Beachclub update

Thanks to all for the updates ,it is indeed sad that the Beachclub is a mere shadow of it's former self. I can only hope that Jean continues to hang in there for many more years and that she doesn't end up shifting all of her attention down the road to the new development in Bloody ("Tropical") Bay. For those who remember it is almost like the old days at the Beachclub when you had to pack candles every trip because of regular power brownouts in Negril. Just remember in those days you didn't have a television let alone cable in your room not to mention a telephone. No cell phones no internet yet we all still managed to have an Irie time and still went back year after year. Cool Runnings

"Back in the day" I didn't go down in the summer months so not too bad w/out AC when the power went out. In the summer w/ the heat & humidity... yeech! Even one night w/out AC is no fun... clammy, uncomfortable & that's under a ceiling fan! I won't even get started on having all my food in the fridge go bad & warm beer, lol, no ability to cook, etc. I don't long for the good old days when I only spent a week. When it's your home for the summer & you're living there for weeks/months, as I do, no power will not go over well. I pay my TS fees & expect to be able to have a liveable place.

Yvonne ....there are many things that I really do miss about "back in the day" obviously not having power isn't one of them. I have never been down during the summer and could not begin to imagine summertime in Ja. without electricity . I am more likely to be there between the end of Nov. and Christmas or early Feb. when you still can have cool nights now and then. It may seem hard to imagine these days but in the mid to late 80's those of us who owned timeshares at the Beachclub experienced those conditions I mentioned earlier on a regular basis. There are so many things that are better "these days" than they were back when; like the time it takes to drive from MoBay to Negril and the condition of the road. Call me crazy but I still miss the old road along the coast coming in late in the afternoon and smelling the cook fires starting up with the sea spray in the air in the little bays with the branches and leaves hitting the side of the van on the narrow road. Now much quicker and safer drive but a lot of that island flavour just missing(my opinion).

Puff Daddy... Nostalgia is kicking in :-) I know how it used to be since I've been going to Negril for 27 years, owned TS there since '87. I still miss the old road, too. Like many things, it was part of the charm of JA & getting to Negril. I still look for places where I can spot the old road along the coast. It was quite an adventure & a treat. It always seemed like such a fitting start to another adventure. I didn't - still don't - care if the power is out when I'm out on the beach. In my room, another story. Then it was part of the unique, even quaint aspect of Negril & Jamaica. Water was a trickle then, too :-) Remember that? We always made do w/ what we had. Still do even now. (I've become an expert at making Red Stripe candle holders.) If it's because of demand & power outages are rotated for a few hours, I don't mind. When it's because a person w/ no integrity is pocketing my TS fees instead of paying the power bill, I do mind. That's just wrong.

It can be brutal in the summer w/out power, especially when your room location doesn't give you much of a breeze (like mine :-) Until ~1991 - 1992, I'd go down in mid to late May; have also been down for several New Years & spring breaks, even in Feb. last year (too crowded for my liking), staying w/ Jean those times. So much different than in the summer as far as the temps & the humidity. Great breezes all last summer but, as mentioned earlier, the orientation of my room unfortunately doesn't give me much of the benefit.

I miss a lot of the old but appreciate a lot of the improvements, too. Running along the road is so much better now in some ways - wider road w/ actual shoulders along most of my route. Other ways - many more cars & faster driving (can't be a speed demon when you're dodging potholes) - the new road isn't as great from a running POV.

Remember the one phone in the lobby & when you actually had to call to confirm your departure flight? It was at least an hour to accomplish that, if not longer. So many cool things about the past.

BTW... don't know where you're located but I'd still much rather be in Negril than in FL in the summer. The temps & the humidity are lower there, the temps by as much as 8-10 degrees both day & night, the humidity by 10-20%. Have had a "I'd Rather be in Negril" bumper sticker on my cars for at least 20-22 years & I REALLY mean it.

I hope I have a good report on the state of the power situation when I get back home in July.