TRAIL OF ASHES TOUR: The adventure continues as Gerry G returns to Negril

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gerryg123

He's good friends with Tawnee n Randy, known them both a really long time.

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I don't mean to be nit picking but this made me giggle a little - We met Charlie & Theresa in 2009 - kept in touch via a few emails and saw them again at our wedding in 2010. Just more wonderful people that we have met in Negril and continue to keep in touch with - nothing more ...nothing less.

The Spirit of Negril is alive and well! You give a road map to adventure...Thanks gerryg123!

Gerry...Thank you so much for letting me hop on the back of your scooter! I can't think of anyone else who could have given me a more excellent Negril adventure. Thanks for introducing me to Jodie, Banton, and of course, Bentley!
So when are we going back???

Here are some pics (top to bottom):

1, Everything needed to record a trip report ....

2, Nice local siblings

3, Blue Cave Castle, really nice hotel

Here's a little video of the Westender Inn ....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZeFtBSHf9s

. . .enjoying your on the scene video and pictoral reports. Don't stop!

It was still early, especially for a Sunday morning, so I knew it might be a challenge to find a vendor at the craft shop near the roundabout, but I needed some Rasta necklaces -- it's a ritual every vacation to buy a batch. On the way, I run into Shayne, and we say our goodbyes. He's a nice kid, a young cabbie who works really hard. I've known him for four reaches, and he always has a great attitude -- and if he can't pick me up within 10 minutes no matter what time of day, he sends a friend. He never leaves me hangin' ....

At the craft market, I haggle for a bit and buy my necklaces. They make nice gifts at home, but I like to wear 'em, too, because they remind me of Negril.

At Seastar Inn, I still had to pack, which involves shaking out all my clothes and deciding what I want to leave behind. Suzie is in the courtyard, eating breakfast. I order some dumplings.

"Gerry, we totaled your final bill, and the dumplings are not on the bill," Clarol says.

"Oh my gosh, you mean they're free? What a nice going-away present," I say.

"No, you owe me 400j."

LOL.

I still had to return the scooter and finish preparing my submarine sandwiches for the ride to Sangster. Plus, there was one more ride down the hill and through the strip to Elvis to return the scooter, and my plan was for Clives to follow me or meet me at White Sands, cause we were slated to pick up up Brasi, too.

TICK TICK TICK ....

Here are some pics (top to bottom):

1, nice dog near Banton's (the dogs are nicer in Negrl than USA, agree?)

2, Booby Cay Island

3, Bentley cooks

With Clives set to pick up me and Suzie Q in just a few minutes, I said my goodbyes (tough to do, god how I love Seastar Inn) and left my bags in Suzie Q's caring hands. She agreed to have Clives meet me at White Sands where Brasi was, so that gave me one LAST chance to race down the hill in my scooter to return it.

I don't ride motorcyles, so the scooter is a special experience for me in Negril, a big part of my vacation. I dream about riding 'em when I'm back home. I have loose plans to return, maybe in July, maybe in December, but nothing is for sure. Every year, a little more responsibility gets laid upon us -- it's called being an adult -- and I never, never, never know if this Negril trip will be my last, at least for a LONG time.

I savored the moment. I cruised along. I yelled "hey rasta" to all the familiar faces along the way, and by now there are a lot of them.

I returned the scooter hassle-free (what could he do? the bike was in perfect condition, and he had no deposit), and kudos to Elvis for not trying to con me about damage to the tire rims or something like that, as other scooter places have done in the past. This guy was honest, 100 percent. He even hitched a ride on the back for me to go to White Sands to save a cab fare.

At White Sands, Brasi was waiting in the front. It was nice to see him again. We have a good history together, this being our second trip in which we both arrived and departed on the same day.

We recounted some of our adventures and misadventures one last time. Oddly, both of us were actually eager to return home, though we both had a great time in Negril. Call it homesickness or just being a dad, but the USA was calling both of us. Eleven nights is just enough.

When the Clives van pulled up, thank god Suzie Q had come through, as my bags were safely in back. And a surprise bonus: Sweetness was coming too! She had cut her trip short and had surprised us. I knew it was going to be a fun ride back.

Here's some video of the bar crawl:

http://youtu.be/n0cKnR9w84A