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What I love most about your posts is that you know exactly what you want and refuse to let obstacles stop you. Sure they may slow you down while you find a way over, around, under or through them, but you keep on goin'. Hopefully we'll meet up someday cause I'd love to hear the stories too.
Thank you for the kind words.Quote:
Originally Posted by wench
When I heard the saying "what doesn't kill you, just makes you stronger" many years ago, I can relate that directly to my experiences in Jamaica. I have been robbed twice, threatened by gang members in Kingston and witnessed a shooting and a stabbing over these many years of travel to Jamaica. Now, considering the remote and inhospitable places I have visited and lived for a time. this doesn't seem so awful (at least to me) as I have seen even more than that here in So. Florida! :eek:
Almost two years ago, I wanted to just lie down and let them shovel the dirt on me at some Assisted Living Facility. I was in the hospital with Congestive Heart Failure, confined to a wheelchair with debilitating Arthritis and at my lowest emotional point. Finding a reason to pick myself up and move forward wasn't easy but I always had Jamaica in my heart. I have fought my way back and now enjoy reasonable health and a fresh attitude about life.
Soon I will be leaving here and going back to my adopted homeland. There will still be lots of challenges but I have a lot more I want to do as well. Jamaica has given me so much that I can't even begin to list all that She has given me. It will be my goal now to give back a little more of my time, sweat and experience to help uplift the next generation of Jamaicans and I have the perfect venue to work in: Accompong Town.
If our paths cross someday in Jamaica, I will be honored to take the time to tell you all about my LOVE!
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Peace and Guidance
This afternoon my friends and coworkers gave me a Send Off party out on our patio here at the Barefoot Mailman Motel and, even though I don't leave for a couple of days, I decided to spend the evening packing and cleaning my room.
I put in a copy of my first Reggae Show at the Santa Barbara County Bowl in 1976 and was well engulfed in my "Jamaica Mood" when I checked my laptop for email and looked in on the Seastar Show on realnegril.com.
The quality of the sound was very, very good instead of the usual muffled sound coming through my Realtek mixer system on my laptop. I left the DVD on and playing with the sound turned down while I cranked up the Seastar Show. Even though the movements of Bob and the band didn't match the sound from the Seastar Show, the fit was amazing!
I am so ready to go. Bags now packed and at the door (just like in Sweetness's poem)! I have a couple of days to live out of them and see if I forgot anything important but would wager I didn't. I have done this 60+ times before and have gotten quite good at the routine.
I am ready for Jamaica. Now the question is, "Is Jamaica ready for ME!"
Peace and Guidance
Have a wonderful wonderful time. Can't wait for your trip report.
Praying we meet up in Ja again Bill. First drink on me for sure. Glad to hear your well enough to travel back to Jamaica.
I was having my 7:00 morning coffee on the Barefoot Patio when it finally hit me; I would be eating dinner in Negril! I had not been to Seastar Inn in over 10 years and I have never even stayed there but Chris and Francine had a downstairs room (#4) available for the first week I would be in Jamaica before heading for my home in Accompong Town so I had to jump at the opportunity!
Having a downstairs room was a must as stair climbing is still very difficult with my recently rehabilitated knee and I didn't want to take a chance that might lay me up for the next 70 days in Jamaica. My good friend, Paul, took me to the airport 3 1/2 hours before my flight as I wasn't absolutely sure that the Caribbean Airlines offer of 2 50# checked bags, 1 22# carry on bag, a laptop bag AND a walker for FREE would actually be honored but, much to my surprise, I checked in without a hitch and was supplied with a wheelchair ride through Home Land Security and on to my gate.
After a 3 hour wait, an $8.00 turkey and cheese sandwich and a $2.00 bottle of wata, it was finally time to get taken to the plane. The hour and 20 minute flight seemed to zip right by and before you know it, we were clapping for a successful landing at Sangster. There was a wheelchair waiting outside the door of the plane and a strong, young man (Everett) rushed me through Immigration and Customs before pushing me out the lobby doors in less than 25 minutes. He was so quick that I even beat the Seastar driver but only by about 5 minutes. The Seastar van was in use elsewhere so Chris sent a JUTA driver (Tony) in his 10-seater to pick me up.
Tony Smith (876)700-1187 (cell) made the long trip to Seastar an enjoyable ride. We talked about so many subjects that it would be difficult to list them all but let me just say I was able to look out the windows without fear that he would get me killed on the road. He was a courteous and even-speed driver which I really appreciate having had so many Route Taxi drivers try to scare the bejeebus out of me over the years. We finally turned on Seastar Lane and the hotel came into view.
As good as I knew Seastar must look, having tuned into the Saturday shows the past few weeks, i was totally blown away by the wood-hewn beauty of the surroundings. Tony took my bags up to the desk and Rochelle had a helper take my bags to my room. The room was perfect. Much more than the rooms I usually rent as I am strictly a budget traveler but this room had everything I expected and MORE. I was hungry and thirsty from the trip so I made my way to the new bar to buy Tony a cold drink and to tip him for the great trip. Randy, the bartender had a cold Red Stripe ready and Rochelle soon brought me some fish fingers to munch on. While eating, I chatted with Chris and Francine over our meals before finishing off another Red Stripe before heading for my room.
I am tired and need some rest so I will sign-off for now. I will take a few pictures tomorrow and my best friend, Marshall, from Accompong Town is coming to see me with another friend, Peckish, who is my Accompong Driver. It was a leap of faith to decide to take this trip and so far I am glad that I decided to do just that. This is shaping up to be one of the best trips of my life.
Peace and Guidance
Enjoy your trip, Bill!
Great way to start you trip back home. You'll be spoilt while staying at Seastar! Waiting with anticipation for more updates. Thank You
Hey Bill - I loved reading your stories and reflections and am really happy for you that you are headed back home after such a long absence. We are headed back to Negril in a couple weeks after being away for 7 years and are really looking forward to it. We're both so excited it feels like back in the day, before our 2nd or 3rd trips...where everything is familiar but still SO new and exciting...
I know now that daily updates and even two-day updates are going to be out of the question but I will try to check-in every few days because my good friends use this thread to keep up with my travels and even my nurses at the VA check it out to see if I am keeping with the "program" and not re-injuring myself but I can assure them that the staff at Seastar and my local friends here in Negril are riding herd on me! :p
I get up each morning at 6:00am to go to the pool to exercise and recreationly swim some laps until the Continental breakfast at about 7:30am. I am eating within my guidelines and I am definitely feeling stronger as the days go forward. Here are a few random shots around Seastar. I am no photographer but I hope they at least give readers a brief glimpse into the property.
A shot of the new Seastar Stage
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A shot from the Office to the Bar with the Swimming Pool beyond
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The Waterfall and Jacuzzi between the steps to the top balcony and the Swimming Pool Shower area
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A shot of the Pool from the shower area with the swim-up bar on your right.
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The next shot from the same vantage point showing the lounge chairs and the covered gazebo where I often eat breakfast
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Gotta run. Going to the beach today to look up some old friends. Will post more when I return.
Peace and Guidance