders and a huge smile danced over to hug us, she was followed by a man with an equally warm smile. I knew right away that it was Indybob and his wife, Cindy. We all hugged and started talking excitedly. 

That's when I heard another greeting in a smart British accent. I can't remember what he said, but I remember it made me laugh.. 

I turned and asked “Spottycatz?” I expected a Scottish accent, so it threw me off guard. “you don't sound like Sean Connery, you sound positively British”

“I am”, He explained with an award winning smile. “This one _here_ is the Scottish one”

I turned to face a beautiful lady with sparkling eyes in two different colors, just like a cat. Mrs. Spottycatz.

I immediately warmed up to the lot of them. Mr. Spottycatz was cracking jokes with Markus, Mrs. Spottycatz is just the warmest person and she'll put you at ease immediately, Cindy was swaying happily to the beat of Stephen West's rendition of a Bob Marley classic. Indybob was all smiles and so kind.

 All my nervousness dissolved. I was just so excited to be there at that moment!

Although I was so overwhelmed by it all,  I had a hard time formulating my thoughts to form coherent sentences outside of _“I just can't believe we're all here right now!”_  when I'm in a group setting, I tend to be more quiet and kind of just take it all in. I'm more of a one on one person. Markus is the opposite. 

PattySather ran up to hug and greet us. She had a table reserved with her husband, Beachgirl66 and +1. It was great seeing them all again. We pulled up a seat and joined them. 

“Have you seen Marley yet?”, I asked.

“No Marley yet”

The arrival of the celebrity couple, Marley & Ninja was a big event and most anticipated by all.  

It wasn't much longer before they made their appearance. They were bombarded by hugs and squeals on all sides. Marley was laughing and wearing a shirt that said “Marley” which cracked me up. I was beyond thrilled to meet both of them for the first time.  They left to check into their rooms and get changed. 

We were hungry so we went on line to get some delicious Seastar buffet food. While I was on that line, A pretty woman with dirty blond hair walked up and said “hello Daisy”

I knew immediately that it was Booger's wife, Sandy (pooper). He had sent her over first to throw me off guard. She was surprised that I recognized her from his trip reports. 

We hugged hello and asked “Hey Sandy!! Where's Booger?”

He emerged from the crowd of people at the bar and I was initially taken aback. Like everyone else already noted, Booger looked NOTHING like I had expected him to look like. He was about 20 years younger than I thought he was going to be with the most mischievous smile I've ever seen. I liked him right away.

Guirigay and Sweetiepie arrived next. They were just as amazing and welcoming as I imagined they would be. (Sweetiepie has the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen.) I was excited to meet this lovely couple in person, especially after reading Guirigay's touching trip report. Guirigay and Markus hit it off immediately.

Tizzy came in right after, she was all smiles and full of pure happiness. Her happiness and joy is contagious. I couldn't stop laughing with her. I just loved her energy so much!

Tizzy & I went to the bar to get some drinks and to introduce her to Booger & Sandy. That's when she met Jon for the first but I'll let her describe that encounter in her own trip report. 

I'm going to be honest, most of that night is a bit of a blur to me. I remember so much laughter and conversations around a long white table.. I sat next to Marley, Tizzy was across from me with Booger & Jon. Guirigay & Sweetiepie sat to the left of them, talking mostly to Markus and Ninja. PattySather and Beachgirl66 and +1 were to my right. Gerryg123 dropped by to greet us too! It was just such a fun night..

----------


## Clarity

RastaStan sang “Stand by me” to a cheering crowd. He's amazing! Lisa handed over her tiny laptop for me to join in the negril.com webcast next to Rob, which was a lot of fun. (thanks Lisa!)  It was great seeing both of them again. 



Luciano's performance was incredible. I remember all of us dancing in a big crowd.

Eventually the night began to wind down. I looked at my watch and realized it was getting late. The receptionist desk was already closed, so that eliminated the possibility of a hotel wake up call. 

How on earth were we going to wake up at 6:00 AM in the morning for my cousin's arrival and our drive to Mandeville to meet the rest of my family? What if we overslept? My cousin doesn't even know what room we're in... What a terrible first impression that would be if I'm not even ready when she arrives to pick us up? I was worried. This meant too much to me. I didn't want to screw this up.

I scanned the sea of new friends. Who would be awake THAT early tomorrow morning?

Then I remembered PattySather telling me that she wakes up at the crack of dawn to go running along the beach every morning.

I knelt down next to her chair. “Patty, I have a favor to ask of you... a big favor” I whispered.

PattySather leaned in close to me and took my hands in hers. “Anything. Just ask”

((Love her))

“We have to be up super early in the morning to head over to Mandeville and there is no alarm clock in the room.” I said “I have this phone. This rental JA phone that I don't even know how to use... Could you call this phone when you wake up? That would mean the world to me”

Patty immediately agreed. “Of course, sweetie, no problem at all!!”

She took my number and promised she would give us a call at 6 AM. I was eternally grateful and relieved. 

Of course Manda and Joe Trinidad were there too (on Popsicle sticks) – I decided to take Manda with me to Mandeville. 

We should have gone straight to bed after that... but we did not.

----------


## Clarity

We got caught up in a great conversation with Marley & Ninja. Then rum shots was ordered.. and we were all laughing and chatting up a storm together. We found out that Ninja & Markus had clearly been separated at birth. Marley felt like a friend I had known my whole life. 

Eventually we looked around and that's when we realized that the bar was closed, the room was dark and all the tables around us were now empty. How did that happen?

Instead of going to bed, we decided to go back to Marley & Ninja's room at Seastar to try out the famous cake vodka that we kept hearing about...We were just having so much fun, we didn't want the night to end

I only have one picture from that:



Right after that picture was taken and the drink was consumed...Markus raised his arm up in a celebratory “wooo hooo!!” and for those that do not know this... Markus is quite tall. 

And that when I heard a loud “THUMP THUMP!”

That sound of Markus's fingers getting caught in the ceiling fan. We all gasped in shock and Markus yelled “Aaaaagh”! 

There was a horrific moment when I thought Markus's fingers were chopped off! I imagined the paramedics arriving and all of us searching through the room for his dismembered fingers. 

His face was twisted with pain. He was clutching his hand and forced his fingers open to examine the damage.

All of his fingers were still intact. He was okay.

“Don't worry. I'm fine honey, see?”, He wiggled all of his fingers on both hands. They were little scratched up and bruised from the fan blades but he was alright.

I breathed a loud sigh of relief. That was scary.

But we knew that it was now officially time to end the party and get some sleep. We all hugged and bid farewell. 

Markus and I were laughing together as well fell into our bed in room 12 of Seastar inn. 

“That was so much fun...tonight...so much fun...”, Markus murmured as he drifted off to sleep.

I was thinking the same thing as I dozed off.. It was such an amazing night!
But in the back of my mind.. I thought... _Oh my gosh I hope we wake up in time to go to Mandeville tomorrow... please let us wake up in time..._

*To be continued...*

For another view of this same night with lots of great pictures of Luciano – check out *Marley & Ninja's trip report* here http://negril.com/forum/showthread.p...ril-2012/page5 
*Guirigay's view* http://negril.com/forum/showthread.p...E2%80%A6/page2
*Spottycatz view* http://negril.com/forum/showthread.p...ght=Spottycatz

----------


## TiCtOc

I am digging the report I am not digging markus' man flu everytime it is report writing time! Upwards and onwards please :Wink:

----------


## TizzyATX

OMGOSH, those are fantastic!!! I love the b/w on this set!

Instantly felt like family....this is so taking back to that night.

Hope Markus gets well soon

----------


## Angel

Glad you are continuing. Markus get better soon and Clarity glad you are feeling better. Ok that fan bit scared the crap out of me. Glad you have all fingers intact Markus. Looking toward to more and the photos are nice.

----------


## Katho

Looks like a great night with amazing company  :Smile:  Love the Black & White photos! Hope Markus is feeling better soon!

----------


## Clarity

LOL Tic! Good to see you!  :Wink:  Well, in his defense he got the flu from me, I totally infected him. 

It's hard trying to steer this TR ship in his absence. That above entry would have been so much more descriptive and engaging if it had been written by Markus. It's a challenge to try to put into words the experience of meeting so many wonderful people in one night. I feel like I didn't really capture it. Alas...

Thanks Tizzy, Angel and Katho for your kind comments and well wishes for Markus. He doesn't have a fever today so he's doing a bit better.  :Smile: 

I'll post a new update tomorrow. G'night guys!

Love,
Daisy

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## marley9808

Oh man those pictures bring back so many good memories.......almost feels like it was just yesterday (sure wish it was)!

----------


## Guirigay

Loving it Daisy! New pics!! What a great night, the vibe at Seastar set the tone for the week. Taking me back  :Smile:

----------


## Clarity

*DAY 4*

I could hear the icecream truck far away in the distance. It was playing a soft melodic tinkling children’s song. I ran outside and across the grass of my front lawn.  I balanced on the curb and eagerly waited. The concrete was hot against my barefeet..

My brother walked up and stood beside me. _“What are we waiting for?”_

_“I hear the icecream truck”_

_“That’s NOT an icecream truck.”_ He said matter-of-factly.

Suddenly I lost my footing on the curb and started falling face first onto the street in front of me!

I woke up with a start. 

The music from the icecream truck continued even though I was now awake from my dream. My vision was blurred and my head was pounding. I stared up at the wooden arched ceiling and fan spinning above me. For a second I had NO idea where I was… The room was filled with sunlight that burned my eyes, I covered my face….

Where is that faint music coming from??… I could hear a buzzing sound too…

I turned my head and saw my JA phone on the night table was vibrating. The screen was bright green and flashing. 

That’s when it all came rushing back to me… I’m at Seastar Inn… and my Second thought was “Oh no!! what _time_ is it???”

I picked up the phone and I heard a man’s voice on the other end. “Daisy?”

“Yes??”

“This is Kopper, Patty’s husband. She just left for her morning run but she told me to keep calling you every 5 minutes until you picked up your phone!” He laughed.

“Oh my gosh!! Thank you so much for waking me up!!… I didn’t hear the phone… the ringer is really quiet! Thank you!!”

“No problem! Have fun in Mandeville!”

*(((((((Thank you Patty Sather! You are a lifesaver!))))))))*

I looked at the time on the phone. 7:15 AM. I was supposed to be up at 6 AM!! I shook Markus awake. “We have to go! We have to go!!” He moaned loudly and covered his face with the blankets. 

I fumbled through my purse for the slip of paper with my cousin’s number on it. I immediately called her in a state of panic and regret. 

I was relieved to find out that my Cousin was running late too and was still 15 minutes away from us. Yep, we are DEFINITELY related to each other.  :Cool: 

I managed to drag Markus’s body out of the bed. He was as exhausted and hung over as I was. We had to shape up fast. I was about to meet my cousin for the first time and I wanted to make a positive impression. Right now we both looked like something horrific that the cat dragged in.  We also had to pack up our luggage again because were leaving Seastar Inn.

Once again our stay at Seastar Inn had been too short. We had booked two nights and only got to stay for one. There was a last minute change of plans and we would be crashing overnight in Mandeville instead. I was really glad that Guirigay & Sweetiepie accepted our offer to stay in the room. I knew they’d love it here as much as we did.

I realize that some people reading this don’t know WHY I’m going to Mandeville, WHY I’ve never met my cousin before or HOW I even found out about my family in Jamaica. So Here is the **quick cliffnotes version***:

My Grandfather’s brother (My Grand Uncle) went over from Scotland to Jamaica when he was a young man. At that time it was British Territory.  He married a Jamaican woman and started a family. He had a bunch of children and those children had children..etc. 

My Grandfather on the other hand, immigrated to New York and found his wife in America. When my father was 12 years, My grandfather sent him to Kingston to live with this brother’s family for about 4 years. So my father spent his teenage years in Jamaica. 

The last time he saw this family was back in 1974. He and my mother visited Jamaica for their honeymoon and stayed with the family. My father lost touch with them completely after that.  He rarely spoke about it. So I didn’t really know much or anything about this family.

Okay, So Fast forward 38 years…My little brother visited My Grandfather and when he returned He told me “We NEED to go to Jamaica” I agreed to go with him. We talked about it a lot the last time I saw him.

My brother never made it to Jamaica. He passed away 2 months later… 

I won’t go into the intense grief I experienced but anyone that has suffered through the loss of a family member will understand. I decided to travel to Jamaica in his memory. I started with Negril because it was the name of my brother’s favorite Caribbean restaurant in New York City. I typed in Negril in Google search and found *Negril.com*. This website is what motivated me to take that first trip. I honestly don’t know if I would have done it otherwise. I’m so glad that I did.

  I was at the Grand Pineapple during my November trip to Jamaica. I told someone my last name and asked if they could help me locate my family.  It turns out my COUSIN works at the Grand Pineapple hotel! Through my cousin, I started to connect with a bunch of family in Mandeville & Kingston. Another Cousin named Diana decided to organize a family get-together in Mandeville and she offered to pick me up from the Seastar Inn to attend.  

I have a rocky relationship with my father, so I was a little nervous. I think my biggest fear was that this new family wouldn’t like or accept me. I’m going to be honest, I was actually REALLY worried about this. I just didn’t know what to expect. 

We finished re-packing up our suitcases and bags, checked to make sure we weren’t leaving anything goodbye and bid a wistful farewell to room 12 at the Seastar Inn…



Next time I hope we have more time to swing on that hammock…

We dragged our luggage over to the front reception area,  handed in our keys and told them that G & S would be coming by later pick them up. They had no problem with the requested guest swap. I love Seastar Inn, Awesome staff, warm vibe and the most comfortable beds I’ve ever slept on. I have nothing but good things to say about this hotel…I love everything about it!

Well…. except for maybe the height of their ceiling fans in the lower rooms… :Wink: 

That’s when the gate opened up and a sedan pulled into the property..

My Cousin was here to pick me up!

I stood there nervously next to Markus, ready to greet her for the first time. 

*To Be Continued….*

Sorry, for leaving off right there. I’m writing this on my lunch break and unfortunately, Now I need to get back to the office.  I’ll update again soon.

----------


## Angel

Ok Daisy we are waiting patiently love your writing. Nice you have the dreams with your brother in them was wondering where you could be with the ice cream truck. :-) Hope that Markus is better. Like his writing too.

----------


## irieworld

loving the continued family meeting and exploration! I know you had me in tears and also sort of gasping in your previous report with how your brother's dream, you meeting a cousin at Grand Pineapple (when does that ever happen!), and your experiences in Jamaica just made this kaleidoscopic configuration.  Plus just the synchronicity and love behind the whole thing shredded me. I guess it must be what I secretly wish for my family, but you got it, and rocked it. (ok getting cheesy here but I mean it). Daisy, your story is so incredible.  i hope you make an entire compilation. I will volunteer edit it if you want to publish.

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## Maryann

Glad you started your TR again!  Enjoying it very much.

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## gerryg123

Three times through my recent stay at Seastar Inn I nearly hit the fan with my precious little fingers in Room 6 while putting a shirt on, only to pull back at the last moment. I thought of you and Markus every time .... Great report so far, Clarity!

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## marley9808

Gerryg-
Room 6 was the room where it happened!!!!!

lol

----------


## gerryg123

> Gerryg-
> Room 6 was the room where it happened!!!!!
> 
> lol


I know. I was staying at Blue Castle that night ....

----------


## marley9808

Yeah...I heard later that we "stole" your room! Sorry about that.....but I still wonder who "stole" OUR room, because we had room 5 booked that night but when we showed up they put us in room 6! LOL

Fun times

----------


## Coco

Great TR Clarity! Thanks for sharing.

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## booger

[QUOTE=marley9808;57650]Yeah...I heard later that we "stole" your room! Sorry about that.....but I still wonder who "stole" OUR room, because we had room 5 booked that night but when we showed up they put us in room 6! LOL

Fun times

We were supposed to be balcony mates!!! I think we more than made up for it though after that.

----------


## marley9808

LOL!!!
I know, right?

When we checked in and they put us in that room I was a little disappointed because I thought we were going to be "left out of the party"
The feeling didn't last long! Hahahahaha

Now, New Years is different.....we will be above you guys! Well...that's the plan anyways HA!

----------


## booger

Nice work and keep it down in December. Nice to know we have 3 of the 4 rooms.........

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## marley9808

LOL......keep it down?!?!?! Who us? Hahahahaha

Special projects and all.......
LMAO

----------


## mavmaiden

Ah oh. Looks like I've infringed on a "true boardie" gathering. I have the 4th new room at Seastar on New Year's. Sorry guys...but you gotta blame yourselves. Once I started reading all the wonderful things I on this board about Negril and, specifically, Seastar, I changed my original plan of 9 days in Negril to 13 days in Negril-- to include New Year's at Seastar! I shall not interfere with your mini-boardie bash. This is my first trip to Negril so I'm not the "real thing" like y'all! But I do hope to fall in love with Negril, like most of the others on this board.  :Smile: 

I just realized you can tell I'm not the "real thing" because I don't have a turtle on my ticker! Someday, maybe...

----------


## spottycatz

I'm sure mavmaiden, that once you've spent time with Turtle Team Tango, you'll be looking to arrange your next visit a.s.a.p. Have great time, Shauna and the crew will steer you right.  :Wink:

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## marley9808

Hey Mavmaiden!
No such thing as "not the real thing" You are going to Negril.....so that pretty much makes YOU a turtle, because I know you will love it and you will long to come back even before you have left!
Welcome aboard!!!
We actually won't be at Seastar until JUST after New Years, I think we check in on the 2nd or 3rd, but can't wait to meet you then! It is going to be a blast!!

----------


## mavmaiden

Thanks spottycatz & marley! I'm unbelievably excited about the trip-- and, of course, addicted to the board! I can't wait until we're close enough for me to say "soon come!"

----------


## Clarity

> Three times through my recent stay at Seastar Inn I nearly hit the fan with my precious little fingers in Room 6 while putting a shirt on, only to pull back at the last moment. I thought of you and Markus every time .... Great report so far, Clarity!


That's too funny that you were in the same room and almost had a similar run in with the ceiling fan. Glad you didn't though! Markus had swollen fingers for a while after that...

----------


## Clarity

> loving the continued family meeting and exploration! I know you had me in tears and also sort of gasping in your previous report with how your brother's dream, you meeting a cousin at Grand Pineapple (when does that ever happen!), and your experiences in Jamaica just made this kaleidoscopic configuration.  Plus just the synchronicity and love behind the whole thing shredded me. I guess it must be what I secretly wish for my family, but you got it, and rocked it. (ok getting cheesy here but I mean it). Daisy, your story is so incredible.  i hope you make an entire compilation. I will volunteer edit it if you want to publish.


Aww, thanks Irieworld. I was moved by what you just wrote. Thank you for reading and caring. I don't think our ramblings are coherent enough to ever be publishable, but I really do appreciate the compliment! Hearing that people enjoy what we're writing really motivates us to keep sharing our experiences. I plan on printing it all out when we're finished and putting it in a folder for our future children to read when they are adults. Hopefully it will push them to travel to Jamaica and have their own adventures.

----------


## Clarity

Thanks Maryann, Boogs, Marley, Coco!




> Ok Daisy we are waiting patiently love your writing. Nice you have the dreams with your brother in them was wondering where you could be with the ice cream truck. :-) Hope that Markus is better. Like his writing too.


Thanks Angel – Markus is feeling a lot better and he is working on Chicken's magic bus trip right now. My job is to just get the trip report to that point, Sorry I'm taking so long...next update coming up!

----------


## Clarity

*Mavmaiden –* That's so awesome that you're first trip to Negril will be this December.. You're going to love it! There is no such thing as a “true boardie” or “the real thing”. The minute you arrive at Seastar, you'll see what I mean. I kind of had similar feelings my first time. I felt like everyone else had such a history together and that I wouldn't be accepted. I realized right away, that this is not the case. Everyone is so warm, open and inviting. Trust me. You'll feel at home in no time!

Our dream is to make it back to Negril in December. It really depends on a lot of circumstances. It doesn't look like it's in the stars for us right now. But you never know 

If we DO find a way to celebrate New years in Jamaica, I really hope to meet you!!

----------


## Clarity

*Day 4
Trip report continued...*

So when I last left off, we had just checked out of *Seastar Inn* and my cousin drove through the gates in her sedan. 

I had seen pictures of my cousin but this was my first time meeting her in person. She was in her late 50's with curly black hair spilling over her shoulders.  She had a huge smile on her face and She immediately pulled me into an embrace. I felt at ease right away.

She apologized for getting a late start this morning, I told her that I was late getting up too. She was in good spirits and ushered us into the car. 

“Okay, This is for you”, She said handing me a manilla folder.

I opened it and was surprised to see a schedule of events.

“I've been planning this day all month” She said laughing “I couldn't resist making up a schedule so we could squeeze in all the things I want to show you. We only have 24 hours and we have to make every minute count”

There was a LOT on the list. I was amazed. “Wow! This is impressive – thank you so much for putting this together..”

“I love doing this and being a part of this” She explained “The family in Mandeville can't wait to meet you. They remember your father, they are excited that his daughter has come to the Island. We are VERY family oriented. You will discover that soon enough”

So we hit the road



Our first stop was *“The Grand Pineapple”* to visit my other cousin, “Paul”*. He was the one I met for the first time in November and he works there. Paul is her son. 

It was nice stepping back on the familiar resort grounds of the Grand Pineapple. This was my first time NOT staying at the GP and first our entirely non-AI trip to Jamaica. It was great seeing all the staff again, I couldn't believe they all still remembered us. 

We had a delicious breakfast all together in the dining area. The ocean was bright turquoise blue and the weather was perfect. My cousin, Paul is shy and kind. It took him some time to open up but once he did, I found that we had a lot in common.

After breakfast, we all hugged goodbye to Paul, we needed to continue on our journey. On the way out of the dining area, a guest at the table beside us called my name “Daisy? From Negril.com?”

I turned around in surprise. It was *Labwalker* and his wife. “I recognized you guys right away” He said “Just wanted to say “hi!” It was so cool meeting them and I introduced them to my cousins. 

Next stop was Montego Bay to meet my other cousin, Mike* - Mike is also her son and Paul's brother. He works in Montego Bay, also in the hotel business and has been on some travel channel shows. 

The ride there was beautiful..

We met at Fontana in MoBay to enjoy some *Devon house ice cream* (a first for me - that is some GOOD icecream) and coffee.



I was a bit starstruck when I met Mike. I recognized him from a show about Jamaica I had watched before my first visit to the island. I never imagined when I watched that footage a year ago that I was looking at my own cousin. This was a little mind-blowing for me. 

He was very outgoing and charismatic. He talked about how he is very active in promoting tourism in Jamaica. He lived in Florida for a while to attend school, but he couldn't stay away and had to come back to Jamaica. He has such a pride and passion for his country. I was really moved by his words and how much he does to help the community. 

Eventually he had to get back to work and we had to hit the road. We were running out of time.

“Family is driving in from Kingston to see you in Mandeville today, so we don't want to make them wait”, Diana explained. 

We talked a lot during this ride. Diana spoke about our family's history, about her own struggles, about daily life in Jamaica. This conversation was unlike any discussion I've had since coming to Jamaica for the first time. The dynamics were different. I was talking to my family now. I learned so much during that car ride. My whole relationship to Jamaica was changing and it's hard to explain in words this shift that was occurring in my consciousness.

On top of that, every time I looked out the window... I confronted with the most stunning vistas. 



Lush landscapes and curving roads... the sweet Caribbean sunshine and fresh air coming in through the open windows. It all felt a bit like a dream, almost surreal. 

The road leading to Mandeville has a road that is covered in bamboo. Rob and Lisa had told me about this and I was excited about driving through it. I think it's called Bamboo alley... it's really a sight to be seen and this image doesn't even fully capture it. It's just magical!

----------


## Clarity

Diana pointed out the church where another cousin had just gotten married only a week earlier. St. Andrews church.



As we drove up the mountains, my ears popped from the pressure change and the views on all sides were just breathtaking. 



“I wish I could live here...” I said quietly.

“If you really want that, you can make it possible. I'm head the community tourism division in Mandeville and own the Mandeville hotel. We could find a position for you and Markus already works remotely” She said “If that's your dream, I can help you make it happen”

Wow. What a thought! I needed time to adjust to the reality of this possibility. It's something we all have dreamt about at one point but if given the opportunity, would you do it? Could I ever actually leave San Francisco and move to Jamaica?

Mandeville is very different from Negril. The houses were colonial British in style and a lot of them were very large. The center of the town looked very suburban. Soccer fields, school districts, churches and a big town center.  I saw families with their Sunday best returning from church. Kids laughing in a playground. I didn't see a single tourist which was strange. It looked so ideal, like the perfect place to raise a family. This is a side I've never seen of Jamaica.

We drove past all of that into a more countryside area, dotted with houses on the hills on all side. We drove up the hill and stopped at a one level home overlooking the countryside.

“This is where I grew up”, Diana said “My father passed away, but my mother is still alive. This is the usual meeting place for family gatherings. Your father would come over to Kingston to visit here often during his time in Jamaica.”

She pulled the car to a stop in the dirt driveway filled with other parked cars and turned off the engine.

“Okay, you're about to meet a LOT of family all at once. Don't worry about remembering everyone's names right away. It's going to take some time”

It was kind of surreal as I walked across the pathway to the front door. I felt like I was in my father's shoes for a moment, walking along the same pathway that he did as a 12 year old boy. I wonder what he was thinking and feeling the first time he came here. Jamaica is so different from New York. It must have been such a culture shock for him. He spent the bulk of his formative years on a Caribbean island. 

People started streaming out of the house and began introducing themselves. They were all smiles, and hugs.. It was overwhelming, all these faces.. all these strangers that I was related to. Their skin tone was all shades from pale to dark. Their hair varied from blond to jet black. We all shared the same great grandfather. The Jamaican phrase “Out of many, One people” suddenly made sense

One woman in particular came up to me with a lot of enthusiasm. She had deep set warm brown eye and brown curly hair. She was in her early 60's. “It's amazing to meet you Daisy! Your father lived with us for four years, I was teenager when he came over from New York and I grew up with him..I see the resemblance. It's wonderful that you are here. You are the connecting link that is bringing this family together again!”

That's when my eyes filled with tears. This was a lot to take in and you all know that I'm Mrs. Waterworks. I just couldn't believe this was all happening. It truly was a dream come true for me and more than I ever expected.

The house was filled to the rim with family members and they were spilling out of the lanai onto the grass. Children of all ages, woman and men of all ages...



Markus holding one of my cousin's baby girl. She was SO cute with the chubbiest little cheeks I'd ever seen...

----------


## Clarity

That's when I was brought into a special room and I met Diana's mother. She was in her 90's. She was hunched over at the dinner table, Her head shook. I couldn't believe I was meeting her..

“Mommy, This is Dean's daughter. Do you remember little Dean?”, She asked 

The old woman nodded slowly and took my hand into hers. She stared at me very intensely and clutched my hand tightly. 

Then She looked over at Markus “Who is this?”, She asked. Her voice was in a whisper, and she spoke very slowly.

“This is my husband, Markus” I said.

She ushered for me to move closer to her. I did and she whispered “Watch out. He is a handsome one, Women....They will try to take him away from you”

I laughed. “I know! I'm holding onto him tight!”

Then she closed her eyes and released my hand.

“She's tired, we have to take her back to bed now.” Diana explained.

That encounter was very meaningful for me. I watched as they helped her out of the chair and into another room. I hoped that I would meet her again, I realized that she was in the twilight of her life.... it could be the last time. I had to get my father to return to the Island and see her before it was too late. I HAD to make this happen. It was now my mission.

Our next stop was the Mandeville hotel for a late lunch. Everyone got back into their cars and we drove down the road to the hotel.



The hotel was beautiful. It belonged to Diana's father and was handed down to her father passed away. It was his pride and joy so all the family was helping to keep it running. I also found out that my family  opened one of the first hotels in Negril. If anyone ever visits the Mandeville hotel, check out the plague to the right when you first enter. It tells the whole story.

----------


## Clarity

There was a long table set up for the meal. I couldn't believe all of this was to welcome me back into the family. It was all so much! I felt SO loved ! I was overwhelmed at the same time because I didn't feel I deserved all this fanfare. Who am I? I'm no one special..



The meal was amazing and delicious, Jamaican Caribbean fare cooked by my family members and set u in a buffet spread. Everyone had contributed something. 



There was so much laughter and conversation around the table. I had to keep pinching myself because it didn't feel real. Was this really happening? I thought back to my first trip to Jamaica and I never in my wildest dreams imagined THIS...

***And if you're still reading this, thanks for caring and joining me on this journey. I'm excited that I can share this with you. It was really life changing for me.***

Here is a pic of Markus with another one of my younger relatives. He really took to him, he spent a lot of time showing him how a camera works. Watching them together made me realize that he'd make a great father ... It was officially time to start our family. No more dilly dallying on that front. 



We all took a group shot at the end of the day. I'm sorry it's so blurry, I put a blur filter over it to protect the privacy of my family members but I just wanted to share this so you could see how many came together that day from all over the island to meet us. It was simply incredible



The sun was setting and it was time for everyone to go. A lot of them had to drive back to Kingston so they wanted to leave before it got too dark. We all exchanged email addresses, phone numbers and promised to keep in touch. (And we all have!! More about that later...)

Next stop: Hotel number 3# - Mountain Top Villa, Mandeville

*To be continued...*

----------


## ralonzo29

> *Mavmaiden –* That's so awesome that you're first trip to Negril will be this December.. You're going to love it! There is no such thing as a “true boardie” or “the real thing”. The minute you arrive at Seastar, you'll see what I mean. I kind of had similar feelings my first time. I felt like everyone else had such a history together and that I wouldn't be accepted. I realized right away, that this is not the case. Everyone is so warm, open and inviting. Trust me. You'll feel at home in no time!
> 
> Our dream is to make it back to Negril in December. It really depends on a lot of circumstances. It doesn't look like it's in the stars for us right now. But you never know 
> 
> If we DO find a way to celebrate New years in Jamaica, I really hope to meet you!!


Played lotto tonight keep fingers crossed

----------


## mavmaiden

> *Mavmaiden * That's so awesome that you're first trip to Negril will be this December.. You're going to love it! There is no such thing as a true boardie or the real thing. The minute you arrive at Seastar, you'll see what I mean. I kind of had similar feelings my first time. I felt like everyone else had such a history together and that I wouldn't be accepted. I realized right away, that this is not the case. Everyone is so warm, open and inviting. Trust me. You'll feel at home in no time!
> 
> Our dream is to make it back to Negril in December. It really depends on a lot of circumstances. It doesn't look like it's in the stars for us right now. But you never know 
> 
> If we DO find a way to celebrate New years in Jamaica, I really hope to meet you!!


Thanks, Clarity/Daisy!! I would truly love to meet you if y'all somehow manage to make it in December. This trip is my 50th birthday present to myself (day after Christmas baby) and the wait until December is going to kill me. I need to stop reading the board-- it makes me so fired up about Negril that the clock is ticking far too slowly! 

I'm lovin' your trip report. You are a very eloquent and thoughtful writer (and funny, too). Your latest post about the day you met your family members is so touching. I hope it's in the stars someday for you to move to the island. If not now...maybe down the road. I can't imagine how nervous you were, but oh what a wonderful day!

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## Seveen

wow! speechless . . .

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## negrilaholic

oh hon you have moved me to tears....I am so glad you had a chance to get with your family and make the connection.

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## spottycatz

Daisy, this is one of the most beautiful stories I have ever read.  I am lost for words also!   What a wonderful family to be part of.  It is going to be amazing for your father when he reunites with all his family.  Absolutely beautiful.  Remember when I told you you and Marcus were the prince and princess in the most wonderful fairytale, well, it only gets better and better and I feel blessed to have the pleasure of you both as friends. ♥ x

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## gerryg123

You have me feelin' good and crying like a baby, Clarity .... Incredible report!

----------


## Juli

Wish I had a agree button. This is Incredible! fellin'good & crying like a baby.. How remarkable and blessed you are to be able to complete this journey.

----------


## Eden

Wow! Daisy, how amazing for you to have found so many wonderful family members!  I'm trying my best to follow along with the family members, is the 90 yr old woman your great grandmother?

I cannot wait to read a future post from you titled, "GUESS WHAT?!  MARKUS AND I ARE MOVING TO JAMAICA!!"

Love it!  Keep the report coming!

----------


## Sisse

Someone pass me some tissue, please!  Thanks for sharing this incredible report with us!!

----------


## TizzyATX

So you got the hook up on jobs huh? hahahaha

Love you Daisy, this was so sweet. You are blessed my friend <3

----------


## irie luv

This is just awesome, I am soooo happy for your guys. Truelly Blessed :Smile:

----------


## Guirigay

Loving the pics and additional details, Daisy. The hotel is really sweet!

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## sbeth

This is an amazing story! Thanks for sharing it with us. I've only been to Negril once, and I have only stayed at an AI (Couples) but I love reading this board and dreaming about our next trip. I'm amazed at your adventure.

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## wpyogi

I am speechless as well.  THANK YOU for sharing.

So blessed.

----------


## WiltedDazies

> If anyone ever visits the Mandeville hotel, check out the *plague* to the right when you first enter. It tells the whole story.


This had me cracking up cuz I was still bleary-eyed on my first read through and thought: "What?! The plague is in Jamaica--OMG!!"  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):  Duh!

----------


## Fun in the sun

i think its time for more of this...Im ready to hear more~

----------


## Clarity

*Thank you* Ralonzo, Mavmaiden,Seveen, Spottycatz, Negrilaholic, Juli, Eden, Sisse, Tizzy, Gerryg123, Guirigay, sbeth, Wilteddazies, Fun in the sun, for your comments and for coming along on this journey with us! Trip reports are so much fun to write because it takes me back to this really special trip and I get to re-live it for a little while.  I'm sorry for the delay in-between updates, I was out of town for a while but I'm back. 

Wilteddazies – your remark about the plague had me cracking up! I didn't realize that typo! Lol!

Eden – That was a Grand Aunt  :Smile: 

It's late and I have to be up early for work tomorrow - so this next update will be a short one. Longer one coming tomorrow though.

----------


## Clarity

*Trip Report Continued....*

We drove up the hills of Mandeville into an upper class residential area and stopped before big iron gates. A guard emerged and slowly swung open the gates for us. We drove inside to a big curving drive way.

I knew The Mountaintop villa was going to be beautiful, but I wasn't prepared for how huge it was. It was like a mansion. 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms. My cousin manages the property and rents it out to groups. Luciano stays here when he performs in Mandeville. 

My Jaw dropped...I was in awe. We were going to stay here?!



We unloaded our luggage and the guard brought it into the foyer. This was surreal. 

Diana gave us a tour of the property.. the different rooms... the entertainment area...huge kitchen...the lanai and backyard pool with a view overlooking Mandeville...

You can choose any room you want, She said. We have no other guests tonight, so the entire Villa is yours to enjoy

Surely I'm dreaming right now.  I whispered.

My cousin left for a few hours to give us some time to get settled. I immediately fell asleep on the big comfortable bed in one of the top floor rooms...I was just so exhausted and overwhelmed by everything I had experienced. Markus was too excited to sleep, he stripped down to his bathing trunks and jumped into the pool. 

I woke up when Diana returned. She had brought her laptop and a bottle of wine. We cracked open the bottle together and went through some video footage from one of my cousin's recent weddings (the one at St. Andrews church) and some family pictures. It's really amazing how you can feel so connected to family you just met for the first time. She really made me feel at home and shared so much. The best part was when she put on some music and we all danced. She has some moves that I really wish I had.

----------


## Clarity

Eventually she retired for the night, leaving Me, Markus  (and of course Manda) alone in the Villa. 

So we gave Manda the grand tour of the villa and we all had a party together. Here are some pictures:







Manda crashed in the pink bed on the second floor. 



Hey Manda, if you're reading this. Hope you enjoyed this little trip up to the mountains.  I look forward to meeting you someday in person in Jamaica.

----------


## Clarity

Afterwards, we stood together on the balcony overlooking the pool and the sparkling lights of Mandeville. I felt such a sense of disbelief, like I was in a movie.



“Can you believe this day?” I whispered.

Markus just laughed and shook his head “No I can't. I can't believe we are in this huge villa, I can't believe we just met your family... I'm just blown away by ALL of this, but I'm really really happy for you. All these trips to Jamaica and now the pieces are falling into places. Everything happens for a reason, it all led up to this.”

I thought of my brother and smiled. 

I did it Jared. 
And I know you were with me every step of the way.


My amazing brother...

I slept really well that night.

*To be continued...*
Middle quarters, Belmont and the Bellyflop contest.

----------


## Angel

Wow Clarity thank you for sharing, your brother is good looking. Glad you still have him in your heart and soul. Sorry he was never able to officially go with you to Jamaica and he is gone too soon. That made me sad. Looked like Manda had fun with you. Good to see you back posting was wondering were you were. Hope all is well.

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## marley9808

:Smile: 
<3

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## TizzyATX

Daisy  :Smile:   You're brother is so handsome....I can see such a resemblance. And like you said, I have no doubt he was along for this journey.  Love ya!

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## garysteph1018

Clarity... seriously! I'm supposed to write my grammar school report while you've got this thing going on!  :Smile: 

It is lovely. Your experience was just amazing! 

And you really think you would miss this place.... Heck no! Go live in Jamaica!!!!! I know, easier said than done!

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## sbeth

Your brother is beautiful Clarity!

----------


## Maryann

I'm so jealous of Manda right now.

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## Manda81

hahaha THIS IS AMAZING!!!  I showed my brother the Trip Report and the pictures .. he's pretty impressed that I've been included in all of your reports and have yet to meet you all lol Love that you took the time to have a nice glass of wine with me and it looks like Markus and I had a nice chat there and I'm sure after hopping up all those stairs, that bed was a dream!!! I have to say I'm a little jealous of my stick self right now.  You guys are amazing truly and thank you sooo very much from the bottom of my heart for including me in such a wonderful experience.  <3

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## Clarity

Thanks Angel, Marley, Tizzy, Garysteph (or should I say GregTiffany? Lol – I'm loving your trip report so far btw!) sbeth, Maryann and Manda81 (can't wait to finally meet you outside of “stick form”!) – Next update coming up now – It's a little late, so I apologize in advance for the typos.

----------


## Clarity

_Trip Report Continued..._


*Day 5*

I woke up the unfamiliar sound of a door bell ringing. It was an elaborate door bell and the sound echoed.  I sat up in confusion and looked around the bright room filled with sunshine. Fancy curtains, plush blankets, and carpets... For a second I had no idea where I was.

This confusion was due to the fact that we've been moving so much. 3 different beds in 3 days. I enjoyed this adventure, but I will say that it's a little exhausting moving around so much. I don't recommend the six hotels in twelve days approach, It's not for everyone. 

It was 7:30 AM and I wanted to sleep for another few hours. I wasn't ready to wake up. I fell back into the warm sheets and nestled next to Markus..

The doorbell rang again. 

I reluctantly pulled myself out of bed and stumbled to the door. I groggily walked across the expansive top floor entertainment area and peered down the curving staircase the front door below. 

The guard was opening the front door and My cousin Diana entered. She waved up at me. “Breakfast at Mandeville Hotel in 45 minutes. We're going to meet up with another relative, Did you sleep well?”

“Yes! The bed was amazing!” 

I returned to the bedroom and shook Markus awake. Then walked through the glass doors to take in the view of Mandeville over the balcony of The Mountain top Villa.



I still couldn't believe we were here. My exhaustion was replaced by excitement. This was really a dream come true for me. 

Breakfast at the Mandeville Hotel was delicious. Fresh Ackee and Saltfish.. My favorite Jamaican breakfast. 



I also got to meet another relative that couldn't make it to yesterday's reunion. He was incredibly intelligent and had a lot of interesting views to share. He adheres to a more Rastafarian diet and explained why this is important and healthy approach to consider. He had the most piercing blue eyes I have ever seen. He and Markus got into a very deep conversation about life. 

We then returned to the main house to say goodbye to my grand aunt and to go through the family book. She showed me the family tree and pictures of my relatives back in the day. It was fascinating. So much to learn and digest. 

Then we said our final goodbye's to the remaining family that lives in Mandeville before beginning our drive back to Negril.

****

“So when is *your father* coming back to the Island to visit the family?”, Diana asked as we drove down the curving mountains. “Does he have a trip planned?”

“No, but I've been working on convincing him... for almost a year now.” I said “I'm sure once he hears about THIS experience... he will want to come, I'm sure of  it”

She pulled her cellphone off the dashboard and handed it to me. “Here”

I held the phone and stared at her in confusion.

“Call your father” She instructed.

“Right..._now_?”, I asked

“No better time”

I hesitated. 

I hesitated because I love my father dearly but we don't always see eye to eye. We don't really talk to each other on the phone very much. We don't have the kind of relationship where I just call him out of the blue to chew the hay. There usually has to be a reason, like Father's day or a birthday. I wish our relationship WAS better …. but I digress...This is a trip report, not my autobiography

Our last conversation had been 2 months ago and it kind of ended on a sour note. As a result, he didn't know that I was in Jamaica, unless my mother told him... 

This should be interesting.

I took a deep breathe and dialed my father's number. I listened to it ring. I gazed at Markus at the rear view mirror and I could see he was watching me intently.

My father picked up “Hello??” He sounded groggy, I probably woke him up from a nap.

“Hi Dad. It's Daisy!” I said quickly “Guess what? I'm in Jamaica right now!”

“(long pause)....Jamaica, _West Indies_?”

“Yes!”, Then it all spilled out at once “I'm driving through the countryside with your cousin, Diana and we just met a whole bunch of family and they told me all the stories about your time in Kingston, your visits to Mandeville and your summers in Negril. They all want to see you so much, I really think you should come to Jamaica...soon.... Dad real soon”

“You're in Mandeville? Right now?”, He laughed, There was a total change in his voice. It switched from guarded to really warm. “You're kidding me! Diana?! Your driving with Diana?”

“Yes!” I laughed feeling more comfortable “And it's been  AMAZING!”

We talked a bit longer and then Diana took the phone. They ended up chatting for a good twenty minutes together. 

She hung up with a smile. “Done and Done”, She said matter of factly “Your father is coming to Jamaica this summer.”

Wow. 

(*NOTE:* She was right. My father booked tickets a month later. He and my mother and my two sisters are going to Jamaica *this August*!!)

We opened up a lot during that car ride. She told me about the importance of family. “it's not always easy, Sure, We fight at times and get on each others nerves. That's life. You just have to forgive and LOVE. Life is too short not too. Family is the most important thing.”

She gave me a lot to think about.

*****

The landscape was beginning to change, it was less hilly and very lush. 

“We're in the *Middle Quarters* right now”, Diana explained “We're going to stop at one of my favorite road side vendors. Have you ever had pepper shrimp?”

“No, But I've heard about it.. I've always wanted to try!”

We pulled over to the side of the road and we were greeted by this smiling face.



For those that were on the Magic bus trip, this woman will look VERY familiar. Do you recognize her?

She and Diana are friends. They greeted each other warmly. She introduced us to her (I wish I could remember her name!) and we ordered a bag of pepper shrimp and some fresh fruit. 

I was really surprised when I pulled out my first pepper shrimp and gazed at it.



It looked more like a craw fish. It had it's head, antennas and legs still attached. How on earth do I eat this thing?? Diana took one out of the bag, ripped off it's head and shoved the whole thing into her mouth.

“You keep the legs on it??”, I asked in surprised.

“Yep, it's delicious” She said.

“Hmmm...” I reluctantly pulled off the head and stuck it into my mouth. I chewed really fast because I kind of felt like I was eating an insect. 

It was REALLY good and very spicy too. I handed one to Markus and he enjoyed it too. We devoured the entire bag as we continued driving through the middle quarters.

----------


## Clarity

Then we pulled into a town area close to Black River. 

“Have you ever had coco bread?”, Diana asked.

I shook my head.

She sent Markus into a bakery with instructions to order some while we waited in the car. He returned with a warm loaf of the most delicious creamy bread I'd ever tasted...


Markus eating Coco Bread.

“We're heading to *Belmont, Blue fields* now”, Diana said “Is there anything that you've never tried that you would like to try for the first time?”

I immediately thought of the song “Sugarcane” by Shaggy. I've never tried Sugarcane and I was very curious. 

Diana made a phone call 

As we were driving I started seeing the ocean through the trees. The bluest most beautiful ocean ever! It was absolutely stunning! Now I understood why Brasi likes Belmont so much!

We pulled into an open air restaurant on the side of the road with access to the beach. I immediately gravitated towards the beach...

Wow...Gorgeous!



We entered the restaurant and I was greeted by a man with a huge walking stick of some sorts. He smiled and introduced himself. It turns out we're also distant relatives. 



He handed me the big stick. I didn't quite know what it was... or why he was giving it to me? He could see the confusion in my eyes.

“It's Sugarcane”, He explained with a smile “Diana said you wanted some sugarcane. Here it is”

I laughed “Um, I don't know how to eat this...”

“Don't worry, I have a knife. I will cut it open for you”, He said. “Come with me”

We walked over to the side table and he began to cut it up with a knife into little cubes.



I put one of the cubes into my mouth. It was delicious, sugary, watery..kind of fruity at the same time, like a pear sort of. I can't describe the taste. I just know I really liked it... The problem was, I couldn't figure out how to digest it... I just kept chewing and chewing in confusion until it was this hard piece of fiber that I was pushing around with my tongue in my mouth... now what?

“You chew it, sucking out the juices and then spit it out”, He explained with a laugh. “Don't swallow it!”

Oh! I was learning a lot on this trip!

----------


## Clarity

We met another man, that explained the secrets to winning at dominoes. Apparently he is the domino champ in Belmont. No one can beat him and he's very proud of that. I recorded his monologue and I'll post it later. 

Lunch was ready and we all sat down to enjoy it. It was a land crab of some sort, cooked in the shell and breaded/spiced. Soooo good. 





I didn't want to leave... the fresh ocean breeze, great conversation, all the amazing tastes and sensations. I was just so happy and so relaxed in that moment.

That's when I realized the time! The Bellyflop contest would be starting soon, we were going to be late!

It was time to say our goodbye's and hit the road. I had signed up for a judge and I had a duty to perform. I was ready  :Smile: 

We hit the road



*To be continued:*
_Bellyflop contest, Checking into Seasplash hotel & Roots Bamboo._
*Markus is back and he's up next*

----------


## LLAP

What an adventure. Your trip is NOT like most peoples vacation. So much more.
Thanks

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## tfw73

Oh, I agree...Belmont is so beautiful!  Your pictures of the Mandeville Hotel make me want to visit.  It looks so wonderful.

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## marley9808

> _Trip Report Continued..._
> 
> 
> *Day 5*
> 
> 
> For those that were on the Magic bus trip, this woman will look VERY familiar. Do you recognize her?
> 
> She and Diana are friends. They greeted each other warmly. She introduced us to her (I wish I could remember her name!) and we ordered a bag of pepper shrimp and some fresh fruit.


I ABSOLUTELY recognize her! I basically proposed to that kind woman and told her I needed to have her pepper shrimp soup every day of my life! Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Chicken is friends with her too, and her sister
But after tasting that soup and that shrimp I can't imagine ANYONE not wanting to be HER friend!


Awesome!  :Smile:

----------


## Eden

Great report Daisy! Love the photos of Mandeville!  So, if I understand it correctly, you are related to this Jamaican family by marriage (your uncle's marriage to a Jamaican woman? ) Just trying to understand the connection and follow along!  Sorry, I think I missed where you mentioned the details.  I can totally understand you not wanting to leave Blue fields.  It's just so gorgeous and peaceful looking! Forget a belly flop contest (sorry turtles!:-), but I think I probably would have stayed there all day getting to know my newly found cousin, haha!

----------


## gerryg123

Great report, Clarity. You're pulling out all the stops. Absolutely fantastic.

Plus, the way you roll from town to town, with each hotel or guest house better than the last, you're bigger than Popcaan!

Please don't keep us waiting!!!! Great job!!!

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## sbeth

This is pretty amazing! I love that the pepper shrimp lady shows up in everyone's report!

----------


## Fun in the sun

:Cool: 
Incredible! I really would like to sit down and meet with u and HM...
I was thinking~~ I think you should make a book for yourself and a copy for your mother and more importantly father.
You could include pictures and print it out ...with pictures of course.
I think this could be a good bondoing experince ~ your father could have an insight to your travels and the person you are!
The way he warmed up when u told him you were with your cousin,that same warmth could come across in your book 4 him.
It does my heart good to know people like u abd your husband exsist in the world.
Class act n full of Style.

----------


## Fun in the sun

excuse my typos !

----------


## Eden

Excellent idea!!  Daisy, you could make one of those books very easily on a site like Shutterfly.  What a special gift that would be for your dad.  I know you mentioned that your dad is going to Negril in August. Will he also get a chance to visit Mandeville?  I cannot even imagine the range of emotions that your dad will experience when he "returns home" again and reunites with family.  Just, wow!  Thanks for sharing your incredible story with all of us.   I now have to keep a box of tissues handy whenever I read your updates.


> Incredible! I really would like to sit down and meet with u and HM...
> I was thinking~~ I think you should make a book for yourself and a copy for your mother and more importantly father.
> You could include pictures and print it out ...with pictures of course.
> I think this could be a good bondoing experince ~ your father could have an insight to your travels and the person you are!
> The way he warmed up when u told him you were with your cousin,that same warmth could come across in your book 4 him.
> It does my heart good to know people like u abd your husband exsist in the world.
> Class act n full of Style.

----------


## Vince

I just got caught up.This is by far the BEST trip report-IMO!!!~~IRIE!!!!Gave me chills at the end reading.~Thanks!!!!!!!!!

----------


## irieworld

Yay Daisy--more of your incredible story, and of course as always, it melted my heart. The family connections, stunning photos of the land I love, and just the amazing good karma and destiny playing out is just over-the-top amazing. I should know better by now and not read your reports in public as I always cry like a baby. The family stuff just really hits home. 

That Villa was out of this world gorgeous. I can't imagine staying in a spot like that even for one night. So cool your family put you and Marcus up there. Breath-taking views. And your breakfast at the hotel is my favorite breakfast dish.

A million thanks for your continued sharing. I know I have said it before as have other boardies, but this is such great book material.

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## BrenJaLee

I always find my eyes welling up with tears every time I read your reports.  Thank you so much for bring all of us along on this amazing journey with you.  And what an incredible blessing that you were able to talk to your father on that car ride, possibly change your future relationship with him, and become the inspiration for his journey back to Jamaica and family again.

----------


## booger

Killer update and now I know why you were late to the flop. I'm with Eden, while it was great having you and glass breaking in the pool guy there, Bluefield is so beautiful that I have to get down there and spend some time. Brasi has warmed up to Belmont and if I had to guess it's the people and complete lack of hassle. I hope you take some time off when you get home to relax from your vacation..........

----------


## negrilaholic

Oh man Daisy that is so awesome how it came to be that your Dad is coming down, I am so happy for you! And I have been looking at the Bluefields/Belmont area for a while now and plan on definitely spending a day down there myself next month, it looks lovely! And you have the best family!  :Big Grin:

----------


## ralonzo29

> I put one of the cubes into my mouth. It was delicious, sugary, watery..kind of fruity at the same time, like a pear sort of. I can't describe the taste. I just know I really liked it... The problem was, I couldn't figure out how to digest it... I just kept chewing and chewing in confusion until it was this hard piece of fiber that I was pushing around with my tongue in my mouth... now what?
> 
> You chew it, sucking out the juices and then spit it out, He explained with a laugh. Don't swallow it!
> 
> Oh! I was learning a lot on this trip!



Having grown up with Caribbean style in my life I sometimes forget people havent experienced things like coco bread and cane. I wish I was there to watch your first time eating cane. I think it would have been very humorous. Your trip report always reminds how life can be such and adventure.

----------


## Manda81

As always with each new submission your trip reports continue to be not only so well written but so well experienced. You can just tell with your words how much of an adventure each new experience is for you and Markus and along with everyone else I want to thank you for giving us all the opportunity to share your adventures.  So happy that you were able to meet up with your family and create such a wonderful connection, and how GREAT!! that your father has decided to make his own trip down  :Smile:

----------


## Hubby-man

Thank you everyone for your comments, Sorry for the long hiatus. My wife just cracked the whip so we're back in the saddle  :Wink: 

*DAY 4*
*Trip Report continued....*

I had spent a good deal of the last 32 hours in the back seat of a 4-door sedan, that squeaked and rumbled over hills and mountains. The car had brushed through jungle thickets at break neck speed and flew along plains of sugar fields, erratically switching lanes and dodging head on traffic during passing maneuvers.

My body had adjusted to the bouncing, while my hands had clutched my camera for so long, that my joints ached every time I tried to straighten my fingers. Beside me on the back bench were all sorts of bags with strange treats, goodies and trash - little plastic bags containing sucked out prawn heads, foreign fruits and vegetables as well as bunches of Bananas that were neither curved nor yellow.

I had met a lot of people, of all shades of color and all ages, with all kinds of ideas and beliefs, backgrounds and aspirations. It was not a homogenous bunch, but much sooner an all-encompassing one, all of them incredibly welcoming.

The conversation in the front seat had me rubbing my hands over my sweaty face every now and then, in disbelief that it all was really happening. My wife was sitting in the passenger seat on the “wrong” side of the car, while the curly haired lady was steering the racing automobile toward a BELLY FLOP COMPETITION... of all things. How bizarre!

Since this vehicular journey had begun more then a day ago, the lady had paused, but never stopped, in the telling of an epic saga, rich in characters and events spanning the globe. She seamlessly switched between Patois, American English and German to emphasize her points in the tongue that was best suited. There where themes of heritage and history, race and property, environmentalism and the fight against cultural imperialism. All of it linked through a single family line that had branched from Scotland to this Island some 70 years ago and since then had prospered to include 100's of individuals.

Wow! This person is really related to my wife? Where did she come from, and how did we get here? What does all this have to do with me? Is this MY family too now? How did I get involved in this adventure?

I was content being an observer for the time being, but no such luck. I was constantly integrated, dumbfounded at all this wealth of strange information and asked to tell my own story in bits and pieces, especially where it related to my marriage and the years leading up to it.

Sav La mar passed by and we now weaved through thick traffic and honking taxi cabs. Diana, the curly haired cousin, was not going to be stopped. 

Daisy was to be a judge in this belly flop competition. As soon as Diana found out, that a good cause was attached, she had added the punctual delivery of this official to her own insanely busy itinerary. So she folded in the side view mirrors and gave us a Han-Solo-esque wink. I half expected the vehicle to sprout wings, instead the maneuver allowed Diana to add an additional lane to the existing road system, all the while speeding up the telling of the saga in hope to reach the end before time was up.

Of course, we did not make it quite in time. Neither for the story nor for the contest. Our timing was, ..well, sort of a compromise.

The sedan screeched to a halt in a cloud of dust before the iron gates of the Sea Star. Driven by Diana’s urging we hastily remove our luggage from all the nooks and crannies they had rumbled into during the past day.  We piled up bags of fruits and bread and other eatery in front of the reception desk and hugged and kissed good-bye. Then Diana rushed back into her car, made a race-car drivers U-turn and disappeared behind another cloud of dust.  

For a moment I was not sure whether I had really met this lady or just dreamt it. Then I saw the manilla envelope in my hands, filled with all kinds of material, our agenda for the last day, high-gloss brochures and several mission statements for all matters of good causes. 

She was NOT a dream!

The heap of disorganized suitcases and over-ripe fruit that now sat jumbled in a pile behind the reception desk, was an adequate metaphor for the state of our stirring minds. I looked at Daisy and she looked as confused and overwhelmed as I felt, when a loud rumpus called us into the here and now. A big splash, followed by excited applause made us turn our heads to the pool. The competition was in full gear. 

We hurried across the open event plaza and were met half-way to the pool by patty, who immediately began adorning Daisy with stickers, buttons and a white and golden a sash that read “Judge Daisy”.

I had missed  the first round, disqualifying me from entering in the ongoing competition, so I watch from the bar, as Daisy took her place at the judges table. The table was studded with beautiful and wonderful females. I was feeling a bit of pride watching her take her seat her in that line up.

----------


## Hubby-man

Guiriguy was getting ready and spilled out of the changing-room, rubber fins drooping at the end of his outstretched arms. He stumbled forward like a wounded animal under attack, while the look of determination in his face advertised focus like a road side billboard. The more observant onlooker could spot a dangerous glimmer of a last chance attack in his eyes.

He rounded the pool like a fighter that has already given everything, but must face yet another round. On the other side he paused dramatically, took a step back, and, mustering some force, he pushed forward. His toes curled around the pools edge as they absorbed the impact of his body contracting. Then his arms exploded outward, the fins bending sharply under the weight of the air stream, as his leg-muscles contracted in a beautiful display of manly strength. LIFT OFF!   

For a brief magnificent moment the masculine figure paints the silhouette of an Albatross against the sky,  before the whole flying circus face-plants itself hilariously onto the waters surface. The crowd went roaring with applause.

The judges conferred for a while, and one after the others held up sheets with numbers, the meaning of which was not clear to me. The crowd was displeased and yelled for more points. 

The two beers I had ordered at the bar arrived. I dutifully tried to make my way to the judges table to hand my lovely wife a refreshing drink. I think she definitely needed one after all the events that had flooded in the last day and after all the behaving properly around relatives.  

Not nearly there, one of the bottles slipped out of my hands and crashed loudly on the floor – Party foul! The crowds attention was now on me and the shards that glistened in the foaming beer around me. OMG, I think I heard some ”Boo's” and I was not sure, if this was still about the judges points or solely directed at my turning the pool's edge into a barefoot hazard. 

The Sea Star staff reacted amazingly. With more experience than a Hazardous Materials Unit, they parted the crowd, cordoned off the area and in a flash, with fast hands, made the disaster  history. They even gave me a fresh beer at no charge, even though the whole thing was due to nothing but my clumsiness. I was thoroughly flushed and embarrassed. 

By the time I gained my composure the contest was over. 

Brasi raised his voice to booming and *Ninja* was declared the Belly flop champion. Guiriguy took the news badly and my eyes found him slumped under a canopy. I have hardly ever seen such defeat. Brasi and MuzikDoc huddled over him like protective cut men. The scene reminded me of a statue we studied in Art class, named The boxer of Quirinal or Thermae pugilist.





The details of the competition have been captured so very well in all of the other trip reports, so I will not attempt to retell them. 

You can also experience this event  through Ninja's awesome video collage. This includes pictures of the honorary belly flop I was allowed to take in Guiriguy's spandex, after the end of the event. 

Sad to admit we were too tired for any clean up. But everyone else lend a helping hand. The organization for this event, backed up by the efforts from the Seastar staff, was amazing, as you might have already  learned from other trip reports. It looks like a Belly Flop 2 will soon come.

 After everyone had dried off and chucked their beers, we piled roof high into a big van together.

As we dropped off one boardie after the other, we told stories of the crazy driving we had experienced around the cliffs. Someone should open a thread on the subject, titled “you ain’t seen nothin' yet!” - Chicken's catch phrase for road rage.

Everyone was headed to Travellers Resort but we were carrying many many heavy bags and needed to check into Seasplash first.

----------


## Hubby-man

I had never heard anything about the *Seasplash*. The name reminded me of a Long Island water park. Honestly I did not expect much. An image of families with spoiled, obnoxious kids being mean to each other on water slides was stuck in my head. I did not care much either way. What we really needed now was a room, two chairs, an ashtray and a bartender. 

We were loaded off in the parking lot, with our pile of luggage and the now mushy and fermenting fruit bags. I inspected my surroundings and was very pleased with the thick green that was growing with such wild vigor all around me. 




Daisy's cousin had bought us a Jamaican flag at a drug store that poked out of my back pack. So I pulled it out and waved it wildly as we approached the reception desk. We immediately had made some friends this way. “Ya, Mon! Wave dat flag!! Good for you, Mon!”.



We said our names and the girl behind the desk began typing, when a loud noise erupted from behind a folding screen to the side. A man dressed in nothing but a pair of shorts stumbled out waving his hands in agitation. The man's big belly seemed to be commanding the direction of movement by virtue of gravity. His face was flushed and he yelled something in patois at the screen, then rubbed his face, as if it were 5 O'clock in the morning. 

“Hey *JIM*! Oh my gosh!!”. Daisy greeted the stranger with enthusiasm. 

He looked befuddled and amused. “Who are you?”

“Daisy! … Daisy and Markus?” She replied.

His face froze for a moment and I could almost see a loading graphic spin on his forehead. 

Daisy tried a different approach “It's Clarity and Hubby-man?”

Then suddenly he flung his arms out and he let out thunderous laugh in a hung over voice, slapping his hands on the tiny legs that stuck out of his short's pants. 

CLARITY? ... CLARITY AND HUBBY-MAN?! Why didn't you SAY so!”. And with that he grabbed the two of us as a package and clutched us against his mostly naked body. 

“Anything,...anything you need! Really, just say the word!” he exclaimed. “Welcome to the Seasplash! I will make you happy here, I promise!”

What a welcome!!

Our room was situated at the end of a curving path. A little yellow house with two stories and two rooms nestled itself into the surrounding garden. Everything looked organic, less like a park and more like a fairytale village. 

Inside was a large bed, some comfy furniture, an enormous closet behind the bathroom. The concierge, who had shown us to the room, apologized about the missing fridge  and hoped it would be O.K. But then she saw the large amount of food that was slowly spoiling on our luggage....

“Oh, this will not do!”, she exclaimed,”Gimme a moment” She disappeared for ten minutes and returned with a mountain of a man rolling up a large stand-up refrigerator and freezer.

“We found this in the kitchen and emptied it out. I hope you don't mind it being so big?”

Wow, this was the last thing we expected. But exactly what we needed!



We scrambled to find some tip for the amazingly engaged staffer, and finally sat down on the porch to have a relaxing cigarette, while our fruit enjoyed the saving grace of a pro-kitchen grade cooling unit. 



That's when our little JA cellphone rang. 

It was Marley!

*To be continued...*
Sunset at Seasplash and Roots Bamboo

----------


## Angel

Ok back on track loving it. Thank you!

----------


## TizzyATX

How cool was that!?!?  I'm so glad that you and Daisy made it in time to catch som of the Flop....we missed you at travellers but I was lucky enough to do the honors or painting your name on a brick.  :Smile:  

It's so much fun hearing about your experiences with family in Jamaica, you are a great writer Markus.  And you are as well Daisy, even though you take no credit  :Wink: 

Looking forward to reliving this night through your eyes!

----------


## Clarity

Thanks Tizzy and Angel!  :Smile: 

It's late but I'm going to post another short update to keep this TR moving forward.

----------


## Clarity

*Trip Report Continued...*

I was really happy to arrive at Seasplash and finally drop our heavy bags down. I had been up since the crack of dawn and driving all over the Jamaican countryside with my cousin, then rushing to Seastar to judge the bellyflop competition... I was pooped. 

I collapsed on the big comfortable bed and cranked up the air conditioner. Heaven...

I was excited about this stretch of the trip. *4 whole nights at the Seasplash!* This was the first time we had stayed 4 night consecutively in ANY hotel..._ever_!

We could actually take our clothes out of the suitcases and get comfy for a bit. This was a nice change of pace for us. I was also happy to discover that the hotel was as beautiful as the pictures on the website. I liked the lush landscape and Jim greeted us so warmly. I felt at home here surrounded by the flowers, palm trees and darting hummingbirds. 



I felt myself drifting off to sleep when Markus shook me awake. He was holding the Jamaican cell phone we had received from Rocky “Marley and Ninja want to swing by the bar and join us for some drinks here at Seasplash. Is that okay?”

I immediately jumped up. “YES!” I was exhausted but it didn't matter. I was psyched that they would be coming by and had been looking forward to hanging out with them again since our fun night together at Seastar.

----------


## Clarity

We took showers and then headed out to the bar area of Seasplash to meet up with them



Jim (boombastic) was there too and had a toast with us! 



Muzikdoc was also at the bar and it was great to talk to talk to him. I immediately warmed up to him. He's an amazing man!

Marley told me about Ninja's disappearing act/quest for rum cream the night before. She had me laughing. You have to hear Marley tell a story in person, with her animated expressions and gestures... especially with Ninja coming in to offer his side commentary. I was cracking up. They are the coolest couple I've met in a long time. I have a “couple crush” on them. (not as kinky as it sounds  :Wink: )

Drummerboy was there too, I didn't realize it until I asked about him and found out he was sitting right next to us. I introduced myself to him.  It wasn't long until Brasi showed up. We pulled up a bar stool for him and we all took in the beautiful sunset together. 



A few dirty banana's erased all of my tiredness, I felt wide awake and happy to be surrounded by these new found friends. It was funny to think back at my nervousness of meeting all of these wonderful boardies in person for the first time. Once I was there, It felt as though I'd known them all my life.

----------


## Clarity

*Trip report continued from previous page...*



After the sunset we all decided to grab some dinner at the jerk restaurant to the left of the Seasplash hotel. Cheap beers and jerk chicken. Nice bench to sit at and listen to the waves crashing on the shore. The waves that day were the biggest I had ever seen in Negril!



I can't remember who observed the moon first... but we noticed that it was an odd shape from a distance, almost like two devil horns. You could even see the dark side of the moon. It looked like some kind of mini-eclipse.

Markus ran to get his camera tripod. He and Ninja started snapping photos together. This was a very serious undertaking. This moon MUST be captured on film. This is Markus's picture of the moon that day. 



After devouring our jerk chicken dinner and licking our fingers clean... we decided to all pile into a taxi van together and head over to *Roots bamboo*. 

This is where it gets a bit blurry for me. I remember all of us sitting together on the outside tables  and laughing together. Roots Bamboo was empty at first but it filled up pretty fast.

----------


## Clarity

Someone tapped on Markus's shoulder at one point. “Hey Markus! How are you?? Remember me??”

Markus squinted in the darkness. “Umm...” He looked perplexed.

“It's Shamma Lamma Ding Dong! We took the boat out with Captain Sparrow last April?” He said.

“SHAMMA LAMMA DING DONG!!”, Markus cried out. They hugged and started talking.


Markus and Shamma lamma Ding dong

This is a big part of what I love about Negril and why I keep coming back. It's so small, that it's easy to bump into people over and over... each time you see them, you get updates on how they're doing and hear about the changes in their lives. It's an ever-evolving story and your relationships grow stronger. People like Courtney the carver, Maureen & Robert from For Real/Sunnyside Bar, Greenie and his steel drum. I never imagined when I first went to Negril, that I would become friends with them and see them again, grow to care about them so much. 

Beachgirl66 and Becca_Jean showed up next... the party was really heating up but you can tell by the state of Markus's HAIR in this picture that it was time for us to go home...



Drummerboy, Marley and Ninja left first. We danced with Becky, Dawn and Brasi for a while... and then we decided to officially call it a night too. We bid our farewell to the partying group. 

I didn't want to leave but it was getting really late. Tomorrow was Chicken's magic bus trip. We didn't want to miss that and I already knew that I couldn't rely on my cellphone alarm clock...

*To be continued - Chicken's magic bus trip*
Markus is up next  :Smile:

----------


## sbeth

So glad you are continuing the trip report!

----------


## TizzyATX

Looks like a fun night with a bunch of cool people, I'm sorry I missed that.

I miss everyone of the faces in those pics  :Smile:

----------


## marley9808

OMG!!!!!!!!!! Markus' hair!
He cracks me up

You know we have a couple crush on you guys too! Just love you both so much!

I was laughing when you said "And drummerboy was there"
I remember you walking up to us at the bar and talking to me and saying "Have you met drummerboy yet?" And I just thought you meant had I been introduced to him formally. I thought for sure that you were aware he was the guy standing right next to me talking to Muzikdoc but as you continued I realized that you had no idea that was who he was or that he had even just been in the bellyflop competition with us all afternoon. Once I realized I just said to you...."Daisy....you know that is him right there, don't you?" 
And you were like "What?!?!?! Omg! No...HI Drummerboy!"

LOL

----------


## booger

[QUOTE=marley9808;60387]OMG!!!!!!!!!! Markus' hair!
He cracks me up

You know we have a couple crush on you guys too! Just love you both so much!

I was laughing when you said "And drummerboy was there"
I remember you walking up to us at the bar and talking to me and saying "Have you met drummerboy yet?" And I just thought you meant had I been introduced to him formally. I thought for sure that you were aware he was the guy standing right next to me talking to Muzikdoc but as you continued I realized that you had no idea that was who he was or that he had even just been in the bellyflop competition with us all afternoon. Once I realized I just said to you...."Daisy....you know that is him right there, don't you?" 
And you were like "What?!?!?! Omg! No...HI Drummerboy!"

LOL

LOL! Nice update! You must have been whopped from the hectic travel of the day. Looking forward to the next days installment and your version of the events.

----------


## Fun in the sun

Im thinking about going to Ja and Everytime I read of your journey...my heart aches MORE to just get on a plane and go. Travel is the best way to educate and inspire. To open up to a culture so rich and vibrant as Jamaica... I stand like a "wide eyed" child with so much wonder. You honestly get it! It can be such a bitter sweet place but each time I go ...the smiles remain the same...its there where I am humbled~
Thanks to you both for sharing your travels! Blessings Everytime!

----------


## TizzyATX

Shauna that is hillarious LOL

----------


## Flipadelphia26

Does Shama lama ding dong do the the catamaran booze cruise from the RIUs to Ricks?  If so I met that dude.  Or else there's another guy running around calling himself that.

----------


## MoFromMonroe

I love that you know "by the state of Marcus' hair" that it is time to go home.  Now that is funny!!!

@Marcus- what are your shoes doing on the dinner table at the Jerk restaurant????
Just kidding.  Loving your report.

----------


## wpyogi

SHAMMA LAMMA DING DONG!

One of my funniest memories of the trip.  +1 and I were moving to the beach for the second part of our trip.  We had planned on snorkeling with Vincent, but alas, never connected with him.  I remembered your previous trip report about snorkeling with Shamma, so I asked Dwight at the Xtabi bar about it.

Sometimes my mouth moves faster than my brain.  The words probably came out like this...  "Hey Dwight, I'm looking for Shamma Lamma Ding Dong on the beach."

Dwight:  "Ummmmm, do you know what that means in Jamaican?  It means he has a big ding dong..."

BHAHAHAHAHAAHHHA.  Whew, thanks Dwight for saving me from that embarrassment. :Embarrassment:   White girl walks up and down 7 mile asking for Shamma Lamma Ding Dong.

Awesome trip reporting as always from the dynamic duo.  And just think when you are done with this one, you will have another to report on, lol!  Yay!

----------


## TizzyATX

Yogi....duuuude...thats FUNNY

hahahahaha

----------


## sbeth

Ha ha!!!

----------


## Seveen

boo hoo'ing like a fool :-)

----------


## Guirigay

That is some funny stuff Markus! I believe at the time of that photo though, I was still under the impression I had won! I was just completely physically, emotionally and psychologically played out...  :Smile:  Fortunately, we were moments away from a decompression session! Love both of you, love your writing, and as Booger says, "Can't wait to see the Magic Bus from your view!"

----------


## beachgirl66

And who can forget..... 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QszQucKqTXM

my goodness...

----------


## beachgirl66

What a great fun night that was...

----------


## marley9808

> And who can forget..... 
> 
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QszQucKqTXM
> 
> my goodness...



LOL!!! I will never forget Delilah!! Hahahaha, that was so funny  :Smile: 
Beachgirl I will always think of you when I hear that song.....forever!
Good times!

----------


## TizzyATX

whats the delilah story huh girls? lol

----------


## marley9808

Ha!

Did you listen to the song?
Listen to the song first and the words and then I will tell the story (unless of course beachgirl wants to tell it) lol

----------


## Clarity

Thanks Sbeth, Tizzy, Marley, Boogs, Fun in the Sun, Flipadelphia, MofromMonroe, wpyogi, Seveen, Guirigay, Beachgirl66!

Wpyogi  LOL! Omg! Your Shamma Lamma ding dong story had me cracking up!!  :Big Grin: 

Beachgirl66- Remember how I was trying to do that protective dance around you when Brasi left to walk Marley & Ninja out of Roots? Lol!  It was all too crazy! I really miss you!

Okay, Markus is up next with Chickens magic bus ride :Smile:

----------


## Hubby-man

*Trip Report Continued..*

There had been a million reasons to be excited about this trip. The thought of the Villa Sur Mer had sent happy chills down my spine every time I looked at the pictures online. The One Love Pub Crawl was something we had been wanting to do, since we planned our first trip and it was on the itinerary this time. And then of course there were all the boardie events and not to forget the day of our tenth wedding anniversary and meeting Daisy's long lost family.  

Things like wedding anniversaries, as well as meeting a lot of new people, always carry some element of anxiety though.  “Am I gonna get this right?”,

Day Six however was in the purest sense a care free event and with all the insane excitement and running around crammed in to the 5 first days, we had been looking forward to this treat especially: Chicken's Magic bus trip!

*Day 6*

As the wise Suzuki Roshi remarked though: “When you get up in the morning, I believe, you do not feel so very good.”
This morning was no different. A coffee will usually fix that problem.

Daisy turned around in bed for “just five more minutes”, as I stepped into the two trunks that  lay next to the bed, then pulled yesterdays stinky shirt over my head.

It was early. Guy, who lived across from our room appeared from the direction of the beach in a Speedo and a towel. He seemed to be the only one fully awake on the premise.

The kitchen staff was still puffy eyed. The deck and pool empty. A girl was fumbling with the shutters in the golden morning light.



“Could I possibly get some coffee?” I asked her

“Ya Mon! Just give me a minute.”

She disappeared through the swinging doors of the kitchen. I heard some cluttering noises and some Bombaclaat!'s.  Then a tinkling and out she came with a beautiful porcelain coffee-set on a tray that made love to my nostrils.

This was our first morning at the Seasplash and it was going just great! The liquid in the white porcelain service looked dark and thick. I proudly set up a the table in front of the room and woke up Daisy again with the good news in a sing-song voice: “ Coffee is ready, love, on this, the day of Chicken's Magic bus trip!”

I took a sip and admired the beautiful setting. Birds were chirping in the coolness of the morning and the sunlight coming at a low angle created magical effects. A Hummingbird whizzed by and a groggy butterfly  sat on the back  of a chair, slowly pumping its wings into shape.

Daisy came out with the cellphone. Marley had called and we had an extra half hour to get ready. So we enjoyed the hot coffee in slow sips.

We walked around afterwards to check out the Seasplash grounds for the first time in full daylight.

----------


## Hubby-man

When the bus arrived at the front gate, we stood waiting like two school kids, satchel and all. The whole crew was already inside. We slapped fives as we walked through the aisle and were immediately handed a Red Stripe. “Good Morning!!”

To my surprise it wasn't Chicken driving the bus, but his brother. Very well. My brain was still too tired to comprehend it all.

First stop ATM machine then everyone back into the bus.

We hardly sat down, when the bus came to a halt again in a strip mall near the Negril round about. Every one spilled out and and headed into a tiny mart. Inside the windows and doors were bared and the cashier was in a cage. To get to the merchandise one had to pass through an impossibly narrow turnstile. Just like South Central I thought.

All 16 people descended on the beer cooler. It was cleared out in seconds and like locust the crowd swarmed out through the rest of the store to demolish any other alcohol bearing shelves. It didn't matter who got what anyways, since any item purchased became common property as soon as we had left the store.

Outside some people lit cigarettes, others sought a bathroom. It was difficult to get everyone back on the bus. What is more: we only had a few feet to go before the bus had to pull into yet another parking lot. There was a leak in radiator and water was visibly dripping from the grill. Chicken was already waiting with a replacement vehicle at the most recent stop.

The whole troop hobbled out of the bus again. Luggage and Coolers were transferred, a little traffic jam occurred as people tried to enter and exit either of the two buses. So some stepped out of the way and lit another smoke and opened another bottle. Raul even began creating improvised mixed drinks, in two plastic bottles.



Others remembered things they forgot to buy before and crossed the parking lot to find another store.

Meanwhile Chicken made his way through the crowd and of course found many familiar faces and old friends. A lively chit chat ensued. Some people who had already transferred their belongings to the new ride sat patiently in the seats of the new bus, but - as nothing was happening - exited again and popped open another drink.

Several attempts were made to get back on the road, but someone was always somewhere other than here. Whoever had waited the longest sighed and stepped out of the bus again lighting more smokes.

“Geez, it's like _herding Turtles!”_ Becky exclaimed.

“Like what? ... What did she say?”

“She said _it's like herding turtles_!”

“Oh that's a good one. We should make that the title of our trip report.”

“I like turtles.”

“Did she call us turtles?”

The rest I guess is history.

Well, even turtles eventually get it right, and with every one on the bus Chicken grabbed the microphone and proclaimed the official beginning of the trip.



“Every disappointment is an appointment!”, he announced referring to the broken radiator.

I am not exactly sure what that meant, but the pun assured me that the real Chicken was now at the helm.

----------


## Hubby-man

As the motor hummed away smoothly and every one began settling into their seats, Chicken attempted some tour guiding and began pointing out this and that. The experienced crew took it quietly for a while, but when Chicken wanted to pull over to let everyone take a picture of some old sugar plantation, every one looked at him dumbfounded.

“Hey Chicken, we are not even in Sav la mar, yet.  How many times you think we've all seen this road.  Pedal to the medal, my man, pedal to the medal.” Someone declared

Chicken looked surprised, almost hurt, then realized his mistake. He'd have to come up with something more exotic to get any cameras clicking in this crowd. Chicken chuckled Chicken style. “Alright, my friends, I understand!”

“Chicken, your bus is why we're here!”, Marley explained. “we have already reached our favorite destination!”

“Hey chicken, put some music on!” Booger said with some buzz in his voice.

“Ya, Mon!”, chicken replied, now roaring with laughter and fumbled for a CD.

“Could you be loved, Could you be loved!” The whole bus was one unified voice. Beers rhythmically swaying in the air. The CD-player cut out many times, but the voices always carried on the song. “..by my door step, singing loud and clear..”.

A bottle of rum cream was passed around. “hell why not?” I took a healthy swig and handed it down further.

Some rum cream jokes ensued which led to some roaring laughter.



Even Brasi who was nursing a major hang-over in the back seat was chuckling.



Tizzy, who had so far buried her face in John's, in frightening proximity to the groaning brasi, now got up and joined the banter. Half standing on her seat she held two bottles of beer precariously over the seat in front of her.

I noticed she was bouncing up and down.

Time for another pit stop.

We were somewhere between Belmont and YS-Falls and pulled over to a large filling station with a lumber yard next door. As we stepped out the heat was a shock. I could feel the softness of the pavement as it emitted a nauseating odor of hot fresh tar. The air flickered above the ground and it almost seemed unnecessary to use a lighter to light a cigarette. Within seconds I felt sun burnt.

Tizzy wasn't the only one needing a bathroom. No surprise, considering the buckets of empty bottles that were being carried off the bus.

A long line formed in front of the unisex bathroom, with each person exiting giving a report of what one would find inside. We were all pretty toasted at this point. Enhanced by the heat and alcohol, the rumors of what the bathroom looked like grew into a horror story as it was passed on. Three inch long, blood thirsty mosquitos supposedly covered every inch of the walls, waiting patiently, only to descend on people in a big cloud once their pants were around their ankles. Daisy now clutched my sweaty sleeve and debated whether she wanted me to go in first or the other way around.

A Danish family extended the line at the end. The mother and three nearly white-blond daughters, arranged by size like organ pipes, looked like poster children for the Scandinavian Tourism board. Their pale unburned skin, indicated that they had just arrived. Dad was still at the pump sighing over a war torn map that he had spread over the tinted windows of his luxury SUV Rental. All of them were dressed in the most formal of business attires. A band of medieval knights would have looked far less out of place. They looked our group up and down with obvious disgust.

“We are driving our daughter to a volunteer organization in Mandeville, where she will work for 6 months.”, the mother announced with a heavy Danish accent. They looked in horror at our rowdy group. I felt really sorry for them. We must have given them have some second thoughts about her daughters philanthropic adventures. I could only imagine the discussion in the car that must have followed. ("Don't you get involved with those types, young lady!")

The bathroom turned out to be not so bad at all. And with fresh 12 packs in the icebox. The turtles were back on the bus in a record-breaking 30 minutes, YS-Falls now only a short ride away.



*To be continued....*  :Smile:

----------


## marley9808

Awwwww man...I was there for this trip...but even I sighed when I read "To be continued..."

LOL
Oh and P.S. How did I completely miss the Scandanavian poster family from Medieval Times?!?!?!?!?! Hahahaha

Love it

----------


## TizzyATX

I wanna 
? ya
and treat u right  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 
hahahahaha

that was the best bathroom stop ever lol... i remember a very enjoable smoke and some fun banter with you and daisy

----------


## Guirigay

My favorite thing about your posts is you have a trove of pics you haven't shared until you hit that point of the trip report. I also hate that you've been holding out on us this whole time...

I'm also with Marley on this. I took forever on this day so I have no standing to say what is about to follow. I also don't care. Hurry up!!  :Smile:

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## spottycatz

Brilliant Marcus. Yet more pieces of the jigsaw  :Wink:  And Mike's dead right, I just love the way you're pulling photo's out that haven't been seen yet. Family? What family???? See......missing pieces!!!!!

----------


## Beebeluv

first image that came to mind... children of the corn and then i thought wait.... they were ginger... lol no offence to any gingers i got a lil freckles from my family tree... and to the beautiful couple that is spotty cats... My grandfather, well hes my grandmothers husband i grew up with him so its no difference to me, is of scottish decent from the cameron clan... if thats what you call it correct me if im wrong hehe

----------


## ralonzo29

> A Danish family extended the line at the end. The mother and three nearly white-blond daughters looked like poster children for the Scandinavian Tourism board. Their pale unburned skin, indicated that they had just arrived. Dad was still at the pump sighing over a war torn map that he had spread over the tinted windows of his luxury SUV Rental. All of them were dressed in the most formal of business attires. A band of medieval knights would have looked far less out of place. They looked our group up and down with obvious disgust.
> “We are driving our daughter to a volunteer organization in Mandeville, where she will work for 6 months.”, the mother announced with a heavy Danish accent. They looked in horror at our rowdy group. I felt really sorry for them. We must have given them have some second thoughts about her daughters philanthropic adventures. I could only imagine the discussion in the car that must have followed.



I think if she had pearls she would have clutched them

----------


## gerryg123

Great report .... is it just the lighting or is Sweetness already sunburned?

----------


## wpyogi

Markus - freeking hilarious!!!!

----------


## booger

I'm already thinking about the next road trip as this one was EPIC. I freaking hate that word, however I cannot think of another word to best describe that day. The pic of Rahoooooool smiling takes me back as he and Marley took up the front and had a front row seat to the antics.
Hubby-man, the stop at the plantation was weird to say the least and you captured it perfect. For a second I was worried that I was on a bus with a bunch of tourist checking out random sites that were not on the radar. I remember as we pulled away that the rum cream and all else things ill came out and the rest is history.

Trip idea: Head south again with a quick pit stop at Tosh's place. Give thanks and head out to check out Bluefields for a bit and then enjoy the day in Treasure Beach. Take in the sunset and hit the road with a late night arrival. Looks like a good way to kill a day outside of Negril........

----------


## spottycatz

:Big Grin:  /\

----------


## marley9808

I am in Booger

But I would go anywhere with you guys......it's always a fun time!

----------


## TizzyATX

> [SIZE=3] I remember as we pulled away that the rum cream and all else things ill came out and the rest is history.
> 
> ]


Huh?? lol

----------


## SweetSue

Clarity - I am playing catch up here as I was away from Negril.com for a bit.  I knew I was not coming back to Jamaica for a while and it made me crazy to look not knowing when I would return.  Now that I have pushed the button, I can "lurk" happily.   :Smile:  

I am loving your trip report!!!  You know it's so funny that you describe yourself as being shy with people you just met.  I too have that affliction, I am a bit of an introvert with extroverted moments - but can be awkward when meeting large groups of people for the first time. I feel a little better about it now after reading your comments.   I was at the Luciano concert but unable to come back for the Belly Flop - I am SO sorry I missed it.  

You are so blessed to have found this large, loving extended family.  I hope you are able to keep and grow those relationships and that your relationship with your father also grows stronger because of this.  It is such a small world, I think I may have met someone in NY who is part of that extended clan of yours.  If I see them again, I will inquire further but they said their family owns the Mandeville Hotel.

Well, I am only partway thru this report but enjoying it immensely.  I wish you many more adventures together and look forward to reading about them.   :Smile:

----------


## Angel

Ok where is the rest of the story? Is Clarity back in Jamaica with her sisters and parents? If you are hope you have/ had a good time.

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## SweetSue

QUOTE [A Danish family extended the line at the end. The mother and three nearly white-blond daughters, arranged by size, like organ pipes, looked like poster children for the Scandinavian Tourism board. Their pale unburned skin, indicated that they had just arrived. Dad was still at the pump sighing over a war torn map that he had spread over the tinted windows of his luxury SUV Rental. All of them were dressed in the most formal of business attires. A band of medieval knights would have looked far less out of place. They looked our group up and down with obvious disgust.

We are driving our daughter to a volunteer organization in Mandeville, where she will work for 6 months., the mother announced with a heavy Danish accent. They looked in horror at our rowdy group. I felt really sorry for them. We must have given them have some second thoughts about her daughters philanthropic adventures. I could only imagine the discussion in the car that must have followed. ("Don't you get involved with those types, young lady!")]

I was chuckling but this part had me laughing out loud (at night, by myself, my family has decided that I am strange).  Now I KNOW that I will have to make it my business to make an effort to spend time with the turtles on their next migration.  Cuz "those types" be "my types!"  Full Enjoy!

----------


## Clarity

Thanks Marley, Tizzy, Guirigay, Spottycatz, Beebeluv, Ralonzo, Gerryg123, booger, wpyogi, sweetsue, Angel for your kind comments

Spotty, Marley – What?? You guys really don’t remember the Danish family?!
They were in line with us for the bathroom. They were last ones in line and Markus (who, as you know, talks to EVERYONE) struck up a conversation with them. I didn’t listen to what they had to say because I was much more concerned with the state of the bathroom. Lol!

Beebeluv – your “children of the corn” comment cracked me up!

Sweetsue – I wish there was a “like” button for your last comment. You definitely need to spend some time with the turtles on your next trip. I hope to be there too when it happens!

Angel – not yet, but soon come – my suitcase is in the livingroom right now. I’m so excited, it’s hard to think about anything yet. 


Sorry for the delay, we’re back in business now and lets see how fast we can get through the remaining days of our trip. We’re determined to finish this trip report.  :Big Grin: 

Markus is up next…

----------


## Hubby-man

*Trip Report Continued...*

A few half consumed subway sandwiches rolled lazily back and forth between feet and luggage on the floor of the bus. Since the last stop it had gotten sort of quiet. I think a few turtles had nodded off a bit, happily digesting a belly-full of rum cream and red stripes.

The scenery had changed.  Majestic mountains surrounded us on all sides, as we rode through a lush narrow valley. Holding hands, Daisy and I gazed out the window becoming one with the view. 

Half dazed I felt like the landscape was chanting a thousand-year old melody to me. Big oak-like trees stood at the center of each parceled meadow, their thick branches reaching out far from their trunks. Each tree in turn seemed to carry a forest of its own, smaller species sprouting roots in the furrows of its branches, while horses grazed in their shadow.

The bus rolled to a stop at the side of the road.  

“We are here! Ho, ho, ho!  Get out!” Chicken’s voice boomed.  

A few of us (like Marley) were ready to go, while the majority awoke slowly, like toddlers after a nap: stretching, yawning, a bit cranky and drooling.  It took me a moment to re-orient myself.



The entrance building to YS-Falls had a distinctly American ambience: cash registers, roped lines and lots of touristy junk for sale.  We must have looked like the mangled tourist groups that get dropped off at the Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco after a three hour visit to Yosemite, confused as to how the beautiful scenery had mutated into a Hard Rock Caf. 

Groggy turtles are harder to move than fresh ones, so we had time to smoke several cigarettes in front of the ticket counter, which brought some life back in to me. Finally we rounded the building, where we were loaded into tractor drawn carts.

The rumbly ride, slower than a tired turtle, seemed to wind endlessly through the once again majestic landscape and terminated at a little platform in a the middle of village of changing rooms and shower houses.  





We gathered around a picnic table and The mood was rising. The crowd became happy, loud and rowdy once again. 



One after the other we changed into bathing trunks and bikinis and set out towards the path to the actual falls.

----------


## Hubby-man

Turning a corner, behind a massive tree, the falls suddenly came into view. Extending from a panorama platform a river stretched straight ahead cascading down several terraces, before it veered off sharply in front of a small cluster of gaping-jaw tourists, clicking away at the magnificent sight. 



The water plunged down each of the steps as a white foaming wall of force. Spray rose high from each of the pools below, and as it rose it built glistening rainbows, before evaporating rapidly into the thin hot air. 



At the very end of the view loomed the mother of all falls, like a mighty goddess, sprawling a throne while delighting in the spectacle of her own creation of violent torrents and life-giving mist. Dwarfed in comparison, a tiny trail of colorful tourist ants climbed and panted up a jungle path, clutching slippery handrails, while their vacation attire competed with a multitude of otherworldly flowers for attention. 

We all stood there for a while, all of us helplessly attracted to the same spot. 

“I have taken the same picture in this exact same spot,” Ninja mumbled, camera pressed to his face, “and yet,…”  click, click, click, ” … I have to take it again!”.



It was hard to move any further. ‘This is it’, I thought: Real National Geographic coffee-table-book-rain-forest. Just like the watercolors from Disney’s Jungle book, the movie  that first made me want to be an artist. I just couldn’t get enough of the sight. This is why I had become a tree hugger. This is why had protested for hours on end in cold German winter weather in front of fast food chains that served billions of rain-forest burgers and this is  why I hadn’t washed my hair since 1981 to look the part -to save this experience for future generations.

----------


## Hubby-man

Without moving an inch there was a life-time of discoveries within reach, it made no sense to go anywhere else.  Surrounded by people, for a moment I felt alone and intimate with the force and beauty of nature. I wanted to soak it all in, the rainbow wet, and greedily gobble up the moments with my camera.  Even pointing straight up into the sky I found a picture worth taking.





The group began moving and thinned out along the path up to the big one.  We were all mixed up throughout the jungle now, Daisy chatting intensely with Sweetie Pie, I was engrossed in conversation with a flower and Sweetness leaned pondering against a handrail overlooking a calm pool in the river. 



As we passed each other in little groups, you could feel the group grow together. The boundaries, that formed a protective bubble around the sacred intimacy within couples and  the privacy of individuals, were dissolving, with the force of Mother Nature refreshing our being and nurturing a whole new aspect of all of our relationships. Our roots broke through and grabbed hold in eachother, where we found fertile, inviting ground to draw strength in.

----------


## Hubby-man

When the handrail finally opened up and allowed access to the water, we all were bursting with the desire to dunk ourselves into the river. Let’s get baptized in this experience.

Everyone was already splashing around by the time I reached the spot. Tizzy was swinging wildly from a rope fastened to an overhanging branch 100 feet up. The range of each of the  long rope’s swings was enormous and though she moved slowly, just above the water surface, she could not control her trajectory and comically crashed into a laughing group of tourists. 





I filmed the whole spectacle from the platform, when Mr. Spottycatz urgently tapped my shoulder.

“Oh dear, oh dear! Look at my wife, she is gonna jump from that ridiculous contraption up there, while I am pissing my pants watching her.”  I followed the direction he was pointing in and found Mrs. Spottycatz waving from up above, where she held onto a rope, about to swing over the river and drop 15 feet into the water below. Then she pushed off and disappeared behind a tree. A second later we heard a huge splash over the roaring of the water fall, followed by cheering turtles in the river. 

“Man, that looks like fun, Mr. Spottycatz! Let’s do it.”  

“Oh, I don’t think so! You wouldn’t do that, would you?” He responded shaking his head, as if this was thoroughly silly idea.

I chose the rope as my entry point into the water and joined the jolly fun in the wet.

We splashed around for almost an hour. Then groups of people explored onward. Marley and Ninja set off to splurge on a zip-line experience, they had budgeted for this reach. Everyone else trotted further up the path, back and forth, mesmerized by their surroundings.

Daisy and I observed Guiriguy, as he struggled time and time again against the current, trying to reach the fall just in front of him. As soon as he got close indeed, the forces of the water overwhelmed him and rapidly washed him some 30 feet backwards.  He found his footing and with incorrigible termination set out to complete his Sisyphus task once again, of course with the same result. It was incredibly interesting to observe. 

Later, after setting out on a solo exploration, I found my wife and Guiriguy talking at a handrail. I observed them from a platform high up above. The sunlight filtered green through a cathedral of trees and epiphytes. My vantage point was lofty.  We seemed to have arrived at the well of life itself and I could see it all from here.



When I made my way back down the slippery stairs, Daisy stood alone, looking across the raging waters, tears streaming down her face.

“Are you O.K., Baby?”

“I don’t know.”, she replied. “I feel so, … so intensely happy. I feel they are all here,… the people that left. The lost ones, I have been missing. I feel like I don’t ever want to leave this spot.” She was deeply moved. 

Guiriguy joined from behind.  He too was in a special state. He pointed out the strangest things. I followed him to the big waterfall and he urgently pointed out a tiny little trickle of water that ran parallel to it. 



“Look!” he exclaimed most excitedly. “Look there! The small waterfall! Isn’t it that most beautiful thing you ever saw?”

It was beautiful.

----------


## Hubby-man

Then time sneakily made its way back into our lives.

“Shouldn’t Marley and Ninja be coming down the zip-line any moment?” Daisy urged.

“Oh my god yes! We have to get in position to get some pictures.”

We grabbed each other’s hands for stability and ran back down the slippery path. The others were already positioned along the way with their own big and small cameras, so we took position at the remaining spot at the end of the line, where our YS- experience had started in earnest. 

My battery was dying and my arm was getting tired, when a tiny little dot emerged far away at the end of the zip-line. I trained my camera on it and used the last batter power to capture the adventure. As the spot came closer I discovered I was filming a park employee, who set out ahead of the two. I stopped the footage. 

The suddenly Marley appeared. I pushed my record button frantically. 

“Operation cannot be completed. Writing to memory card!” , the screen informed me. 

I pushed again and again and finally got it to work as Shauna had already arrived on the platform. 

“Ninja then. “ I thought, but focused on not making the same mistake as before I held out to see if it was really him zipping down next. When I could finally tell, my zoom was extended too far and I only got a tight cropping shot of his spinning butt passing over me. – Sorry guys. Oh well.



The group gathered merrily at the familiar picnic table. Everyone was in the best of spirits and hungry for more subway sandwiches, which were quickly prepared and passed about. 

Ninja and tizzy got into a giddy martial arts fight and suddenly every one was doing gymnastics. It was as if we had all bathed in a fountain of youth and nothing could stop us.



The tractor pick us up and delivered us back into the care of Chicken for our next adventure, which we were thoroughly ready for.



The above picture is for Marley! - a little gem from the forest.

*To be continued*
Pelican bar & middle quarters – up next

----------


## Sweetness

I love you man.  You describe things so perfectly and capture photos with poignacy that it takes my breath away.  Thank you for sharing this with everyone - Jamaica sweet Jamaica the land that we all love - the beautiful place that brings us all together and brings us all so much JOY.  ONE LOVE - one people (so looking fwd to more)  Thank you.

----------


## Angel

Well you've done it again, written a great story and the part about Daisy feeling the connection to lost loved ones made me shed a tear. Now I also want to watch the Jungle Book to see all the characters. Looking forward to more. Thank you!

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## TizzyATX

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE

I could talk about this trip all day long. everyday.  In fact my friends (the few i do have here at home) are so tired of hanging out with me because of it. LOL  

Been missin JA so bad....thanks for taking me back there bud. I miss you and Daisy so stinkin much <3  miss all y'all!!!  Mrs. Katz....in case you didn't know....you are one BADA$$ Mamajama  :Cool:

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## marley9808

> The above picture is for Marley! - a little gem from the forest.




OMG! I LOVE this....so much! Almost as much as I love the two of you....thank you for sharing this photo. It made my whole day  :Smile: 
Wow!
Love it!
<3

----------


## gerryg123

Really great stuff, Markus. I love it.

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## yetta

Perfect pictures of paradise!!!  :Smile:

----------


## spottycatz

Hey Tizz, I feel rather proud to be a BADA$$ Mamajama ha ha (I hope)! Miss Ja and everyone, everyday ....   Turtle ♥

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## TizzyATX

It was a compliment of course!  _I_ was sure proud  :Smile:   Love ya!

----------


## msB



----------


## Sam I Am

I am finally getting caught up on this after about a month... glad to see it is still going  :Smile: 
Thank you for your thoughts, photos and memories Clarity and Marcus... these are a real gift to the rest of us.

----------


## Clarity

> 


LOL! Love it!! :Wink:

----------


## Clarity

> LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE
> 
> I could talk about this trip all day long. everyday.  In fact my friends (the few i do have here at home) are so tired of hanging out with me because of it. LOL  
> 
> Been missin JA so bad....thanks for taking me back there bud. I miss you and Daisy so stinkin much <3  miss all y'all!!!  Mrs. Katz....in case you didn't know....you are one BADA$$ Mamajama


Awww, I miss you too girl!!!

And yeah, my friends here in SF are getting tired of hearing about Jamaica all the time too! haha! Good thing we all have eachother and Negril.com!

And I agree Mrs. Katz IS one BadA$$ MamaJama! lol!

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## Clarity

> I love you man.  You describe things so perfectly and capture photos with poignacy that it takes my breath away.  Thank you for sharing this with everyone - Jamaica sweet Jamaica the land that we all love - the beautiful place that brings us all together and brings us all so much JOY.  ONE LOVE - one people (so looking fwd to more)  Thank you.


I Miss you Sweetness :Embarrassment: 
I feel the same way, Our love for Jamaica is what brought us all together. I'm so grateful that it did

----------


## Clarity

> OMG! I LOVE this....so much! Almost as much as I love the two of you....thank you for sharing this photo. It made my whole day 
> Wow!
> Love it!
> <3


It's amazing going through Markus's photostream because he caught so many moments in nature that I had missed... Butterflies and dragonflies, birds and bees. 
He knew you would particularly love this shot  :Smile: 
We miss you!

----------


## Clarity

Thanks Sweetness, Angel, Tizzy, Marley, Gerryg123, Yetta, Spottycatz, Sam I am, Msb for your comments

Next update coming up!
(We're trying to pick up the pace here, but I don't think this TR is going to be completed before I leave... We're only half-way through the trip so I'm going to have to revise that plan.... :Stick Out Tongue: )

----------


## Hubby-man

*Trip Report Continued*

I took Daisy's hands in to mine, looked into her deep brown eyes and gave her a big long kiss. Her lips tasted of sunshine and crystal clear water. Then I picked up my backpack and rummaged for a replacement battery for my camera. I was excited. All these experiences we had already had at YS Falls and Pelican Bar was still to come. I needed that camera battery!

The bus stopped unexpectedly. I looked outside the window, but found nothing that indicated why we were here.

“What's happening? Why are we stopped?”, I asked.

“Food, honey, we are stopping for lunch!” Daisy enlightened me. I felt like the kid in class, who hadn't paid attention.

“Ha, food, I had forgotten all about that! I can eat! Let's do it.”



We stepped out onto the dirt road and found ourselves in front of a large structure, made of crude bricks, with  glassless windows and a corrugated iron roof. Piles of timber of all sizes leaned against the outside wall, as well as a fiber-glass  Jacuzzi-shell and other abandoned bathroom hardware. Fixer-uppers?

Following the pack, we entered a large mostly empty hall, with a few tables and benches. Graffiti-like artwork, depicting  Jamaican subject matter like Bob Marley, lions and African scenes, covered parts of the wall where ever it hadn't peeled of with the plaster. 

Several doors let further into the structure and out to the other side. The group splintered as everyone passed through the doorway they found most promising. Daisy and I took the longest route of course, but eventually ended up with every one else on the other side of the building. 

As I exited the door-less opening and looked to the right I almost fell over backwards. Stretched out before me was an industrial scene that seemed to present itself unchanged from the iron age, as if it had come a straight from a display case of the Natural history Museum.

A long flat structure had been erected from bricks, above which a grid of metal pipes was raised. Pots had been placed on the grid and a wood fire was lit beneath them. Everything from the stone structure to the cooks was thoroughly covered in soot, giving the whole scene an appearance of having been made of one and the same continuous blob of black and white material. 

A line had formed, but beside the turtles there were no other customers, far or wide. And yet, food for a whole army was simmering in the endless row of pots. It was indeed a baffling thing to behold, here in the middle of not really anything. 

Daisy clutched my arm from behind, stood on her tippy toes and laid her chin on my shoulder, like she does, when she is excited about a situation, but unfamiliar with the 'customs' of it.

“What's in those pots?”, she asked.



I looked for a menu and found a blackboard with faded marks under a cover of more soot. 

“Mmh, not sure, honey, I think it says 'curried goat', 'jerk pork', 'festival',... I can't make out more.”. There were about 20 more unreadable items.



“What did you get?”, I asked someone.

“I am not sure!”, was the answer, “But it's good!”

We ordered some curried goat with callaloo and festival. Three different chef's sprung to life. Despite the missing range and gas burner, the kitchen operated like a modern kitchen-line.  A plate was passed, each cook added the ingredient of their station and in no time the food was passed to the 'window'. Slap, slap slap.

----------


## Hubby-man

We carried the steaming Deliciousness off to the empty building and took a seat at a long bench with the others, who had already moved on to resume drinking, screaming and play-fighting each other. A few Jamaicans had strolled in from the street, attracted by the commotion. Everyone was quick to make friends with the new arrivals and stood at a bar in jovial conversation in patois and 'regular' English.

The food was delicious, seasoned to absolute perfection. The festival was a buttery sensation. And the callaloo, ...I don't think you can get bad callaloo in Jamaica. I am still dreaming of that slight bitterness that rejuvenates the palette. 



I must warn you though, that when you go to Jamaica and venture out of your all-inclusive, expect to eat every and any cut of meat an animal has to offer. The Jamaican butcher makes no distinctions when he cuts the animal into equal size portions.  If you get lucky, you'll have the tenderloin on the plate, but every once in a while a meal might be more sinew then flesh. You must learn to chew real good or you might find yourself a vegetarian. 

I for one, learned to eat whatever is put before me. Jerk chicken for example is usually processed IN the mouth, meaning, you will put the whole animal inside your eating cavity, perform some acrobatic teeth and tongue action before spitting out a clean skeleton. Don't bather with utensils. Be prepared and you won't mind a bit.  The flavors are sensational and in no time you will be sucking the marrow out of poultry bones like a true Jamaican (Many of them are vegetarian though).

----------


## Hubby-man

Ouside, Jon was eyeing the lumber and the employee, who was busy chopping the firewood for the kitchen.



“Can I try?”, he asked

The Jamaican looked at him like he was crazy. When he saw that Jon was serious he smiled broadly. 

“Ya mon! You cyan chop da whole lot of it!”, he laughed as he handed John the ax. Then he stepped back with a glint of concern in his eyes.

Jon strained with the heavy, yet dull instrument, then brought it down on the wood. The log just giggled at the attempt and then rolled off unscathed. The Jamaican gave Jon a few pointers and reposition the lumber. 



Jon swung and got a good thud out of the ax, but slipped off dangerously close to his legs. Lightning fast the more experienced man caught the handle and stopped the momentum just in time, giving John a wide eyed look, and shook a scolding finger. 

An audience had gathered and John was in no mood to quit and continued until he got the hang of it.  Everyone clapped and cheered at each successful thud. John, finally having split the darn log, took a bow and we could get on with the trip, with one more skill in this group of turtles! 

Remember: a Jamaican will gladly share a chore with you, should you be interested. You just might get more than you bargained for.

----------


## Clarity

Our next stop was the Middle Quarters for Pepper shrimp

When we all spilled out of Chicken's magic bus, I was surprised to see a  very familiar face greeting the group!



It was the same woman we had met only yesterday on the way back from Mandeville!

She recognized us immediately You're back!! she exclaimed with a huge smile

I told you we'd be back I said laughing.

Everyone began eagerly purchasing and devouring the delicious pepper shrimp in huge bags... seasoned to perfection. 

I have some new soup I made... it's right here, She said gesturing to a big pot. It didn't seem like anyone really heard her.. and for a moment she looked disappointed at the lack of enthusiasm over her special creation. She saw me looking at the pot and turned to me with a hopeful smile Daisy! Would you like to try my soup?

I was hesitant because I had just eaten a huge meal and was munching on a massive pile of Pepper shrimp. I didn't know if I had any room left in my stomach. Um..Sure, How much is it?

100 JA She said. let me scoop out some soup for you, you're going to love it. I promise. You just wait

Okay, bring It on! I said handing my bag to Markus and gesturing for him to give me some money. He laughed and rolled his eyes. 

I took the warm cup into my hands and took that first bite...



I wish I could describe the taste of this soup. It was creamy goodness... absolutely delicious. I just moaned and closed my eyes.  Markus had a bite and immediately rushed to get a cup of his own. 



I handed it to the spottycatz to try and they quickly jumped on board. Soon all of the turtles were eating the special shrimp soup and moaning in bliss.

If you happen to see this woman on the side of the road in the middle quarters and she offers you soup... say YES. You wont be sorry. 

The fresh Jamaican air, the sunshine coming in through the trees and the tropical warmth combined made this moment feel perfect... on the side of this dusty road, enjoying fresh food... I was just so happy. I felt like the day couldn't get any better and we still had Pelican Bar to look forward to!

We all bid farewell to the smiling woman in front of her fruit and pepper shrimp vendor and piled back up into Chicken's magic bus.

I ate my pepper shrimp from the bag on my lap as we rumbled down the dirt road towards Pelican Bar. 



I had only seen this in pictures and I couldn't wait to experience this for the first time in person..

*To be continued...*
Next stop  The Pelican Bar

----------


## gerryg123

Great stuff ... not too many pics of Brassi so far!

----------


## marley9808

LOL....Brasi hasn't come to life yet (poor guy)

I have but 3 comments

1) Every single time I recall, read about or remember this day I smile.....BIG
2) I am now super hungry and even more missing all of the wonderful food of Jamaica....I want some of that soup BAD!
3) I am super excited about your new found desire to get back on track with this TR....however I think the momentum will end abruptly soon and I doubt hubby-man will continue with such speed without his coach pushing him....but I am still loving every single second of it (maybe I will even finish mine soon lol)

Love and miss you all <3

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## TizzyATX

Looks SO good, i'm starving now too! That was such a cool stop, I'll never forget the fuzzy memories I have of it. hahaha

Yall are coming outta nowhere with these pics!!! Love seeing new ones i haven't seen yet and these are awesome like all the rest.  Do you mind if I steal the ones of Jon choppin wood?  You know I can't help myself...

Thank you for this report, it's fantastic.  Marley, Still checking everyday for you and Raul to update.  :Wink:

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## spottycatz

Tizzy, you are so right about the fuzzy memories. I'm really getting a buzz from finding out actually what we did. The more I read, the more photo's I see, the less I remember.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):   :Confused:

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## spottycatz

Mrs Katz here ..... I want some soup..... !!  Best soup I have ever had, I can still taste it!  The joys the turtles shared that day will never be surpassed! Great writing and amazing photos once again, thanks a million ♥

----------


## Angel

Ok Daisy you must be back from visit with your Mom Dad & sisters. So finish report please. Know maybe your parents might want to keep low key about their trip. Just hope they had a good time. Now guess it will be awhile before you make it to JA having made the extra trip. Hope you had a good time.

----------


## Angel

You guys been busy, like your reports please post more.

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## booger

> you guys been busy, like your reports please post more.


*​agreed!!!!*

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## walleyed99

This has been an amazing TR, I feel like I know so many of the people spoken about. Both of you(Markus,Clarity) have a really great storytelling way about you. To the rest of the group, I only hope I get to meet you at some time in Negril! You all sound like you would be sooo much fun to meet, get to know and party with!

Cheers!

----------


## Turtle

I promise that if I ever get the great pleasure of hanging out in Negril with the group from Chicken's magic bus ride, I won't be the last turtle on the bus!  :Smile:

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## Seveen

got me all excited that there was MORE trip report . . . <sob>

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## TizzyATX

Tease!!!!!!

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## Angel

Hello, hope all is well miss seeing you both post Daisy and Marcus. Your missed by others too.

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## sbeth

I'm loving this!

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## gerryg123

Yeah, I am waiting, too. Usually, the reporting sparks up on weekends, but alas it's Sunday already, nothing yet. And at this point in their report, they're just getting ready to hit Bentley's for the Wednesday dinner a bunch of us shared, so I bet the pics will be amazin' .... Clarity? Bring it!

----------


## Clarity

**New entry coming up**

----------


## Clarity

Sorry for falling off the face of the earth for a while. Life has been particularly hectic. I also felt like we had passed our expiration date for completing this trip report. I figured no one would care anymore about what happened on our vacation. It’s old news.

But then I logged into Negril.com yesterday and saw Tizzy’s new April trip report. Reading her words and seeing her pictures brought me right back to Negril. It was as though no time had passed. I love that she’s sharing her experiences. It inspired me to continue sharing ours.  

Yes, we are going to finish this trip report, if it’s the last thing we do. *shakes fist*

So here goes….

*Trip Report Continued…*

We last left off with Chicken’s magic bus ride. We had just left YS Falls, had lunch, pepper shrimp in middle quarters and we were rumbling down the road towards Pelican Bar.

Chicken parked the magic bus in front of Black River. We all piled up and most of us headed straight for the bathroom. 

There was a line up of boats along the shore and the owners were negotiating a price for roundtrip transport to Pelican Bar. I didn’t hear what was going on because I was more interested in taking pictures… My eyes scanned the shore for crocodiles.



Eventually the group split up into two separate boats and we were on the water heading out into the great blue sea. 



The initial stretch was pretty bumpy for me. I gripped the side of the boat tightly and I had to close my eyes at times to avoid the sprays of saltwater. I had never been on a boat this small before for any long distances. Now we were going out pretty far past my usual comfort level. The wind was in my face, the smell of ocean and the clouds overhead…It was surprisingly peaceful once I just surrendered to it and erased the fear of the boat capsizing onto a hungry school of sharks…

The ride was longer than I expected but that’s usually how it is when you’re eager to get somewhere. 



I had been looking forward to Pelican Bar the most. I had seen the pictures, but it was hard to imagine a place like this actually existing in real life. It was something out of a fairytale. This structure looked like it should not even be standing and would simply collapse if you blew on it too hard. 

It was so exciting when we first spotted it in the horizon. I was completely fascinated by the sight. It was like experiencing something in person that you only dreamed of. A lot of Jamaica feels like that… almost surreal and you have to pinch yourself just to be sure you’re really there. I hope this feeling I get when I’m in Jamaica never goes away because it’s the best feeling in the world. 



We had arrived!

----------


## Clarity

The staircase leading up to the Pelican bar is gnarly and lopsided steps made out of crooked wood…with big unexpected gaps. It looks like something the Lost Boys in Peter pan would have built. I felt like I was going to fall backwards after each step. This could have been due to my red stripe consumption…

I loved the way it looked inside the bar with all the colorful flags, signs, sticks and carvings. 



We bought red stripes and wandered around, exploring and peering at everything. There was a buzz of adventure and happiness in the air. All around me. I loved the energy.

The next course of action was exploring the waters around the bar. The bartender told us that the waters were shallow and easy to swim around in. It was pretty hot and I was eager to cool off. Some people began to strip down to their bathing suits and jump in.

I climbed down the rickity staircase to join the group of swimming and splashing turtles. I eased into the warm ocean water. It was about 3 feet deep and kind of cloudy. I couldn’t see past my knees.. 

“There are some sea urchins on the bottom”, Someone noted immediately. “Everyone just be sure to shuffle your feet when you walk around”

_“Sea Urchins??_” I whispered to Markus “oh no…” I gripped his arm.

“Don’t worry”, He assured me. “As long as you shuffle, you will be fine”

And this leads us to….

*UrchinGate 2012*

Okay, So you’ve heard the sea urchin story from many different perspectives already (Marley, Ninja, Guirigay, Booger, Spottycatz…I think even Sweetness).Now I guess it’s my turn to tell the story. 

First my lionfish encounter, then the Bats encounter and now Sea Urchins? As if I don’t have enough things to be afraid of. It’s really odd that this even happened.

First of all, I was wearing water shoes with thick rubber soles! I was the overly cautious one of the group. Almost everyone else was barefoot. No one had a problem. Second of all, I WAS shuffling carefully just like everyone told me to do! 

*Shuffle Shuffle Shuffle Shuffle*

Of course, _I shuffled right into a sand bank covered in Sea urchins_ and one of them got stuck in my big toe. I lifted my foot and saw a sea urchin firmly attached to it! I gasped at the sight and felt sheer panic. Now what?? I hopped over to Markus. “Oh! Ow! Take it out! Take it out!”

Markus valiantly came to my rescue. He quickly pulled it out for me and chucked it far away from the bar. 

“Are you okay?”, He asked (He thought it had just gotten stuck in the rubber part of my shoe, but actually it penetrated through the cloth part)

“Yeah, I’m fine… I think I want to get out of this water now though…” I mumbled. My toe was throbbing and I experienced pain when I put pressure on it… but I didn’t want to concern anyone. I just figured the pain was temporary and would go away. I told Markus to keep swimming with the group. They were heading out to explore a shallow area to the right of the bar.

So I limped back up into the Pelican bar. The Spottycatz, Sandie (pooper), Booger, Becky, Sweetness and Marley were all hanging out there drinking and chatting up a storm. 

Sandie immediately noticed I was limping. She went into nurse mode. “Daisy, Why are you limping?”, She asked.

The group all turned and stared at me with concern. 

“I just stepped on a sea urchin” I said with a shrug and wave of my hand “Eh, It hurts a bit, but I’ll be fine… I’m just going to order a drink and-.”

“No”, Sandie said shaking her head “Let me see your foot”

“I’m fine” I said trying to look nonchalant “Carry on everyone”

“Your foot”, Sandie ordered “Now” She patted her lap.

When Sandie means business, she is not messing around. I didn’t want to take off my water shoes because I’m self-conscious about my feet. I also don’t like having them touched by anyone. (I know it’s weird, I’m just really ticklish) I’ve involuntarily kicked an ex-boyfriend in the face that thought it would be cute to tickle my toes. 

I saw from Sandie’s expression that there was no use fighting her on the issue though so I reluctantly pulled off my water shoes, mumbling and grumbling to myself. 

Of course, when I saw my big toe… I had to gasp out loud. There were all these black spines sticking out of it! 

…that can’t be good…Now all eyes were on me

“You need to get those spines out”, Sandie said “Give me your foot”

“No, That’s okay… I haven’t had a pedicure, So you know… I’m just gonna…um,wait it out…see what happens….”

“YOUR FOOT”, Sandie repeated “NOW”

I sat down on the hard wooden floor of Pelican bar and surrendered my foot to Sandie. She grabbed it with expert ease and accessed the situation. “Mmmhmmmm” she said, suddenly she was squeezing out the spines and pulling them individually out with her fingers. I winced because I was feeling some serious pain, but I was so grateful at the same time. 

“Okay there are still some spines left that I can’t reach with my fingers, we need to dig deeper”, She said in a calm and steady voice. Something told me this wasn’t good news…

Suddenly someone was handing her a switchblade! A SWITCHBLADE!

“Whoah whoah whoah!!” I said laughing “that’s not... no wait!”

That’s when a towel was thrown over my head and I couldn’t see anything
. 
I’m thinking “Okay, here I am sitting on the floor of some bar made of _sticks_, in the middle of the _Caribbean ocean_. My big toe is covered with sea _urchin spines_. A woman I just met a few days ago is about to perform an operation with a _switchblade_.. and now a towel has been thrown over my head??…”

I pulled it off and turned around. “What the-…??” I started laughing.

That’s when I felt a stabbing pain in my toe. Sandie was now busy with the switchblade. She had a steady hand and a firm grip on my foot. She was clearly a pro at this. Spottycatz, Sweetness looked so concerned… Booger looked…well, mischievous as always…



Marley immediately bought me a shot and said “Here drink this, quick – it will help with the pain!!”

I downed the shot and started gasping, it burned so bad… “Aaaaaaaah!!!! What _was_ that?!?!”

“Overproof rum”, Marley said urgently like a nurse that had just administered necessary medication. “Here’s a chaser”

Surprisingly, that helped… or at least the burning in my throat and chest distracted me from the pain in my toe. So that was good. This whole situation was just so bizarre that I had to laugh… I looked around at this caring group of newfound friends protectively surrounding me and I realized that I really loved these guys. I especially loved Sandie for stepping up and removing the spines from my foot like that. It was that moment that this Negril.com group of boardies went from friends to *family* in my eyes.

I hugged her when the operation was over, she kept repeating medical advice. “I want to see you tomorrow and I want you to show me your foot, I want you to call me at ANY TIME if you think there is an infection or any pain. Let’s schedule a time and place for a follow up appointment”

She is amazing and truly the mother hen of the group.

*Thank you so much Sandie!*

She removed every spine from my toe… sans one tiny piece. That came out 3 weeks after I left Jamaica. She had disinfected the area with alcohol, so thanks to her swift medical care… I was absolutely fine

…Albeit slightly _traumatized_. I absolutely loved the Pelican Bar and it’s an experience NOT to be missed. I would go again in a heartbeat but wild horses couldn’t drag me back into those surrounding waters. 

*To be continued*



UP NEXT:  The rest of the day at Pelican Bar and some special video footage

----------


## Angel

Welcome back hope that life treats you better. An expiration date for your report? Nope sorry come on post away. Like your photos and reports. Nice you had Sandie to get those spines out. At least you did have your shoes on and did not step on it.

----------


## marley9808

Yay!


Hmmmm a video you say? I can't wait to see it  :Wink: 
lol
Glad you are back on the report....I love reliving this trip  :Smile:

----------


## Seveen

yeah!

----------


## TizzyATX

I would just like to say for the record.....Clarity....if I had known what was  happening I would have been there to offer my moral support as well.  You are such a trooper.  PS, I dug out a little spine about a week after the trip too.  Guess I was feelin no pain that day hahaa.  Those little suckers HURT!

So glad you are back on board with this.....and looking forward to the vid  :Wink:

----------


## Guirigay

Tiz is a bit of a fibber, but in a loving supportive way. Pretty much NOTHING was going to get Tiz inside the Pelican Bar while all this was going on...

Please carry on my friend, glad you're back  :Smile:

----------


## marley9808

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
GG - That was the exact same thing I was thinking LOL

----------


## booger

> Tiz is a bit of a fibber, but in a loving supportive way. Pretty much NOTHING was going to get Tiz inside the Pelican Bar while all this was going on...
> 
> Please carry on my friend, glad you're back





> HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
> GG - That was the exact same thing I was thinking LOL


me too, but I'm wearing my nice guy hat today. Lol Tiz!

----------


## marley9808

Nice guy hat?

Oh this just keeps getting funnier!

----------


## bjritz

Glad to have Hubbity back and posting some more. I was wondering what your view of the switchblade surgery would be, and you took it like a trooper. I laughed at the towel over your head. "Doc, got any anesthesia?" "Yup, double punch rum and a towel."

I was waiting for the pee on the foot, but that never came. Always did in my previous urchinectomies.

----------


## marley9808

> I was waiting for the pee on the foot, but that never came. Always did in my previous urchinectomies.


It WAS discussed briefly...and I think someone even volunteered LOL

----------


## spottycatz

In that pic of 'the operation', you'll see my bloke body language is kinda twisted inwards. Having the front end view of that knife work was one of those , gotta protect everything, moments!!  :EEK!:

----------


## booger

> It WAS discussed briefly...and I think someone even volunteered LOL


I volunteered as I was in full consumption mode and had plenty to help. 

Lol Spottycatz

----------


## TizzyATX

> Tiz is a bit of a fibber, but in a loving supportive way. Pretty much NOTHING was going to get Tiz inside the Pelican Bar while all this was going on...
> 
> Please carry on my friend, glad you're back





> HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
> GG - That was the exact same thing I was thinking LOL





> me too, but I'm wearing my nice guy hat today. Lol Tiz!


I have no idea what y'all are talking about

lol

Nothing happend  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## TizzyATX

Booger just really wanted to pee on someone hahaha

----------


## Clarity

LOL!!! You all are too much! All of you have me cracking up at my desk at work right now! :Wink: 
So glad I checked in at Negril.com, you guys have brightened my day through your comments.
back to work I go - I'll write more later - I've really missed everyone

----------


## gerryg123

Good job so far, Clarity ... We're a-waitin' .....

----------


## Eden

Yay! Clarity is back! :-)  I really enjoy your trip reports, so please keep writing.  Hope you and Markus are doing well!

----------


## jennnn

Glad to see your back!  Enjoying your trip report, as always  :Smile:

----------


## Clarity

*Trip Report Continued...*



I was in a great mood again once those pesky sea urchin spines were removed from my foot. I ordered another cold Red Stripe and kicked back with the rest of group. I spent most of the time lounging on the deck area of Pelican Bar taking in the views of the sea and enjoying the ocean breeze. I was relaxed and happy in the moment. I don't think anything could erase the perma-grin from my face. 

Here are some more pics from Pelican Bar


Guirigay


Ninja


The group together

----------


## Clarity

Eventually the sun began to dip down towards the horizon and the boats had returned to take us back to shore..





I was sad to leave the Pelican Bar. It meant that this magical day was coming to an end and I didn't want it to..



The boat ride home was a lot more lively then the boat ride there.  Our boats were side by side with each other, racing across the ocean at top speed. Everyone was messing around with each other, laughing and putting on a show. I cracked up more than a few times to the point of tears.

----------


## Clarity

What a day!



I fell asleep on Chicken's magic bus ride home. My face pressed up against the window and my knees curled up to my chest. I was utterly exhausted and content. There was a pit stop at one point and another beer run.. 

Once we arrived in Negril, everyone started slowly coming back to life. The party wasn't entirely over yet. We continued on to Seasplash with Tizzy, GonJon, Booger and Sandy. Jim Hurt joined in the celebration. I have to confess that this was the craziest night I've had in all my trips to Negril. It was pretty wild but so much fun. We all just let go and partied like it was 1999 into the early morning hours. I'll let Tizzy tell that story in her trip report. (haha)

----------


## Clarity

Markus and I took a lot of video footage from this day (the bus ride, YS Falls and Pelican Bar) and I cut it together in the below youtube video. Brasi allowed us to use his song entitled "Jamaica" for the soundtrack. It fit perfectly. 

So here it is:






Thank you Rob for creating this great website that brought us all together. I look forward to future adventures with this amazing crew and with other Negril.com boardies. There is something magical that happens when a bunch of people with a deep love of Jamaica celebrate life together.  :Smile:

----------


## Clarity

*Day 7*

I woke up with a pounding head. I slowly sat up, groggy and disoriented. The sunlight streaming through the window burned my eyes and I could only let out a groan. Markus let out an equally agonizing groan. 

All the events of the previous day came rushing back to me and I had to smile despite my killer hangover. 

Markus shuffled to the Seasplash kitchen to get coffee for our room while I took a long hot shower. 

I felt better once we were sitting out on the lounge area sipping our blue mountain coffee surrounded by the lush Jamaican landscape. 

I realized that we had officially reached the “half way point” of our trip. Our longest trip to Jamaica previously had been six nights. Usually we would be rushing around packing our suitcases and heading to MoBay airport at this point. The fact that we had so much still ahead of us made me so happy. We still had two more hotels to experience (Catcha Falling Star and Banana Shout) Today was the One Love Pub Crawl, we had many webcasts and the boardie bash to also look forward to.  I thought of the sacrifices we had made to make this trip a reality and it was worth it. This felt like a dream come true... 

The coffee brought us back to life and we were once again filled with anticipation for the day ahead of us. We headed to the Seasplash dining area for breakfast (included in the room cost.) 



I expected a basic continental breakfast and was surprised to discover that we could pick anything from the menu. 



I forgot the name of the dish I picked. It involved poached eggs with a creamy hollandaise sauce over smoked fish, callaloo and a toasted bun. It was amazing...



After breakfast, we decided to take a dip in the ocean. Previously the ocean had been too turbulent to swim in. Now it was calm with gentle waves. Perfect and crystal clear. The weather was beautiful.

----------


## Clarity

I jumped in and waded around in the turquoise ocean water for a while. Eventually I decided to just lay out and watch Markus snorkel far out in the sea while the warm sun licked the saltwater off my shoulders. I felt my entire body relaxing - This is what I had been waiting for, that beautiful moment of zen and peace. This is a gift Jamaica gives me and it's the only place that I've felt this way. It's why I keep coming back. 



Drummerboy13 came out and greeted us. He also did some body surfing..


Drummerboy13 catching a wave.


Markus channeling Daniel Craig coming out of the ocean :Wink: 

*To be continued...*
One Love Pub Crawl and Dinner at Bentley's with the famous GerryG123

----------


## gerryg123

Incredible video. Brasi is awesome!

----------


## MoFromMonroe

Loved the video and the song was amazing.

----------


## wpyogi

Awesome video!

----------


## Seveen

> I felt my entire body relaxing - This is what I had been waiting for, that beautiful moment of zen and peace. This is a gift Jamaica gives me and it's the only place that I've felt this way.


i love the day on my holiday when this happens . . .

----------


## T&A

As you already know your trip reports are top notch, the pictures and words always bring me back to JA. I just watched the video and am grinning ear to ear and probably will be for the rest of the day. It really looks like the whole group had a day that they will remember the rest of their lives! Thank you for posting it.

----------


## marley9808

LOVE the video as you know!
I still can't manage to watch it without a silly permagrin all over my face.

What a GREAT day! One I will never forget not only because it was such a magical day but also because of the amazing people I spent it with (my new family)

Thanks for sharing it Daisy and Markus  :Smile:

----------


## Muzikdoc

Love the report..Awesome Video Alex!.....December can't come soon enough!!

----------


## Smokin Kevan

Just read 41 pages.....Simply awesome...

----------


## TizzyATX

Bravo!!!!   That video is the best thing that's happened to me all day long!  Cheesin hard over here.  :Smile:  

The pics are fantastic, everyone looks SOOO happy.  You can even see in that one pic....on the boat....I got that driver to crack a leeeeetle smile LOL.  HOw much fun was that day!!!!

So glad you posted the video on here, did I mention that? lol

As for that night.....girl.....I think all records of the events that unfolded that night have been officially annihalated (however the hell you spell that) from the pages of history. LOLOL   _You had a hangover the next morning??? lol_

Those pics of the beach @ Seasplash...of Markus and the one of Drummerboy....those are SO good.  

Love all of it!!!!

----------


## marley9808

Tizzy have you forgotten WHY you got the driver to crack that smile?
I loved that picture so much....had me cracking up remembering that boat ride back!

LMAO

----------


## TizzyATX

HAHAHA Looks like I'm about to go for it

----------


## marley9808

Yep....that's why I was laughing!

----------


## Vince

Irie Video!!!!Thanks!!!!!!!

----------


## spottycatz

How much laughing was happening on that trip. Watching it back after so long gave me the shivers. April can't come soon enough!! (And of course next week  :Wink:  )

----------


## marley9808

:Smile:   :Smile:   :Smile:   :Smile:

----------


## Flipadelphia26

Fantastic video!  The song is catchy!

----------


## booger

I have been back twice since this trip and it just wasn't the same. When you are with a bunch of like minded people things are just better. I had so much fun that day that I didn't want it to end, hence why we ended up at Seasplash late into the night. We need to do something similar in December, but we need to fill the entire bus this time. All sorts of boardies are in town for New Years........

----------


## JaJodi

Thank you for continuing the trip report - the joy in the bus - you can just tell the vibe was great that day and you all were having a fantastic time!

----------


## nutz4travel

You all looked like you were having soooo much fun!  Keep it coming guys  :Smile:

----------


## Katho

Awesome  :Wink:

----------


## bjritz

I love your chill perspective, Clarity, this is so fun, I don't want it to stop either. Now that I know ya'll virtually, I like the movies....keeps me motivated to get there in April!

----------


## STRIPER

We're staying at banana shout in feb,looking forward to hearing about it in your soon to continue report :Wink:

----------


## gerryg123

Today is Sunday. That's the day Clarity most often adds a chapter. Are you out there????

----------


## STRIPER

Tic,tic,tic

----------


## STRIPER

Hmm,that last post had a interesting #

----------


## Clarity

> Today is Sunday. That's the day Clarity most often adds a chapter. Are you out there????


Gerryg123 - Haha! Yes, I'm still here  :Smile:  It's been a busy week and right now I'm recovering from last night's Halloween party...

Despite my current foggy state of mind I'll see how much I ground I can cover in my trip report tonight.
Coming soon!

Thanks MoFromMonroe, Wpyogi, Seveen, T&A, Marley, Muzikdoc, Tizzy, Vince, Spottycatz, Flipadelphia, Boogs, JaJodi, 2Nutz4Travel, Katho, Bjritz and Striper for your kind comments! I'm really glad you guys enjoyed the video. I had a lot of fun revisiting that day and putting the footage together. I'll definitely make some more Negril videos. I still have an hour and a half of footage I haven't even looked at yet. I agree that Brasi is an incredibly talented musician! I love all the songs on his album but his Jamaica song is hands down my favorite! 




> As for that night.....girl.....I think all records of the events that unfolded that night have been officially annihalated (however the hell you spell that) from the pages of history. LOLOL   _You had a hangover the next morning??? lol_


LOL!! Yeah, I think that night goes into the “what happens in Negril stays in Negril” file.  :Stick Out Tongue:   I really miss you Tizzy!




> We're staying at banana shout in feb,looking forward to hearing about it in your soon to continue report


Awesome! I'm sure you'll love Banana Shout. It's got a great funky vibe, cool owners and a beautiful view. I felt like I was transported back to 1967. I'll be writing about that soon and posting lots of pics. 




> Hmm,that last post had a interesting #


Indeed  :Cool: 

*UPDATE: San Francisco Giants just won the World Series! Fireworks are going off right now! people are cheering and running out into the streets! It's crazy!  I have step away from my computer now and celebrate with the rest of the city! 

New TR Post Monday night*

----------


## Clarity

*Trip Report Continued*

Okay, I'm back

After our swim, we went back to our room to check our JA cellphone to find out what everyone else was up to. We discovered that we had missed a number of calls...

That's when we found out about what had happened to Guirgay's & SweetiePie from Marley. (see Guirigay's trip report ) Markus immediately called Guirigay. We were so upset to hear about this. We found out that they needed a place to stay, so we went off to find Jim Hurt. We told him the story and Jim immediately said he would help them out. “Have them call me” he instructed. “Don't worry, I'll take care of them” (thank you Jim – this is something I will never forget)

I was really saddened and disturbed that this had happened to my friends. I couldn't shake off this feeling right away and I mulled over it for a long time. The stretch of time between the phone call and getting picked up by Lenbert to meet up with the group at the Pub crawl seemed to stretch on for eternity.  I felt very anxious to see them again and make sure they were doing okay. 

 I was grateful that Marley & Ninja had been there when it happened and helped them the way that they had. I can't say enough about how truly wonderful, kind and caring these two are. 

At 3 PM we went to the parking lot in front of Seasplash and waited by the side of the road for the *One Love Pub Crawl* bus to arrive. 

It didn't take long before we heard a honking horn and the colorful One Love Pub Crawl bus came to a rumbling stop in front of us. Lenbert stuck his head out the window and smiled “Daisy Markus!! Welcome! Get in!” 

We cheered and jumped on board. We were shocked at the amount of people on this bus! It was completely PACKED. People were sitting on eachother's lap and sitting on the floor in the aisle. I started laughing because there was literally not a single spot left to even stand on this bus. Everyone squished together and giving us a narrow little space on the bus floor. We kind of wedged ourselves between 2 other couples on the floor. I was half-sitting on Markus's lap. The bus started and we all kind of toppled backwards over on to each other cracking up...I already knew this was going to be a wild and fun day. My mood was lifted again with all of this happy energy around me. 



The first stop on the One Love Pub Crawl was called... ??....(Give me a second to check the Official April Trip Bible: http://negril.com/forum/showthread.p...il-2012/page25 ) Okay. The first stop was a bar called *The Sword fish*.

It was right located right over the water. I followed all the bus passengers to the 1st floor. That's when we saw the rest of the crew hanging out at the bar. SweetiePie, Guirigay, Marley, Ninja, Katho, Wpyogi, SusieQ and Gerryg123 



Guirigay assured us that he was okay. He and Sweetiepie are class acts and they refused to let this incident put a damper on their vacation. They weren't bitter or pointing fingers.They were still in good spirits. I just really admire how they handled this entire situation. They are both quite amazing.

I finally got a chance to chat a bit with Gerryg123. He surprised me because he was not at all like I expected. I thought I would meet this total wild  man that could potentially throw me on the back of his scooter and drive us both off a cliff at 200 mph. lol!

But he was not like that at all! He was actually really laid back, soft spoken and down to earth. 

He invited us all to join him for a dinner he was organizing with Bentley that night. We previously had planned on having dinner at Catcha but this was an exciting proposition and sounded like a lot of fun! I had heard a lot about Bentley's famous crab cakes and I had been wanting to experience it for a long time now.

Next stop on the pub crawl was *C&D Country music bar*. It's funny that the first country music bar experience would happen in Jamaica of all places! The bar was playing country as we entered, there were southern flags and western music albums all over the walls. Markus' expression is simply priceless. I can't look at this picture without laughing. 



He looks like he's going to start crying...

He warmed up to the music eventually. The staff was friendly, the drinks prices were great and we ended up having a lot of fun. 



our first round of Dirty Banana's – Absolute creamy perfection!

----------


## Clarity

It was in this bar that Markus gave Marley's photogenic smile a name. He called this look: *“the Cinderella”*
And there it is, in all it's glory.



How can anyone resist that award winning smile? She literally sparkles! 

At this point, I was beginning to feel buzzed and very happy from only two bar stops. I realized I was going to have to pace myself or I'd be passed out face down on the floor of the bus by the time we reached the last bar. We all piled back into the bus to head to our next destination. 

Next stop: *Belladonnas* – I liked the vibe at this location a lot and it was definitely a place on the cliffs I would enjoy staying at. 

I finally built up the courage to go chat with Katho. I really admire her photography. She and Sprat are the two most talented photographers of Negril.com in my humble opinion. I'm a fan of her work and I had always wanted to meet her in person. 



She is very cool and easy to talk to. We bonded over our mutual fear of bats. She mentioned that she doesn't really like having her picture taken and that she prefers to be the one BEHIND the camera taking the pictures instead. Obviously this is another thing we have in common, so here is a more artistic and mysterious shot of Katho. That's the awesome Wpyogi next to her.


The always beautiful Sweetiepie – Markus snapped this pic. I really like it because it captures her playful side. 


Gerryg123 and SusieQ!

I noticed some people were walking around with pizza slices and they looked delicious. I followed the smell into the dining area. There was a huge metal plate with steaming hot pizza and I saw ONE slice left. I started running towards it and accidentally bumped into someone in my hunger induced haste. 

I apologized and turned back to my goal... I watched  in slow motion as a hand reached out from seemingly nowhere and snatched up that last slice.  

Next time I go to Belladonna's, I'm going to order that pizza. I still think about it...

Markus alerted me to the fact that the bus was beginning to fill up again. We were on the move once more and off to the next destination on the pub crawl.

I downed my red stripe and climbed on to the bus wondering where we were going next...

*To Be Continued..*
Rest of the Pub Crawl, Dinner at Bentley's w/ Gerryg123 and Pee Wee's. 
(_Markus is on a temporary hiatus from TR updating due to work, but he'll be back in the saddle soon_)

----------


## booger

LOL!! Yeah, I think that night goes into the “what happens in Negril stays in Negril” file.  :Stick Out Tongue:   I really miss you Tizzy!

 :Embarrassment: . I don't know what you are talking about....

----------


## TizzyATX

Thats right Boog lol 

Hey Daisy...is it coming soon? 

lol

Miss you more xo

----------


## Clarity

> Hey Daisy...is it coming soon? 
> 
> lol


 LOL!  :Stick Out Tongue:

----------


## kaycee

LOL! I'm laughing at the picture of Markus :Smile:  I think I would have a similar expression.

----------


## poolguywindsor

OK so just let me say! I was waiting until this trip report was  finished to start reading it! Seriously! How many pages can this go? Will it ever be over? Should I start now! If it takes me a week to catch up will it be finished?

----------


## Clarity

> LOL! I'm laughing at the picture of Markus I think I would have a similar expression.


Kaycee- lol! Yep I did too! Once you get over the intitial shock though, it's actually a pretty cool pub. Just ask Tizzy!  :Big Grin: 




> OK so just let me say! I was waiting until this trip report was  finished to start reading it! Seriously! How many pages can this go? Will it ever be over? Should I start now! If it takes me a week to catch up will it be finished?


LOL PGW! I really hope we get to meet you someday
Okay, There are 5 more days to this trip. There IS an end and it will be finished. This is the longest vacation we've ever taken in our lives so I guess it's kind of like the "War and Peace" of Trip reports. We're not as fast as the other writers on this board. (that's kind of an understatement...) but I'll do my best to pick up the pace for you  :Wink:

----------


## Angel

Thank you Clarity for writing more. I think you  and Markus are excellent photographers.

----------


## TizzyATX

Man I wish i had gone 4 the pub crawl.  Looks like a fantastic time.  Love love the pics....all of em....Cinderella, Sweetie Pie looking so cute, gerryG and SusieQ, Markus ahhhh that guy. suck it up man, country is good for your soul. LOL

----------


## Guirigay

Once again, breaking open the vault...  :Smile:  The pic of Sweetie Pie at Swordfish... WOW! And GerryG is quite happy behind her, I think we'd just had a little ruckus. The pic in Bella Donna's yard is priceless - Sweetie goofing, Ninja lost in far away contemplation rubbing the Buddha and me trying to get the impossible beverages - I love it. The Markus shot at C&D was me in February, I have a completely different take on the place now. Great shot of Scooter Team Bravo minus the scooter and the shot of Katho and wpyogi made me smile. The bus does look crowded in that shot but you're able to sit down, later it would be standing sardines! Carry on...

----------


## Guirigay

And how can I forget the original Cinderella! Stunning! or was it Little Red Riding Hood....

----------


## TizzyATX

> And how can I forget the original Cinderella! Stunning! or was it Little Red Riding Hood....


Little Red Riding Hood is her evil twin....she comes out to play if your lucky haha

----------


## marley9808

Hahahahaha! That's right Tiz

....If you're lucky 
Hahahahaha


Clarity....there was pizza at Bella Donnas? How the crap did we miss that? Oh well....must go back! lol

And yeah that was the same look on my face when I entered C&D for the first time,and also the second. It's the only country bar I will EVER set foot in.....Love you Tiz, but that's the truth!
LOL

----------


## TizzyATX

Well there goes everything I had planned for this wknd HAHAHAHA  (I Kid)

----------


## marley9808

Lol....you better be kidding!
Dont make little red riding hood angry now!
Haha

----------


## wpyogi

Oh yes, pizza at Bella Donnas!  I had a slice last week.  Believe me, I made a be-line for that pie, probably pushed people out of the way b/c I missed it in April as well, lol!  Tomato and onion, i think...so simple but so good.  

Awesome pics, Clarity!!!

Scooter Team Bravo, hehehehe.

----------


## Clarity

Thanks Angel, Marley, Tizzy, Guirigay!




> Little Red Riding Hood is her evil twin....she comes out to play if your lucky haha


Lol!!




> Oh yes, pizza at Bella Donnas!  I had a slice last week.  Believe me, I made a be-line for that pie, probably pushed people out of the way b/c I missed it in April as well, lol!  Tomato and onion, i think...so simple but so good.  
> Awesome pics, Clarity!!!
> Scooter Team Bravo, hehehehe.



Thanks Wpyogi! I’m determined to try Pizza at Bella Donna’s next time we get to Negril!

----------


## Clarity

Okay, At this point I realize our trip report is becoming “the song that doesn't end” 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmcP3MShzS0 

There IS an end in sight. So I’m REALLY going to attempt to pick up the pace here. I can do this. *cracks knuckles* Okay here we go…

*Trip Report Continued…*

We last left off at the _One Love Bus Pub Crawl_. We had visited 3 bars already (Swordfish, C&D Country Music bar and BellaDonna’s) and we were on our way to the next bar stop on the route. At this point, the bus was standing room only and everyone was sitting on eachother’s lap to make room for those trying to stand in the aisles. Everyone was properly toasted and there was a lot of laughter all around. 

The bus pulled up to a stop in front of *Westender Inn*. 

I was excited because I’d heard a lot of good things about Westender Inn from Sweetness’s trip reports. I had always wanted to see it in person. It was beautiful…



I love the small beach area and the little hot tub (or is it a fresh water pool?) overlooking the ocean. It had a secluded and peaceful feeling to it. The landscape is beautiful. I could see escaping to Westender Inn with Markus for a few days to get away from it all and enjoy some romantic one on one time. 

Gerryg123 was familiar with the grounds, so he took me and Sweetie pie on a little tour. We crossed the street and he pointed out the cabins in the far back with the hills surrounding it. He mentioned that the little cabins are really affordable. There is also a pool there too. 

Sweetie Pie and I admired the view. When we turned around we saw that Gerry had already made himself at home.



I’m beginning to suspect that Gerryg123 carries around a floatie in his back pocket that he inflates as soon as he has access to any body of water. He loves his floatie. I can’t look at this picture without smiling

Sweetie Pie and I left Gerryg123 floating peacefully in the pool and went across the street again to join the rest of the group at the water front.

----------


## Clarity

Marley came up to me with a smile and said “Daisy! Guess what they’re serving at the bar?”

“What??”

“Lionfish.”

_“LIONFISH?!”_ – I could barely contain my excitement and I sprinted towards the bar area. I didn’t want to miss out on this like I missed out on the pizza at BellaDonna’s. This was the moment I had been waiting for. It was time to get my revenge in the invasive predator that had terrorized me that fateful day at Xtabi. This was the first step towards overcoming my fear.

 



It was delicious – Crunchy on the outside, tender inside – The taste was very subtle and buttery. It was love at first bite. I was in heaven. I ate every piece and licked my fingers clean afterwards. I highly recommend trying Lionfish at least once during your next trip to Jamaica. You wont be sorry.

----------


## Clarity

After enjoying a dirty banana and great conversation, it was time to leave Westender Inn and move on to the final stop on the pub crawl. 



*Sir D’s*

 

This was the perfect bar to enjoy another beautiful Negril sunset.

----------


## booger

Now that's a great Gerry G shot. The dudes passion for all things floatie is what inspired me to take one as well. Having a floatie on the West End is the only way to spend some quality time in the wata. Please continue before I grow so old I will no longer be able to read.

----------


## Clarity

Markus and the awesome Pub Crawl bus driver Lenbert

Afterwards we hung out at the picnic table in the back with Wpyogi, her +1, Marley, Sweetie Pie and Guirigay. 



Here is Marley and Markus showing off their signature looks. Markus is doing “Blue Steel” and I believe Marley is showing us her “little Red Riding Hood”. It could be the “Cinderella” but her head is down and she looks more mischievous so I’m _pretty sure_ that’s “Little Red Riding Hood”. The difference is so subtle, it’s easy to confuse them at times. Lol

The pub crawl had now come to an end. We were all in good spirits and we didn’t want the party to end. Instead of getting off at Seasplash, we all piled out of the bus at Catcha Falling Star with Marley and Ninja, Guirigay and Sweetiepie. We also convinced Katho to join, she lept off the bus just before it pulled away from the curb. .

When we entered the familiar grounds of Catcha falling star I felt this happiness well up in my stomach. It was so good to be back , It felt like a homecoming and I was happy to know that we’d be moving over here in only a few days. 

A familiar smiling face emerged from the darkness.

Sweetness!!

This was my first time meeting her in person. I could barely contain my joy. I ran up and hugged her. Markus did too. She is just as sweet in person as she is on the bulletin board and she immediately pulled out a beautiful big colorful heart carved in smooth stone. She handed it to me and Markus, an anniversary gift. (thank you Sweetness!) 

We invited her to join us for dinner, but she already had dinner plans at the Spa Retreat and she was heading out the door. 

After a stopover at Ivan’s Bar, We headed over to the Sagi suite (Marley and Ninja’s second home) and cracked open the cake vodka again. 



No ceiling fan incident this time. Long live Cake vodka!

Then we hung out on her balcony taking in the view. At this point, we realized that we had no idea what _TIME_ we were supposed to meet up with Gerryg123 for dinner at Bentleys! We mulled over this for a bit and then decided just to go over there with the hopes that we’re not too early or too late for our dinner date.

So we hailed down at taxi cab and piled in

----------


## Clarity

We stopped at Xtabi so Katho could pick up something and then went directly over to Bentley’s.  

*Bentley’s Crab Shack* is really off the beaten track. We made a few wrong turns here and there but we found it eventually. It’s in a residential area and easy to overlook. We stayed in the car while Guirigay jumped out to see if Gerryg123 was there yet and he WAS. So we all climbed up the wooden staircase to Bentley’s outdoor dining area. 

We were greeted by Gerryg123, SuzieQ, Wpyogi and her +1. Bentley ran up to us and enthusiastically pumped all of our hands. “Welcome friends Welcome!!” – He had so much energy and such a contagious laugh. I loved him immediately. He had us all cracking up within minutes. I already knew this was going to be an experience I wouldn’t forget. 





SusieQ poured us all glasses of a homemade fruit drink that Markus thought was alcoholic. (it was not) Regardless he became increasingly intoxicated with each refill and adamantly blamed the drink. I think he was just drunk off the excitement of being there. It was actually pretty funny. 

We ordered the crab cakes and it took a while for Bentley to prepare this meal for such a large group. The time went by fast with all of the conversations going around the table and believe me, it is definitely worth the wait. 



He emerged from the kitchen with steaming dishes piled with food. More food than I ever expected! He pointed out how there was 5 or 6 different foods on the plate and he poured his amazing special sauce on top. He carefully explained every item on the plate to me with flourish and excitement. The aroma was intoxicating and every bite was amazing. This man knows how to cook!!

----------


## Clarity

Bentley told us some funny stories too over the course of the night and had us all in stitches. It was such a fun night and the most entertaining dinner I’ve ever had in Negril. 



*Thank you Gerryg123* for organizing such a great dinner for all of us. I’m grateful that we got a chance to hang out with you. I’ve enjoyed your trip reports for so long, It was kind of like meeting a celebrity :Smile: 

Gerryg123, SuzieQ, Wpyogi and +1 had started their meal before us, so they headed off earlier than we did. I found it impossible to finish my entire plate, in fact everyone but Markus had that same problem. (He devoured his plate and licked it clean - I think Katho finished her whole plate too) The rest of us put the leftovers in a doggy bag.

We were all properly exhausted but STILL not ready to end this night together. Guirigay suggested Pee Wee’s which is walking distance just up the road. We decided to head on over there for a final night cap. 

*Pee Wee’s bar* was closed and all the lights were off when we arrived. We stood there for a moment just taking in the view of the moon over the ocean. (It’s a beautiful location)

That’s when we heard a voice behind us. We turned around and saw a guy that I recognized from the One Love Bus Crawl. He turned on all the lights and opened up the bar just for us. Sweet!

“What would you guys like to drink?”, He asked. 

I wish I could remember his name because he was truly a character. He was cracking jokes at records speed and had a great dry sense of humor. Something about him reminded me of my brother. Something I couldn’t put a finger on, but I liked him immediately. 



After a round of drinks at the bar, he offered to play us some songs on his guitar. We all sat down in a separate balcony area with a view of the crashing waves and a soft breeze. He began to sing and his voice was beautiful. First he sang a playful song incorporating all of us in his lyrics and then he sang a love song. It was a song about love, loss and life. 

Something about this moment on the cliffs, listening to this private show and surrounded by these amazing new friends was intensely bittersweet for me. His lyrics touched something deep in my chest, something I can’t even put into words… but it caused tears to fill up in my eyes and my throat to constrict. My brother used to play the guitar for me in his bedroom and his voice was so familiar.  It brought back a strong memory and I felt his presence still in my life, every day in every moment. He wasn’t really gone. I knew he was there with me and this comforted me despite the tears. Markus looked over at me and squeezed my hand. That’s when Guirigay and sweetie pie got up to dance. Markus pulled me up to slow dance with him too. I followed his lead, I buried my head in his shirt, and just surrendered to the beauty of that moment. 


(crop from Ninja’s pic)

It was such a special night.. 

Everything about the entire day was incredible... Swimming in the crystal clear calm sea… basking in the sunshine…the fun-filled One Love pub crawl… all the laughter with friends that I had only met days earlier but felt like I had known my entire life… an incredible experience at Bentley’s sharing stories about our lives and enjoying the most delicious meal…slow dancing on the cliffs to the most beautiful song just for the six of us…

I couldn’t ask for more. I knew this was going to be a special trip but it had already surpassed all my expectations and there was still 5 more days to enjoy in Jamaica…

*To be continued…*

----------


## Seveen

okay you got tears from me - lol

----------


## irieworld

Dang it Clarity--once again you have me crying in public. I might have to start holding you liable for this--so mortifying to be sitting in Panera or Starbucks with tears rolling down my face. But then again you equal it out in smiles and laughter that you draw as well. Many thanks to you for continuing your report with a plan to finish it. I love it, tears and all.

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## lovenegril

I am a newbie to these boards and I cannot tell you how much I have enjoyed reading your experiences.  All your trip reports are amazing and I am just sad now that I am caught up because I feel like there should be more.  You have inspired me to write my own trip reports so I can document them before I forget the details.

----------


## gerryg123

Great stuff, Clarity ....

----------


## Clarity

Thanks *Gerryg123* – There are a lot of great trip reports circulating right now. It's so much fun to read all of them. It's been a while since we've had a "Trail of Ashes" update. When are you heading back to JA?

Aww thank you *Seveen* and *Irieworld*. I didn't mean to make you cry though. I feel like I'm always making people cry. My next update will end on a less bittersweet note.

Thanks *LoveNegri*l! I'm loving your new trip report so far! I'm really glad you decided to write one! I'm looking forward to your next update. 

LOL *booger*! Whatchu talkin' about? I am updating as fast as I possibly can here! 3 updates in one week a world record for me. (wipes sweat from brow) 
I totally agree with you about Gerryg123 and his floatie. He's got the right idea!

Okay, new update coming up.

*****

In my effort to pick up the pace, I'm going to attempt something never done before. I'm going to cover _an entire da_y in one single update. 

Marley, Ninja, Guirigay, Spottycatz, Boogs and Katho already wrote about this day in their trip reports. So I'll just let my pictures tell the tale. 

*Trip Report Continued...*

*Day 8*

For the past 7 days, we had been on a completely crazy schedule with a lot on our itinerary. (Boogers 420 party, Luciano concert, Family reunion in Mandeville, Bellyflop contest, Chicken's magic bus trip, One Love Pubcrawl) We were always running somewhere and we didn't have much time to breathe inbetween.  I wouldn't change a minute of it but now we were ready to shift gears. 

We resolved to just kick back and take it easy. We would just go with the flow and see where the day takes us. No plans.

_And this how the day unfolded..._


Woke up at 9 AM...







Delicious Breakfast at Seasplash...

----------


## Clarity

Ocean was calm and clear. (Yes, that _is_ Gerryg123 drifting by on his floatie! ) I could see from the clouds overhead that rain was coming but the weather was warm. 

*Seasplash webcast* w/ Guirigay, Sweetiepie, Spottycatz and Indybob...





Guirgay, Sweetpie, Markus and I wandered down the beach to Country Country. Booger, Sandy, Tizzy, gonjon, Marley and Ninja were there hanging out...We grouped up and all lounged together on the beach. Spottycatz and Indybob & Cindy joined in the mix as well. It was so much fun

----------


## Clarity

I can't look at these two pics without laughing

----------


## Clarity

I had my first ever Purple rain cocktail... (delicious)





The storm clouds overhead were getting darker and more ominous. Rain began to fall, so the crew disbanded with plans to meet up later at Canoe for the webcast with Rob & Lisa..

The rain really cooled things down and was welcomed..

we returned to our room at Seasplash for some one-on-one time



There is nothing better than lying in eachother's arms in Jamaica...just  listening to the rain hitting the palm leaves and shutters...

----------


## Clarity

Later on we went over to the *Canoe Webcast*...It was a full house! Everyone was there!







We were reunited with *Greenie*. We met him during our first trip to Negril. This is back when he owned the The English Rose Bar and had given us a private steel drum show in his front yard. (see Trip report entry *here*: http://negril.com/forum/entry.php/38...vel-Blog-Day-4 ) Now he has a regular gig at Canoe. It was so good to see him again and to hear that he's doing well. 



We sat with Sweetness and got to talk with her more. She is a true kindred spirit, This is the only way I can describe her. I felt immediately comfortable around her. She has such a calming presence and warm smile. 

I also tried the lionfish dish at Canoe and it's amazing. It's an entire lionfish, fried and tender inside with a delicious sauce for dipping.

----------


## Clarity

The group moved over to Catcha Falling star to enjoy drinks at *Ivans Bar*...




Flaming bob marley shot

----------


## Clarity

We released our first round of lanterns into the sky that night..





As I watched the lanterns fly overhead, I felt so much gratefulness... for the new friends I had made and for all the experiences of this day. We were all becoming family and I didn't want this to end. 

The realization that a lot of people would be flying home soon was a hard one to swallow. Tomorrow was going to be our final day together as a group.

I pushed the thought away and reminded myself to just enjoy the moment. 

We moved over to *Eddie's D-bar* next with Tizzy, Jon, Booger, Sandy, Marley, Ninja, Wpyogi, +1, and Katho for a proper after party – and it was a wild time. I would share more about that, but my memory of that night is just a blur of laughter.

In the early morning hours, we all hugged our goodbye's and headed back to our respective hotels... I fell asleep that night with a big smile. 

*To be Continued*
_Boardie Bash and moving over to Catcha Falling Star_

----------


## booger

That picture of animated Markus chasing the beer lady had me belly laughing. And that Marley shot was gnarly....... I think I am done with those.
Great update, more please......

----------


## Coco

LOL @ Booger "burn baby burn" :-)

----------


## poolguywindsor

Seriously , your still not finished! Can I get an idea of when I should start at the beginning.

----------


## Angel

Thank you for posting more Clarity, there are even a few pictures of you. You look like you are having a wonderful time. Some of the trip reports you don't want to end, yours is one of them. So please don't stop.

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## nutz4travel

You look like you all had so much fun!  Love the pics of Tizzy & Marcus on the beach  :Smile:   Keep 'em coming!

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## marley9808

These pics are killing me!
So good
So fun remembering!
Can't wait for the repeats in Dec. and April  :Smile:

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## gerryg123

> Love the pics of Tizzy & Marcus on the beach   Keep 'em coming!


Especially the Tizzy shots ...

----------


## Beebeluv

Yeay I love this report... Its well written and the pictures are actually really really good they do tell the story... Love it can't wait for more!

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## bjritz

Just amazing!

The photos are fabulous, such great scenes that get the feel of Negril. Making me itch to return.

Seeing all the happy faces and the crack-me-up poser faces is so heartwarming. Each post is filled with the emotions of the moments and your sharing with us is delightful. I agree, the TR that we hope never ends.

Seeing this journey from all of your different perspectives throughout a variety of reports is quite fun. As a voyeur (not a boardie basher, yet), I find this to be an interesting psychological profile of ya’ll! Hah!

Seeing the floating gg123 bobbing up and down your report is crazy too.

Now, Clarity, you are unfolding like a flower in the morning sun. Bit by bit through this report we sense you nearby, we glimpse you on the edge, we see you walking away, then you face the sun and a wonderful change is here – you are opening all your wonderful personality and beauty for us to join in celebrating! Thanks for that. Huge.

And your shots of hubbyman are seriously hilarious.
Keep it a comin’…….

----------


## garysteph1018

> Seriously , your still not finished! Can I get an idea of when I should start at the beginning.


I know poolguy!!! I totally get lost and can't find where I left off! Come on Clarity... GET TO TYPING!  :Smile:   Sure wish I had more time to read & reply, b/c I do so enjoy the back & fourth/forth/4th (I don't know how to spell it) with everyone!

And before I knew what Tizzy looked like I thought she was a real beer girl...  :Smile:  Kinda stupid, huh! That picture makes me laugh a thousand laughs!

Clarity... you planning on coming in April, right! Okay, yes, I thought so!!!

----------


## irieworld

y'all quit heckling Clarity now!  :Smile:  This is great progress and plus I am not anxious to see it end--I have loved stretching it out. Poolguy, just start reading already. You don't have to wait till it is done--it works quite well in chapters.

----------


## gerryg123

Clarity is like fine caviar. Best not to be spread too thin ..... Great reporter, great photographer, and great writer. It's from the heart, and it's always good stuff ....

----------


## Guirigay

Slow down Clarity, sloooooooooooow dooooooooooooooown......

----------


## TizzyATX

heheheh Just got caught up on this!!!!  

First off I hope that whatever that is you had for breakfast is still on the menu the next time I'm in town cause it's officially on my to eat list.  Ridiculousness.  And its nice to see GerryG on his floatie....just as he should be.  Steve's faces in those SS pics make me a LAUGH LOL

That day hangin on the beach was so fun and chill.  Thinking that Redstripe should consider hiring us to do some ad work hahaha  THose are fun. 

and OHHHHHH the purple rain....PURPLE RAIN!!!  Ajaja

I lke that you caught that shot where Jon is throwing the ball with that little boy.  :Smile: 

Great great pics.  Love the ones at Ivans it takes me back to that night.  That night might have been the most fun imo.

Wait...do you hear that???

Sounds like BOoger is still whining about those Flaming Bobs  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

Just playin duders lol

----------


## kaycee

Love those pictures! This is the most detailed trip report I've read! :Smile:

----------


## Clarity

> That picture of animated Markus chasing the beer lady had me belly laughing. And that Marley shot was gnarly....... I think I am done with those.
> Great update, more please......


Thanks Boogs, I can't look at that pic of Markus running out of the water for Tizzy's beer without cracking up every time! I know what you mean about the Marley shot – It DOES have a brutal after burn. I have a funny pic of you right after you took that shot. Your expression clearly indicated that you weren't a fan.

----------


## Clarity

> Seriously , your still not finished! Can I get an idea of when I should start at the beginning.


lol PGW – I'm working on it! We're so close to the finish line. The end is in sight. Since this TR is  pretty long...You might want to start from the beginning now.. I'll be finished by the time you catch up. Promise  :Wink:

----------


## Clarity

> I know poolguy!!! I totally get lost and can't find where I left off! Come on Clarity... GET TO TYPING!   Sure wish I had more time to read & reply, b/c I do so enjoy the back & fourth/forth/4th (I don't know how to spell it) with everyone!
> 
> And before I knew what Tizzy looked like I thought she was a real beer girl...  Kinda stupid, huh! That picture makes me laugh a thousand laughs!
> 
> Clarity... you planning on coming in April, right! Okay, yes, I thought so!!!


Haha! I would love to go in April. Thats going to be one AMAZING boardie bash but Its really not in the stars for us. I am hoping that a Little Clarity or Markus will ((Finally)) be on the way by then. Im relying on all of you guys to take me along vicariously through your trip reports. So Dont let me down! Im looking forward to reading the further adventures of my favorite couple, Gary and Tiffany. :Cool: 

I bet I can convince Patty Sather to bring us along on Popsicle sticks in April like she did with Manda and Joe. :Wink:

----------


## Clarity

Thanks *Kaycee, Angel, 2nutztotravel, Marley, gerrgyg123, Beebeluv!*

haha! Thanks for sticking up for me *Irieworld*  :Wink: 

*Bjritz* – Thank you for your heartfelt words, that meant a lot to me. I'm really glad you're enjoying the report. It makes me feel that all the time I've put into this is worthwhile. I know it's taking a long time to finish, but I want everyone that reads this to feel like they were really there too and experienced everything that we did right along with us.

----------


## Clarity

> Slow down Clarity, sloooooooooooow dooooooooooooooown......


LOL!! Better watch your back, Guirigay! This turtle is creeping past you towards the Trip Report finish line.  :Cool:

----------


## Clarity

> heheheh Just got caught up on this!!!!  
> 
> First off I hope that whatever that is you had for breakfast is still on the menu the next time I'm in town cause it's officially on my to eat list.  Ridiculousness.  And its nice to see GerryG on his floatie....just as he should be.  Steve's faces in those SS pics make me a LAUGH LOL
> 
> That day hangin on the beach was so fun and chill.  Thinking that Redstripe should consider hiring us to do some ad work hahaha  THose are fun. 
> 
> and OHHHHHH the purple rain....PURPLE RAIN!!!  Ajaja
> 
> I lke that you caught that shot where Jon is throwing the ball with that little boy. 
> ...


lol! Thanks Tizzy!!

I know,That was such a fun day!... miss you guys so much. I need to go back to Negril. I'm beginning to suffer from serious withdrawal symptoms. 

Okay, it's the weekend and I have a little bit of free time this afternoon to update some more. Markus is going to step back in once we reach Banana shout, so I've got to push this Trip Report forward to that point. 

New update coming up

----------


## heater

Loving your trip reports and saw that you may be adding to your family. Our first trip to Negril was with another couple and this will be our daughters fourth time to Negril in January and she just turned five.  We love to travel with her and still have our share of fun  :Smile:  No worries about not being able to travel post baby.

----------


## Clarity

*Trip Report Continued...*

*Day 9*



I love waking up in Jamaica. I love the feeling of crisp clean hotel sheets against newly tan skin, I love seeing the sunlight streaming in through the shuttered windows and the palm leaves swaying. I love hearing the ceiling fan swooshing overhead and the Reggae music drifting over from the bar. I love the smell of aloe vera lotion and coconut oil. There is a calm relaxed happy sensation that just washes over me at the realization that I have another day on the most amazing Island in all the Caribbean. 

I gave Markus a gentle nudge and whispered “It's moving day...”

“mmm”, He murmered with a smile “So...Where are we going now? I forgot...”

Markus is very laid back when it comes to vacation plans. He likes being the tail on the kite and lets me plan the details. I really pushed the envelope when I booked 6 different hotels for this trip but when I told him my plan, he had just laughed. He thought it was a little crazy, but he was up for the adventure. Every time we checked into a new hotel, it felt like a new vacation starting all over again. I loved it. You meet new friends, get to know the staff and the environment around you changes. You get to see Jamaica from yet another angle and it's always unique.

“Next stop is Catcha Falling Star”, I told him. 

We had stayed 4 nights at *Seasplash* (our longest stay ever in any hotel) and we were ready for the next chapter. I had already known that Seasplash would be a lot of fun from the stories I'd read from other boardies and it didn't disappoint. Jim Hurt made us feel at home and partied with us like a rockstar. All of the staff was so kind and welcoming. The location is great and there was always something happening in the bar area. Webcasts, concerts and great happy hour specials. If you get a package that includes breakfast, you wont be disappointed. It's really good. 

We packed up our bags and head over to the dining area for breakfast before checking out.


The sky was a little overcast today – but the weather was warm and the ocean was calm. In the distance I saw the familiar green glow of Gerryg123's floatie as he enjoyed his daily morning float.  (If you look closely, you can see it in the picture) I had to smile. I was going to miss that sight.

We ordered our usual breakfast and settled down in the dining area. Guirigay and Sweetiepie came over to join us. Eventually Gerryg123 emerged from the ocean and had breakfast at the table next to us with Jim Hurt. 



After breakfast we head back to our room to clear out the last of our bags and tidy up the room a bit. We said our goodbye's to all the staff and our sweet housekeeper. We gave Jim Hurt a huge hug and thanked him for everything. 

Guirigay and Sweetiepie decided to join us on our ride over to Catcha Falling Star. They were hopeful that there might be a room available for them as a drop-in hotel guests. We all had our fingers crossed.

******

It felt like a homecoming when we drove through the familiar gates of Catcha Falling Star. The lush landscape...the beautiful little cottages nestled in-between palm trees and colorful flowers... Gentle Ben, the golden retriever standing beside the reception area wagging his tail. This is my favorite place on earth.

----------


## Clarity

Mauvette greeted us at the front desk with a warm smile “Welcome back!” Guirigay inquired about a room and they were in luck. The Capricorn WAS available. Score! They would be staying with us at Catcha after all!





Markus was so happy to be reunited with Ben. 



Gurigay and Sweetiepie needed to wait a bit for the Capricorn to be ready so we told them they could store their bags in our Pisces cottage.

----------


## Clarity

The Pisces cottage is adorable. It's small with windows on all sides, fridge and all the amenities you could ask for. The bathroom has an partially outdoor shower with a view of the sky and trees overhead.The deck has a hammock, table and a view of the sea in the distance.  It's set apart from the other cottages in a way that makes you feel like you have a lot of privacy. I loved it!

We decided to head over to Ivans bar while we waited for Guirigay and Sweetiepie's room to open up. 




A round of celebratory Dirty Bananas...

A little bit later, Mauvette came up and alerted Guirigay about the room being available. They moved over their bags and it was time to head over to our next adventure.

*The Annual Boardie Bash.*

We were a little past “_fashionably late_” and the party was kicking full force when we arrived. I was so excited to be a part of this celebration. There were so many boardies, familiar faces and new faces. For the first time I could put a face to a name with so many people that I had been chatting with on the board for over a year. Greenie was playing the steel drums, everyone was laughing and hugging.  What an experience!

Since this boardie bash has been written about in countless trip reports at this point, I'll just let the pictures tell the story. You'll see a lot of smiling faces!


Luvsdaisland & Rasta Stan

----------


## Clarity

Sweetness!


The awesome Jim & Donna


Beautiful Bella Bea – It was so good seeing her again! We did our traveling Jewelry exchange again.  She gave me the most beautiful sea glass necklace. 


Markus taking it all in

----------


## Clarity

Beachgirl66 – I love her smile, Miss her a lot..


Greenie

----------


## gerryg123

Great job, Clarity. You are on FIRE with this report, as we eagerly await each new chapter .....

----------


## Clarity

I ordered the lionfish dish again. (I was dealing with a full blown lionfish addiction at this point and was craving it all the time.)



Here's some footage of everyone congregating together in preparation for the big group shot. Every time I see this, it takes me right back to that day and I long to go back so much...









*To be Continued.*..
Next stop *Just Natural* and final group gathering at Catcha Falling Star. 
(_The first round of tearful goodbye's_  :Frown: )

----------


## luvmylabs

Your pictures are so good.  Everyone's smiles at the boardie bash says it all, no need for commentary, good call.

----------


## kaycee

this report gets better and better!

----------


## garysteph1018

Okay... So many comments to be made on this one  :Smile:  

First... If Patty doesn't bring popsicle Hubbity, I'll bring the Southern version of you two! But I'm holding out hope that you'll be there! Also, keep in mind.... I was snow skiing pregnant with twins .... you can fly!  :Smile: 

Second... Guirgay & Sweetie Pie are two people I can't wait to meet. Sweetie Pie has the face of an angel. She looks like someone that anyone would enjoy being around. Guirgay... I just want him to tell me how to say his name, and maybe he'll let me wear one of those awesome hats!

Third ... That pic of Sweetness really shows her beauty. I love her smile! That truly is a great pic of her!

Fourth ... The lionfish looks really good. That will be on my to do list come April.

Fifth .... How can you not come in April! I need to hear Markus' voice! That video clip just isn't enough!

Confession .... So jealous I wasn't there!

----------


## wpyogi

> Haha! I would love to go in April. Thats going to be one AMAZING boardie bash but Its really not in the stars for us. I am hoping that a Little Clarity or Markus will ((Finally)) be on the way by then. Im relying on all of you guys to take me along vicariously through your trip reports. So Dont let me down! Im looking forward to reading the further adventures of my favorite couple, Gary and Tiffany.
> 
> I bet I can convince Patty Sather to bring us along on Popsicle sticks in April like she did with Manda and Joe.


As much as I would LUV to see you in April :Smile:    I will pray harder for you to have a likkle Clarity and HubbyMan :Smile:   Good luck, my friends.

----------


## wpyogi

> I love waking up in Jamaica. I love the feeling of crisp clean hotel sheets against newly tan skin, I love seeing the sunlight streaming in through the shuttered windows and the palm leaves swaying. I love hearing the ceiling fan swooshing overhead and the Reggae music drifting over from the bar. I love the smell of aloe vera lotion and coconut oil. There is a calm relaxed happy sensation that just washes over me at the realization that I have another day on the most amazing Island in all the Caribbean.


Perfect description :Smile:

----------


## TizzyATX

Haha at the end of the vid you hear Marley say "im gettin splinters in my pants"!! hahahaha

----------


## marley9808

Hahahahaha, I was!

----------


## marley9808

I love reliving these moments, every single one of them!
Constant smiles  :Smile: 
Your photos and videos are the perfect addition to these memories, thanks for capturing and sharing them all

That is one of my favorite photos of Markus the one in Canoe at the Boardie Bash. I remember asking you once if there was ever a time that he WASN'T happy? And you said "Only when you take his food away from him" Hahahahaha
But I also just realized in the back of that photo I appear to either be shocked or appalled by SOMETHING.....hahahaha that made me laugh

----------


## gerryg123

> I also just realized in the back of that photo I appear to either be shocked or appalled by SOMETHING.....hahahaha that made me laugh


Probably about me trying to squeeze into the group picture ....

----------


## CherryNorth49

> *Trip Report Continued...*
> 
> Markus is very laid back when it comes to vacation plans. He likes being the tail on the kite and lets me plan the details. I really pushed the envelope when I booked 6 different hotels for this trip but when I told him my plan, he had just laughed. He thought it was a little crazy, but he was up for the adventure. Every time we checked into a new hotel, it felt like a new vacation starting all over again. I loved it. You meet new friends, get to know the staff and the environment around you changes. You get to see Jamaica from yet another angle and it's always unique.


I know exactly what you mean.  I have done a bunch of 10 day camping trips with my husband and we both swear that the trips seem extra long because we move every couple of days.  Every time we get some place new, home just seems that much longer ago.  We are going to be in Negril for 10 days this time and I decided that we would stay at 3 places during that time.  I figured any more and I was going to pushing my luck with Sunshine.  He was totally on-board.  It did take a month of repeating to him the plan before he could remember the details himself though.

That first picture with the doctor bird looks like something right out of National Geographic.  Well captured!

Thanks for getting back on the report  :Smile:

----------


## Clarity

Thanks *Luvmylabs* and *Kaycee*!

*Garysteph*  You're going to love Guirigay, Sweetiepie, Sweetness, Marley, Ninja, Tizzy, Spottycatz, Booger and the whole crew. This trip was an experience I will never ever forget and the boardie bash was the icing on the cake. Next April is going to be that X2! Thanks for offering to bring us on popsicle sticks! Haha! I'd love to be a member of Team Grits -I'm totally going to take you up on that!

P.S. Markus is going to make a special video update just for you. :Big Grin:

----------


## Clarity

*Tizzy* & *Marley* – lol The splinters in my pants comment had me cracking up!

I also love that Marley is looking SO shocked at something being said in the background of Markus’s smiling shot. That always makes me laugh too!

Miss you guys so much!

----------


## Clarity

> As much as I would LUV to see you in April I will pray harder for you to have a likkle Clarity and HubbyMan Good luck, my friends.


Awww thanks Wpyogi!  :Embarrassment:

----------


## Clarity

Im sorry for the one week hiatus. I work at a University and the week before a holiday is always the busiest time. I havent had much time to even breathe. 

Luckily, I now have a 4 day weekend ahead of me so I can *finally* finish this TR! Thank you for sticking with me through this. So here goes

*Trip Report continued*

The Annual Boardie Bash was drawing to a close (see previous entry) and the crowds were beginning to disperse. 

Guirigay suggested a stop over at Just Natural for a fruit drink before heading back to Catcha Falling Star.

So Marley and Ninja hopped on their scooters. Guirigay, Sweetiepie, Markus and I piled into a taxi. We all met up at Just Natural.

Ive heard a lot about Just Natural. It was always on my list of places to go but we never managed to squeeze it into previous trips. I was excited about finally going there. Most of the reviews were about the amazing breakfast spread but I was full of lionfish at that point. So I decided to just order a drink.

I really liked the vibe at Just Natural. Its nestled in the foliage, surrounded by palms and a beautiful garden with outdoor seating. 



The woman behind the bar area was super sweet and eager to explain all the healthy juices that they had to offer. 



I cant remember what I ordered. I remember I asked for something super nutritious and cleansing. (Something with a lot of vitamins and veggies in it.) I figured it might counteract all the damage done from 9 days of excessive red stripe consumption. 

She slid this greenish brown drink in front of me.



I gazed down at it and lifted the glass of murky liquid hesitantly to my lips. It wasnt visually appealing but I figured I would just chug it down. It was a little slimy and the taste was unusual for me. I guess you could say it tasted extremely healthy? Im pretty sure there was some kind of grass in it. I felt a weird tingling in the back of my throat afterwards. I should have probably mentioned that Im allergic to a random array of strange things. For example: I cant eat fresh cherries, kiwis or Apricots.  My throat swells up and I cant breathe. For a moment I feared an allergic reaction coming on, but it subsided after a minute.

Whatever was in the drink was a lot for my stomach to break down and suddenly a wave of lethargy washed over me. I felt incredibly tired and all my limbs felt loose. I felt the urge to just slide off the chair, sink into a fetal position and sleep for days.  It was as though all the partying had finally caught up with me. 

I gazed over at Markus and I could see that he was feeling the same way. 

Outside rain began to fall again. It was nice, cool and relaxing inside the hut area. Everyone was generally quiet and winding down from all the excitement of that day. It was pretty peaceful just listening to the rain hit the palm leaves.

----------


## Clarity

Guirigay started telling the woman behind the counter about his swollen ankles and some of the pain he was experiencing.

She quickly asked him to show her his ankles and when she saw them she insisted on giving him a foot massage to ease the discomfort. 



Marley and Ninja were utterly pooped as well. They decided to head back to Catcha to rest up a bit. We agreed to meet up later for dinner at Ivans. They drove away in their scooters.

The rain stopped at that point so Markus, Sweetiepie and I decided to walk across the street to Xtabi while Guirigay continued getting his massage.



We went down to the underground caves to check out the location for Patty Sather’s “Girly girls and manly men” photo shoot. 



Unfortunately we didn’t have our bathing suits on, so we would have to return later to take the actual calendar picture. (at the time, I had no idea what we had in store for us for that upcoming photo shoot and what was lurking in the shadows of that cave…watching us silently with glittering eyes… I shiver to think about it.)

We returned to the surface and Markus rested on the ledge overlooking the sea. We were both oddly sweaty and feeling dazed from sheer exhaustion. It was an effort to even stand. We were sinking fast.

 

Aww, My poor tired honey…He was really out of it...mumbling gibberish basically at this point. It was officially time to hit the sack. 

We returned to Just Natural as Guirigay’s massage had come to an end. We all stumbled back to the taxi and we were dropped off at Catcha. 

I collapsed into bed with Markus and I’m pretty sure I was asleep before my head even hit the pillow.

----------


## Clarity

When I woke up again, it was dark outside. I could hear distant laughter coming from Ivans bar. I yawned and stretched out in bed. I felt very relaxed, very rested and fit. Whatever was in that drink was now having a positive effect.  Every part of my body felt good.  

Markus emerged from the bathroom, fresh from a shower. He was in good spirits and happy. I feel GREAT!

Me too!

I showered too and got dressed for dinner. 

We headed over to Ivans Bar. The whole bunch of people were already there partying it up. Booger, Sandy (pooper), Gonjon, Tizzy, Guirigay, Sweetiepie, Marley and Ninja. 

They all greeted us warmly when we arrived and a fresh tropical drink was placed in my hands.



And the night officially began!

Some of the group had already had dinner, so we walked over to the dining area with Guirigay, Sweetie Pie, Marley and Ninja. 



We had a delicious dinner together. I ordered the seafood linguine. (AMAZING! Everyone has to try this dish at least once  It was my first time ordering it and I was blown away)



It was so creamy and filling, I could only eat half and rest was put in a doggy bag for later. 

After dinner, we met up with the rest of the crew to party at Ivans Bar. 

This party was a little more bittersweet then the previous ones. We knew that tonight was Booger, Sandy, Tizzy and Gonjons last night in Jamaica. This was the last time we would all be together at Ivans.

We really brought the house down, Kevin, Ty and Vivienne got into the mix and it was a lively party with a lot of singing together and laughing.  It was so much fun. Everytime I think of this night, I just have to smile. It was definitely a highlight for me. 

Heres a group shot:

----------


## Clarity

After that picture was taken, We released more lanterns into the sky…

 



Tizzy grabbed my arm “Daisy! Lets go jump off the cliffs together! C’mon”

I stared at her in horror and gripped her shoulders “Tizzy, no…there are LIONFISH in there! Lionfish! They all come up to the surface at night”

“Aww psaww… Don’t worry, girl, I’ll protect you from the lionfish. Lets go!”, She laughed and dismissed my fears with a wave of her hand.

I hesitated for a moment, considered it but then shook my head rapidly with wide eyes. “Don’t do it Tizzy! It’s too dangerous!”

Tizzy just laughed and darted off into the darkness. Booger and Sandy bravely followed. I stood back biting my nails and fearing for their lives. 

Markus rubbed my shoulders “Honey, they’ll be fine” He assured me. 

And of course, they were.

They all returned dripping wet and laughing up a storm. (I’m pretty sure Booger performed a special hanging brain flying leap off that cliff in a way only Booger can … but don’t quote me on that one. Lol!)

Next time Tizzy, I promise! I WILL overcome my fear!

And then it was time for the goodbye’s.

This was hard for me…I’m REALLY not good with saying goodbye. I’m Mrs. Waterworks. I put on my bravest face as we all hugged. 

I thanked Sandy (Pooper) for pulling the sea urchin spines out of my foot and told her how happy I was to get to know her. She saw the tears welling up and told me not to cry. “You’re going to visit us in LA okay! Do you hear me? That’s an order not a request”

I laughed and hugged this strong beautiful woman. The mother hen of the group.

Next was Booger.(The one that surprised me the most). I expected a snarky old man and instead I got to know a young handsome mischievous bloke with the biggest heart. He might try to hide it, but he’s really a softie.  He also had the ability to deflect my tears by saying something that made me laugh and smack him.

I hugged GonJon goodbye. He’s the one person I didn’t get to know as well as the others. This is perfectly understandable considering the fact that he was hit by Cupid’s arrow 10 minutes after I met him and was pretty head over heels for a certain Texan wildflower. He is clearly a great guy though and a lucky one at that.

Which brings me to Tizzy… She was the hardest to say goodbye to. She’s so full of light and love. Her happiness and joy with life is contagious. She came over to hug me and all we had to do was look at each other. I can’t remember what I said to her, but it was from the heart.

She pulled me in for a tight hug. When we pulled away, she was wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand.  “Damn it Girl! I can’t even look at you! You’re making me cry! Stop it!”

_Miss you Tizz…_

And with that we all dispersed to our separate cabins.

“Do you think we’ll ever see them again?”, I sniffled. 

“Of course we will”, Markus said with a smile “You know this is only the beginning”

*To be continued…*
Day 10 coming up next.

----------


## bjritz

Wow, Clarity, how wonderful. This just keeps getting better.

Is that a flying turtle I see in the last night at Ivan's group shot? How appropriate.

Anyone know what was in that Green drink that Christine was serving up at Just Natural. Must work, just look at Marcus at Xtabi 'bout to bite the big one....talk about "Boardie Down" you fall off the Xtabi deck and that would be epic!

These pictures are so good.

----------


## Guirigay

> Wow, Clarity, how wonderful. This just keeps getting better.
> 
> Is that a flying turtle I see in the last night at Ivan's group shot? How appropriate.
> 
> Anyone know what was in that Green drink that Christine was serving up at Just Natural. Must work, just look at Marcus at Xtabi 'bout to bite the big one....talk about "Boardie Down" you fall off the Xtabi deck and that would be epic!
> 
> These pictures are so good.


It was a mixed vegetable juice BJ. Theresa chopped up a variety of leaf and root vegetable to make it. She did me up an aloe shot and a celery juice for my swelling and then insisted on a massage. Awesome lady, we're definitely going out to their new place over the holidays.

----------


## marley9808

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!
I was cracking up at the "enhanced" group photo with the turtle!
That was HILARIOUS!

Oh and the Money Shot of the Seafood Linguine!!!!! Yes! Mouth watering I actually looked at the screen and said "You will be mine in 39 days!" LOL

And yum, look at all of those Miami Vices! I am going to miss Ty so much, I remembered being shocked when he knew what a Miami Vice was!

Miss you guys!

----------


## bjritz

******Warning, the following is not suitable for Clarity viewing.*******
******Double Warning, trip report spoiler alert.*******

----------


## marley9808

Lmao!

----------


## Clarity

> ******Warning, the following is not suitable for Clarity viewing.*******
> ******Double Warning, trip report spoiler alert.*******


Bjritz - LOL!!! OMG! This had me snort-laughing at my desk at work!!


*Happy thanksgiving everyone!!*


P.S. That screaming turtle in the pic is me, (of course) Now you all know why I'm so camera-shy  :Wink:

----------


## TizzyATX

Ahhhh Daisy!! See now your doin it again!!! Seriously i knew that was gonna happen lol.  Before this trip I was so looking forward to meeting you but I just had no idea....

I pray we will be friends forever <3 <3 <3

Remember that like it was last night.  Shoot I had all this stuff I was gonna say but then i got to the end and now I'm a mess. haha 
Love you!!!!!!!!!!!

----------


## Muzikdoc

The report is fantastic....I am so so  happy to have met you and Markus...just being around you guys makes people smile. I can't wait to see you all again...soon I believe?

----------


## gerryg123

Great report, Clarity, as always. So well-written and well-punctuated and great photos. Didn't know folks jumped the Cliffs at night -- that's crazy!

----------


## nutz4travel

Clarity you are amazing, you make me laugh, you make me cry...  Thank you  :Smile:

----------


## STRIPER

So about this banana shout place, :Smile:

----------


## spottycatz

It is 10am here in Scotland and I am sitting reading this with tears rolling down my face, I can hardly see to type!  I don't know how many times I have to tell all you turtles just how special you are, but here I am doing it again!!  I know most of you are all so lucky to be migrating again at Christmas but us Katz are counting the days until we all meet again in April.  I can't even begin to imagine how wonderful that is going to be.  Thanks again Clarity for the wonderful piece of writing which just brings us all back to our special place. Turtle Love ♥

----------


## Katho



----------


## Clarity

Thanks Katho & Muzikdoc, Miss you guys!

Love you too Tizzy Girl! 

2Nuts2Travel – Only 2 Days to go!! Wooo hooo! Have fun in Negril!

Gerryg123 – Yup, As crazy as it seems…it happened and they live to tell the tale lol

----------


## Clarity

> It is 10am here in Scotland and I am sitting reading this with tears rolling down my face, I can hardly see to type!  I don't know how many times I have to tell all you turtles just how special you are, but here I am doing it again!!  I know most of you are all so lucky to be migrating again at Christmas but us Katz are counting the days until we all meet again in April.  I can't even begin to imagine how wonderful that is going to be.  Thanks again Clarity for the wonderful piece of writing which just brings us all back to our special place. Turtle Love ♥


Markus and I miss you both so much! 
We’re going to try to find a way to be there in April for the BIG Turtle Reunion. If we can’t be there physically, you know we’re going to be there in spirit.

----------


## Clarity

> So about this banana shout place,


Lol! I know you’ve been waiting forever for this but it’s coming up! I promise! (with lots of pictures for you too) check back in on Thursday for that update from Markus.  :Cool:

----------


## Clarity

Our trip report was put on the backburner due to a medical emergency. It's been a rough two weeks for me and my family.

 Thanksgiving weekend I received a phone call from my mother in New York. My 26 year old sister had been rushed to the emergency room and was in critical condition. I immediately booked a plane ticket home to be with my sister and my family. I don’t want to go into details regarding her condition and re-live the experience. I will say that it was incredibly scary.  We didn't know what was going to happen. She was attached to so many machines with a round the clock nurse watching her closely. I was so filled with fear and just praying that I wouldn't lose my sister.

Thankfully my sister has made a full recovery. No permanent damage. With an exception of a small scar, she is going to be just fine. I'm relieved and so grateful that my sister pulled through this. She is in very good spirits and views this full recovery as a blessing, a new lease on life.  She's truly a fighter. She inspires me daily and I admire her so much. The entire experience was incredibly surreal and very frightening. It's a reminder to never take for granted the loved ones in your life and appreciate every moment with them. Life is so fragile.

I'm back in San Francisco now and still decompressing from my trip home to NY. This next update will be a short one. Mostly pictures but Markus will be posting a new long update tomorrow. Our goal is to finally wrap this trip report up. Hopefully there will be no more medical emergencies in our immediate future. (knock on wood) I think I've reached my limit with that….


*Trip Report Continued…
DAY 10*



Today was our designated “chill day”. The only plan we had was to relax and enjoy our time at Catcha Falling Star and that’s exactly what we did… 

We slept in. We woke up feeling refreshed to the sound of the birds chirping and the palm tree leaves brushing against the shutter windows.  We took a shower together and enjoyed the sunlight streaming in from the open shower roof. 

Here are some pics of Pisces for anyone planning on staying there. 





We loved it. It’s so cozy, quiet and removed from everything. A few people had asked us about street noise at night because it’s close to the entrance. That was not a problem at all. We didn’t hear anything over the gentle hum of the air conditioner. It’s now our favorite cottage in Catcha.  Best price and still with a nice view of the sea from the porch. 

Marley, Ninja, Guirigay and Sweetiepie were already at Ivans when we left our cottage. It was already lunch time by the time we arrived, so I ordered my favorite dish (besides Seafood Linguine) The Jerk Trio Platter. It’s an appetizer that also works as a delicious light lunch.

----------


## Clarity

Brasi arrived shortly after. It was so relaxing just chilling at Ivans bar together enjoying drinks and great conversation. 



We also went swimming and snorkeling off the cliffs


Sweetie Pie watching Marley and Ninja floating in the warm Caribbean sea

Markus finally had some time to pull out the sketchbook and draw some of the scenery. He chose to sit on the daybed at the edge of the cliffs and draw Marley’s home. (The Sagi Cottage)

----------


## Clarity

Sweetness also made an appearance



Marley and I visited Sweetness in her upstairs suite. We all sat together on her balcony taking in the view and catching up. 

We really all felt like family and I felt like this trip would never end, like we would all pass our time together at Catcha in Paradise for the rest of our days. This was the first time I had stayed in Jamaica long enough to feel this way. The urge to run to the next party or chase after the next adventure was dissolving. I was just content, relaxed and happy in the moment. I felt no anxiety about anything… it was a wonderful feeling and a gift from Jamaica that I accepted.

That night we had our last dinner together. Markus, Marley, Ninja, Guirigay, Sweetie pie. Marley and I ordered our favorite dinner yet again. The Seafood linguine and I savored every bite. 

We had our last Ivans bar party with our two favorite bartenders, Ty and Kevin.



Next up was Tawnee’s Birthday bash right around the corner at Seastar Inn. Unfortunately Guirigay, Sweetiepie and Brasi couldn’t join us. They needed to leave early the next morning.

It was time for another round of goodbye’s…

Which meant more waterworks from me…

You would think that it would get easier after the first round of goodbye’s but it didn’t…

I don’t want to write about this goodbye because it will make me cry and it’s already been a pretty emotional week for me. 

Guirigay, Sweetiepie and Brasi know how I feel about them. We’ve all been through a lot together. They are compassionate, caring, kind, beautiful friends that hold a very close place in my heart. The connection we all have is one that I can not put in words. I’m so grateful for every minute I was able to spend with them during this trip.  (As you all know, Markus had a bit of a bromance thing going with Guirigay…It was pretty hard for him too.) 

I still had tears in my eyes as I walked down Seastar lane towards Tawnee’s birthday bash with Marley, Ninja and Markus.

I wiped the tears from my cheeks with the back of my hand and straightened up. “Okay” I told Marley ”it’s our last party together. I’m not going to be sad. I’m just going to enjoy every minute”

We were late arriving to the party and we missed quite a few people, but thankfully the party was still going strong. Here are some pictures from that fun night.


Jim and Donna


Markus and Tawnee

----------


## Clarity

Marley, Ninja and Dawn


The beautiful Bella Bea

After the party we grabbed some Red Stripes from our fridge and joined Marley and Ninja for one last round at the Sagi Cottage. The four of us sat together on the balcony overlooking the sea.

This was it. The final and hardest goodbye at Catcha and… _I just couldn’t do it_. 

I’ve been trying to find the words to describe how much their friendship has changed my life in a positive way and how much they mean to me. (to both of us) Marley is not just a friend, she is my sister now. Ninja is Markus’s “brother from another mother”. They are such a beautiful couple that I truly love and admire so much. From the moment they arrived in Jamaica, the four of us spent nearly every single day together. I know that whatever happens in life, we will remain friends always.  So I knew in my heart that this wasn’t goodbye, it was just the beginning of a lifelong friendship. 

I came into this trip struggling with intense grief from a terrible loss and feeling broken, I left with a family of new friends that helped me heal and memories that I will treasure for the rest of my life. 

So when it came time to head to bed, I started to say goodbye… but I couldn’t formulate the words without choking up. So instead I just said “We’ll see you tomorrow”

Marley smiled and gave me a hug “See you tomorrow”

*To be continued. 
Day 11 – Moving to Banana Shout
Markus is back in the saddle and he’s up next.*  :Big Grin:

----------


## Guirigay

> It was time for another round of goodbyes
> 
> Which meant more waterworks from me
> 
> You would think that it would get easier after the first round of goodbyes but it didnt
> 
> I dont want to write about this goodbye because it will make me cry and its already been a pretty emotional week for me. 
> 
> Guirigay, Sweetiepie and Brasi know how I feel about them. Weve all been through a lot together. They are compassionate, caring, kind, beautiful friends that hold a very close place in my heart.



Every time I read your words you know what I'll see...





> * The connection we all have is one that I can not put in words*. Im so grateful for every minute I was able to spend with them during this trip.  (As you all know, Markus had a bit of a bromance thing going with GuirigayIt was pretty hard for him too.)


Let me see what I can do, It should only take me the rest of my life...

(((((((((Markus and Daisy)))))))))

----------


## marley9808

Awwwwwww, you know I feel the same way about you and Markus, love you guys so much
Funny enough, like most, I had fallen in love with you both before ever even meeting you and I was so happy to find out that you are even more amazing in person.

And we have so much in common.....

I too went to Jamaica on this last trip and met some of my FAMILY!
Love you all so much!

See you soon!!!! yay  :Smile:

----------


## gerryg123

> I had fallen in love with you both before ever even meeting you


Great stuff. You first bonded over shoes, right?

----------


## kaycee

:Smile:  enjoying it!

----------


## nutz4travel

Thanks for continuing Clarity!  I so need something to pull me through the next 36 hours!

----------


## Jamerican1

So glad your sister is okay! I look forward to the rest of your review! Loving all of your beautiful pictures!!

----------


## Angel

Welcome back, glad your sister is getting better sorry you had to go through that. Looking forward to some more pictures. Thank you for the ones you've posted.

----------


## LLAP

It's good to see you back and I hope your sister continues her recovery.
May the upcoming Season and New Year be full of blessings for you two.

----------


## ralonzo29

All I have to say is 

1)You guys are he best 
B) You always make me tear up at work
III) and of course SEE YOU SOON!! 17days

----------


## Hubby-man

Thanks everyone for your kind comments! Im glad youre still with us on this journey.  :Embarrassment: 

Another hiatus from this trip report for me, and, while scarcely 7 months have passed since this trip, it feels like it all happened a decade ago.  By a strange law of emotional relativity the passage of time feels enhanced as the bonds with those we met have strengthened.  

After Jamaica we made excessive use of the new technologies and saw each other frequently through the tiny lenses of laptops and smartphones. We now regularly hasten home to see our family of turtles in a video chat and participate in each others lives. We have glimpses of where they live and what they do. We virtually went on car trips with Guiriguy and Sweetiepie, attended wedding receptions, and examined notable bathrooms with Tizzy in Texas. We greet new pets in the family, keep up with each others RADIO broadcasts (Spottycatz!) , promotions  and struggles and saw Ninja come home with a Hoagie after Karate class. 

For a special treat Sandy and Booger brought us back to Negril for a chat and we bantered, joked and danced with the Catcha staff via webcam. We have in essence become a family by choice, straddling the North American continent and beyond. 

What happens in Jamaica does *not* stay there. What happens in Jamaica becomes part of who you are and it makes your life at home better, richer and more textured. Meaningful relationships are formed on this very website and become very, very real.

I can hardly believe now that we have met these people a mere 26 weeks ago and that makes the time, when we had just met, seem decades distant.

----------


## Hubby-man

*Day 11*



We woke up in a sweaty confusion. Above the fan of the Pisces cottage spun slowly.  It was early, but through the daze a feeling of urgency crept in. Something was happening. I glanced across Daisy’s shoulder at the clock radio. 

Me: “Man, when are they leaving?”.

Daisy: “Dunno, about now? … I think.”

Me: “Oh man! … Wanna say good-bye?”

Daisy: “Oh, no! I can’t.  I promised not to cry …and I would.”

Me: “I can’t lay here with them right out that door! I have to go say good-bye again.”

 I tossed some water in my face in the bathroom and grabbed clothes of the floor. With my shirt inside out I slipped through the front door and stared into the bright sunlight reflected of the sedan waiting there. Ben at the center of the early action wagged his tail and slowly wobbled towards me. 



Crouching down to pet his wiry fur I spotted Marley and Ninja at the front desk.  I ran back inside to report to Daisy, but saw the water built up on her lower eyelid. She waved off and I went back outside without a word.

Ninja came out of the office and sauntered over. We managed a cool hand shake and braved the moment as if it were any other.  I asked if everything was going smooth, if they were on time and such. He nodded and we wordlessly looked at office entrance waiting for Marley to come out. Just two men standing there and chatting on the surface undisturbed by the happenstance of one party’s departure.

Then behind me the cottage door squeak open and Daisy emerged hesitantly,  asking to be allowed to show her teary face.  Marley finally joined and we discussed emphatically all the opportunities we would not miss to see each other, the trip reports we would write.

“It’s the beginning of something beautiful, not the end! “

“You are right. This moment is a joyful one! Good things are in motion.”

“It sure is, isn’t it?”

“Bah, yes of course it is!” 

We were so brave.

When the car turned the corner though and the gate was closed and everything continued as if nothing happened: the birds still sang, the security guard smiled at us with no sign of loss or grief, when all the world just pretended that nothing at all had occurred it stung so badly that I could finally not hold back the tears and to my surprise broke out into a full on ten second sob fest.  Daisy had already been at it for a while. We took turns. She wiped my tears off and repeated: “It’s just the beginning, honey. You’ll see them ALL again!”

“That’s right my love! That’s right.”

----------


## Hubby-man

We went to the porch and sat down for cigarette before breakfast. Lost in our private thoughts we sat in silence for a while.  Then the landscape slowly took over, the morning glory, the hummingbirds and butterflies.  Our little resident land crab was acting extra cute as it tried to pull an oversized blossom into its little tunnel. Finally you just cant help smiling. It is very, very difficult to stay sad at catcha falling star, no matter the misery. 





Surely we were still shaken up, but positivity had overcome us by the time we headed over to have our last breakfast at Catcha. It really all looked like a beginning, not an end.  Besides, not everyone had gone. Coco and her husband were having breakfast at the table next to us. They are so polite . She smiled and waved at us always careful not to intrude.

----------


## Hubby-man

We gorged ourselves on ackee, salt fish and caliloo while a magnificent frigate bird put on a show to which we had front row seats. Looking for hot air to rise on the magnificent creature glided by, time and time again, and stalled in midair like a kite, much closer than I ever had the luck to see one. 

They are quite common and probably cause little excitement in a more serious birdwatcher, but I absolutely love these birds. I clearly remember seeing them as little Markus while watching TV with my mom on our little black and white TV-set with three channels. The frigate bird was a common feature in nature documentaries in those days. When I first saw a male siting near the nest with his pouch bloated like a red birthday balloon, I wished , but never imagined to see one in real life.  A land where such otherworldly creatures might live seemed very strange indeed and impossibly far away. How could I ever hope to see one!  Maybe that explains my strange obsession with the bird and the absolute delight and disbelief when I spotted scores of them on the first day of my first trip to Jamaica.  So, to the annoyance of my honey, I dropped my fork and knife into the Ackee and Saltfish in the middle of breakfast and made like a proper tourist with my camera. Here is my best shot of the Man-o-War bird, the pirate of the sky, the F16 of Ornithology:



After breakfast and before packing we schedule one last proper excursion through the Catcha-Falling-Star grounds with our camera. A few hours with no pressing events and all the time in the world to discover more flowers, birds and insects.

----------


## Hubby-man



----------


## Hubby-man



----------


## Hubby-man

Across the cliff we could see our next destination. The mysterious Banana Shout. It looked a bit irreverent and almost unkempt from here, but also enticing, full of mystery and adventure. 

It was almost time to find out. After a few hours of chasing critters with my camera, I returned to the cabin were Daisy was all packed and ready. We said our good-byes and thank-you’s to the amazing staff that had doted over us for the last days, we bought a phone card for the kind security guard and finally stepped through the green gate out onto the street.

----------


## Hubby-man

*Trip report Continued from previous page….*

Since morning the heat had risen to an almost unbearable level.  Away from the shadow of the shrubbery the sun was beating brutally onto the pavement. The few hundred feet of road between the Catcha gate and the yellow fence of Banana Shout were distorted in the slow convection of the air. Dust clouds, that had been swept up by passing cars, hung in the air without a breeze to move them. 

In the midday sun the yellow fence shone brightly.  A  banana-shaped door handle indicated an opening near the middle. The words “Banana Shout” were painted inside an oval logo, looking  just like a stickers on the fruit in your local supermarket.  There was no sign of a knocker or doorbell anywhere.



“Do they literally want us to shout Banana?” I suggested. 

Daisy wiped the sweat off her forehead, not amused by my brilliant joke.

“Just knock already!”

I did. We waited. I knocked again. Nothing.

Daisy knocked again. Then she screamed loudly: “Hello, anyone there?”

Some dogs down the road responded, but only silence came from the other side of the fence.

“Are they expecting us?” I asked.

“Of course, do you really think I would get the day wrong!?”

“No, of course not! I‘m gonna try it,…… BANANAaaaaaa!”

“Do you hear anything?” Daisy asked. 

I pressed my ear against the fence, and then tried to peer through the gaps in the boards. 



“I don’t see anyone,…… BANANAaaaa!!!!!”

The yelling had caught the attention of the neighbors now. From the bar further up the Road a Jamaican approached on a scooter.

“Ya Mon, you need a ride, Mon?”

“No thank you, we just want to get into Banana Shout.” Daisy replied. “I need to drop my luggage off and get a shower.”

“Yah mon, no problem, Marianne is tending the goats, let me get her.” With that the helpful man left his scooter, ran into a field directly across the street and disappearing in the tall grass.

“Herding goats?” I asked, “This is too cool.”

We waited a few more minutes, then heard voices approaching. From the cover of the grass an apparition from the sixties appeared.  A tall slender figure emerged from the dried out golden meadow with long flowy dark hair loosely tied into a pony tail.. 

With a big smile, that exposed a row of glowing white teeth, she approached and immediately took Daisy’s hands into hers and emphatically apologized for the delay: “I can’t believe the groundskeeper didn’t hear you.”  Then she kissed both of us on the check and beamed: “Let me give you a tour! This is so exciting to have you here!” I seriously had the impression I was in 1968 during the summer of love and had just arrived in a sunny Oregon commune. Everything in view seemed to confirm that reality.

Beyond the yellow fence the impression only became stronger. In the center of a small driveway a nave rendition of the sun and moon were carved into the trunk of a tree and painted brightly. Everything seemed to have at least a splash of color playfully applied. To the left a small hut housed an office.

----------


## Hubby-man

Marianne led us down a little path between plants and more brightly colored structures. 



“This is the main house”, she said pointing, “if you read the book Bananshout, this is the structure that was first built here.”

“I have read it. “ Daisy said excitedly.

We are inside a book now! These are the real buildings and people!

“And here is the communal kitchen.” Marianne explained further.

----------


## Hubby-man

Down from the main house, past a tiny grove of large trees, a flat area extended to the cliff. This was the part of the property visible from Catcha and Rick’s Caf. In the center was a little thatched hut. Needless to say it was adorned with all the basic colors of a decent palette, a splash here another one there. If a color had been forgotten on the outside a spot inside was found to accommodate it.



Art work was strewn about everywhere, mostly Rasta carvings. A wooden Giraffe looked longingly out to the Ocean. A monkey seated on the giraffe’s back held a banana in his hands, like provision for the journey ahead. The two looked ready for the departure. While carved with little detail,  the image was so powerful it will probably stay with me forever. 

Pointing to the left Marianne finally pointed out the place that would be our home for the next few days. The structure was incredibly large. Walking up the stairs to the porch Marianne apologized, that certain repairs had not yet been made, since the last hurricane had made them necessary, but I could not find what she was referring to. 

The house had a single large room and a bathroom. I was again reminded - in the most positive way - of my experiences with communal living. Beside the bed a large wooden dining table dominated the room. Everything seemed to have been picked and thrown together by different people. Rather than the result of a cohesive interior design, chance and cooperation had made this room. I was delighted and so was Daisy. 





In the bathroom Marianne broke the bad news. “The water pressure in the shower is low right now, but….”, and here it got good again,” there is a fresh water shower cut in to the cliffs! Let’s go see it!”

----------


## Hubby-man

We put down our luggage and followed her back outside. The stairs cut in to the cliff right outside our veranda were insurance-disaster slippery, so watch out!



As we descended through little caves and rocky arches, the ocean groaned and bellowed forcefully against the rock. A few feet above the foaming waves the path reached its lowest point.  A natural pool right up against the edge was bubbling like a Jacuzzi powered by the tides. Behind it set further back a little platform had been poured from concrete. Above a shower nozzle was ready for your cleaning needs draining into the ocean. So bring some bio-degradable soap. It is way more amazing to shower here than in a “proper” bathroom.





This ended out tour. We were then officially introduced to “Plug” the groundskeeper. “He can fix anything or provide anything you might need.”

Plug nodded. 

“This should be fun!” Daisy exclaimed.

“Definitely!” I replied. 



_To be continued…._

----------


## kaycee

lol@you shouting "banana" :Smile:  lovely pics by the way!

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## Angel

Loving this Markus, welcome back. You and Daisy have such adventures.

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## Sam I Am

For some reason, whenever I read you trip reports I get the warm fuzzies :Smile: 
I don't get them often, so thank you.

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## gerryg123

Awesome photo of crab .... Great report!

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## billndonna

What an excellent report and pictures,thank you for sharing!!!

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## Seveen

okay i went beyond crying - i SOBBED - lol

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## marley9808

The funny thing is that I can actually picture (and hear) you shouting "Banana" at the door!

And don't worry, you weren't alone in your sob fest, as soon as the gate closed I started one of my own, Ninja claims he didn't but since we were riding the scooters back to the beach before getting in with Chicken, there was no real way to verify....that wind did wonders on those tears on my cheek! lol

You know if I had just read this a few months ago I would be really sad reliving that moment of our goodbyes, but instead I read it now, many months later after still communicating with you on a regular basis (I love technology) and even more importantly, I will be hugging you HELLO! soon! Yay

Kinda makes me want to shout "Banana!"

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## Sweetness

B-a-nan-as!

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## spottycatz

Been waiting for this part of the trip. Need to know what we're going to in April. Don't leave nuffin' out now! 
And Plug is the man to speak to, yes?

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## booger

> The funny thing is that I can actually picture (and hear) you shouting "Banana" at the door!
> 
> And don't worry, you weren't alone in your sob fest, as soon as the gate closed I started one of my own, Ninja claims he didn't but since we were riding the scooters back to the beach before getting in with Chicken, there was no real way to verify....that wind did wonders on those tears on my cheek! lol
> 
> You know if I had just read this a few months ago I would be really sad reliving that moment of our goodbyes, but instead I read it now, many months later after still communicating with you on a regular basis (I love technology) and even more importantly, I will be hugging you HELLO! soon! Yay
> 
> Kinda makes me want to shout "Banana!"


You can yell banana when you hug me too......

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## marley9808

> You can yell banana when you hug me too......



LMAO! Ok, I will...just try not to spill your beer on me this time  :Wink:

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## irieworld

Banana!!! Shout it  :Smile:  Yeah the crying is just routine now for me when reading your reports--something about your descriptive skills and writing from the heart no holds barred--when you all are crying, so am I. Ridiculous! I love hearing about Banana Shout. I read the book back in the day and love putting current images and impressions to it. Thanks D and M. You two rock it.

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## Jim-Donna

It was such a Pleasure meeting you two. How is that little one coming along??

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## Clarity

Thanks Kaycee, Angel, Gerryg123, BillnDonna, sweetness, Spottycatz, Boogs, Marley, Irieworld!

Lol Seveen! You crack me up! Sorry for making you cry..AGAIN! I'd really love to meet you some day! :Big Grin:

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## Clarity

> Been waiting for this part of the trip. Need to know what we're going to in April. Don't leave nuffin' out now! 
> And Plug is the man to speak to, yes?


Yes, Plug is the man. He's great and he'll help you out with anything you need. He'll even go to the grocery store and Milo/Marianne will cook a meal for you.  The three of them are so warm and welcoming. You'll feel at home in no time.  You're going to love it!

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## Clarity

> It was such a Pleasure meeting you two. How is that little one coming along??


It was so wonderful meeting you both too!! :Big Grin: 

We are still working on that and we're hoping for some good news soon!  You know that as soon as there IS officially a little one on the way, we'll be screaming it from the rooftops. Believe me, you'll know! lol 

P.S. We've also decided to take one more shot at a "Jamaica Baby".*fingers crossed* Soon come! :Embarrassment:

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## Clarity

So my goal is to finish this trip report before the world ends. That's scheduled to happen this Friday so clearly it's time to wrap this up. 

I have a cold and I'm at home sick from work right now. This gives me some time to post a new update and some more pictures. I apologize in advance for typos, I'm kind of foggy in the head from all the cold meds... But here goes...

*Day 11 continued...*

I agree with everything Markus wrote about *Banana Shout*. It definitely does have a hippie commune feel to it. I love the bright colors and the entire funky vibe of the resort. There was no one else there at the time, so we really felt like we had the entire place to ourselves.



This was our first time staying in a room right on the edge of the cliffs. It was an amazing experience for us... to step out the door of your cottage and have the beautiful view of the turquoise ocean right in front of you. I loved hearing the waves lap against the cliffs while swinging on the hammock and feeling the warm breeze. This was truly heaven.



We went for a dip in the sea...



And afterwards we enjoyed using the outdoor shower built into the cliffs. It was really refreshing. (We also gave the boat floating by on it's way to Ricks Cafe with a crowd of tourists quite the show...)

Next up was a trip to *Fun Holiday* on the beach end to say Goodbye to Beachgirl66, +1 and Becky.

----------


## Clarity

I was glad they were all still there! We had a round of Dirty Bananas on the beach and then We all went swimming together. The weather was beautiful



Beachgirl66 had to leave early to see a friend before catching her flight. We hugged her goodbye. She gives the best hugs and she is truly the sweetest person you'll ever meet. She is so filled with joy. You can't help but smile and feel good when you're around her. +1 is wonderful too!

The next goodbye was Becky. She's a strong woman with a soft core. We shared an emotional moment and the waterworks started back up again. Yet another tearful fairwell. 

FYI: I make people cry. Apparently that's what I do...Just a warning for anyone that meets me in the future.

I'm really bad with goodbye's...If we're in Negril together, just avoid me on your last day and I think you'll be fine.

We continued down the beach to visit Robert and Maureen at our favorite bar on the beach. *SUNNYSIDE BAR*!

----------


## Clarity

We just missed Maureen by a few minutes but Robert was still there. He gave us a warm and enthusiastic greeting. It was so good seeing him again!

We noticed there was a new sign up and there is room on the back for visitors to sign their names. If you look closely you'll see ours up there:





Wpyogi and her +1 were happened to be strolling down the beach and greeted us. I was psyched to bump into them again and so glad they were still in town. They hopped up on the bar bench and joined us for a few rounds of cold Red Stripes. It was a lot of fun!

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## Clarity

At one point Markus disappeared to take another swim in the ocean. He was gone for a while but when he returned He was in very good spirits.

"I just saved a bee!" he announced with a smile.

I laughed "Um, That's nice, Dear"

It wasn't until a month later when I was going through the video footage from our trip that I saw what he was referring to. I smiled from ear to ear when I saw this. The footage was so oddly touching and heartwarming to me that I pieced the video clips together and posted it on Youtube.

For those who haven't seen it yet, Here it is:






This video shows you a glimpse of what I love about Markus. He has so much awe and respect for every little living thing on this planet. He's really a gentle soul with the biggest heart. I'm so grateful every day that I have him in my life. He makes ME a better person. 



Love this beautiful man with every fiber of my being.

Sorry I have to stop here. I'm feeling really drowsy and my head is pounding. It's time for me to drink some hot tea and head back to bed. 

*To be continued...*

_Bonfire webcast party at Seasplash w/ Spottycatz, Lorax, Indybob, Bella Bea and a whole bunch of great boardies coming up_

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## booger

Oh so nice....... Love the video of Markus and " I can Flyyyyyy" Medicine head what? This is one of you best updates........ Good times soon come...

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## Angel

Well Daisy hope you get to feeling better before the world ends so the trip report gets finished. As for crying or making people cry you just keep being you.i like it :-)

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## Clarity

Awww Thanks Angel and Boogs!
I'm feeling a lot better now and ready to finish up this trip report today! :Big Grin:

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## Clarity

Well, the world didn’t end after all. It’s time to wrap this trip report. This is it, the FINAL update. The day we finish this “War and Peace” length trip report has finally come.

Not many words this time. I’ll just let the pictures tell the story…

*Day 11 continued…*


(party at Seasplash)

We partied with the Spottycatz (I was so happy to see them I nearly knocked them over with my hugs. Mr Spotty looked a little afraid) Indybob was there too, Jim and Donna and we finally met Lorax and his beautiful wife. Bella Bea and Tawnee… a whole bunch of boardies partying that night! 

I also met a man on the beach that made me a bracelet with my brother’s name that I treasure to this day.

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## Clarity

When night fell, a bonfire was lit up on the beach in front of Seasplash..





(Markus and Chicken  :Big Grin: )

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## Clarity

Markus did a pole dance for the webcast. I pried him off the pole when he threatened to “take it all off” – After Seasplash we visited Indybob at Crystal waters and then had drinks with Rob, Lisa and Bella Bea at Eddie’s DeBar

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## Clarity

Trip report continued from previous page..

*Day 12 - Final day at Banana Shout*



Waking up to the sound of the waves against the cliffs was amazing.. .what a view!

 


(the communal kitchen area)


Morning cup of joe at Banana Shout

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## Clarity

After a dip in the ocean, we went to visit Courtney the Carver at Grand Pineapple to bring him some acrylic paints that he was in need of. He was grateful and it was wonderful seeing him again. We bought a beautiful carving. 



Next stop was Xtabi for some snorkeling and breakfast

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## Clarity

Then it was time for the “girly girls and Manly men” Photoshoot in the Xtabi caves…



This didn’t go over well with me. This is why…



This video footage tells the tale. When I saw the bats, you’ll see how I hightailed straight out of that cave. Markus grabbed the camera from me which he nearly dropped at one point when he was knocked over by a dive bombing bat. The horror is all captured on film. (see below)




This didn’t stop Markus from propping the camera on the side of the cave walls and getting a shot for the calendar. He is a brave soul.

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## Clarity

Afterwards we went back to Banana shout to just relax and enjoy our final sunset…



We sat there together gazing at the glistening sea and reflected on our 12 incredible days in Negril. So much had happened during this trip… We celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary, I met my long lost family for the first time in Mandeville & Belmont, We met the most amazing group of newfound friends and had a whole slew of adventures together. From YS Falls, Pelican Bar, The bellyflop, the one love pubcrawl, Seasplash parties, Luciano concert, and endless nights of laughing at Ivans Bar. we experienced six amazing hotels in Jamaica, Villa Sur Mer, Seastar Inn, Mandeville mountaintop villa ,Seasplash, Catcha Falling Star and Banana Shout Resort. 

We made memories that we’ll treasure for the rest of our lives…



All we could feel was gratefulness. We were tanned, relaxed, happy and at peace. Jamaica had once again given us the gift of clarity. I felt restored and ready to embrace whatever life had in store for me when I returned home..

We enjoyed that last night together in Jamaica to the fullest…

Thank you everyone for joining us on this journey and sticking with us to the end. Hope you enjoyed our ramblings, pictures and videos. I know I’ve enjoyed all of your trip reports over the years and this was just our way of giving back.

Thanks Rob & Lisa for creating this amazing site where we can all share our experiences and our love of Jamaica together. True friendships form through this bulletin board that go deeper than words can express. 

Till next time… :Smile: 

With Love,
Daisy & Markus

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## irie always

Perfect - 
till next time ........no pans just yet?

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## gerryg123

Great report Clarity. Dirty Banana for breakfast????

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## justchuck

Applause!!!  Thanks for a great trip report.

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## walleyed99

Clap, Clap, Clap, Clap, Clap, Clap! What an adventure, thank you for taking the time to post for us all to read! :-)

Cheers
W99

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## Mike_D

Excellent trip report, as usual.  The words and pictures - just incredible.

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## billndonna

Awesome trip report and pictures,thank you so much for sharing your adventure with us!

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## marley9808

Just loved every single minute of your report, and loved living it with you too! lol

Thanks for taking the time to write it all out, you guys are truly gifted.
But now that it is over, how will we go on? You should probably just book another trip so you can have more material to write about!

What do you say, want to hop on a plane tonight and meet us there this weekend?!?!?!?!

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## Vince

I think ya'll should write a book of ya'lls adventures :Smile: ~IRIE REPORT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!~Thanks!!!

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## JaJodi

Bravo! Standing ovation! Wonderful - thank you. I'm planning for next year and every time I read an update to your report I want to stay where you stayed! How to pick? Which was your favorite?

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## jennnn

Fabulous trip report, as always - Loved it!   Reading your reports always puts me in kind of a trance - makes me feel like I am right there in Negril.  BUT this time I actually am in Negril!  SO, In honor of you guys finishing this report I think I'll head out for a dirty banana now  :Smile:    Thanks Again for sharing!!

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## Angel

Ok time for you to book, pack and go so you can write another trip report. Thank you for posting this. :-)

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## Clarity

Thanks IrieAlways, Justchuck, Walleyed99, Mike_D, BillnDonna, and Vince! So glad you enjoyed our TR! I can’t believe we’re finally finished… it only took us 8 MONTHS. Lol!

Gerryg123 – lol! Only in Jamaica!

Angel – I think you’re right  :Wink: 

Jennn – Thanks!! Enjoy every minute in Negril and your Dirty Banana!

Thanks JaJodi –That’s a hard question…It depends on what you’re looking for in a hotel

If you want: 
…To party on the beach… *Seasplash* (Although I only know it under Jim Hurt’s management)
…To party on the cliffs…. *Seastar* 
(I felt like there was always something going on at both hotels, webcasts, live music and a lot of boardies. So much fun – If you’re going solo, I would recommend either hotel because you’ll have a lot of friendly people to hang out with.)
…To feel like ‘Brangelina’ in an intimate resort all with just you and your loved one… *Villa Sur Mer*
(Very quiet, Very Romantic… I felt like it was just the two of us in the world. This is good for anniversaries and special occasions –I feel like Markus and I fell in love all over again there)
…To Feel like a more laid back hippie vibe with a cabin right on the cliffs for an affordable price… *Banana Shout*
...If you want a little mixture of ALL of that on the cliffs… *Catcha Falling Star*. It will always hold a big place in my heart.  I just love the resort, the staff, the vibe…everything! I guess that makes Catcha my favorite. 




> Just loved every single minute of your report, and loved living it with you too! lol
> 
> Thanks for taking the time to write it all out, you guys are truly gifted.
> But now that it is over, how will we go on? You should probably just book another trip so you can have more material to write about!
> 
> What do you say, want to hop on a plane tonight and meet us there this weekend?!?!?!?!


Sure! Why not???  :Wink: 

 I’m packing my bags now! I’ll see you this weekend!! :Cool:

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## drummerboy13

Clarity, I just want to say to you and hubbyman...thank you.  Thank you for giving me hope that true love and happiness really does exsist.  In april, I was really searching for anything that could make me feel better about people and relationships.  Just getting to watch you two interact from a distance, made me want to believe that there could still be someone out there in this big old world, made for me and me made for them.  That morning at Seasplash when I brought you two fresh mangos that I personally picked, it was one of my trips high points.  And, it was a way for me to share something that meant alot to me and show you my respect.  I feel very blessed to have met you two.  The day you saw me bodysurfing, I was in my own world.  Again, something very special to me, cuz the last time I did it...my lil boy was with me.  Anytime I am stressed(or have to get my blood pressure taken) I take myself to that day with him in the ocean.  It always lowers my numbers and relaxes me..lol  Much love to you two....and all my other friends I was lucky enough to meet....I miss you all and hope to see you in April!!  Peace!!!

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## wpyogi

Great memories :Smile:   Thank you.

Now go make some more!

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## nutz4travel

Thank you so much Clarity & Hubbyman - I loved reading your TR and seeing your pictures.  Now you have it all in writing so you can remember it always - very cool.  You both write so well, you have a way of making people feel as though they are there with you.

Can't wait for your next trip  :Smile: 

Thanks again!

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## Coco

Bravo! Thanks for sharing so much of your trip and yourselves with us. Happy New Year!

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## Maryann

Loved your trip report!!!

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## JaJodi

Clarity - we booked Villas Sur Mer #6 down for our 20th anniversary trip in May. A few days there followed by a few days at Idle Awhile on the beach - thanks again for the wonderful pictures and information, it helped me talk my hubbyman into it. They really should give you a few free/discount nights (babymoon some day soon?) Wishing you all the best!

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