Thanks Kahuna for the TR and the pictures, looking forward to more :)
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Thanks Kahuna for the TR and the pictures, looking forward to more :)
I wanted to share this Facebook page page with you and the nature lovers reading this ..it has information about a parrot endemic to Jamaica - the yelow billed parrot
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hope-G...684?ref=stream
We had a busy day today, but it’s raining now – it’s been raining a lot the last ten days. So let me catch up a little.
Jet skis – I hate ‘em . . . but I love ‘em. Sorry, I’m a hypocrite as regards jet skis. The girls took one and Josh and I had one each. I have a go-to jet ski guy, Robin. But Robin was out of ‘sea bikes’. He wanted us to wait for 30 minutes, but it looked like rain, so I told him we were going to go to someone else because we wanted to go right away. He tried to talk us into waiting, but when we said no, he arranged for three bikes with his buddy. I always pay $1 per minutes from Robin. So we took off for 40 minutes. We jetted from Sun Beach to the Blue Cave Castle, then scooted across Long Bay all the way to Bobby Cay. Then a quick look into Bloody Bay and then slowly back along the shoreline to Sun Beach. Thirty-six minutes.
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When we got back the guys who we had rented the bikes from were arguing with Robin. The air was thick with ‘Klaats’. Apparently they were not happy with the $1 per minute deal he had made with us. We walked away and let them settle it.
Here’s a shot of Robin and LuLu (her beach name).
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Later we headed up to Canoe for dinner. We taxied it up to the traffic circle and then set out walking the rest of the way. As we were passing HiLo a car pulled up beside us and J.T. popped out wearing just his black shorts and holding his trademark red solo cup (Appleton and Pepsi).
At Canoe, the waitress made J.T. put on his t-shirt. During dinner J.T. told me that he had bumped into this dude, let’s call him ‘GulfShores’, that J.T. has absolutely no time for – to put it mildly. He said he was sitting at the bar when ‘GulfShores’ walked up to him and said ‘Hi’. It was the first time they had met this reach. GulShores, who can’t stand cigarettes, noticed that J.T. was smoking and said, “So, you’re still smoking.”
J.T. – who can’t stand GulfShores, pointed at his beer belly and replied, “And you’re still fat!”
Here’s a shot of J.T. on our snorkel cruise.
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At Canoe, Bea and I had lionfish, which was good. The kids and J.T. had burgers in coco bread. The burgers were so huge that they couldn’t finish them – a hungry dog that was hovering around on the beach benefitted from the leftovers.
Later we walked to Swordfish and had cake. We took in the view from the bar deck – there is a very nice view of the beach from there.
Our party is shrinking. Shrek and his S.O. have left us. Many have come and many have gone. Things are starting to quiet down.
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Ah! So jealous! Did Alex say the water was COLD?!?
Before I get into rambling – to those of you who are following this – thanks for sticking with me. I realize that this is a different slant on a trip report, and I get it that it is of absolutely no interest to lots and lots of boardies, but I also know that there are a few boardies who roll like I do when in Negril, and it is for you that I write. Lately I've come to realize that I have de-volved 'out of the mainstream' - I think it's an age thing. I will finish this TR, but it will be my last contribution on the board, after this I will be a lurker.
Staying in Negril for 34 days is a privilege – I know that. And it’s been wonderful being here and having people arrive and greeting them and doing things together and hanging out and all that. Great. But, I’ll tell you what, every ‘hello’ has a corresponding ‘goodbye’, and saying all those goodbyes is a be-atch. This morning my daughter Alex and her beau Josh left for home. That was the toughest of the goodbyes so far. It put me in a melancholy mood that I’m still feeling, even after an intentionally long, cathartic workout at the gym. Alex was here for eight days and ‘wow’ did it ever go by fast and it was a blast.
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But I’m getting ahead of myself because I still haven’t caught up on all the things we did – which I will do in due time.
So in the meantime, let me tell you about our housekeeper, Janet (she from another planet). When I introduced Janet to Alex she smiled widely and looked at me, nodded and said, “Yah, mon!” I then introduced her to Josh. She looked Josh carefully up and down and then asked him, “Are you treating dis girl proper?”
Josh said, “Yes!”
Janet said, “You bettah, ‘cause if you don’t Papa is going to kick your a$$.” Yeah, Janet always speaks her mind.
I mentioned that Lady Saw performed at a concert here last week. The day before the concert I was in the room when Janet was cleaning up. I asked her if she was going to see Lady Saw. She stopped mopping immediately, looked at me and said, “Lady Saw comin’ to Negril?”
“Yes,” I said, “tomorrow night at Waves.” Janet got really excited. She fished he phone out of her uniform pocket. A quick conversation in rapid patios ensued – I picked up only a fraction of it, including – ‘Lady Saw - Waves – Ticket’
“So, are you going?” I asked after she put her phone away.
“Me t’ink so!” she replied. She started back at mopping and singing Lady Saw tunes, she was very happy. A couple of minutes later her phone rang and she answered it. “Me going!” she said. Then she was up on her tip toes, like she was wearing five inch pumps. She danced, hand on hip and used the mop handle as a microphone - ‘Let me take you to the seaside’, she sang. She said the song was very popular and “was selling like hot bread”!
The next day when I saw Janet she still had her hair up in her concert do and was still sporting her wrist band. She was tired but happy. She said Lady Saw sang until 3:22am.
No, I didn’t go.
Here’s Janet.
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Francis, manager at White Sands - you couldn't meet a nicer guy.
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Here’s the veggie truck that stops at White Sands twice a week.
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A Negril event that you shouldn’t miss. Free tatts and piercings!!
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I will miss the Pimps and Ho,s by a couple days, I think you should go so its in the trip report! lol
Loving your report and photos.
I have been folllowing since day one....I know of several others who do as well....I enjoy your style of traveling and it would be a shame if you quit contributing to this board....
Thanks for the report. As a white sands regular, I love hearing about your trips there. So many familiar places and faces that I dearly love. If I can't be there, then a trip report from you is the next best thing! Thank you.
Ditto with enjoying your posts...I look for it every day. Please don't stop :(
Great photos. Nice putting faces to the names. Bummed I am going to miss you by 2 days! Keep the report coming. With all these views, everyone is tagging along.
Hey Kahuna,
The only acceptable reason to not contribute is because you are penning a new book for all to read. Just saying and you know I like the way you roll. Please continue.
I too love your trip reports and pictures; I wait anxiously for the next update, but don't always post a comment or thank you. So thank you, thank you, thank you. Please don't stop contributing here!
PLEASE DON'T STOP! I agree with Booger it is only acceptable if you are writing another book. This trip report nudged me to get my copy of "Walk Good" out and reread for the third time. It has been awhile and I am appreciating it more now that we have giving up the AI concept for the past few years. Please keep doing the trip reports. We love them.
Oh......NO....You are one of my favorites on this board. If you go, your posts will be TRULY MISSED. After all these years....................why? I know I am not the only one that feels this way. Do you blog somewhere we could still follow??
I agree 100%Quote:
Originally Posted by booger
Everybody has their reasons, Big Man. I'm sure yours are long and well considered. One thing is for sure though, writers write. If you're not writing here I'd like to know where.
As so many others have said, I love your trip report, posts and pictures! I too have pulled out "Walk Good" to read again (I received it as a Christmas gift this past year!) Please don't stop!! :cool:
Almost finished with "Walk Good" as we speak-I enjoy your writing style there as well as here. You need to let us know where to next find you and your writings!
I'm going to miss your contributions, hopefully you've got another book in the works.
Thanks for sharing.Have enjoyed immensly !
I have also been following your reports from the beginning...I myself am a laid back traveller to Negril and take things as they come. Please don't stop your reports...helping me get by until I reach!!
K3 I am a lurker. I used to post but seldom do these days. I must say your posts are of extreme value to me, and this board . I will be at Blue Horizon West this Sunday, and I hope to meet up with you.
K3 I also am a lurker mostly but enjoy reading your reports very much. Please continue I like the way you roll. Walk good mon.
Thanks to all of you for the feedback - all of you who posted just above, really - thanks. Like I said, I will finish this trip report- I still haven't caught up and I have another eight sunsets to go - who knows what will happen - after all, this is Negril.
I must admit that I was having a bit of a down day after Alex and Josh left, but I'd been pondering things for a while and I don't feel any different today, so - it is what it is.
Now for some catching up. Yesterday, Monday, was a big departure day - seven of our crew left. I know a few of them are following this T.R. so my apologies for not saying goodbye - I truly hate goodbye's - they are so awkward for me - and I'm all goodbye'ed out . . . sorry.
OnFriday afternoon we all met up at the Boat Bar. There is always a good party there; a happening crowd, good music and a great vibe that spills out onto the beach and out into the water.
I walked up to the band and checked them out. As I arrived there, I saw the trumpet player take a really big hit then, before exhaling, bring his axe up to his lips and hit a high note.
The rest of this story is best told in pictures, so here we go:
http://youtu.be/oQEhK1zMIDY
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http://youtu.be/2dC1Nsx-ezE
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The dude that walks into the video is J.T.
http://youtu.be/ODKD9ycjw4Q
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http://youtu.be/uGDKMG_NtKY
http://youtu.be/Gg23i0lA5Zk
That’s J.T. talking to Josh.
http://youtu.be/TdH4GkYvGJg
Kahuna3, I really enjoyed your trip report and it looks like you and your crew have enjoyed yourselves. Can you please update me on the state of the beach in front of the Treehouse? I arrive on Saturday. My husband and I sometimes travel with large groups where people come and go (not this time, though) and the good-byes are always tough for me too. I try to be mindful of the great times spent as they are happening and thankful that I was blessed to be able to take the time. You appear to be blessed with great friends and family and the time to make great memories with them. Hope you enjoy the rest of your trip.
Readheadtravel
I sent you a PM on the beach conditions.
K3
K-3 have read your books and we like them very much. Being honest LOVE your trip report and pictures!!!!!!! These are places we frequent and immediately transfer us from cold, snowy Missouri to actually........ well virtually being at the party, bar, or gathering you are photographing, at the very least it sends us into a conversation about our past experiences at the same places.
I'd like to say thank you for helping bridge the gap between our visits and reality thousands of miles away.
Please live for the moment and totally immerse yourself into your remaining 8 sunsets, hang onto it as hard as you can for right now.
Back home holidays, phone calls and family get togethers are what apologizing about missed or short goodbyes are for. Trust me true friends understand as you would.
Don't even think about it and if and when you have time please keep posting your thoughts.
Have a blast!!!!!
Jamb
Love the photos! Nice crowd at the Boat bar....one of my favorite stops along the beach. Thanks for posting!
Great pics and videos. I love the Boat Bar blast. Thank you so much K3 for posting. Makes this wait so much easier, kinda, sorta. LOL
Anymore sightings of the eagle ray?
L.J. - the eagle ray comes by pretty well every day - right on schedule, kind of like the beach vendors.
An Excursion to YS Falls
Bright and early Saturday morning, 8:30am, we all boarded Lloyd1. Everybody was surprisingly cheery for such an early start. Lloyd1 is a very comfortable, well maintained, twenty three passenger bus, so with only eleven in our party, there was plenty of room to lounge.
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Just past the traffic circle in Negril, Lloyd Lewis, our driver and tour guide, stopped at the tri-coloured banana truck and bought two large hands of bananas for the bargain Jamaican price of $500J, which is a very good price considering there’s a banana shortage right now. We passed the bananas around and were quickly back on our way.
Alex and Josh had wanted to see some of the country side so I organized an outing to YS Falls. I asked others in our crew if they wanted to go. I understand how difficult it is for people to give up one beach day from a one or two week trip, so I was pleasantly surprised when seven others decided to come along.
We trundled along the road to Sav with Lloyd commentating and pointing out various things of interest along the way. Passing through Savannah-la-Mar we stopped at a gas station to pick up drinks and road treats.
Soon we passed through the small village of Bluefield’s – this is where Peter Tosh was born and raised and kept a home. Lloyd pulled over to a stop at the front gate to Peter Tosh’s mausoleum. He told us that there was to be a huge party in the village the next day as it was the anniversary of Peter’s birthday. The streets would be impassable, filled with people celebrating the life of the great reggae superstar.
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We entered the parish of St. Elizabeth and drove between vast fields of sugar cane framed by green hills further inland. The cane fields gave way to massive papaya plantations.
At Black River, we turned inland and headed for the falls and after a short drive we pulled to a stop at the reception center. A tractor pulled a wagon-full of us up to the falls area, about a five minute drive beside a babbling stream through a cool forest.
For me, the most impressive thing about YS is the vegetation, the trees, the plants, the variety and the lushness of the whole area – it was stunning. Photos don’t do it justice, but here are a few.
http://youtu.be/G3JTwYtpWF8
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Escargot anyone?
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We trekked to the upper swimming pool and waded in. After the bathwater temps of the water in Negril, the fresh and COOL water at YS was a bit of a shocker. Alex, Josh, J.T. and I worked our way, against a powerful current, to the base of a rushing waterfall. We braced against the rocks there and pushed our backs into the churning white water. We were pounded by the torrent of water, but it was a lot of fun. The others, watching us from the platform, said we sounded like a bunch of eight year olds yelling and screaming at a waterpark.
We got back onto the wagon and departed the falls, well refreshed, about ninety minutes after we’d arrived.
As we were hanging out at the reception center waiting for Lloyd1, we heard what sounded like a car with an amazingly loud sound system approaching. We all turned to see the source of the music. It was a flatbed truck carrying a load of musicians and some very powerful amplifiers. The truck was moving quickly, there were at least six musicians on board and they were playing to beat the band. Lloyd later told us that this was a funeral band. As the truck roared past a small herd of horses, that had been peacefully grazing in a nearby field, suddenly took flight. They ran with wild abandon across a verdant field. They were a picture of grace and beauty as they galloped under the spreading limbs of a giant tree. For a moment I felt like I was watching wildebeests running across the Serengeti.
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We loaded up on beers and patties and left YS Falls. Lloyd made a detour up to Bamboo Alley, which was not far away. It was an interesting sight. Lloyd said that the effect of the bamboo trees arching out over the roadway wasn’t quite what it used to be due to a recent fire that took out some of the bamboo clumps and the fact that the foliage wasn’t as lush as normal due to the on-going drought. When we reached the end of Bamboo Alley we did a u-turn. One side of the street was lined with stalls that were bedecked with bags of peanuts, both shelled and un-shelled. Since they were raw, we didn’t purchase any.
Soon we were back out on highway A2, headed for Negril. It being a Saturday, we encountered a few funeral processions along the way. Whereas in Canada funeral processions are stately, slow moving convoys, the ones we saw pulled out and passed Lloyd1!
On the way back, shortly after crossing back into Westmoreland from St. Elizabeth, we stopped at the seaside town of Whitehouse to visit the Saturday market. It started at the main road and ran all the way down to the sea where there was a pier and some local fishing boats were tied up. My immediate impression was that not many tourists stop here. You’ve seen a photo of Bea, she’s a German blonde and very fair skinned. When we were about halfway down the market road, one of the vendors called out, “Hey, Whitey!”
Bea looked over, smiled, waved and replied, “Hi, Brownie!”
We stopped in at a well-stocked bakery that was crowded with customers buying the freshly baked bread that was stacked high on the counter – it was selling like hot bread! The aroma in that place was divine.
The remainder of the trip back to Negril was uneventful. Shortly after arriving back in our room, the heavens opened up. We enjoyed a tropical deluge from the shelter of our balcony.
http://youtu.be/gjGvq8yzA3s
Thanks for the great report.
I really enjoyed both of your books as well.
Thanks for the report , I have been following along closely in anticipation of my reach, which now just 12 days away! I also enjoyed both of your books. Enjoy the rest of your stay. Bless
I am slowly savoring Sunset Negril. I want to make it last for 10 more days. Great videos and pics. Has it been raining everyday? Short spurts or long hauls?
Thanks for posting more of your adventures!
Thanks again for all the TR's and for taking the time to be approached by all your followers. You bring so much joy to SO MANY by sharing your love of the island and the Ja. people. You must do what is right for you, but I will definately miss your experiences and adventures. Irie, bless your family and till we meet again.
I did see a copy of your book in Red Ground last week and they were enjoying it, as we all have. Looking forward to your next chapter.
Thanks jan24, Lady Jane, Marijane, OUV11112 and justchuck - and thankyou ladies for reading my books :)
It rained heavily last night, and it’s overcast today - and muggy. This morning I saw Bea off to the airport. Nineteen have come – eighteen have departed. Now there is only J.T. and me, and J.T. leaves on Monday. He mentioned renting scooters and going on an excursions somewhere, so when it clears up we might do that.
It was raining when we woke up. Bea decided she wanted to go for a swim, so we went down to the beach, it was absolutely deserted. The sea was calm, she waded out into the water, I stayed on the beach. “It’s warm!” she said.
After Bea left I went up to the gym, it’s about 10 minute walk, or approximately 63 beeps, depending.
Only four sunsets left - I’m going to catch up on a few things, so here goes:
Remember the baby parrot that I mentioned – not The Dude – the new one that was in the cage hutch, the one that we could only hear. Well, unfortunately it died. Francis doesn’t know why. Maybe Tiki and Sinbad will have another. By the way, The Dude is doing well. He now jumps up on my arm, perches there and chats with me. One day I picked a guava from the tree out back and left it in his cage. He ate the whole thing and the next day his beak was all covered with guava seeds and he was pooping pink. We are still working on ‘Leafs Suck’.
The Wild Thing was sold to the Riu in Bloody Bay. It now hauls AI clients from Bloody Bay to Rick’s and back.
The bats have stripped all the fruit from the apple tree. They’ve moved on to their next nocturnal buffet. The apple tree is blooming again, so it looks like the cycle will repeat itself.
I’ve had to give up my morning swims because I got a mild infection in one of my ears. It’s better now but I’m not going back to swimming just yet. But I do miss the swims.
Pub crawl notes:
1st stop – Sunset After Dark
2nd stop . . . ahh, I forgot the rest.
You know how people pass things along to others who are staying longer? There were three ladies in our group who got talked into buying a piece of ‘cake’ one evening. Normally they only drink alcohol, pina coladas to be specific, and Red Stripes. So buying cake was out of their zone. The next day they asked me for advice on how to eat the cake, they were worried they would O.D. – or whatever. I told them just to have a nibble and see how it went. Well, they did get up the gumption to try the cake, but before leaving they wanted to pass the cake, now three days old, to J.T. who was staying on. He laughed, turned it down and told them to eat it before they got on their flight home.
The ice cream truck that plies the beach road goes by at 50kph. How are you supposed to get ice cream from this guy? By the time you hear the music, he’s gone by.
Here are some random photos:
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Thanks for the update K3. Great pictures. That looks like the apple tree that was in front of our room. Good thing the bats werent there then she would have freaked. Enjoy the rest of your stay.