10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Clarity

I put one of the cubes into my mouth. It was delicious, sugary, watery..kind of fruity at the same time, like a pear sort of. I can't describe the taste. I just know I really liked it... The problem was, I couldn't figure out how to digest it... I just kept chewing and chewing in confusion until it was this hard piece of fiber that I was pushing around with my tongue in my mouth... now what?

“You chew it, sucking out the juices and then spit it out”, He explained with a laugh. “Don't swallow it!”

Oh! I was learning a lot on this trip!

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Having grown up with Caribbean style in my life I sometimes forget people havent experienced things like coco bread and cane. I wish I was there to watch your first time eating cane. I think it would have been very humorous. Your trip report always reminds how life can be such and adventure.

As always with each new submission your trip reports continue to be not only so well written but so well experienced. You can just tell with your words how much of an adventure each new experience is for you and Markus and along with everyone else I want to thank you for giving us all the opportunity to share your adventures. So happy that you were able to meet up with your family and create such a wonderful connection, and how GREAT!! that your father has decided to make his own trip down :)

Thank you everyone for your comments, Sorry for the long hiatus. My wife just cracked the whip so we're back in the saddle ;)

DAY 4
Trip Report continued....

I had spent a good deal of the last 32 hours in the back seat of a 4-door sedan, that squeaked and rumbled over hills and mountains. The car had brushed through jungle thickets at break neck speed and flew along plains of sugar fields, erratically switching lanes and dodging head on traffic during passing maneuvers.

My body had adjusted to the bouncing, while my hands had clutched my camera for so long, that my joints ached every time I tried to straighten my fingers. Beside me on the back bench were all sorts of bags with strange treats, goodies and trash - little plastic bags containing sucked out prawn heads, foreign fruits and vegetables as well as bunches of Bananas that were neither curved nor yellow.

I had met a lot of people, of all shades of color and all ages, with all kinds of ideas and beliefs, backgrounds and aspirations. It was not a homogenous bunch, but much sooner an all-encompassing one, all of them incredibly welcoming.

The conversation in the front seat had me rubbing my hands over my sweaty face every now and then, in disbelief that it all was really happening. My wife was sitting in the passenger seat on the “wrong” side of the car, while the curly haired lady was steering the racing automobile toward a BELLY FLOP COMPETITION... of all things. How bizarre!

Since this vehicular journey had begun more then a day ago, the lady had paused, but never stopped, in the telling of an epic saga, rich in characters and events spanning the globe. She seamlessly switched between Patois, American English and German to emphasize her points in the tongue that was best suited. There where themes of heritage and history, race and property, environmentalism and the fight against cultural imperialism. All of it linked through a single family line that had branched from Scotland to this Island some 70 years ago and since then had prospered to include 100's of individuals.

Wow! This person is really related to my wife? Where did she come from, and how did we get here? What does all this have to do with me? Is this MY family too now? How did I get involved in this adventure?

I was content being an observer for the time being, but no such luck. I was constantly integrated, dumbfounded at all this wealth of strange information and asked to tell my own story in bits and pieces, especially where it related to my marriage and the years leading up to it.

Sav La mar passed by and we now weaved through thick traffic and honking taxi cabs. Diana, the curly haired cousin, was not going to be stopped.

Daisy was to be a judge in this belly flop competition. As soon as Diana found out, that a good cause was attached, she had added the punctual delivery of this official to her own insanely busy itinerary. So she folded in the side view mirrors and gave us a Han-Solo-esque wink. I half expected the vehicle to sprout wings, instead the maneuver allowed Diana to add an additional lane to the existing road system, all the while speeding up the telling of the saga in hope to reach the end before time was up.

Of course, we did not make it quite in time. Neither for the story nor for the contest. Our timing was, ..well, sort of a compromise.

The sedan screeched to a halt in a cloud of dust before the iron gates of the Sea Star. Driven by Diana’s urging we hastily remove our luggage from all the nooks and crannies they had rumbled into during the past day. We piled up bags of fruits and bread and other eatery in front of the reception desk and hugged and kissed good-bye. Then Diana rushed back into her car, made a race-car drivers U-turn and disappeared behind another cloud of dust.

For a moment I was not sure whether I had really met this lady or just dreamt it. Then I saw the manilla envelope in my hands, filled with all kinds of material, our agenda for the last day, high-gloss brochures and several mission statements for all matters of good causes.

She was NOT a dream!

The heap of disorganized suitcases and over-ripe fruit that now sat jumbled in a pile behind the reception desk, was an adequate metaphor for the state of our stirring minds. I looked at Daisy and she looked as confused and overwhelmed as I felt, when a loud rumpus called us into the here and now. A big splash, followed by excited applause made us turn our heads to the pool. The competition was in full gear.

We hurried across the open event plaza and were met half-way to the pool by patty, who immediately began adorning Daisy with stickers, buttons and a white and golden a sash that read “Judge Daisy”.

I had missed the first round, disqualifying me from entering in the ongoing competition, so I watch from the bar, as Daisy took her place at the judges table. The table was studded with beautiful and wonderful females. I was feeling a bit of pride watching her take her seat her in that line up.

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Guiriguy was getting ready and spilled out of the changing-room, rubber fins drooping at the end of his outstretched arms. He stumbled forward like a wounded animal under attack, while the look of determination in his face advertised focus like a road side billboard. The more observant onlooker could spot a dangerous glimmer of a last chance attack in his eyes.

He rounded the pool like a fighter that has already given everything, but must face yet another round. On the other side he paused dramatically, took a step back, and, mustering some force, he pushed forward. His toes curled around the pools edge as they absorbed the impact of his body contracting. Then his arms exploded outward, the fins bending sharply under the weight of the air stream, as his leg-muscles contracted in a beautiful display of manly strength. LIFT OFF!

For a brief magnificent moment the masculine figure paints the silhouette of an Albatross against the sky, before the whole flying circus face-plants itself hilariously onto the waters surface. The crowd went roaring with applause.

The judges conferred for a while, and one after the others held up sheets with numbers, the meaning of which was not clear to me. The crowd was displeased and yelled for more points.

The two beers I had ordered at the bar arrived. I dutifully tried to make my way to the judges table to hand my lovely wife a refreshing drink. I think she definitely needed one after all the events that had flooded in the last day and after all the behaving properly around relatives.

Not nearly there, one of the bottles slipped out of my hands and crashed loudly on the floor – Party foul! The crowds attention was now on me and the shards that glistened in the foaming beer around me. OMG, I think I heard some ”Boo's” and I was not sure, if this was still about the judges points or solely directed at my turning the pool's edge into a barefoot hazard.

The Sea Star staff reacted amazingly. With more experience than a Hazardous Materials Unit, they parted the crowd, cordoned off the area and in a flash, with fast hands, made the disaster history. They even gave me a fresh beer at no charge, even though the whole thing was due to nothing but my clumsiness. I was thoroughly flushed and embarrassed.

By the time I gained my composure the contest was over.

Brasi raised his voice to booming and Ninja was declared the Belly flop champion. Guiriguy took the news badly and my eyes found him slumped under a canopy. I have hardly ever seen such defeat. Brasi and MuzikDoc huddled over him like protective cut men. The scene reminded me of a statue we studied in Art class, named The boxer of Quirinal or Thermae pugilist.

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...2/Guirigay.jpg

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...bellyflop3.jpg

The details of the competition have been captured so very well in all of the other trip reports, so I will not attempt to retell them.

You can also experience this event through Ninja's awesome video collage. This includes pictures of the honorary belly flop I was allowed to take in Guiriguy's spandex, after the end of the event.

Sad to admit we were too tired for any clean up. But everyone else lend a helping hand. The organization for this event, backed up by the efforts from the Seastar staff, was amazing, as you might have already learned from other trip reports. It looks like a Belly Flop 2 will soon come.

After everyone had dried off and chucked their beers, we piled roof high into a big van together.

As we dropped off one boardie after the other, we told stories of the crazy driving we had experienced around the cliffs. Someone should open a thread on the subject, titled “you ain’t seen nothin' yet!” - Chicken's catch phrase for road rage.

Everyone was headed to Travellers Resort but we were carrying many many heavy bags and needed to check into Seasplash first.

I had never heard anything about the Seasplash. The name reminded me of a Long Island water park. Honestly I did not expect much. An image of families with spoiled, obnoxious kids being mean to each other on water slides was stuck in my head. I did not care much either way. What we really needed now was a room, two chairs, an ashtray and a bartender.

We were loaded off in the parking lot, with our pile of luggage and the now mushy and fermenting fruit bags. I inspected my surroundings and was very pleased with the thick green that was growing with such wild vigor all around me.


http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...seasplash2.jpg

Daisy's cousin had bought us a Jamaican flag at a drug store that poked out of my back pack. So I pulled it out and waved it wildly as we approached the reception desk. We immediately had made some friends this way. “Ya, Mon! Wave dat flag!! Good for you, Mon!”.

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We said our names and the girl behind the desk began typing, when a loud noise erupted from behind a folding screen to the side. A man dressed in nothing but a pair of shorts stumbled out waving his hands in agitation. The man's big belly seemed to be commanding the direction of movement by virtue of gravity. His face was flushed and he yelled something in patois at the screen, then rubbed his face, as if it were 5 O'clock in the morning.

“Hey JIM! Oh my gosh!!”. Daisy greeted the stranger with enthusiasm.

He looked befuddled and amused. “Who are you?”

“Daisy! … Daisy and Markus?” She replied.

His face froze for a moment and I could almost see a loading graphic spin on his forehead.

Daisy tried a different approach “It's Clarity and Hubby-man?”

Then suddenly he flung his arms out and he let out thunderous laugh in a hung over voice, slapping his hands on the tiny legs that stuck out of his short's pants.

CLARITY? ... CLARITY AND HUBBY-MAN?! Why didn't you SAY so!”. And with that he grabbed the two of us as a package and clutched us against his mostly naked body.

“Anything,...anything you need! Really, just say the word!” he exclaimed. “Welcome to the Seasplash! I will make you happy here, I promise!”

What a welcome!!

Our room was situated at the end of a curving path. A little yellow house with two stories and two rooms nestled itself into the surrounding garden. Everything looked organic, less like a park and more like a fairytale village.

Inside was a large bed, some comfy furniture, an enormous closet behind the bathroom. The concierge, who had shown us to the room, apologized about the missing fridge and hoped it would be O.K. But then she saw the large amount of food that was slowly spoiling on our luggage....

“Oh, this will not do!”, she exclaimed,”Gimme a moment” She disappeared for ten minutes and returned with a mountain of a man rolling up a large stand-up refrigerator and freezer.

“We found this in the kitchen and emptied it out. I hope you don't mind it being so big?”

Wow, this was the last thing we expected. But exactly what we needed!

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...1seasplash.jpg

We scrambled to find some tip for the amazingly engaged staffer, and finally sat down on the porch to have a relaxing cigarette, while our fruit enjoyed the saving grace of a pro-kitchen grade cooling unit.

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...easplash-1.jpg

That's when our little JA cellphone rang.

It was Marley!

To be continued...
Sunset at Seasplash and Roots Bamboo

Ok back on track loving it. Thank you!

How cool was that!?!? I'm so glad that you and Daisy made it in time to catch som of the Flop....we missed you at travellers but I was lucky enough to do the honors or painting your name on a brick. :)

It's so much fun hearing about your experiences with family in Jamaica, you are a great writer Markus. And you are as well Daisy, even though you take no credit ;)

Looking forward to reliving this night through your eyes!

Thanks Tizzy and Angel! :)

It's late but I'm going to post another short update to keep this TR moving forward.

Trip Report Continued...

I was really happy to arrive at Seasplash and finally drop our heavy bags down. I had been up since the crack of dawn and driving all over the Jamaican countryside with my cousin, then rushing to Seastar to judge the bellyflop competition... I was pooped.

I collapsed on the big comfortable bed and cranked up the air conditioner. Heaven...

I was excited about this stretch of the trip. 4 whole nights at the Seasplash! This was the first time we had stayed 4 night consecutively in ANY hotel...ever!

We could actually take our clothes out of the suitcases and get comfy for a bit. This was a nice change of pace for us. I was also happy to discover that the hotel was as beautiful as the pictures on the website. I liked the lush landscape and Jim greeted us so warmly. I felt at home here surrounded by the flowers, palm trees and darting hummingbirds.

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I felt myself drifting off to sleep when Markus shook me awake. He was holding the Jamaican cell phone we had received from Rocky “Marley and Ninja want to swing by the bar and join us for some drinks here at Seasplash. Is that okay?”

I immediately jumped up. “YES!” I was exhausted but it didn't matter. I was psyched that they would be coming by and had been looking forward to hanging out with them again since our fun night together at Seastar.

We took showers and then headed out to the bar area of Seasplash to meet up with them

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Jim (boombastic) was there too and had a toast with us!

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...ne82/02jim.jpg

Muzikdoc was also at the bar and it was great to talk to talk to him. I immediately warmed up to him. He's an amazing man!

Marley told me about Ninja's disappearing act/quest for rum cream the night before. She had me laughing. You have to hear Marley tell a story in person, with her animated expressions and gestures... especially with Ninja coming in to offer his side commentary. I was cracking up. They are the coolest couple I've met in a long time. I have a “couple crush” on them. (not as kinky as it sounds ;))

Drummerboy was there too, I didn't realize it until I asked about him and found out he was sitting right next to us. I introduced myself to him. It wasn't long until Brasi showed up. We pulled up a bar stool for him and we all took in the beautiful sunset together.

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A few dirty banana's erased all of my tiredness, I felt wide awake and happy to be surrounded by these new found friends. It was funny to think back at my nervousness of meeting all of these wonderful boardies in person for the first time. Once I was there, It felt as though I'd known them all my life.

Trip report continued from previous page...

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After the sunset we all decided to grab some dinner at the jerk restaurant to the left of the Seasplash hotel. Cheap beers and jerk chicken. Nice bench to sit at and listen to the waves crashing on the shore. The waves that day were the biggest I had ever seen in Negril!

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I can't remember who observed the moon first... but we noticed that it was an odd shape from a distance, almost like two devil horns. You could even see the dark side of the moon. It looked like some kind of mini-eclipse.

Markus ran to get his camera tripod. He and Ninja started snapping photos together. This was a very serious undertaking. This moon MUST be captured on film. This is Markus's picture of the moon that day.

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After devouring our jerk chicken dinner and licking our fingers clean... we decided to all pile into a taxi van together and head over to Roots bamboo.

This is where it gets a bit blurry for me. I remember all of us sitting together on the outside tables and laughing together. Roots Bamboo was empty at first but it filled up pretty fast.

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Someone tapped on Markus's shoulder at one point. “Hey Markus! How are you?? Remember me??”

Markus squinted in the darkness. “Umm...” He looked perplexed.

“It's Shamma Lamma Ding Dong! We took the boat out with Captain Sparrow last April?” He said.

“SHAMMA LAMMA DING DONG!!”, Markus cried out. They hugged and started talking.

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...mmalammabw.jpg
Markus and Shamma lamma Ding dong

This is a big part of what I love about Negril and why I keep coming back. It's so small, that it's easy to bump into people over and over... each time you see them, you get updates on how they're doing and hear about the changes in their lives. It's an ever-evolving story and your relationships grow stronger. People like Courtney the carver, Maureen & Robert from For Real/Sunnyside Bar, Greenie and his steel drum. I never imagined when I first went to Negril, that I would become friends with them and see them again, grow to care about them so much.

Beachgirl66 and Becca_Jean showed up next... the party was really heating up but you can tell by the state of Markus's HAIR in this picture that it was time for us to go home...

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Drummerboy, Marley and Ninja left first. We danced with Becky, Dawn and Brasi for a while... and then we decided to officially call it a night too. We bid our farewell to the partying group.

I didn't want to leave but it was getting really late. Tomorrow was Chicken's magic bus trip. We didn't want to miss that and I already knew that I couldn't rely on my cellphone alarm clock...

To be continued - Chicken's magic bus trip
Markus is up next :)

So glad you are continuing the trip report!

Looks like a fun night with a bunch of cool people, I'm sorry I missed that.

I miss everyone of the faces in those pics :)

OMG!!!!!!!!!! Markus' hair!
He cracks me up

You know we have a couple crush on you guys too! Just love you both so much!

I was laughing when you said "And drummerboy was there"
I remember you walking up to us at the bar and talking to me and saying "Have you met drummerboy yet?" And I just thought you meant had I been introduced to him formally. I thought for sure that you were aware he was the guy standing right next to me talking to Muzikdoc but as you continued I realized that you had no idea that was who he was or that he had even just been in the bellyflop competition with us all afternoon. Once I realized I just said to you...."Daisy....you know that is him right there, don't you?"
And you were like "What?!?!?! Omg! No...HI Drummerboy!"

LOL

[QUOTE=marley9808;60387]OMG!!!!!!!!!! Markus' hair!
He cracks me up

You know we have a couple crush on you guys too! Just love you both so much!

I was laughing when you said "And drummerboy was there"
I remember you walking up to us at the bar and talking to me and saying "Have you met drummerboy yet?" And I just thought you meant had I been introduced to him formally. I thought for sure that you were aware he was the guy standing right next to me talking to Muzikdoc but as you continued I realized that you had no idea that was who he was or that he had even just been in the bellyflop competition with us all afternoon. Once I realized I just said to you...."Daisy....you know that is him right there, don't you?"
And you were like "What?!?!?! Omg! No...HI Drummerboy!"

LOL

LOL! Nice update! You must have been whopped from the hectic travel of the day. Looking forward to the next days installment and your version of the events.

Im thinking about going to Ja and Everytime I read of your journey...my heart aches MORE to just get on a plane and go. Travel is the best way to educate and inspire. To open up to a culture so rich and vibrant as Jamaica... I stand like a "wide eyed" child with so much wonder. You honestly get it! It can be such a bitter sweet place but each time I go ...the smiles remain the same...its there where I am humbled~
Thanks to you both for sharing your travels! Blessings Everytime!

Shauna that is hillarious LOL

Does Shama lama ding dong do the the catamaran booze cruise from the RIUs to Ricks? If so I met that dude. Or else there's another guy running around calling himself that.

I love that you know "by the state of Marcus' hair" that it is time to go home. Now that is funny!!!

@Marcus- what are your shoes doing on the dinner table at the Jerk restaurant????
Just kidding. Loving your report.

SHAMMA LAMMA DING DONG!

One of my funniest memories of the trip. +1 and I were moving to the beach for the second part of our trip. We had planned on snorkeling with Vincent, but alas, never connected with him. I remembered your previous trip report about snorkeling with Shamma, so I asked Dwight at the Xtabi bar about it.

Sometimes my mouth moves faster than my brain. The words probably came out like this... "Hey Dwight, I'm looking for Shamma Lamma Ding Dong on the beach."

Dwight: "Ummmmm, do you know what that means in Jamaican? It means he has a big ding dong..."

BHAHAHAHAHAAHHHA. Whew, thanks Dwight for saving me from that embarrassment.:o White girl walks up and down 7 mile asking for Shamma Lamma Ding Dong.

Awesome trip reporting as always from the dynamic duo. And just think when you are done with this one, you will have another to report on, lol! Yay!

Yogi....duuuude...thats FUNNY

hahahahaha

Ha ha!!!

boo hoo'ing like a fool :-)

That is some funny stuff Markus! I believe at the time of that photo though, I was still under the impression I had won! I was just completely physically, emotionally and psychologically played out... :) Fortunately, we were moments away from a decompression session! Love both of you, love your writing, and as Booger says, "Can't wait to see the Magic Bus from your view!"

And who can forget.....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QszQucKqTXM

my goodness...

What a great fun night that was...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by beachgirl66

And who can forget.....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QszQucKqTXM

my goodness...

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LOL!!! I will never forget Delilah!! Hahahaha, that was so funny :)
Beachgirl I will always think of you when I hear that song.....forever!
Good times!

whats the delilah story huh girls? lol

Ha!

Did you listen to the song?
Listen to the song first and the words and then I will tell the story (unless of course beachgirl wants to tell it) lol

Thanks Sbeth, Tizzy, Marley, Boogs, Fun in the Sun, Flipadelphia, MofromMonroe, wpyogi, Seveen, Guirigay, Beachgirl66!

Wpyogi – LOL! Omg! Your Shamma Lamma ding dong story had me cracking up!! :D

Beachgirl66- Remember how I was trying to do that protective dance around you when Brasi left to walk Marley & Ninja out of Roots? Lol! It was all too crazy! I really miss you!

Okay, Markus is up next with Chicken’s magic bus ride:)

Trip Report Continued..

There had been a million reasons to be excited about this trip. The thought of the Villa Sur Mer had sent happy chills down my spine every time I looked at the pictures online. The One Love Pub Crawl was something we had been wanting to do, since we planned our first trip and it was on the itinerary this time. And then of course there were all the boardie events and not to forget the day of our tenth wedding anniversary and meeting Daisy's long lost family.

Things like wedding anniversaries, as well as meeting a lot of new people, always carry some element of anxiety though. “Am I gonna get this right?”,

Day Six however was in the purest sense a care free event and with all the insane excitement and running around crammed in to the 5 first days, we had been looking forward to this treat especially: Chicken's Magic bus trip!

Day 6

As the wise Suzuki Roshi remarked though: “When you get up in the morning, I believe, you do not feel so very good.”
This morning was no different. A coffee will usually fix that problem.

Daisy turned around in bed for “just five more minutes”, as I stepped into the two trunks that lay next to the bed, then pulled yesterdays stinky shirt over my head.

It was early. Guy, who lived across from our room appeared from the direction of the beach in a Speedo and a towel. He seemed to be the only one fully awake on the premise.

The kitchen staff was still puffy eyed. The deck and pool empty. A girl was fumbling with the shutters in the golden morning light.

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“Could I possibly get some coffee?” I asked her

“Ya Mon! Just give me a minute.”

She disappeared through the swinging doors of the kitchen. I heard some cluttering noises and some Bombaclaat!'s. Then a tinkling and out she came with a beautiful porcelain coffee-set on a tray that made love to my nostrils.

This was our first morning at the Seasplash and it was going just great! The liquid in the white porcelain service looked dark and thick. I proudly set up a the table in front of the room and woke up Daisy again with the good news in a sing-song voice: “ Coffee is ready, love, on this, the day of Chicken's Magic bus trip!”

I took a sip and admired the beautiful setting. Birds were chirping in the coolness of the morning and the sunlight coming at a low angle created magical effects. A Hummingbird whizzed by and a groggy butterfly sat on the back of a chair, slowly pumping its wings into shape.

Daisy came out with the cellphone. Marley had called and we had an extra half hour to get ready. So we enjoyed the hot coffee in slow sips.

We walked around afterwards to check out the Seasplash grounds for the first time in full daylight.

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When the bus arrived at the front gate, we stood waiting like two school kids, satchel and all. The whole crew was already inside. We slapped fives as we walked through the aisle and were immediately handed a Red Stripe. “Good Morning!!”

To my surprise it wasn't Chicken driving the bus, but his brother. Very well. My brain was still too tired to comprehend it all.

First stop ATM machine then everyone back into the bus.

We hardly sat down, when the bus came to a halt again in a strip mall near the Negril round about. Every one spilled out and and headed into a tiny mart. Inside the windows and doors were bared and the cashier was in a cage. To get to the merchandise one had to pass through an impossibly narrow turnstile. Just like South Central I thought.

All 16 people descended on the beer cooler. It was cleared out in seconds and like locust the crowd swarmed out through the rest of the store to demolish any other alcohol bearing shelves. It didn't matter who got what anyways, since any item purchased became common property as soon as we had left the store.

Outside some people lit cigarettes, others sought a bathroom. It was difficult to get everyone back on the bus. What is more: we only had a few feet to go before the bus had to pull into yet another parking lot. There was a leak in radiator and water was visibly dripping from the grill. Chicken was already waiting with a replacement vehicle at the most recent stop.

The whole troop hobbled out of the bus again. Luggage and Coolers were transferred, a little traffic jam occurred as people tried to enter and exit either of the two buses. So some stepped out of the way and lit another smoke and opened another bottle. Raul even began creating improvised mixed drinks, in two plastic bottles.

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...01busride1.jpg

Others remembered things they forgot to buy before and crossed the parking lot to find another store.

Meanwhile Chicken made his way through the crowd and of course found many familiar faces and old friends. A lively chit chat ensued. Some people who had already transferred their belongings to the new ride sat patiently in the seats of the new bus, but - as nothing was happening - exited again and popped open another drink.

Several attempts were made to get back on the road, but someone was always somewhere other than here. Whoever had waited the longest sighed and stepped out of the bus again lighting more smokes.

“Geez, it's like herding Turtles!” Becky exclaimed.

“Like what? ... What did she say?”

“She said it's like herding turtles!”

“Oh that's a good one. We should make that the title of our trip report.”

“I like turtles.”

“Did she call us turtles?”

The rest I guess is history.

Well, even turtles eventually get it right, and with every one on the bus Chicken grabbed the microphone and proclaimed the official beginning of the trip.

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...1busride68.jpg

“Every disappointment is an appointment!”, he announced referring to the broken radiator.

I am not exactly sure what that meant, but the pun assured me that the real Chicken was now at the helm.

As the motor hummed away smoothly and every one began settling into their seats, Chicken attempted some tour guiding and began pointing out this and that. The experienced crew took it quietly for a while, but when Chicken wanted to pull over to let everyone take a picture of some old sugar plantation, every one looked at him dumbfounded.

“Hey Chicken, we are not even in Sav la mar, yet. How many times you think we've all seen this road. Pedal to the medal, my man, pedal to the medal.” Someone declared

Chicken looked surprised, almost hurt, then realized his mistake. He'd have to come up with something more exotic to get any cameras clicking in this crowd. Chicken chuckled Chicken style. “Alright, my friends, I understand!”

“Chicken, your bus is why we're here!”, Marley explained. “we have already reached our favorite destination!”

“Hey chicken, put some music on!” Booger said with some buzz in his voice.

“Ya, Mon!”, chicken replied, now roaring with laughter and fumbled for a CD.

“Could you be loved, Could you be loved!” The whole bus was one unified voice. Beers rhythmically swaying in the air. The CD-player cut out many times, but the voices always carried on the song. “..by my door step, singing loud and clear..”.

A bottle of rum cream was passed around. “hell why not?” I took a healthy swig and handed it down further.

Some rum cream jokes ensued which led to some roaring laughter.

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...01busride3.jpg

Even Brasi who was nursing a major hang-over in the back seat was chuckling.

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...01busride2.jpg

Tizzy, who had so far buried her face in John's, in frightening proximity to the groaning brasi, now got up and joined the banter. Half standing on her seat she held two bottles of beer precariously over the seat in front of her.

I noticed she was bouncing up and down.

Time for another pit stop.

We were somewhere between Belmont and YS-Falls and pulled over to a large filling station with a lumber yard next door. As we stepped out the heat was a shock. I could feel the softness of the pavement as it emitted a nauseating odor of hot fresh tar. The air flickered above the ground and it almost seemed unnecessary to use a lighter to light a cigarette. Within seconds I felt sun burnt.

Tizzy wasn't the only one needing a bathroom. No surprise, considering the buckets of empty bottles that were being carried off the bus.

A long line formed in front of the unisex bathroom, with each person exiting giving a report of what one would find inside. We were all pretty toasted at this point. Enhanced by the heat and alcohol, the rumors of what the bathroom looked like grew into a horror story as it was passed on. Three inch long, blood thirsty mosquitos supposedly covered every inch of the walls, waiting patiently, only to descend on people in a big cloud once their pants were around their ankles. Daisy now clutched my sweaty sleeve and debated whether she wanted me to go in first or the other way around.

A Danish family extended the line at the end. The mother and three nearly white-blond daughters, arranged by size like organ pipes, looked like poster children for the Scandinavian Tourism board. Their pale unburned skin, indicated that they had just arrived. Dad was still at the pump sighing over a war torn map that he had spread over the tinted windows of his luxury SUV Rental. All of them were dressed in the most formal of business attires. A band of medieval knights would have looked far less out of place. They looked our group up and down with obvious disgust.

“We are driving our daughter to a volunteer organization in Mandeville, where she will work for 6 months.”, the mother announced with a heavy Danish accent. They looked in horror at our rowdy group. I felt really sorry for them. We must have given them have some second thoughts about her daughters philanthropic adventures. I could only imagine the discussion in the car that must have followed. ("Don't you get involved with those types, young lady!")

The bathroom turned out to be not so bad at all. And with fresh 12 packs in the icebox. The turtles were back on the bus in a record-breaking 30 minutes, YS-Falls now only a short ride away.

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...01busride5.jpg

To be continued.... :)

Awwwww man...I was there for this trip...but even I sighed when I read "To be continued..."

LOL
Oh and P.S. How did I completely miss the Scandanavian poster family from Medieval Times?!?!?!?!?! Hahahaha

Love it

I wanna
? ya
and treat u right :rolleyes:
hahahahaha

that was the best bathroom stop ever lol... i remember a very enjoable smoke and some fun banter with you and daisy

My favorite thing about your posts is you have a trove of pics you haven't shared until you hit that point of the trip report. I also hate that you've been holding out on us this whole time...

I'm also with Marley on this. I took forever on this day so I have no standing to say what is about to follow. I also don't care. Hurry up!! :)

Brilliant Marcus. Yet more pieces of the jigsaw ;) And Mike's dead right, I just love the way you're pulling photo's out that haven't been seen yet. Family? What family???? See......missing pieces!!!!!

first image that came to mind... children of the corn and then i thought wait.... they were ginger... lol no offence to any gingers i got a lil freckles from my family tree... and to the beautiful couple that is spotty cats... My grandfather, well hes my grandmothers husband i grew up with him so its no difference to me, is of scottish decent from the cameron clan... if thats what you call it correct me if im wrong hehe

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hubby-man

A Danish family extended the line at the end. The mother and three nearly white-blond daughters looked like poster children for the Scandinavian Tourism board. Their pale unburned skin, indicated that they had just arrived. Dad was still at the pump sighing over a war torn map that he had spread over the tinted windows of his luxury SUV Rental. All of them were dressed in the most formal of business attires. A band of medieval knights would have looked far less out of place. They looked our group up and down with obvious disgust.
“We are driving our daughter to a volunteer organization in Mandeville, where she will work for 6 months.”, the mother announced with a heavy Danish accent. They looked in horror at our rowdy group. I felt really sorry for them. We must have given them have some second thoughts about her daughters philanthropic adventures. I could only imagine the discussion in the car that must have followed.

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I think if she had pearls she would have clutched them