Marley and Ninja: Having Their Cake And Drinking It Too! Trip Report - April 2012

Yay, here we go. Attachment 14882

Hahaha...it all makes sense now! LOLOL This is why I love your trip report! hahahaha

Ditto to everything Booger said....my favorite day with all my favorite peeps. SIGH <3

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Originally Posted by SweetSue

Marley, Ninja... I enjoy your reports. Now I really am sorry that I did not take more time to hook up with your group. I was supposed to at the Belly Flop but life got in the way. My trip was too short (aren't they always?) to do all I wanted and/or needed to do. It is a schizophrenic existence, 'mi Jamaica Life' in the country side, my beach/cliff tourist adventures and then coming back to yet another reality in NY.... I really hope our paths do cross, as I am sure they eventually will. In the meantime, Happy Travels and keep those trip reports coming!

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Sweetsue, thanks!
We are sorry you didn't make it out too...we all had so much fun, you will have to be sure to come to the next one...boardie meetups and webcasts and parties and what not are ALWAYS fun! Hope to meet you at one some day for sure!

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Originally Posted by monk

wow, you guys knocked it out of the park!

all respect due.

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Thanks so much!!! :)
Happy to do it!

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Originally Posted by Sweetness

Oh I love this day so much......it will live in infamy!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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I know! Pretty much one of my all time favorite days.....I like to now use this day to replace the memories of our wedding day disasters...this day was all I had always hoped it would have been back in 2010.
Thanks to my new family and friends for making it so!

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Originally Posted by booger

Nice update and you covered the events PERFECTLY. Did you film the trip? LOL! And as Tizzy, I had no idea why the wedding music was playing. So cool and you just put the day in a whole new perspective.... I cannot freaking wait for the rest of this story as the day was EPIC!

And nice work calling out JIM. Brasi was in worse shape and manned up. Big ups to Brasi. If there is one day that I look back on with this trip it's this day. There was so much joy and good times in the air and it was great to be able to spend some amazing time with such a great group.

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Hahaha, no...did not film it but I surely remember it because I think I still dream about this day often, and in fact, this whole trip. Glad you are enjoying it sir.
Yes, I guess maybe the dj was the only one that heard my story that morning! HAHAHAH...I think though that Guirigay heard it....maybe Sweetness too....guess that was all that heard it LOL....so I am glad you are now hearing it and now the wedding theme is making sense! LOL too funny

Yeah, big ups to Brasi for sure, though I am not sure he talked until sometime in the afternoon, I sure didn't hear him until after lunch I think! LOL
But I also have to say props to Jim for getting up out of bed and walking out to talk to us....on days like that for me, I can't even manage to be upright! LOL

I agree....this day was pretty special for so many reasons.....thanks to all who made it that way!

My ploy has worked, you are helping me out a lot here... :) Sweetie Pie and Mrs. SpottyCatz heard the story as well, I believe...

Thank you Guirigay!!!! I was beginning to wonder if I actually had told the story or not?!?!?!?! LOL

Day 4 (cont.)

So the bus is finally on the road…..we pass through towns like Sheffield and Little London. Chicken points out sights along the way but of course the rowdy turtles are having too much fun laughing and singing to hear him. I just laugh. On down the road we go, now through Savanna-la-mar. We notice there seems to be a bit of a short or something with the radio….one minute it is on, the next minute it is BLARING LOUD…the next minute, no music. It ends up being quite the comical occurrence throughout the trip. Nothing a little BANG on the dash can’t fix, right? The cd player begins to play Bob Marley and the music comes out through the speakers……it is the first time everyone focuses their attention on one single thing and then the turtle chorus begins in unison “Don’t worry about a thing, ‘cuz every little thing is gonna be alright……” then the music stops……but the turtles do not….we all kept singing….and the sound was so sweet. I still remember that moment so vividly! We were all singing and then the stereo kicked back in and we were right on target with the song…..everyone cheered and then we kept singing…..who needs a stereo anyways?!?!?!

By this point there had already been an impressive amount of red stripes consumed, so the classic “I need a restroom break” call comes from the back of the bus and with that we stop at a gas station in the town of White House. Everyone gets off the bus and we head to the bathroom….Tizzy was first of course as it was apparent she was the one in the most need. So as we stood there waiting, the men all plotted for their nearest bush technique and the women sadly waited. After the much needed potty break, there was an ice and beer restock and a smoke break for some and then back on the bus.

Next we passed through the town of Belmont, Brasi’s country spot. As we approached Bluefields I told Sweetness (well I tried to tell everyone, but Sweetness was close to me so she heard most of my attempts of bus announcements) how every single time I come through this area the water is always the most spectacular color, it is literally breath taking. And this time was no different. It surely did not disappoint. I had tried to make the announcement for everyone to hear so they could be sure to check out the water, but soon Mother Nature made the announcement for me. Because as you round that road and first see that water, it is so unbelievably memorizing that it immediately captures all attention. Soon you hear the ooooohs and aaaaahs all throughout the bus. Cameras come out and pictures are taken. Oh, that water!

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The water at Bluefields

Not too terribly long after that we made that very familiar slight left turn and headed up into the beautiful area that leads to YS Falls. We passed by Howies cook shop (where we ALWAYS stop for lunch) and I pointed it out to the turtles letting them all know we would be back here for lunch after the falls. About this time there was a lot of fuss and chatter about another bathroom break and then a rather weird and unusual discussion on asses, even cows asses and an appreciation of them! Ha, does anyone remember that? But I assured that person that in mere moments we would be at the falls…..but I don’t think that bumpy road helped too much! But sure enough, just as I said, we entered the parking lot and saw the familiar YS Falls sign. Everyone got off the bus and headed in to get our tickets and/or use the restroom LOL. Once you purchase your ticket you head to the deck area to board the tractor that carries you down to the falls. And the ride is very pleasant as you see the green pastures with the cattle (and their asses) and then into the wooded areas with shade and the river surrounding the road, it is simply beautiful! I believe that only a few of us had been here before so I was beyond excited to see the gang’s reaction to seeing the falls for the first time. Though it has been many years, I still remember the very first time I laid eyes on YS Falls and how it actually took my breath away….and funny enough, it still does.

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Tractor ride to the falls

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headed up the path (that is the tree and deck area where the zipline tour starts)

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walking towards the falls, this is the moment when you first get a glimpse

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YS Falls :)

Gosh this place is beautiful. YS Falls is a series of several different levels of falls and pools of water. It starts way up top there and then spills into the first level, the next level is where the rope swing is and the largest “swim area”. The next level is usually where the guides will take folks out and lead them over the rocks to pose for photos. I highly recommend this. If you are interested, any guide will take you out there. They will hold your hand, lead you out, and show you exactly where to step. They will also carry your camera for you and then they will tell you certain places to pose and they will use your camera to take photos of you. They are amazing, and so are the photos. You just give them a tip when it is all over…and the whole experience is well worth it. The next level down is usually the one you first walk up to, which is also where most people stop and pose for a photo. There are several other pools of water to swim in, all very cool and refreshing. Down at the bottom there is a makeshift pool that is filled with the actually water from the falls, and it has a deck around it and tubes to float in, very nice chill area. They also have just recently built another similar pool just as you enter into the YS area on the tractor, just before the gift shop. There is a large gift shop that also has some snacks and drinks and there are restrooms and changing rooms.

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Rope swing and swim area


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Guides leading folks out along the falls

Another thing YS Falls has is a zip line. Raul and I have been trying to do this zipline since the very first time we visited YS. The first time we were on a tour that had stops also at Appleton and Black River, so we were only allotted a short time at the falls and therefore we ran out of time and could not do the zipline. The next time we were here the zip line was closed. The last time we were here was after the storm and a big tree had fallen and knocked down the zipline and it had not yet been prepared…..every single time it was a no go. But this time…..this time when we arrived, I asked at the front when we were buying our tickets “Is the zip line open today?” and I was told yes! This was it, this was finally going to be our chance to do the zipline. So Raul went in the gift shop, paid the money and we both signed the waiver. Next thing you know we were heading off to the tree where the tour starts. We met our guides there and they started putting our harnesses on….what a fashion statement. We gave Raul’s good camera to Sandie as she offered to be our professional photographer for the event. We took my small point and shoot and gave it to our guide. We got all suited up, listened to the instructions which were pretty much “Don’t die” and posed for some photos for Sandie…..check out how cool we look!

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Zipline fashion superstars!


Well there’s nothing left now but to head on up and get to zipping, so off we go

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There are a total of 5 zip lines. The first one starts just above the highest part you can walk up to along the side of the falls and it goes across the falls. The next one goes parallel the falls on the other side (the side you cannot walk up along). The third zip is BY FAR the best of them all. It starts at the very top of the falls and goes all the way down the falls…..this is SO MUCH FUN!!! The 4th line is from the top of the tree (at the bottom of the falls where we first got our harnesses) and goes across the walkway into the trees and the very last zip is a vertical line that brings you back down to the ground and right out near the changing rooms. This was so much fun and totally worth the wait! I am so glad we finally got to do it. My only regret is that the guide took photos of us as we were ziplining with our camera…..of course it was the same camera I later lost so I never got any of those photos (so sad) but thanks to Sandie with Raul’s camera we at least got a few of us on the big zip line. Thanks Sandie! So I guess that just means we need to go back and do it again! Gladly!

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This is me going down zip 3, the biggest and best


After the zipline all of the turtles looked like they were all pretty much ready to go, so we herded them all up, got on the tractor, and headed out to the front. Chicken was there waiting for us and so we got on the bus and headed back down the road. Thank goodness it was just a short ride back to Howies Cook shop because we had all worked up quite a hunger. Howies is a great place to stop for lunch. The food is excellent and the prices are even better. The cook shop is an open air area with a series of pots over wood. There is a menu but much like most places in Jamaica you just ask what they have that day. There are probably about 10 pots and they will tell you what each contains. Today’s menu included such items as fried chicken, curry goat, stew beef, oxtail, brown stew chicken, and several different soups (I know conch was one of them but there were several others) They also had rice and peas, callaloo and festival.

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The turtles waiting to order


These next photos are courtesy of Sweetie Pie but they were some of the most amazing photos I have ever seen, truly captured the heart and soul of Howie’s—excellent SP!

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Everyone placed their orders and we walked to the seating/eating area right next door and DEVOURED our food….oh my goodness was it good….and by the silence you could tell everyone was hungry and enjoying their lunch. There began then a discussion of the conch soup and just how delicious it was….probably the best ever, there were even talks of ordering more to go…but soon after we were all heading back to the bus. After all, it was midday or even early afternoon and we had an appointment with a little bar out in the middle of the ocean. So back on the bus we went! Oh but wait! I had told everyone earlier that we just HAD to stop at Middle Quarters and get some Pepper Shrimp (you can’t pass by Middle Quarters without stopping for pepper shrimp….that should be illegal!) So Chicken took us to his friends “The Sisters” and we got out and eyed the amazing shrimp.

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Mmmmm Pepper Shrimp!


Markus quickly made friends as he normally does and bought some fruit

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Markus and his new friend

Then the head sister in charge made the greatest move in her marketing ploy. She convinced Daisy to buy a cup of her pepper shrimp soup….I mean it’s only $1, who could resist? And with that, it was all over…..all it takes is one person to try it…then say “Oh my gosh, this is the best soup ever” She was a marketing genius because it worked…..next thing you know just about everyone on the bus had a cup of that soup…..and my only regret is that I didn’t buy 5 more cups….that is HANDS DOWN the BEST soup I have EVER had in my entire life….oh my gosh my mouth is watering now just thinking about it!

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Me enjoying the World’s Best Soup! Yum!


As I sat there licking my lips and enjoying the world’s greatest soup, I looked back on everyone in the bus. The bus was full of smiles and happiness. I took a moment to just take it all in. Here I was in Jamaica, I had just FINALLY done the zipline at YS, my belly was full and happy…I was having the greatest day with some of the greatest people…..there was just one thing left to do……
Have a drink and toast to us all out in a bar in the middle of the ocean!!!! Pelican Bar or bust!

(Ninja's up next)