manda I just want to thank you again for sharing your experiences here..I have loved reading it and am really glad you had such an awesome time.
Peak season starts April 15th I believe.
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manda I just want to thank you again for sharing your experiences here..I have loved reading it and am really glad you had such an awesome time.
Peak season starts April 15th I believe.
no - low season starts April 15 -- when it's coming on to spring and summer; that's the date when hotel rates drop, as they change to the lower summer rate.
high season is wintertime through April, with the peak at holidays through February.....when it's winter in the US and Canada.
October is considered to be low season as well. Hurricane season naturally brings much less tourists.
High season actually starts dec.15th. at most hotels that is when the rates increase.
oh - yes, correct - will edit
but still, April 15 does not begin peak season - they had it backwards.
yeah, low season starts April 15th.
I think it stretches until mid-november because I was able to get some pretty good rates for my airfare and hotel bookings early November. The prices shot up dramatically for the end of November, December and January.
I noticed that all hotels have different ideas of what high and low season is too. The dates seem to be different for each site. It confuses me!
Good luck with finding the best price for your flight, Manda!
I hope you are able to get back to Jamaica soon!
Awww, I'm sad that there isn't the last day, but I'm glad it isn't here cuz I don't want it to be over yet!!
my bad, I got it backwards..boy is my face red. :oQuote:
Originally Posted by MissBlue
DAY 7 COMPLETED
We sat down to watch a show for our last night and it was fairly good although I sort of wished I was in Treasure Beach with the boys
playing pool but we met a few people from the resort and this one couple was celebrating their anniversary.
”How long have you guys been together?” She asks me.
“Oh no Andre and I aren’t together we haven’t seen each other for some time, years actually and so I came to visit him.”
”Oh wow, so he lives here in Jamaica. I would have guessed you were a couple.”
“If I’m lucky maybe she will be again.”
Again?
“Ya we dated when we were kids.”
”Sounds like you have an interesting story.”
We spent that night at the hotel “disco” off in a corner dancing and enjoying our last night. Andre got white boy wasted that
night and the couple we met during the show kept pulling us out on the dance floor.
It was nearing the end of the night and we were pulled out on the dance floor again by a few Canadian girls and Andre and I were
dancing like all other times we weren’t paying much attention to anyone else. Next thing I know Andre’s got me lifted up around his
waist and my legs are in the air it happened so fast and I was back on my feet I just sort of stood there for a minute and looked
around and the girls had moved over to the side of the dance floor and it was just Andre and I left there with an audience who was
now hooting and hollering at us.
The woman from the show ran up to me. ”I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone do that before that was great!”
“Really? Well I don’t think anyone has ever done that to me before I’m pretty sure I just got daggered though.”
”Daggered?”
“Hahaha ya, hey Andre do you want to show her daggering?”
“I’ll leave that up to her husband Manda.”
”You think you could teach him?”
Andre and I burst out into laughter.
We left the bar shortly after that in a bit of a daze from the rum we were pounding back at the bar. It was a fun night,
maybe not in comparison to some of the previous nights but we danced, we laughed, we kissed and we fell asleep in each others arms.
Manda got daggered!!!! Woo-Hoo! ;) Did you say this was your first trip to Jamaica?
What a memorable trip you had. I have definitely enjoyed this report. :o
I think there might be one more installment, yes?
hahaha I did .. and I didn't realize what the hell was happening until it was over lol This was indeed my first trip to Jamaica and it was definitely memorable.\
You are correct there is just one more installment left :(
sometimes there are sales for jamaica right after christmas and new years - everyone is optimist for a wonderful season right now - prices change depending on bookings after the holidays
very nice trip report manda! not sure i want to come in for the last installment - i already have that "last day" feeling - and it's your last day not mine
yeah, it really helps to book low season when you are on a tight budget. I have done end of May, banking in on the memorial day holiday days off in the US and November (banking in on Thanksgiving days off) many years in a row. They are both nice times to go. Low season from April 16 or so to December 15th. Resort rates lower, sometimes can bargain, flights lower also.
DAY 8
”Babes wake up wake up! What time is it??
“Ughhh it’s only 8am Andre”
“Ya but you have to leave today.”
“My plane doesn’t leave until 2:15 Andre shhhhh”
”But we need to check out in a couple of hours lets get up”
“Fine… (grrrr)”
We did our morning routine and I packed up again for the 4th and final time this week. We had breakfast and then spent the next couple of hours
laying together mostly in silence but when we did say something it was normally the same thing over and over again as if we weren’t sure what else
was suppose to be said.
“I’m really glad you came”
“I am too, thank you for showing me around and introducing me to your friends and having me in your home”.
”It was my pleasure Manda.”
Silence again but we’re holding on to each other tightly and again I can’t help but feel that I might never see Andre again.
“Andre why do I feel like…. “
“Shhh Manda” and he kissed me softly on my bottom lip and I closed my eyes and i wrapped my arms around him
tightly. And his lips danced across my cheek and down my neck and I could hear his breathing quicken in my ear.
”I love you Manda”
My eyes shot open and I held my breathe and I could feel his body tense on top of mine. His face still buried in my neck. I pulled back so to see his face
“What did you say Andre?”
He looked away from me and kissed my neck again “I said I love everything about you”
I know what he said and I’m sure he knows that I heard him the first time but I accept his answer anyways
“Well I love everything about you too Andre.”
He kissed me hard and I kissed him back.
By the time we had checked out and gotten to the airport to pass over the keys to Anton our car rental agent it was 1pm and there was a
very long line for check in. Once my bags were checked I was told there was 5 minutes before boarding was to begin and so Andre and I walked
quickly to the Security entrance.
”I can’t go any further than this.”
“I know, thank you so much Andre I’ve had one of the best trips ever.”
”Thank you for coming.”
He gives me a long hug and I we’re squeezing so tightly that when he pulls away I can still feel his arms around me and I hope to myself that this
feeling would stay like this for as long as possible.
“I don’t know when you’re going to come back or if you ever will but I hope you do come back and I hope it’s soon.
Please be good and I’ll tell everyone I said hello.”
“Be safe Andre and take good care of yourself.”
We had made it to the airport in just enough time that there wasn’t time for tears or long goodbyes. We didn’t profess any undying love
for each other and promise each other a relationship.
I was through security and at my gate in no time and before I could even let it settle that I was leaving this place. It wasn’t just Andre that
I was sad about and it wasn’t because we had gotten closer than I thought we were going to from the beginning. It was because before anything
else Andre was my friend and after a week he felt like a best friend and I wasn’t sure when I was going to see my best friend again. I was sad because
I wasn’t going to watch another one of the most stunning sunsets I’ve ever seen in my life. I was sad because in just one week I fell in love with this
place that I had heard others profess their love for and now I understood exactly what they meant. I had re connected with an old friend, I had rekindled
a passion for an old love, I had become a part of a new family, I had made new friendships and all of this in 7 and a half days. I think back to the moment
when I got off the plane and I could hear Andre call my name “Manda!! Manda!!” and searching for him to finally lay my eyes on him after 13 years and the
relief that came over me that he was here. I knew in that moment that everything was going to work out but I could have never expected the week that I had.
I handed my ticket to the lady at the gate and boarded the plane. I turned my phone on and texted my family.
“Leaving on time I’ll see Dad at the airport”
*Ding*
“I miss you already” – Andre
It was only then that I let myself cry quietly behind my sunglasses as I watched the island get smaller and smaller as my plane
carried me farther and farther away.
We were scheduled to land at 7:30pm and we were landed at 7:35pm. I liked this flight it would give me enough time to get
through customs and baggage and home at a decent time on a Saturday night just in case I was too restless to sit at home.
Customs was insane! I had never seen the line as long as that the line almost hit the back of the room at Customs and it took over
an hour to get up to an officer. When I walked through the doors into the baggage carousel area right at the doors were 4 officers
one of which had a dog.
This cop with a dog stops me
“Excuse me miss where are you coming from?”
“Jamaica”
He has the dog sit down in front of me and then he turns around and jumps up on my leg with his tail wagging it might have been
cute if I wasn’t standing in front of K9 Officers in the Toronto Pearson Airport.
“Wow you have a lot of marijuana on you, did a lot of smoking?”
DAY 8 CONTINUED
“Actually I don't smoke but I've been around other people that were” and he tells me that the level of
scent on me is to strong with the dogs’ reaction that I must have been close to the person. So I've got 4 k9 unit customs officers around
me asking me questions and they write something on my declaration card so I go and pick up my luggage and I already knew I was screwed
so the last check out I go through she sends me to the right and the exit is to the left and I've already waited in a line of like a 100 people
to get through customs and I have to pee really bad but here I go into this other room with another line where they check all your bags.
I’ve waited patiently in line and am called up by the next officer who happens to be a woman. I hand her my declaration.
“Oh I’m sorry miss I’m not allowed to search your bag. The lead officer of the K9 Unit has requested that he search you please go down
to the end of the room and sit on the bench for him.”
The officer starts telling me that anything I tell him about what I did on vacation won’t be used against me and that he just wants the
truth and then I can go... So he starts by asking me about the weed smell on my clothes I tell him that I had met a friend down there
and that he smoked weed. They wanted his name I told him his name and he asked how I knew him so I told him the truth.
“So you're a single white solo traveler meeting up in Jamaica and you smell of drugs”
He asked me a million questions.. His birth date etc they ran his name. He asked me everywhere I stayed what date I bought my ticket.
He searched everything in my bag. Then he passes this piece of fabric to me and asks me to rub it between my hands and then he
gives it to some lady.
“So you said you don't smoke right? And that you haven't smoked on your vacation?”
“Yes”
“Well that piece of fabric is going to tell me if you're lying.”
So this machine starts beeping like crazy and he goes
“I'm sorry my dear you just failed the drug test. You're positive for Cocaine!!”
“That’s impossible sir I haven’t done any Cocaine neither have I been around it”
“Well it's on your hands so did Andre ask you to bring drugs back here?”
“No he wouldn’t do that”
“This doesn’t make sense and unless you can make me understand why you have cocaine on your hands I'm going to keep you here”
He starts asking me if it's in me ? If I have it on me? That if it's in a vaginal bag that it's dangerous and that he's protecting me.
He continues on now with my trip asking different questions. He goes through my wallet and finds my ex boyfriends health card.
“Who is this and why do you have his ID?”
****!!!
“He's my ex and I was holding it for him a while ago and just never gave it back or threw it out”
He asks me the last time I've seen him I said over a month ago but he's in jail
****!!
So now he looks at me and wants to know about my ex.
“You don’t' look like a stupid person and I'm not trying to insult your intelligence but your single young white girl and look at the
company you tend to keep?”
**** you!
“Have you done any jail time?” I said none he runs my name.
Now remember I've had to go pee now for almost an hour and I can't hold it anymore. So I tell him I really need to use the bathroom.
He tells me we can arrange that but you'll use a special toilet and you'll have two women guards with you.
“Because I still don't feel comfortable with your explanation about the cocaine after you have your bathroom break I want you to know
that I have the authority to FURTHER search you at the highest level meaning that you will be stripped searched and your cavity's searched for drugs.”
Now I'm getting upset and my voice is a little shaky and I can feel my eyes watering up but I’m determined not to cry in front of this man.
“I'm telling you the truth though there isn't anything more I can tell you.”
“Well if you have nothing to hide then what's the big deal.”
“It's an invasion of my privacy and a violation to my body but I guess you'll find out I'm not lying when you humiliate me.”
The female officers show up and she has me face the wall with my legs spread my hands on my head and my knees bent where she continues
to frisk me she even put her hands up and under the wire of my bra checked all the top of my pants along the waist band etc and then we all
went to the bathroom together. This toilet was this huge metal box like an "outhouse" type of toilet but metal and you can't flush.
When I come out of the washroom the man starts on me again.
“Amanda you are the perfect candidate to be a victim of this kind of thing. I'm only trying to help you, you put yourself here not me and if
Andre is hurting you or making you do anything against your will you can just tell me right now because if you have drugs in or on you we
will find them.”
He is staring at me and I'm keeping his eye contact as much as I can because I'm nervous and upset and tired.
“I'm not a stupid person I would never be someone's mule and jeopardize myself that way”
Some lady comes over and starts drilling me about Andre, when is he coming back Amanda??? You know tell us.. That sort of thing.
The K9 Officer radios over his walkie talkie for two female officers to conduct a search on a female passenger.
“Would you like a lawyer?”
“No but can we get this over with my father is waiting for me”
The officer plugs my phone in now and checks through my messages asking me who different people are.
“Okay Amanda this is what I'm going to do I'm going to let you go... I had the cavity search scheduled and there are definitely parts
of your story that don't make any sense to me but I'm going to let you go. Just know that this wasn't personal and that I'm only trying to
protect you. When Andre comes back to Canada like I know he will because I bet he's making moves to do just that and using you somehow
I'll be happy to pull him over through customs and grab him for anything he has and I'll tell him that "Mandy says hi"”
Mandy????
Since when had we become friends where he felt comfortable shortening my name. Somewhere between invading my privacy and threatening me?
I looked at the clock and it was 10:45pm I had been questioned, interrogated, threatened, bullied and searched for the last 3 hours.
My father and my 5 year old nephew were supposed to pick me up and my phone started ringing before I left the interrogation area.
“Amanda where the hell are you!?? Did you get on the plane?”
“Mother I was almost strip searched”
“Oh”
“I’ll talk to you later”
On the way home I recount most of the episode to my father and he’s livid that I was being held for so long
“You know when you go to Jamaica you’re red flagged now. When they pull you over again because they will,
I want you to say nothing and ask for a lawyer because when they give you your strip search you’ll want it documented”
*sigh* I suppose I could have gotten that female officers name at least.. It seems to me her and I are going to get better acquainted.
He turns to me finally when we’ve both seemed to calm down a tiny bit.
“Well was it worth it?”
“Huh?”
“The three hours of interrogation and the possible cavity search, was the trip worth it”
“Every second of it.”
:eek:
Woah Sh*%. My goodness Manda...you must have terrified, pissed off and stunned that this was happening. I was reading it in total disbelief. Glad they let you go without violating your privacy. We travel to Jamaica frequently and worry that we are setting off a red flag, but never dreamed of any interrogation like that would take place.
I agree, your trip was worth it though. What a Shi**ty note to end it on though.
OMG Manda! What an ending!!!! Did you ever find out what the smell of cocaine was?
whoah! That's so insane! I'm so sorry you had to go through that!:eek:
WOW, now that's an ending we don't read about often here. I'm glad it turned out okay for you as it could have been a very different ending.
Exactly how I felt when I did my first solo trip. I traveled all over JA - literally, all around the island - but booked my last 2 nights at an AI. I was restless and also felt like I was missing something...I had to get a taxi to take me into town, to a bar by the side of the road, where I could hear dogs barking and see tacky Christmas lights and just BE in JA for part of my last night.Quote:
My last day in Jamaica is spent restless and I feel as if I shouldn’t be wasting what time I have left stuck behind these gates granted it’s a beautiful property but I’m finding it very hard to “relax” and wind down.
Sorry about the customs stuff....that's scary.
Wow Amanda sorry you had to go through that ****. And yes guess you are flagged. What a bunch of crap to come back to. Thank you for your adventures. Sounds like that guy was an a--hole. Would not want to go through that anytime soon. And now Andres name is in system. WTF
GOOD GOD manda!! :eek: you really got the full hundred (as they say), all in your very first trip.
and yeh, while that does suck -- at the same time i find myself thinking: WOW WHAT AN ADVENTURE! and you seem to have been able to handle it well.
but in any case, and the bottom line, is - your life will never be the same.
Oh please tell me this ending is like the crazy woman at the door one, a joke, I did not see a disclaimer.
Gabrielle - I didn't smell of cocaine but he informed me I had cocaine on my hands!! wtf is right! I later thought about it and could only come up with the possibility that it was on my hands because of the money. Again I really have no idea about it.
Ohliz - I know now that I will not be travelling to any AI resorts for quite some time and definitely never again while in Jamaica. Whether I'm moving around the island or hanging out with Andre I know now what my preference is outside the beautiful properties.
Angel - I'm definitely flagged the Officer marked something on my passport so I'm sure that I'll have to endure this once again when I travel back to Jamaica. My father tells me though that with my next trip if they go through with the "personal" search and find nothing that they need to stop otherwise I can cause a stick about harassment. I'll brace myself on my next return through Pearson but it wont stop me from travelling to Jamaica.
Everyone- it was an adventure it was one of the best experiences I've had so far in my life even with the bs at the airport I wouldnt change a thing. the trip from the beginning to the very end was full of twists, turns and excitment and nervousness and I wouldnt have it any other way if I could do it all over again.
I'll post the remainder of the pictures this evening to sum up the report. THANK YOU !! to all of you for coming along on my journey
No disclaimer this time definitely not a joke. It was pretty intense.Quote:
Originally Posted by shellyk
Crazy.. good report.
Wow Manda...thank you once more for taking the time to take us on your adventure and what an adventure it was!
Manda , I know how you feeled, iit happen to me the first time to Jamaica, coming home I was waiting for my luggage and agent came up and ask me who I'm traveling with? and told me to following him, as they were going thru my luggage , I kept telling them you pick the wrong one, I have never done drugs or alcohol, and they make me strip search in a room with a lady agent. not full cavity, it took over 3hrs.
I thought the same thing, like I was red tag if I went again to jamaica, but they have never stop me again.
Love reading your report!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Negrilbay- Wow! so you know what i'm talking about then and even more so because they went through with your search. I have a feeling that I'll be strip searched on my next trip .. think maybe I should start working out lol I try and make light of it but it took me a good 2 days to relax after the adrenaline of the whole experience.
Where did the cocaine smell come from?:eek:
It wasn't cocaine "smell" I smelt like Marijuana ... the cocaine was apparently on my hands after they did the drug test with the piece of fabric that they asked me to rub my hands against.
Best Trip report ever :)
like Jamaican pot would have value in Canada, lol .....
Oh wow, Manda, so sorry to hear about your scary ordeal at the airport!! What a way to end such a wonderful trip!
My sister and brother in law were stopped by the K-9 cops coming back from Jamaica, too. It was a few years ago in the Miami airport and the dog all of a sudden just sat at my sister's feet. She thought at first, "how cute!", but then realized quickly that it wasn't cute at all! My sis and BIL do not smoke, but apparently the cab driver smoked during the entire ride to the airport and the smell was enough for the dog to sniff out. Luckily, my BIL is an attorney and used his legal talk to get out of that mess rather quickly.
I really hope you are able to plan a trip back to Jamaica SOON! Thanks for writing such an amazing trip report! You rock!
Wow!!!!! Great report. I have been following it the entire time. That cocaine thing may just be a gimmick to scare the heck out of ya. We will be in Treasure Beach in a couple weeks, so we may just end up travelling thru Malvern. If so we might look for Barbers little bar and say hey we kind of know you ;-) Once again thanks so much for sharing this great report.
Never have I read such a good trip report ,ad me displaying all kinds of emotions. The part when you was on the plane with tears in your eyes brought me back to when I returned on flight from my second trip to Jamaica. I was so emotional just thinking about the time I had and the people i would miss. You almost had me in tears just reading about how u must feel returning home. THEN. You had me in total astonishment with my mouth wide open in amazement about the drug search. WOW, you have really took me on an emotional roller coaster. I'm so glad you took me on a journey with you, I can't wait to you reach back to Jamaica so that I can read the sequel to your next trip report. Better yet, You really need to be writing a novel, with all the positive replies you get off this negril site alone. You will definitely make enough money selling your book to buy a mansion in Jamaica on the hills. So hurry up and write that book so you can buy that manision in Jamaica and we can continue reading your books, seriously!!!
It was definitely an emotional day for me very much like a roller coaster Butterfly..The positive replies and encouragement that I've recieved throughout my report has been astonishing for me and I'm really taken a back by all the great reviews. Maybe I'm given more credit than deserved for my writing I'm not sure I'd have the skill for a book but if the out come was a mansion in the hills in Jamaica.. then where do I sign up??!! hahaha
You are all fabulous truely!
Oh that would be great if you ended up stopping by I think it would be a great surprise. If you do go through there the barber shop n small bar is on one side of the road and on the other side of the road is a building with a pool table in it that I believe says niteclub on the front.Quote:
Originally Posted by jx2
Have a fabulous time on your trip!! Treasure Beach has a wonderful vibe :)
Day7 pictures