TRAIL OF ASHES TOUR: The adventure continues as Gerry G returns to Negril

Here are a few more photos (top to bottom):

1, On the flight home .....

2, The ageless and beautiful Patty S.

3, Bentley ya mon

4, Feelin' very Metro at Half Moon Beach ....

Great pics Gerry!

A few more things I left out:

-- Like I said, this trip was a good chance to re-connect with a lot of familiar Negril faces that I had not seen in a long time. One was Karl Ricketts, an exceptional artist who has been around a long time and is kind of an icon in the neighborhood. Many moons ago, back when my now ex-wife could still stand me (lol), we had met Mr. Ricketts and bought a painting from him.

For once, it was refreshing for a local to be sincere about actually remembering me -- he did not, ha ha -- but it was still nice to see him because the reunion was one of the things that reminded me about how much I have always loved Negril. I'm assuming Ricketts will be around forever, and next time I see him, I want to buy another painting.

-- I did have a few tense moments, including a little "misunderstanding" between me and a young higgler on a motorcycle at the Shell station near the Roundabout. I'm still not sure if he was kidding or not, but when he begged for some of my gasoline and I turned him down, he said to me right in front of the station attendant: "What if I put a gun to your head and pull the trigger?"

I kind of laughed it off at the time and did not take it seriously because the attendant was right there, too, but no one had ever said anything like that to me before, and I was a bit relieved when he simply sped off with his friend riding piggy-back. I did not consider it a big deal.

-- I had one near-spill on the scooter with Suzie Q in tow when I wasn't paying close enough attention while maneuvering the little speed bumps on Seastar Lane, but otherwise it was smooth, danger-free 11 days riding through the hills and seven-mile beach. For the most part, the traffic was light.

-- I brought along a total of four inflatable rafts, and it was nice to spread them around. One was at Blue Cave Castle, one was at Seastar Inn, one was at Seasplash and one somehow popped at Blue Hole -- either a little hole in it or too much jerk chicken and too many fruity drinks, lol.

-- At Keith's house, he has a big TV that nearly covers a whole wall, and he set up a high-tech video game in which you race a sports car through an obstacle course with a steering wheel, gas pedal and break pedal. It was fun watching Keith's live-in assistant, Rasta, really get into it. The local loved to play that game, even though I'm quite sure he has never drove a real car in his life.

Gerry, Isn't it amazing what one can experience in Negril? You are going about his business at the gas station, and moments later a stranger is making a death threat. Why do we (or should we) put up with such behavior? If the person was so bold as to say that to you at a gas station in front of witnesses, I would shudder to think what might have transpired on a lonely road. Should it be taken seriously? Words are only wind, (or so I have been told in Jamaica), but for someone to say such a thing in response to being unsuccessful in begging, is very troubling. Back at home, and probably in Jamaica, a person might expect to land in jail for making such a statement.

I have a few more pics. Here is a SUZIE Q special:

Love the Foo foo drink Pic!

We're winding down. A few more pics (top to bottom):

1, Bustling day with school kids

2, Chillin' at Rhodes Resort

3, Gugirary gets Sweetie Pie in MARCO POLO

4, Panel of judges

5, Half Moon Beach

6, Nice dog at Seastar Inn

7, Little house in country

8, Negril has the best chicken in world. This is a plate from Half Moon Beach

Some more pics (top to bottom):

1, Chillin' with Bobo

2, Typical Negril scene out in the country

3, View from cab while driving past Sav

4, Rasta Stan's better half ....

Big Up BoBo
(thx Gerry and by the way I think its brilliant that you kept ONE thread for your report so its all in one place) Bless!

enjoyed this a lot Gerry and great to see so many old faces as well as new...........

luv the videos and pics of Bentley who is like a brother to this guy........
and if anyone ever has the chance to go up to say Hi to Bentley.....
mi promise you will walk away with a big smile on your face......

would have loved to be there this April like mi was two years ago........
but I had a chance to get to Negril in January of this year so I grabbed at the chance..........
maybe next year it will be April again.........you just never know.........

thanks again Gerry from da bottom of mi heart for the smiles and laughs your report brought to this guy.........
may wi meet someday pon da rock.........yah mon

Cool Runnings, Marko

Excellent stuff GerryG123. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Lovely picture of Betty. We got to hang lots with Stan and Betty and had lots of fun with them. They are a great couple and we look forward to seeing them again next year (if not before). Love you guys!

Gerry -it was a pleasure meeting you. You are a great guy and I loved this report as well as all your other ones. Hope to see you again too.

A few more pics while I work on a little epilogue (top to bottom):

1, Never did find out what was in the blue bag, lol

2, Nice guy I met in Roaring River

3, Hangin' w cabbie Shayne (always a smile)

4, Friendly face on Cliffs ....

I just caught up with your trip report, loving all the pics!
(Especially the one with the "foo foo drink" - hehe)
Thank you for the kind things you wrote about me and Markus
"negril.com's reigning champion in the sensitivity department" LOL! - that had me cracking up.
It was great meeting you too
Markus and I were just talking about you and your green raft last night.
We miss seeing you blissfully floating along every morning on that raft!:)

here is pic of our friend Bentley of Bentley Crab House telling one of his many stories after one of his delicious meals

http://negril.com/forum/attachment.p...5&d=1339038779

what a character eh Gerry...........

Cool Runnings, Marko

Dude can make some faces LOL

I'll have to stop off there and eat next time, meet this character

Here is some exclusive video of BOOGER doing the belly-flop contest ....

http://youtu.be/vbgvKGCkC78

Love your reports... love your pics! Hope to meet you soon :)

Ya mon, soon come ....

Managed to scrap together a few more pics (top to bottom):

1, Booger at pool at Seastar Inn

2, Lightning, a guide from Roaring River (one of first peeps I ever met in Negril years ago)

3, Out in the country

4, A little roadside shack

5, Famous Vincent doing his thing ....

Here is one last video as we pull up on a boat with Famous Vincent to Booby Cay island. No one is there, so Famous Vincent turns back, but you can see how beautiful the island is up close:

http://youtu.be/DUQ1bHHMHLc

pic of Famous Vincent off of da Cliffs...............

http://negril.com/forum/attachment.p...0&d=1304682236

mi went out with him mi first time in 1992....hard to believe it's been 20 years since dat first time.....

great report Gerry123456789

Cool Runnings, Marko

A few more pics (top to bottom):

1, Country road, take me home

2, Little store open for business

3, Nice threesome near Sav

4, At Sunset ....

5, Closeup glamour shot of Suzi Q

Well, I return in three days. Here's a little video I found of seven-mile beach with the usual yah-mon commentary:

http://youtu.be/GOHjcqT-iw4

Gerryg!!!!! Take us with youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

Oh, that reminds me. I have a great photo of Marley:

Attachment 15416

Lol I wouldn't necessarily call that a "great" photo lol but it does remind me of how delicious those apple vodka and tings were......oh and it's not nearly as good as the photo of you and the sparkly lady from Sir Ds :)

Love it!

"Anyway, I am cruising back, near Banton's, and I hear the strumming guitar and the lovely singing of someone playing an acoustic version of "Touch of Gray" by Grateful Dead. Surprise, surprise, it's Rastagirl777, who used to tour around with Grateful Dead ...... Ha ha, just kidding. I just wanted to see if you'all were still reading -- there was NO rastagirl777 sighting!"

ROTFLMAO....Holy crap that was funny! I nearly completely fell out of my cubicle! Nice Gerry, so nice! Hah.

Just finished the previous trip report and now am working my way through this one, (up to pg 7) these are so fun, funny and now that I've been up and down the road I can see it all. Thanks for all this, what a riot! Makes my report look positively boy scout!

Gerry: I'll be arriving Sunday, staying at Negril Relax Resort. Stop in when you're going by on the scooter. I've got some pics for you!
Here's a sample . . .

Attachment 15417

Wow! Justchuck...that's awesome!

Cartoon GerryG123 invades Negril

Justchuck, call me at the Seastar Inn when you arrive!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Juli

All I want to do it laugh at GerryG & Guirigay's picture. Good times/Good friends... The 2 G's!!

---

Oh my, Juli, so very true, all I'm doing is laughing and I've never met these two in the light of the Jamaican sun. But, woot, this is so fun!

Here I go again: Mi Sooooooon come ....

Attachment 15456

So jealous, especially since you were just there when I was. Have fun mighty californian......

I'm jealous too! Have fun

Oh and tell Bentley we said Hi lol

And please leave the rest of us some booze lol!

Welcome GerryG!Heading to Bella Donna tonight!

See u soon! I'm right behind you!