Aww koala .... My favorite marsupial... Or however its spelled
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Aww koala .... My favorite marsupial... Or however its spelled
Marley thats sweet, but I'm bawdy and don't wish that on you! LOL, No really, I was in Australia for 5 weeks before (only home for 5 days) the Mrs. and I went to Jamaica and had to come back for a short trip to get a few last things done. Did I mention I hate to travel?!?Quote:
Originally Posted by marley9808
Wow, that walk about looks wonderful! Looking forward to your report when you have time. Don't work to hard Down Under.
I don't even think I know what bawdy means.....but if it means I get to travel to Negril AND Australia (on my bucket list) then count me in!Quote:
Originally Posted by Tanfastic
P.s. I LOVE traveling (just not the actual travel part i.e. planes, airports, etc) hahaha
I love this!
Enjoyed your trip report and photos! Very good!
Back in the US and ready to finish this report, I know many are saying thank God!
The day after the Vow Ceremony we had scheduled a field trip for YS Falls and Floyds Pelican Bar with Rocky. He was perfectly on time, we asked him to bring a cooler for some adult beverages and plenty of wata to hydrate. Fist stop a small store next to the Burger King for Red Stripe, Rocky took me in and told the lady to take care of me, got a case of Red Stripe, a case of wata and some rum for the punch mix we picked up. Back out to the bus and then we went into Burger King to get the ice, Rocky mentioned that it was cheap and yes it was. About 20 pounds for $2.00 if I remember correctly. Load the cooler, dump the trash and we are on our way. Now Rocky's bus is a good size, could hold about 20-25 people in a pinch, there were only 6 of us so we stretched out and let recovery take hold of us from the previous day of fun. Rocky being the ever gracious host was giving us great details of the area, the little towns and so much history that it made the drive so interesting. the Mrs. and the Pilot Young Bull were fast asleep and a few others were on the verge of it. I got Rocky to put some tunes on and we began to jam out on some killer Reggae. The drinks began to flow and we got the party started again. My only complaint about the beautiful Island is that some of these roads are so BAD, it isn't funny. I had to be so careful making and distributing drinks, I was terrified that we would fall into one of those potholes, spill a drink and I would be forced to cry! Everyone began to loosen up and the stories began to fly and the hardcore teasing ensued. Nobody was left off on the jibes, there were no mercy rules either. You have to have a tough skin to make it in this group and everyone has earned their stripes today.
A Little ways up the road past a big resort on the way to YS Falls we came across a bad accident, it wasn't good and I'm sure that there were some serious injuries, Rocky made mention that the one vehicle was a route taxi and most likely caused the problem. I asked why he felt this way and he told us that up in this area the route taxi's tend to drive fast and with no regard to others on the road, he mentioned that they are better in Negril but when you get way out they tend to be more reckless. You could tell he was upset so we settled down for a little bit. After a few drinks/beers the ladies decided it was time for a bio break. We stopped at a little roadside gas station, just a single toilet so it took a while to cycle 6 of us through, get some munchies in the store and get back on the road. The party began to role again and Rocky informed us that we were about 45 minutes away from the falls. This brought laughter out because it seemed like whenever we asked about time or distance we were always 45 minutes away from something, I asked if that is Island time or real time. Finally we get there!
The falls are one of the most beautiful spots I have ever seen in the Caribbean. This is nature and God's work at their finest, it was just awe inspiring to see. When we get to the welcome area all the people working smile and yell to Rocky. This is a guy who knows how to treat people and because of that he has so many friends and mucho Respect from his fellow Jamaicans. We head over to the "transportation zone" to take the tractor ride up to the falls. It's early & slow so we are the only ones riding up, some more history lessons about the area and the spectacular trees that dot the property and we finally get there. As we leave Rocky informs us that he has hired 2 locals to guide us, take pictures and make sure we are safe. The guys (so sorry I forgot their names since it's been a month ago) are great, funny and making sure we have fun. Again they made sure we were safe and made sure we got the entire experience. They take us up to the top of the falls show us around and ask if we want to go off the rope swing about 10 feet in the air. The guys all jump on the offer but the girls were hesitant. Why you ask? Well two of the ladies (my wife and Mrs. Young Bull) have been enhanced and had concerns again about the flat tire issue (thanks Tizzy I like that term!) and the third (Mrs. Old Bull/Bride) can't swim a lick!!! After lots of prodding and peer pressure the ladies agree, a life vest was put on by our non-swimmer and the other two were given instructions to "hold on". One of the guides helped us with the rope while the other one went down below and took our cameras to get pictures of the fall, I mean jump. Instructions were given that we need to put on these blue rubber coated gloves to prevent slipping and when we hear the guide yell "NOW" we should let go and try to go straight in. We ask how deep it is, they tell us it's about 20-30 feet deep right there so everyone is at ease about falling out of the sky into the water. I go first, instead of standing on the edge where he instructs me I go up to the third step and fly, he yells NOW and I let go, pull my legs up and spin doing a backflip into the water. off goes my wife, she let go a little early due to slippage and ends up doing a belly flop with a snoot full of water. I check to make sure she (and they) is OK, help her to the side and wait for young bull. He sticks it perfectly, followed by his wife with a little cannonball type landing then old bull hitting the water like a pencil. Everyone was fired up, wanting a second jump but I realized Mrs. old bull was still up trying to get up the courage. I quickly made my way back up stream toward the falls so I could help, I thought that this might go South if she panicked. off she went, a scream rang out that like Tarzan made all the animals stop to listen and she hit HARD. I rushed to her, grabbed to life vest, rolled her on her back and pulled her to calm water. Old bull came in right away and comforted her, she was terrified, shed a few tears but we were all so proud of her for what she did. For the next 15 minutes the guys were like kids jumping, swimming back to the lad and running back to the rope, each time trying to outdo the last jump. I was the only dump one who did something more than let go and I began to feel it. Pictures will be posted later, I don't have the jump drive with me.
Now off to the top of the lower falls where you get to the edge, have wata that is 2 feet deep rushing past you, try to grip your toes on the slimy rocks and then jump off into a small area that is about 8 feet away and has deep water. I'm a very strong swimmer so I go first so I can help the others with this hard rushing water. I jump, hit the wata and get spit out towards the fall so damn quick I was stunned. I wait in an area that I could stand in for the next one. just about the same order and I was worried that the ladies would have trouble with the strong current. Everyone is safe, the guys all jump again and now it's off to the waterfall itself so we can climb into it and get pictures with the water beating down on us. Since I'm the bigger guy they put me in the "wall" first to anchor the team, the guide tells me to sit back and let the falls hit my head and shoulders. I do as I'm told and get the SH*T beat out of me but I can't act like my Mexican name "Pussito" and I just take it. Between the pounding of the water and almost drowning from the water coming over my face I wondered why we paid for this! Next comes Mrs. young bull and my wife I grab a hold of them and try to pull them in to me, both proceed to lose their tops (sorry no pictures this has to be PG-13) and I had to take another 3 minutes of abuse while they tucked back in. Then comes the other guys and finally our non-swimmer. Pictures were taken, death grips were held on each person and it was time to break the wall. It didn't take much more than me letting go of the ladies next to me and the rest of the group popping out. Young bull wanted in under the falls by me and a picture so again another 2 minutes of torture. By this time all I knew was I needed 3 to 8 drinks too dull the muscle soreness. We walk around the site for a while, swim in the mineral pool, get some pictures with our guides, some shopping in the gift store to get our kids hats/booty shorts and after a few hour visit we're off to the welcome area for a great meal with Rocky.
Lunch was great, jerk chicken and curried goat a few beers/drinks and we load up into the bus. We talk about the experience a few jabs were thrown out, a round of applause for Mrs. older bull for her fall off the rope and off to Floyds Pelican Bar. Once we get back out on the main street I casually ask Rocky how far to the boat launch, what does he say? 45 MINUTES, we all bust a gut again, mix up the drinks and enjoy the views. Sure enough this time it's a 45 minute ride to the spot that Rocky again has a friend waiting for us. We unload from the bus and there are numerous dogs running around. Now I know I will lose a few of you here but I have to say it. I'm not an animal lover, I don't mind them, I'm not Michael Vick toward them, but I just don't like them sniffing, licking or jumping on me. Now it doesn't matter where we go or how many people are in the group, I'm always the one that all animals come straight toward and it didn't stop here. no sooner had I got off the bus when I have 10 dogs surrounding me, jumping at me and slobber all over my legs and arms. The other six by this time are beside themselves, one of the ladies ran for the outhouse she was starting to pee herself she was laughing so hard. All I could do was haul ass to the boat and get in. For the next 10 minutes I was the butt of all jokes and I took it like a man. I was happy that I didn't snap and get PETA after me or the rest of the dog loving group I was with but I knew I was going to spent the boat ride out to the bar thinking of an exit strategy when we got back to shore!
I first read about the pelican bar a few years ago, I told my wife that this is a bucket list goal, I was so enthralled by the sheer beauty of the place. I know people might think I'm nuts since it's made up of old sticks, logs, boards, driftwood and palm beaches but to me it's about a lifestyle that I love. Being out on the water, free to roam, stopping your boat for drinks in the middle of the ocean and just being at peace with the world. I can honestly say that I was so fired up and had that tingle in my belly like your first time. The boats that take you out are small, old and for many a cause for concern. Our Pilot (young bull) being the professional that he is gave the boat the once over and looked at me like, "Dude are we really putting these ladies in the boat going all the way out there?", I smiled and proceeded to say out loud that I see a DOT sticker on the side of the boat showing it is sea worthy and licensed to travel the open waters. I get everyone in the boat and we take off to my nirvana. As we get there we notice that there isn't another person in the bar but a few locals slamming Domino's. We get so jacked up that we have the place to ourselves, climb off the boat, navigate the stairs/ladder into the bar and get a HUGE welcome from the guys. We soon find out that the young guy was Floyd's son and the other three were his friends. One guy gets behind the bar, beers ordered (I get the rum punch with an overproof floater) and stories swapped. we head out to the "sun deck" and all of us are in total amazement that this place exists. We crash all over the deck, looking into the beautiful water reflecting on the trip and I mention that after these few weeks I am so upset with my deceased father. they ask why and I say he didn't make me a trust fund baby and now that I have to work for a living I can't live like this every day. laughs go around and all of a sudden everyone realizes that this is the truth. how nice would it be to enjoy this life style all the time! We have a blast reading all the carvings in the wood and decide to leave our mark. The one Rasta comes out with a little tool kit and carves our message for us. "ZONA '6" 2012" was our mark, it means we are from AZ, the 6 of us on our trip in 2012. The ladies are crashed on the wood, we need drinks and I head back in. The guys were in a heated game so I tell them to sit and I can serve myself. I pop open the beers and make myself another punch that could take the lead paint off of Chinese toys shipped to the US and head back out. One of the guys comes out to ask if we need "anything", he produces John Holmes style sub and asks if we want to share. Our Pilot friend panics because of his job and I thought he was going to jump in the water to swim back since he can't have subs in his system due to FAA regulations. We let our friend know and he heads back inside. I was in awe, this guy proceeded to have the entire sub by himself, his eyes were bleeding he enjoyed it so much. The next round of drinks he made were half off, I think he lost track of how many he made! we had been out there for a few hours when the weather started to look rough, clouds began to get closer and we decided to head back home. Our driver gets us loaded in and off we go, a calmness came over the group as we rode to shore. the experience made us so appreciative of the fact that we had the means to take this trip, to understand the beauty of the our two stops and to realize that we WOULD be back again. Once I snapped out of the trance it was time to get the strategy in play for my four legged friends to leave me alone, I brought a few beers and a couple of cups from the bar, once I hit terra firma the beers would be placed around the beach and I could make a run for it! As we pulled up to the beach the jeers from my so called friends and wife began. The dogs were waiting for me. As I began to open the beers the group started to say how nice it was for me to get some roadies for them, I ignored the comments and now had 8 cups filled with beer and my fingers in the cups with 4 in each hand. I sprang out of the boat and started to putting cups down all over, it worked the dogs started to drink the beer and I made a hasty retreat to the bus. Then it happened, Rocky wasn't there and the bus was locked!! Where is the humanity! Rocky slowly came strolling over to the bus and opened the door, but it was too late, I had 2 dogs drooling on my leg. We all pile in, we all pretty much stripped and got changed in clean dry clothes for the ride home. My wife asks Rocky how long a ride home it is and without a hesitation the 5 of us all say 45 minutes and now it's Rocky's turn to laugh/
The ride home was quiet, we stopped at the Peter Tosh Memorial garden to pee and leave some money for their facilities and get back to the resort about 5:30, it has been a long day! We all decide each is on their own for dinner, my wife and I get a couple of drinks, throw on a suit and jump in the ocean for sunset. What a great day, it will be topped off with a little dinner, a few more drinks and a little "adult time" after the sub on the back porch. Way to much fun.
Pictures to follow tonight
Glad you enjoyed YS and the Pelican Bar - I agree with you - they are 2 of my favourite places! Can't wait to see the pics :)
What a fantastic read. Thank you again for the great report. Can't wait for the pics:D