For the most scenic spot left on the old road...

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Originally Posted by johng

I understand the problems that occurred and the resultant delays on the road but coming off the plane and going past and through the scenery, the smells, the colors to me was very cool!! Perhaps over the years living there you have lost the appreciation of that but traveling the "Old Road" was something that I really looked forward to each trip and I have run the gamut from private taxi, overfull mini buses, Big Buses, flatbed trucks, and walking many miles of it too at 3:00 in the morning coming back from Reggae Sunsplash for example.

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Hoooboy...if you really knew Rob at all...you would know how misguided your words are. Rob's been living (full time) here for over 25 years and you could not even imagine the experiences/stories he could tell...so I find it a bit insulting to suggest he has lost an appreciation of "the smells" and "the colors" because he didn't like the rough road you experienced as a visitor approx. 42 years ago...or in Rob's case from almost 35 years ago.
I personally don't know anyone that appreciates Jamaica more or has more respect for Jamaicans than Rob does.
JohnG...if I've misunderstood your post/words, please forgive me...but as they're written...I find them hurtful.

Hurtful??? You got to be kidding me!!! Are opinions forbidden on Negril.com?? I have only stated my opinion that for me the old road was "Cool" which Rob stated

"Those old "I survived the road to Negril" shirts actually made sense back in the day. Interesting road yes, but "cool" doesn't come to my mind... (grin)"

With all due respect Bnewb where have I questioned Rob's respect for Jamaica?? I am merely saying that although he doesn't find the "Old Road" cool I do... (grin)

Glad this is out of date. That road was PITA if you lived here.

But I do understand your feelings



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Originally Posted by johng

Hurtful??? You got to be kidding me!!! Are opinions forbidden on Negril.com?? I have only stated my opinion that for me the old road was "Cool" which Rob stated

"Those old "I survived the road to Negril" shirts actually made sense back in the day. Interesting road yes, but "cool" doesn't come to my mind... (grin)"

With all due respect Bnewb where have I questioned Rob's respect for Jamaica?? I am merely saying that although he doesn't find the "Old Road" cool I do... (grin)

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Since they're obviously allowed, I'm not sure why you're asking me if opinions are forbidden on negril.com.
Either way, you didn't just disagree with Rob about the "old road" being cool or not...in my opinion it was insulting to say to Rob that he perhaps lost an appreciation for the scenery, smells and colors because of the amount of time he's lived in Jamaica.
But, since this was just my opinion...maybe we should leave it for Rob to respond or not respond...he may not be bothered by your comment at all.

This is perhaps the most bizarre exchange I have witnessed here. I thought it was pretty clear that johng was just fondly remembering his trips on the "old road", there's nothing wrong with that. If anything, I found Rob's initial reply a bit harsh. From there it just went sideways.

Johng,

Everyone's opinions should always be welcome. You have fond memories of the old road and I have had experiences not so fondly remembered. Lisa has her opinion, Cap has his as does TAH.

When I expressed my opinion that the old road as being interesting but not "very cool", you respond that you respect my opinion and then state "Perhaps over the years living there you have lost the appreciation..."

I appreciate things every day. The sun, the sky, the stars, the sea, the people, sights, sounds and yes, even the smells.

The old road was interesting, but taking seven hours to get to Negril with no bathrooms, bouncing in the back of a flatbed, being squeezed into a broken down Lada, walking for hours after Sunsplash when the Lada breaks down at 5am does not inspire in me the thoughts of something "very cool". It was something more to be tolerated. If you travel alone and are not responsible for someone else, it was an adventure​. But when you are responsible for others it presented many problems that took away from the adventure aspects.

One memory I wish we shared was clearing the old road by hand, mile by mile, taking 5 days to get to MoBay stuck in a van with my family with no showers after hurricane Gilbert. There definitely was nothing​ cool about that in the slightest.

Of course I had some great experiences on the "old road", the most recent talking with Pet. But nostalgia will not force me to forget the reality of the old road. I try to look at the old road from a historical perspective since people are often interested in history.

There were both good and bad things about the old road as with virtually everything in life. You are entitled to your opinion, and everyone else is entitled to theirs.

The past is just that.... it has passed. Constantly glorifying it as if it was somehow magical and your seeing it first somehow makes your sight better is selectively myopic.

What is "cool" to you was a constant hassle to those who had to live through it daily. Most Jamaicans wouldn't trade what they have now for the "good old days". Ask them if they had a choice to go back to the way things were in 1975 and live with spotty electricity, no cell phones, few cars available, etc. etc. I believe most wouldn't ditch now for the nostalgia of it all.

For myself, I get more excited for what may come than for what has been. I can't wait to return in October and have already pretty much forgotten a lot about when I was there last October.

Just my opinion.

Rob
Wondering if the bartender is the same Pet that worked at Negril Scuba many moons ago?

DTD,

Pet operates the Seaside Corner shop on her family land. She took over from her Mom, who I met there, we guessed 32 years ago.

She made no mention of Negril Scuba, but we did talk about how things have changed. For one, she told me that it is not referred to as the old road but is the Cousins Cove back road. And that her clients are almost all the neighbors and I was the first stranger she had seen that month.

Her 22 year old cousin was there and never knew it as the road to Negril. He was kinda surprised that strangers (visitors) on their way to Negril would sometimes camp in their yard. He had heard family talk about it, but with Pet and I talking about it, it seemed to make it more real for him.

It truly was like taking a step back in time...

We can agree the old road was filled with adventure ! A big bonus of the new road is a lot of the old road and neighborhoods are still there , just off the main , to enjoy . A few pictures from the old road .Attachment 49062Attachment 49063Attachment 49064