okay you got my tension building here . . .
okay you got my tension building here . . .
At Bar B Barn, the new security guard has my float (of course), and I ordered dumplings with butter -- some pure carbs to get me through a day that would not find me back home in bed in Los Angeles until 2 a.m. (5 a.m. Negril time) ....
The ocean was nice. I love just floating out there. I hung a bit with Ann, who has been selling necklaces and other stuff on the beach, in the same spot, for 30 years. We've had many long conversations through the years, as I am a BB Barn regular.
I was trying as best I could to relax, but I knew a storm was brewin. Gas had already tried to chase me down at Sunset on the Cliffs two nights prior (he always storms customers' hotels the night before the scooter is due), though I had switched to Seastar Inn and could not remember if I had told him so .... But I always beeped and waved every day to him, sometimes a couple of times a day, so we were all good ....
Until I smashed it, of course. Now I had fixed it but was not sure what would happen ....
Tick Tick Tick .....
Great cliffhanger, you got us all waiting . . .
Tick Tick Tick . . .
We picked up the scooter. It looked perfect. Brand new. Maybe I could pull this off. I pulled my shorts down low, hoping to cover up the scratches on my leg, and off we went to GAS .....
Saw you go by the other day onthe scooter on the west end rd. Hope all went well with Gas.
Hey Gerry,
Killer trip so far.... Nice to see the So Cal representation....... Look forward to hanging out in April...
Good goals, Gerry...The universal cipher will be with ya!
Well, just as I had feared, one of those kids told GAS what happened, so we was waiting for me with his arms sternly crossed (if he had two, that is) ... First he said the key chain was broken (bad sign) and it would cost 150j just for that. Then he went straight to the previously-damaged area, and said: "This has been sprayed!"
I guess honesty was the best policy at this point. I admitted, yes, I did damage the scooter and fixed it up. "I thought you would appreciate it. Look how nice it looks," I said.
He said I would have to pay for it anyway, 300 dollars.
I said that was not fair, that I had done the right thing.
He also said he had friends in Los Angeles that could hurt me -- which I did not take seriously but still was a bit out of line ....
It went to 200, then 100. At the last moment, I suggested 50, and we had a deal. I was filming the damage, and him, on my video camera, to give me some advantage .... If a cop came, I think the cop would have sided with ME not him, cause the scooter was perfect.
He never did ask if I was OK .....
Gas can go %$^&%$ himself. Really. Use Tyke's Bikes. Just down the road from Seastar on that corner. 1-876-957-0388.
I returned my scooter to Tyke with a slightly dented fender and a cracked handle grip. $30 US for a one day rental.
I pointed out the damage, and he said "No big deal, just give me $50." I asked if he would take $20 US and he smiled and said yes, I can just bend it out later today, and as long as I promised to rent from him next time, no problem, $20 was ok.
These little dents and nicks make no impact on the ride, and although tourists should take responsibility for fixing them, the outlandish attempts and threats by Gas are no more than extortion...
Sad but true. Don't give him your money again. I usually keep my mouth shut but you are the third or forth person JUST ON THIS PAST TRIP that have complained about him.
Meanwhile, Tyke is straight as an arrow...deal with businesses that are fair and reasonable.
okay........you guys convinced mi to stick with the $100J Route Taxis next week..........lol
Cool Runnings, Marko
Here are some more pics (top to bottom):
-- Jodie enjoys a dirty banana at Xtabi
-- Fish n lobster cooking at Booby Cay island
-- Hangin w Jodie at Whistling Bird
-- Hangin w Jodie at sunset at Xtabi
-- Nice ocean on snorkel trip
-- Chillin on the cliffs at SUnset
-- Omar the bartender at Xtabi
-- Nice lady bartender at Sir Lookout
-- Tall bartender at Swordfish bar
-- Famous Vincent: "Ya mon, I got a big one, Gerry!"
When someone makes a threat-Thats it-end of story-never dealing with them again..I always rent from Bantons up on West End...nice guy-fair deals...
Do you mean the Banton who has the little bar far west end?
I think Banton is being confused for someone else .... There's Banmark, tho ....
I guess I look back now and the whole thing is pretty funny. I took such good care of that scooter until, sure enough, I messed up on the final night ....
After this was all settled, I looked at my watch. It was close to 11 a.m., -- at noon I was being picked up from Seastar Inn -- and I still had not packed a thing. Plus I still needed one more big meal and a swim, right???
So of course I did what we all do in this situation -- took a quick inventory of the ganja, figuring out how much I could finish and how much I had to give away ....
LOL. I COULD post that notorious pic of you and the bale of hay.
Notorious pic of GerryG123 and a bale of Hay? What?! lol
Bring it, Brasi!
haha!:D
Enjoying your trip report and pics, Gerry
I'm sorry to hear about what happened with the bike, but I'm really glad you're alright
Keep it coming!
Rob says no hay pics this thread ..... Clarity had an exclusive that I was OK from the bike wreck, having checked in briefly during the web cast from Seastar Inn ....
You know how there's always one yardie, one fellow hotel guest, that you relate to and befriend? For me, that was Jaba, a new friend from Philly who has quite an amazing story to tell about his life -- the incredible ups and downs that have seen him go from heaven to hell while somehow remaining alive through the whole thing -- and who was my next-door neighbor at Seastar Inn.
Let's just say we have a lot in common. I ate my last plate, hung with him, smoked up together, then I took a nice swim before rushing up to pack my stuff, just in time for my ride home .....
I had no idea what my final bill was going to be. At Seastar, they take notes but don't ask you to sign anything -- no credit card imprint, no nothing this time, that's how much they trust me (crazy but true) .....
Anyway, I do have a number in my head, so just for fun I take a guess: "It's 602 dollars and 14 cents, right?" ....
The lady thought she would have some fun with me .... "No, Gerry, it's 1,100 dollars!"
"Oh sheeet .... OK, I guess I spent more than I thought ... "
"Ha, ha, just kidding, it's 517 dollars!"
Such a deal!!!!!
I was not quite though with Negril, though ....
What's up with these scattered bits and pieces! I have to check back here a zillion times to get the whole story..you're killing me man! :)
Rastagal... I think maybe Gerry is slowing down his story telling in order to increase the number of views on his thread. :)
Yep..I meant Banmark....
i like banmark - but they WILL NOT fudge on the credit card deposit.. so know that going inQuote:
Originally Posted by suzengrace
Gerry luv luv your report^^^^^^^ :p
Your report makes me feel as if I was right there. I spent four days in Montego Bay, was nice and restful but did not do much as the time span.
No no. Like fine caviar, best not to spread too thin .... lolQuote:
Originally Posted by Sam I Am
When I stayed at Seastar it was the same thing, just pay when you leave and it seemed very reasonable.
Packing up is not an easy procedure. I went through every garment, every nook and cranny, every little area of everything, to decontaminate .... Did NOT want to deal with any drug-sniffing dogs or explanations as to why there remains a big spliff in the pocket of my a shirt in my luggage ....
I had five spliffs left, and I hoped that would last me for the ride to the airport -- if we were allowed to smoke in the van and if there were no old-folk fellow passengers that did not want to deal with the smoke.
Yes:Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam I Am
- duplicate posts
- little dribs and drabs
-"stay tuned" teasers
- draaaggging out a story
- etc, etc, etc = pimping your thread
Gerry - it's not about the count - it's the story.
Wrap it up Dude!
how do i find the first Trail of Ashes Tour posts, I'd love to see your pics?
How do I find the first Trail of Ashes Tour postings. I'd like to see those pics as well as read the tales of your adventure?
It's sort of a toss-up. You never know what a Negril cabbie is going to do -- will he let you smoke in cab, will he be willing stop for a smoke break, and, most important, will the other passengers, in a rush to airport, insist on no stopping?
The whole thing can be traumatic.
We were set to make one stop to pick up some fellow tourists from White Sands. I smoked one on the way, just in case, then another at White Sands as they sorted out the luggage. ....
Here is the previous report:Quote:
Originally Posted by vdollsgran
http://negril.com/forum/showthread.p...ng-a-GOOD-time!
. . . . and then . . .
It turned out, it was a nice family from Charlotte that came along with us to the airport -- an adult couple and their mother. They LOVED to smoke ganja, so it was a party to Montego Bay.
Just as I got to the airport, I checked one more time, and I found a little spliff roach in one of the little compartments in my carry-on bag. Sheesh. Just in time.
I checked in, and I still had a few minutes for a last meal. I went to Margaritaville at the airport, had one last plate of Jerk chicken -- it was good, too. But not as good as the road-side stands ..... I will see those stands in my sleep for many nights to come .....
Coming soon: Final reflections of Negril .... PLUS a few stories, observations and details and details that I left out.
PLus more pics and VIDEOS VIDEOS VIDEOS!!!!
OK, here is a little video of enjoying Jerk Chicken at Whistling Bird ....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyjLW...ature=youtu.be
And here is a little video of SUNSET ON THE CLIFFS .... nice patio dining area, just after breakfast on my last day before checking into Seastar Inn .... fourth day overall, and you can tell I am in the spirit of Negril with my ya-mon commentary ....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtXs9DyORfc
There are a few things I left out ....
One was a visit to Oasis .... All these years, I had drove by that Oasis sign pointing up a hill on a small street, probably drove by it a hundred times, but never made the turn .... It was 10 p.m. one night, on the way back to Seastar Inn, and I thought I would check it out.
The turn is one of the few corners on the west end road where there is really nothing there, so when you make the turn and head up the hill away from the Cliffs, it's really quiet and really dark.
I mean, AMAZINGLY quiet .... You can hear your every breath and practically see your every thought at night against the starry sky .....
If you really, really really want to "get away from it all," this is the place. By 10 or 1030, the whole place had shut down, including the bar ... I rolled one up there with the security guard, a young guy, and it was just me and him ... There were a few cars in the parking lot, and he said some of the rooms were occupied, but wow that place was dark. Just the gleep gleep gleep in the trees .....
I liked it. Don't know if I could handle it for more than a few days or so, as I'm fond of companionship .... but the pool did look NICE ....
And here is a little spear fishing video .....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqD9_5iZGZ8&feature=youtu.be