Gerry G's TRAIL OF ASHES TOUR Final Chapter -- The Mighty Californian's return

Here are some pics from the country:

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Gerry, I think I've seen you around the 'net somewhere, I will look for ya.

Check your Trip Advisor account...

Here is some video hangin' at Pee Wees on the Cliffs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f20nGOLXVjw

Loved the whole report and the last pic of a "New House" is unique. Thanks for the ride. Hope you had many warm memories to help you take the blues away and heal on this wonderful piece of rock. Life is good. Sorry for the lose of your Dad, it never is easy. Positive thoughts sent your way and may times ahead help you grow and become the best Dad to your own 2 likkle girls!:) irie

Karoke night at Seastar Inn. Some of the employees got up to sing. God love 'em, but they're MUCH better with a drink dispenser in their hands than a microphone.

Rick the Prick and his brother, Bobby, were visiting, and it was nice to see them again. We've been friends through a series of reaches, and I really like those tow. They come to Negril like ten times a year.

I also hooked up with Brent from Calgary, a fun guy who kind of lives a double life -- conseverative family man in Canada and wild party animal in Negril. We had great fun together living it up to the fullest, and he has some wild stories about past visits to the island.

I didn't get to sleep until late.

Here is some video from Seasplash bar:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqZev7g3lSU

Whoops, try this again, some video from Seasplash bar:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqZev7g3lSU

Love all the pics and vid Gerry. Thanks for sharing them

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Originally Posted by gerryg123

Whoops, try this again, some video from Seasplash bar:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqZev7g3lSU

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Enjoying your report so much! And so nice to see Alecia :)

Here are some more pics:

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With Seastar chef Delroy

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Nice sunset

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with Fattyondirock

Roger, Famous Vincent’s first mate, has his own new boat, and I had the privilege of being his first customer. Everything on the boat is brand new, and I was so proud of Roger for taking this big step, as we’ve become close through the years from spear-fishing together dozens of times, plus we call one another long distance when I’m not in Negril – though his cell is a little shaky, and his accent is very strong, so half the time I can’t understand a word he says.

The trip together got off to a slow start, quite literally, because he was two hours late, but I gave him a pass on that one and idled the time at Seasplash with Gus, just chillin’ in the ocean and sharing our life stories – something that’s common among tourists, even if they’re just getting to know one another.

Before all this, I loaded up on carbs at my Seastar breakfast, hanging out with Rick The Prick, who had also brought a spear gun but had sold it to Kimbo. Rick was worried about the gun making it through immigration, so he took it apart in pieces, he said, then put it back together upon arrival.

Among the interesting creatures I found in the ocean this time was a long sea snake, not to be confused with the eels. Pretty cool.

Later I met an 18 year old part-time expat at Ahh Bees. You usually don’t meet ‘em that young, but as things happened, his father had re-married a Jamaican, so he’s living here half the time and said he enjoys it a lot, though I wonder if there are many peers that young. The average age in Negril is 40-plus, I would think.

Typical gerryg123, I had forgot to bring money for my snorkeling trip with Roger – his first trip, I am sure he really appreciated that – so I made arrangements to meet him at the bottom of the hill to kick him down some cash.

Meantime, I filled the scooter with gas. I found it ironic that there were a bunch of youngsters on motorcycles right on the corner in front, yet none of them cared about the sign at the station seeking a pump attendant; they would rather hustle. Shayne the cabbie happened to be around, and he flagged me down. I made loose plans for him to take me to Roaring River tomorrow. He can’t keep up with the prices I can get these days, but I thought I would use him anyway just to be nice ‘cause we’ve known one another all these years, and he has only made 15 dollars off me so far.

Loved that Seastar vid, you seem quite relaxed and happy at that point in your trip. Keep it coming, lovin' every minute of it.

On Wednesday morning, I reheated my left-over burger from Ahh Bees for breakfast (they’re so huge, it’s almost impossible to eat one in a single session), and with the ocean a bit rough, it seemed a good day go to Roaring River. However, I had called my friend there, Robert, whom I’ve known for years, and he said they were doing some construction at Blue Hole Gardens, so perhaps the timing was not perfect.
I took the scooter down to the strip, and sure enough I run into cabbie Shayne. He hailed me down and proclaimed the friend standing next to him lived at Roaring River, and that all was irie there, so we should do the trek. So I simply asked his friend about it, and instead of BS, he confirmed Robert’s story about the construction, siding with me and not Shayne.

“Well, nice try Shayne, that just cost you 80 dollars,” I said to Shayne, and we all had a little laugh. Along the way, I had bumped into the wholesale cake guy from a couple of reaches ago; he was driving a motorcycle. Between him and old-man David and the rest of the Negril characters, I’ve seen dozens of old acquaintances as I’ve motored around the past week or so. I decided to run along to Bloody Bay for old-time sake, as that is where I started, at the RIU Club about ten years ago.

I found a little pathway between the brush and parked right up on the beach and kind of took it all in. This was near Office of Nature, and an old lady was setting up some dresses and her wares to sell, and I picked up a few souvenirs. I didn’t need ‘em but what can I say? I’ve compulsive.

Really liking your reports.. I can't wait to be in Negril! With only 10 days it will be tough to squeeze everything in. Especially enjoy all the pics and videos. I know a lot of people love the All Inclusives but they just have no idea of the people you can meet and the places you can find when you get off the resort Thanks for making it real.

Here is video from enjoying food and drinks at Catcha Falling Star:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SckNNgxx-j0

gerryg123 you are priceless :D

Gerryg123 love the report. I began reading a couple weeks ago from the beginning. I read three trips,of reports, and I must say "You Got Style". I'd really enjoy catching you pon Di roc, in the future. I was a bit on the fence about Feb trip but after seeing Negril through your eyes and stylistic verbiage (all the prodding, "if your think about coming just book the trip) and all about five times. I realized you only live once! Like you, I tend to reflect on my life when in Jamaica, before I go, while I'm there and after I leave. It's more than vacation to me after 22 years and 18 Reaches I always come away with a new "knowledge" about myself or the culture or people in general. Thank you for the inspiration leading to the intention. Negril allows me to remember, " I just livin I life"

On the way back, I spotted Marko at Hi-Lo and, as previously mentioned, helped him tote his groceries. We made one stop together at the local fish market, where Marko got into a 15-minute argument with the store clerk, who claimed he was underpaid because of a mistake pricing out everything. After bringing packages into Marko’s little apartment on Ella Lane, we made plans to meet later at Seastar, where Marko likes to order diet cokes and soak in the pool, sometimes for hours; all the folks at Seastar Inn love the guy.

There in the pool, Marko told me his whole life story including some wild ups and downs. He has had an incredible life, and no one and I mean no one does a better job of doing things right in Negril than him. He lives life to the fullest in Jamaica on his own terms. He’s got a great personality and a great sense of humor, and we sometimes we laugh so hard together that it hurts.

Everything I’ve done in Negril, good and bad, Marko has done at least twice.

We ate heartily, feasting on lobsters and pasta and dumplings and french fries, in that order.

what a great report

"Later I met an 18 year old part-time expat at Ahh Bees. You usually don’t meet ‘em that young, but as things happened, his father had re-married a Jamaican, so he’s living here half the time and said he enjoys it a lot, though I wonder if there are many peers that young. The average age in Negril is 40-plus, I would think."

I admit I have only read the first couple pages when they were first posted, and these last three pages or so ... but I am confused by your above statement. "An 18 year old ExPat" not having peers in Jamaica?? I assume this young man was a white American or Canadian, or from some Country in Europe?? If his father had married a Jamaican Woman - is this woman white Jamaican or a black Jamaican, or a Chinese Jamaican? If his father has married into a Jamaican Family - regardless of the shade of skin or shape of eyes, this young man will have scads of new extended Jamaican Family. Heaps of Cousins, Uncles, Aunties, and regardless of what Country a young person spends time in growing up ~ of course there will be "Peers". "Everyone in Negril is 40 years or plus"??? You do not see young Jamaican people around Negril/Jamaica? You gotta realize there is more to Jamaica and Negril than just what you experience as an extensive Tourist ... with the Beck & Call Girls, whatever one smokes or ingests to alter ones moods for the "Tickets to Paradise", & the copious amounts of available Rum & Red Stripes. The opportunity for a young person to have the experience to "live" within another Country & Culture is priceless.

Just saying ~

Laurel I think what Gerry was trying to say is that you don't find many young ex pats living in Jamaica and that most you encounter are older. I don't think he was making any kind of judgement about the guy or the situation.

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Originally Posted by Laurel

"Later I met an 18 year old part-time expat at Ahh Bees. You usually don’t meet ‘em that young, but as things happened, his father had re-married a Jamaican, so he’s living here half the time and said he enjoys it a lot, though I wonder if there are many peers that young. The average age in Negril is 40-plus, I would think."

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I was referring to fellow expats.

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Spaghetti w double lobster tails

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Bloody Bay as beautiful as ever

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Driving along just as school is letting out

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Hangin' with top cabbie Shayne (The Mighty Californian is on the left)

Nice looking baseball cap :)

Here is some video in front of Seasplash. I think I said "Seastar" by mistake but there are no double-takes in my world:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xc8tg0epkd8

Great video Gerry. The beach looks even wider than in December. Ya mon

Marko had mentioned a red-plate driver named Manny for dirt-cheap local prices for cabs. For a mere ten dollars, the guy was willing to drive three of us – me, Kevin and his Montego Bay girlfriend – all the way to Half Moon Beach, sit there and wait for us for two hours, then return us to Seastar Inn.

Even a bargain hunter like me thought it was too little and offered 20 dollars, and away we went. Half Moon Beach is a special place that I try to visit on every reach because it’s totally secluded, and never ever ever are there any hustlers or anyone trying to hustle you or give you a sob story or anything like that.

We rolled up, then Manny rolled up. We jumped in the cab and made a right down the hill, past the roundabout, through seven-mile and the RIUs, about 15 minutes further just past Rhodes Hall to Half Moon. It was as beautiful as I had remembered, but Murphy’s Law set in soon after our arrival with some rain. Would you believe it? The only significant rain in my 12 days in Negril happened to occur when I was twenty miles away on a secluded beach. But we found shelter and made the most of it, and the trek was still a lot of fun.

I met John there again, the old British expat who is always at Half Moon. He didn't remember me, but he didn't lie about it, and I give him two points for that.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gerryg123

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Spaghetti w double lobster tails

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Bloody Bay as beautiful as ever

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Driving along just as school is letting out

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Hangin' with top cabbie Shayne (The Mighty Californian is on the left)

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That's a funny looking cigerett butt in the ashtray 123 :-)

My notes say I enjoyed ice cream after arriving back at the Seastar Inn, where because it was raining the staff had umbrellas ready for us as we got out of the cab – a nice gesture. Among those at the bar were Chris, Captain D, Brent from Calgary, Garrett and three Rasta’s in the corner drinking punches and enjoying a series of spliffs.

I ate my left-over pasta and lobsta and eventually finished the night with a slice of chocolate cake.

It was a good day in Negril.

I was supposed to go spear-fishing with Vincent on Thursday morning, but he had some issues with his boat, plus Roger also was not available, so another sea captain named Mike took me out, and I caught a garfish, the biggest fish of the trip.

On the way back, I was in my usual routine, stopping in at the first jerk-barrel guy who had chicken ready, and this time it was Blue Dandy. I had my spear gun with me – every five seconds a local asks if he can please have it when I depart -- so I thought I would try to do some more spear-fishing in front of Canoe Bar, where I had rented snorkel gear before. But this time, the lady at Canoe had no idea what I was talking about when I asked about a mask and fins – bewildering, but I’ve learned through the years not to let ANYTHING surprise me in Negril.

Still had the itch, so I headed to Xtabi, where they had lots of snorkel gear, but as things turned out, the ocean was a bit too wavy and cloudy, and I couldn’t see much. I’ve probably met 100 people who say they’ve enjoyed snorkeling off the Cliffs, but I’ve barely ever seen a darn thing out there, and I’ve tried it a lot.

On the way back to Seastar Inn, I saw Nicky on a scooter with another tourist. She ignored me, this from a woman who had once said she loved me!

At Seastar Inn, I heard a voice call out: “Ya mon, gerryg123.” It was Luciano. I couldn’t believe it. He had not shown up for the New Year’s Eve concert a week earlier, but I guess they worked it all out, as I heard he was not available because of travel issues. The legendary reggae singer (this is the one time where I don’t use the word “legendary” lightly) has apparently developed a strong friendship with Seastar Kimbo, who says he even sometimes hosts Luciano in his own home in Canada, and together they were hanging out on the porch right next to me. At one point, the maids came to my room, and I told then Luciano was next door, and they got all giddy and scuttled over to say hello.

love you reports gerry . . . i remember when you first started posting . . . you have a different tone now, more realistic when it comes to negril and i like that. like you lost your rose colored glasses, but still loving negril . . .

Here is some video from a late-night rum punch party in my room at Seastar Inn with Garrett, Kevin and the dog. I barely remembered shooting this by the next morning, but I come off as pretty coherent. I guess that's why they call me the Mighty Californian.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PARBcwM8H2Y

Sound pretty sober Gerry. :-)

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Originally Posted by Lady Jane

Sound pretty sober Gerry. :-)

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Gerryg likes dat JB Overproof......mi had some Rum Punches with him...mi think......lol

Cool Runnings, Marko

The sun was getting ready to set but I still wanted to see colors, so I headed down to Tedd’s for a nice cup of tea. I gulped it down at Catcha Falling Star, then gave myself about four hours before having to do anything. For the most part, I sat in my room playing Rush on Spotify with Kevin from Norway, and Garrett eventually joined, and then we started pouring rum punch to get ready for the night.

I had made arrangements with Marko for a local named Africa to drive us all to the Jungle club, and by the time we started heading down the hill I was pretty much back to normal. We did a caravan with Chris, Garrett, Bobby and some Seastar yardies, picking up Marko along the way – I think Marko’s young girlfriend had granted him a 1 a.m. curfew.

I put Africa to the test by having him escort me to Scotia ATM, and with $300 USD off we went to the Jungle, where frankly I drank a little too much and eventually went home separately just before the others. The only thing I was making love to on this early morning was my pillow, and I was OK with that.

Hell yes RUSH!!!!! Get Reddy for Geddy... A great way to spend anytime, anywhere, but especially some time in Negril!! Love RUSH anywhere!!!!

PS..... Love Gerry G123 trip reports

M&M

Curious, do you tip at Tedd's like one would at a bar?

Exactly the same, Boogs. Nothing. Ha ha JK.

Here are some more pics:

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Beautiful ocean

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Hardware story at bottom of the hill

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Rick The Prick. It seems we are always at Seastar Inn at same time.