The MOST wonderful time of the year - a trip report

I've been home for 5 days & feel I owe a trip report to my fellow boardies. Don't get yor expectations very high, as it has been years since I have written one and no way can I write like some of our well known boardies! Bear with me, as I am a gremlin and may have some technical difficulties... I used to post aka TL, but being a gremlin, I couldn't remember my password, blah blah blah, so we'll just settle with NRV. Hopefully I will be able to post some pics, as I took a whole bunch!
I planned a family Christmas vacation to Negril last April after my Mom passed away. I knew I would not be able to handle the holiday without her. So, my husband gave me the green light to push the button. I booked Rooms Negril for 12/20 - 12/27. Really wanted to stay at Rondel Village, but it was not available. Later in the summer, I found out that Rondel was available, so I changed hotels. Booking this vacation gave me something to look forward to and helped with my sadness. Thank goodness that I booked a vacation, as I lost my aunt in Sept and then my sister the day after Thanksgiving. I needed Jamaica really bad.....The days between Thanksgiving and the day before we left were very hard to say the least. I truly wasn't excited about going until I started to pack. My spirit was broken, I was broken.
Wednesday Dec. 18th - go time! Packed and ready to go to Charlotte. My husband had actully packed days before, not last minute! We get to Charlottle early & kill some time by shopping. Bought a cool little speaker from Brookstone that you can hook up to your iPhone or iPod to boost the sound - pretty good for $35 and very compact. Checked into the hotel for the park & fly. Went back out shopping, as my husband realized he forgot his Nike's ( you got to be kidding me). Got back to the hotel around 10:00. Ready to go to bed - NOT! Excitement is settling in. Couldn't sleep Tues - too worried. Listened to my new little speaker all night! Jump in the shower at 6:00 am and catch the 7:15 shuttle to the airport. Breeze thru the airport and get to our gate and wait for our daughter's plane to arrive from Richmond. In no time she arrives and they are calling for our flight to board. We need a picture....here she goes with the pictures (husband & daughter make fun of me all of the time).

Excited to read the rest of the report! Sorry to hear about your Mom.

Quick & uneventful 3 hr flight. Notice that there are 3 planes already at their gates when we land, not a good sign. We had about an hour wait for immigration & customs - long lines, but what the h*ll, we are here! Kingsley is waiting outside for us - Yay! Pack our suitcases in the van & 1st stop Mega Mart. I wait in the van w/ Kingsley while hubby & baby girl pick up champagne, water, supplies. Mega Mart is really crowded - it takes about 45 min for them to return. Off to Bigga's for lunch. We are starving. Bigga is open - chicken not ready. Hubby has fish, baby girl & I get jerk pork. I notice baby girl looks green - whiter than white - not eating - damn she is car sick. I let her sit up front for the rest of the ride. We get to Rondel & are welcomed back by the staff. Love this place! Johno gets are bags. Two guys on scooters leaving - one says "you are going to like it here" and takes off. I think it may have been Gerryg123!
Hubby heads to the beach while I unpack. Baby girl emerges from her room just as I am heading to the beach. Got to catch the sunset. There it is and there it went before I could get my camera out!

So much for the sunset. I ask Carl if Pat is next door. He runs over & checks for me - she is still in her massage hut. I go over & ask for a quick massage on my feet & legs, as they are killing me from all of the shopping from the day before. We make a deal for four massages & she gives me a quick massage. I feel like a million bucks. Just a few hours in Jamaica & hubby says that he hasn't seen me smile that much in months!
We order 2 pizzas at the bar & have a few drinks & call it a night. I am so excited I can't sleep. I play music all night & just smile - I am in Negril...happy for the first time in a long time!
It rained really hard, like buckets throughout the night & was very windy. Got everyone up for breakfast. Off to Alfred's

Thank you for the report and pictures.
19 days to go and we had to drive by the airport yesterday.
I wish I could go to sleep and wake up on the day to leave.

NRV enjoying your report! Sorry to hear you've had some very tough times....

Wow...what a great start! I'm so sorry to hear about your losses. I know how difficult they can be. I am looking forward to hearing more of you report! :)

Since today was Dec 21st & the world was supposed to end, I figured WTF, I am in Negril with my two most favorite people....Let's light the drinking lamp right after breakfast! If the world is gonna end, let's go out with a good buzz! Bought some mangoes & had Delroy whip up some mango daiquiris. Got to love Negril - you don't have to leave your chair to shop! Went over to see Pat for an hr massage. She is wonderful! The sea was very rough, hubby went swimming. He said the waves really weren't bad. This chicken sh*t wasn't getting in w/all of the seaweed & cloudy water! Naps for hubby & baby girl - do you see a routine here? Me - not so much sleep - them - sleep all the time! Wake them up for sunset & have Carl call Balo to drive us to DeBar for dinner. Good to see Balo. Had a yummy dinner. Two redheads are tired and ready for bed when we return....Seriously? Sandals & Beaches were having a staff party at Wavz. What a hoot - went on til 2:00 am - some good music & kareoke (not so good). I turned on my own music at that point. Party ended - could hear everyone leave. Tree frogs quit bleeping, dogs started barking, birds started chirping as the sun rose. Time to catch a few winks before breakfast!

very nice! awesome toenail polish,lol!;)

Hi NRV I do remember you, I am sorry for your losses. Negril is a good spot to heal.

Pat does give some great massages, awesome pic's glad you and your family had a great trip.

Jamb