Gerry G's TRAIL OF ASHES TOUR Final Chapter -- The Mighty Californian's return

I know exactly what you mean about the town hurting your feelings ... Its just bitter sweat brutal at times! I would love for you to explain what excatly hurts your feelings to better understand?
Paradise is lost in the town of negril at times. Please explain what you meant when you wrote that.
Thanks!

Gerryg123 I’ve been checking in several times a day just to see if you’ve posted.
I love your personality it shines through in your writing……….as does your pain !
I can’t speak for Negril as I mentioned before I’ve only passed through,
I’m more familiar with the north coast but for sure Jamaica as much as she can give you the greatest of highs she can also bring you down and yes leave you feeling hurt…………

You’re a good man Gerryg cut yourself some slack, give yourself time to come to terms with the loss of your Dad, you don’t always have to be the life and soul of the party………..Tears of a clown and all that.

Take care Gerryg123 ya mon………….(Been watching to many of your vid’s, because I know your voice I feel like I know you I apologise if this is a little too personal)
Jo x

"You’re a good man Gerryg cut yourself some slack, give yourself time to come to terms with the loss of your Dad, you don’t always have to be the life and soul of the party………..Tears of a clown and all that."

I totally agree. Be kind to yourself, Gerry, and spend lots of quality time with your beautiful daughters. That will bring you more joy and peace than anything. You'll be back.

Here are some pics (top to bottom):

1-2, nice shots of the beach on a sunny day

3, Bentley wears Chicago Bears garb

4, The Negril bar staff in action

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Originally Posted by Fun in the sun

I would love for you to explain what excatly hurts your feelings to better understand?
Paradise is lost in the town of negril at times. Please explain what you meant when you wrote that.
Thanks!

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Hard to put into words, especially when I would prefer not to say anything bad about Negril period, but let's just say I've come to terms with my so-called popularity in Negril -- a lot of peeps I meet are simply interested in how much money I can give them .... but then again, so was my ex-wife, and we had some good years, lol.

Also, I've had a few mishaps with some thieves, and I would prefer to just leave it at that.

Margi, an expat, has seen it all in Negril, and she put it to me in a good way: "If you can be really 'tolerant', Negril is the greatest place in the world." But for me, the IF can grow bigger and bigger sometimes.

Hey Gerry...I know where your coming from..I always tell my friends who go to Jam that you need to know your pretty much seen as a only a walking dollar sign...
Some people(lets say Many) will come off as your BFF -but really ,when it comes down to it its about what you have $$$ and what they can get..I'm not saying ALL jams-there are some who would sincerely help you and not expect anything in return.This goes for foreigners living there as well...not just visiting tourists..

Here is a little video on the ocean looking up at a parasailer .....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fA0D4...ature=youtu.be

Gerry - I do enjoy your ramblings and the Vid's & Photo's , but sometimes wondered why you are the one who is seldom smiling in them ? Maybe you put yourself out there too much and try to be the Life of the Party 24/7. Negril is a special place to all of us on the Board and there are always ups & downs anywere you go. Take the time to Grieve you Father and be the best Dad to your daughters you can be , but be true to yourself . You have touched many people and made many friends in JA now relax & reap the seeds you sowed. Dr. Frasier Crane out !

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Originally Posted by Creasemon

You have touched many people ...

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Dat true ... Maybe I should smile more in the pics after all ....

Gerry, I see you as a fun loving guy, who makes the most of your time while in Negril. Your reports are terrific and adventurous and I appreciate you sharing them with all of us.
I say keep going to Negril. You know who your friends are by now so hang with them and leave the takers to their own devices.

Wow, funny, Me and boog were having a conversation kind of along these lines just this weekend....

Anyways....Really sorry about losing your dad Gerry, can't imagine how hard that is. As much as I love your reports and hope to see you again in Jamrock....I can understand where your coming from, and hope that you'll take whatever time you need for YOU, your bbygirls, and real life.

Negril is like a fantasy....i'm sure you get where i'm going w that.....not good at putting words down i end up just rambling on and on....

Basically I wish you ALL the best GerryG123, and appreciate everything you contribute to this board.

Gerry-

You sound like a great guy and I hope our paths cross someday in Negril...I don't know you (other than reading these fantastic trip reports, so take this advice for what it's worth), but maybe it's time to mix it up a little. If Jamaica is getting a little stale, try something different. Maybe the act of visiting a new locale will reignite that spark to come back to Negril, maybe not.

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Originally Posted by suzengrace

Hey Gerry...I know where your coming from..I always tell my friends who go to Jam that you need to know your pretty much seen as a only a walking dollar sign...
Some people(lets say Many) will come off as your BFF -but really ,when it comes down to it its about what you have $$$ and what they can get..I'm not saying ALL jams-there are some who would sincerely help you and not expect anything in return.This goes for foreigners living there as well...not just visiting tourists..

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true words spoken . . . we have to remember that jamaica is 3rd world, i know many would disagree but i see it that way!

Here are some more pics (top to bottom):

1, Little windy at beach

2, Juli at Seastar Inn

3, I surrender to the sun

4, Nice day at Moon Beach

Juli is a neat person.

Her son is a member of the same Fraternity as I and I was able to answer some questions she had.

Hope she's reading this as would like to get in touch with her son

Gerry,

I hope you're there when I am again. Please come out to my yard and you may see the Jamaica without the dollar signs

Respect

Wow! Juli looks like Marilyn Monroe in that pic, so pretty!

Read the whole thread yesterday, now my account is activated and I was able to check out all the pictures! Excellent thread, vivid writing, terrific pictures... ya mon..

It's weird the thoughts that race through your head the last hour you're in Jamaica -- and not sure if you'll ever be back.

Like an injured baby, I was swathed in One Love, as Brasi and Guirigay spent the last moments with me, sitting at the Seastar Inn as I hurried my last meal, took care of all the little details including paying my food/drink/incidental bill -- only 300 bucks for 12 nights, not bad -- and de-contaminating all my clothes and pockets.

A HUGE part of me did not want to go. If I was a millionaire, I would have said something like: "Clarity and Marley and the others are coming? I can't leave now, I owe it to myself and all the negril.com readers to stay (yeah, right, lol)."

But I missed my two daughters, and I had a life out there in the USA waiting for me. I had only called home a couple of times the whole trip, selfishly dedicating nearly every waking moment to "me" time.

Leroy from Clives arrived right on time. Goodbye, Negril. I will miss you.

Well we definitely missed seeing you, especially riding around town on your scooter with that smile on your face.
But we had a real nice meal at Bentleys, in your honor :)

Cheers!

We had a quick sighting back in July, when he rode by 3 Dives on his scooter!

Hey there GerryG123! Just caught up on this trip report after not dropping in for a bit. Wow! Just Wow. You made me laugh so much.

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I don't want to be in it, either, but I guess I have no choice since it's all about me. ha ha.

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Can you get any funnier?

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The water was so clear you could spot a starfish taking a pee ....

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Ya mon, you just did.

Thanks for the pictorial intro to Juli, hat tip to you, m' lady. One of my favorite boardies.
I like the respect you show, the honesty in your reports, and the love of the place and people comes through.
These vidios are so fun, just wonderful.
You made my day, ya mon.

Captaind, Awesome to meet you! Gave your card to my son, he was amazed to the connection and will give you a call. GerryG, how's it going? Wish you could have stayed longer to hang out a bit with everyone.
I KNOW we will meet again, my friend. Happy New Year!!

A few more videos, a few more pics, a few more thoughts, and that will be it. Here's some video of the entrees arriving at Brasi's b day dinner at Catcha Falling Star. Not much light, so I put the candle up to my face .....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aOHaOvfwx4&feature=youtu.be

Omg, seafood linguine and Jerk penne pasta......that's the two best meals right there

My mouth just watered!

Thanks for your trip report and I'm so sorry about your Dad.

Mr 123.....I have a musician friend that used to do a song in his set...."Party til the money runs out"....goes like this in the bridge.......

"Party til the money runs out, Party til the money runs out....If you wanna know who the real friends are just party til the money runs out" the message is watch the place clear out once you close your bar tab........Your real friends stick aroud and make sure you get home ok....

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Originally Posted by BR Mon

watch the place clear out once you close your bar tab........Your real friends stick aroud and make sure you get home ok....

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Profoundly true!

Some more pics (top to bottom):

1, juli floats away

2, This dirty banana is for YOU

3, View from Xtabi caves

4, Sunset After Dark

I forget what the girl bartenders name is from Sunset After Dark (last photo) but she makes one hell of a Rum Punch!

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Originally Posted by marley9808

I forget what the girl bartenders name is from Sunset After Dark (last photo) but she makes one hell of a Rum Punch!

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I think her name was Monique .

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Originally Posted by marley9808

I forget what the girl bartenders name is from Sunset After Dark (last photo) but she makes one hell of a Rum Punch!

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Yes ma'am and Patrick is a cool guy as well and I hope he doesn't close down this time till AFTER the end of April.

I know! He was really nice, but I think he will be closed again before we arrive in April....such a shame, I would love to hang out there again

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Originally Posted by gerryg123

Some more pics (top to bottom):

1, juli floats away

2, This dirty banana is for YOU

3, View from Xtabi caves

4, Sunset After Dark

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Kevin!!!!! That's my dirty banana, lol...

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Your real friends stick aroud and make sure you get home ok....

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So true.

Action footage: Lobster cooking on the grill at Booby Cay island:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k8skL9qzWU&feature=youtu.be

Daaayum. Who's the bartender with the dirty banana??

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Originally Posted by TizzyATX

Daaayum. Who's the bartender with the dirty banana??

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I asked myself the same thing!:):o

That hot dirty banana???? You gals will just have to go to Xtabi and find out ....LOL

Ha! I was thinking the same thing but was not gonna be the first to say something :)

The ride back to the airport found me by myself again, as no other Clives pick-up were scheduled for this time (most flights home leave in the morning, but I've found the afternoon departures better even though I don't get back to L.A. until midnight which is really 3 a.m. Negril time).

For some reason, I wanted to be alone. I wasn't in the mood for a where-you-from-where-you-stay session with other travelers. I did have an incredible stay in Negril, but like I've been saying, I was not sure when, or IF, I would be back.

These were thoughts going in, hence the title of the report. In the back of my mind, I was leaning against coming back. That's why I booked the VIP Mobay service and -- in an utterly rare move for me -- had upgraded to first class for the trip home.

Was this a goodbye gift to myself?

I don't know you gerryg,but really do enjoy your reports. I hope to see a new one from you soon. That said,sometimes it's time to make a change. And nothing says you can't change back,right? And I am sorry for the loss of your Dad. Best of everything to you! Take care

Dconkle