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

gerryg123...thanks for the on site updates, and I can't wait for the full report....love your reports...keep chillin, my friend...

I was handed the keys to room 12, upstairs in the back. Technically, of the 19 rooms at Seastar, No. 12 is the most private. There is no reason for anyone ever to be walking near your door, there is a beautiful view from the balcony, and it's very quiet -- you can't even hear the music on a Saturday-night party.

Plus there is a high cathedral ceiling that rises probably 40 feet above, and most important of all the air conditioning works nice n cold.

I made the usual re-connections with some of the staff members at Seastar like Barbara, Rochelle, Garrett, Samantha, Alvin, et al. Then my long-time cabbie/bodyguard Shayne came to visit, and he lent me a phone for the 10 days.

It was just getting dark when the rain hit again. I had been traveling for 24 hours or so with no sleep, so there were no first-night adventures. I slept like a baby in my big, beautiful bed, dreaming of snorkeling and spearfishing, of jerk chicken and beautiful Jamaicans, of Roaring River and rum punch, of laying on my inflatable green raft on the ocean and letting my troubles float away with the soft currents of the waves.

It will all come true over the ensuing days, and that's a good position to be in. Ya mon, it's going to be a fun trip filled with memories that will last a lifetime.

Can't wait to hear!

It's nice to see that you made it back to the island. Enjoy my friend!

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Originally Posted by murph

say what??? Mike_D goes to Negril and we dont get a trip report?

or did i just miss it?...

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LOL, murph! I have been slacking off. But, not to worry - I have a good batch of pictures from my June trip. Trip report soon come.

Strengthened with a full night's sleep, I woke up early on Wednesday ready for my first full day in Negril.

I had made arrangements with Famous Vincent for a spear-fishing -- it's my main activity every morning unless it's rainy for I overdo it the night before -- and we met at Seasplash, one of my fav hotels.

I guess I'm out of practice, cause not only was I missing a lot of shots, when I did get a fish, I cut my finger on his dorsal fin, and that was no fun at all. But it was still a great little trip, and it was nice to re-unite. I had talked to Pam at DeBars -- she is the beautiful expat wife of Eddie, the owner -- and she suggested bringing the fish and or lobster to DeBars to cook, so that's what I did.

But there no one was around at Debars, so Bobo, a local friend, took care of it for me and said he would put the three lobsters and about five fish in the fridge till later. Later I visited Banton, then motored to the Westender to visit Negril Bill, who suggested the Lionfish as a snack.

"It's an east coast fish, you can't get it in California, and you'd be helping the environment -- plus it tastes great," Bill told me.

I was sold. The Lionfish arrived a short time later, and I loved it. I knew I would be back daily to eat more Lionfish.

It was nice being at Westender, too, my home away from home away from home. I said hi to Alexis, the owner's daughter before motoring back to Seastar Inn.

I tried the lionfish on my last trip...very tasty...i'm following right along, bud..

Yeah, the fish is very soft n fluffy and light .... Of course, they put a lot of breading on it -- I have been ordering more and more well-cooked and crispy each time, and have also switched to ketchup as fav dipping sauce. This is the best I have eaten in a long time. Makes the trip that much more special.

I'm back to real time now, but I have some wild adventures. Keep checkin' in folks, satisfaction guaranteed.

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Originally Posted by gerryg123

yeah, the fish is very soft n fluffy and light .... Of course, they put a lot of breading on it -- i have been ordering more and more well-cooked and crispy each time, and have also switched to ketchup as fav dipping sauce. This is the best i have eaten in a long time. Makes the trip that much more special.

I'm back to real time now, but i have some wild adventures. Keep checkin' in folks, satisfaction guaranteed.

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yawn......

gerryg123... Good to see you in the spot you/I love!

Happy Travels,

BBB

Wake me up when the real Gerryg123 arrives......

After a week of reading during downtime at work (ok let's face it, my to-do list was on hold until I finished), I have read every word of the trail of ashes and am now current on the "final" chapter. Glad it's not really final. I've had my no memes where I thought it would be my last visit, but it never lasts long. GerryG, I've taken meticulous notes and can't wait until my reach so I can put those notes to good use. Thanks for all the laughs, the tears, the warm fuzzy feelings, and that love of Negril that is conveyed with every post. Would love an update on Bentley. He was at the top of my list for visits this reach until I got current and learned of his illness. I hope he's recovering. It breaks my heart to think I may not meet him after all. Looking forward to the next installment.

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I jumped into the pool at Seastar Inn, closed my eyes and just kind of faded out the world. Then a familiar “ya mon” with an East Coast accent, and I looked up and there was Marko staring down at me as I floated along.

The legendary Negril aficionado popped in for a surprise visit with another friend, Mike from Memphis, with whom I formed an instant bond, as we would spend a lot of time together over the coming days.

We made our hellos with plans to meet up at Roots later that night.

Meantime, I made the usual rounds, checking in at Rick’s Café before rushing off to Debars to eat the lobster and fish with Bobo; the meal was supposed to be done at 630 p.m. after already being delayed a couple of times.

Well, for a moment I forgot I was in Negril – on “island time” – and it took a lot longer than expected to finally get the food cooked. But it was worth it. I did everything in my power to pin down an exact time when it would be ready, then I would make Eddie swear the time was correct, then I would call just before arriving or stop by, only to be delayed again. First it was lunch, then early dinner, than 6, then 6:30, then 7, then 7:30. Then 8, etc. But yes it did get done, finally.

I know the root of impatience supposedly is selfishness, but god I hate waiting for ANYthing, especially in Negril. I am always on the go-go-go, and that will never change. I work my tushy off in Los Angeles to be in Negril two to three times a year -- often putting in 18-hour days for weeks on end -- so when I do unwind, I really want to unwind. I don't want any excuses from anyone, just want to be pampered and coddled and serviced with a smile, period.

Just keepin' it real. I approach these trip reports with a sense or pure honesty, and I know for sure such a practice does not always show me in the best light, but, as the great Charlie Tattoo would say, it is what it is.

Anyway, I shared the lobster platter with Bobo, a rare treat for the great carver whose shop is just up the road from Debars, and we had a great time, laughing and toasting and submerging chunks of lobster in butter as we savored every moment.

I'm with ya, bro, It is what it is....

Ah and just like that, he's back.

Coddle on gerryg!!!

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My first full day in Negril.

It rained on and off through most of the evening on Wednesday, so I hosted a little private party in Room 12 at Seastar Inn, enjoying the company of friends while indulging in rum punch and other things Jamaicans like to do.

The rain helped wash all my troubles away. It's been a tough past six months, a hard stretch for me, and oh how I have missed Negril, my home away from home. The magnificent island in the Caribbean breaks my heart some times, but there is so much that keeps me coming back.

Soon the night was still. It was close to midnight when a few of us made our way to Roots cafe, where just as expected there was a big batch of jerk-chicken guys and party girls who met us at the entrance. Marko and Mike from Memphis were there, both with a drinky smile on their faces and beautiful girls on their arms. I bumped into lots of friends from the past including Rochelle and the utterly beautiful Nicky, whose almond eyes, light skin and cheerleader-type body make her look like a model from South Beach more than a tightly-dressed hopeful at a late-night club.

The music was blaring and there was no admission charge, and rightfully so because the streets are SO quiet with SO FEW tourists this month; in fact, many business like Hungry Lion have signs reading "closed for the summer" or are simply boarded up this time of year.

Nicky wanted a ride home. She wanted more of course, but me, I was in such a chill mood and so utterly relaxed -- and a little buzzed -- that I promised her a ride home and that's it. Like a perfect gentleman, I motored my way up the hill, as we laughed and reminisced together about times past. For now I had vowed to be a perfect gentleman, and that's just what I did.

Marko and I had chilled together for nearly an hour in front of Roots, just enjoying the hustle and bustle and trying to hail down a route taxi for another friend, who was trying to make it all the way home past Green Island.

At Roots, Nicky was all alone at the end of the night, caught in numbers crunch with about 100 girls and 50 guys at the club. Eventually, she asked for a ride home. I dropped Nicky off halfway up the hill, where she has an apartment just down the road from Seastar Inn, and gave her a little hug goodnight. I did not want a thing from anyone. I just wanted to be nice.

Nice Gerry, I enjoy your reports. But don't name where locals stay. Just like you had the driver rep block out your last name of the welcome sign photo for your own privacy.

I had the Mobay VIP rep block my name for HER protection, not mine, lol.

you be nice and you end up getting nothing but scolded..... Nice is good....

Here are some pics:

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First thing I do in Jamaica is score some Coke -- and some Cherry juice!

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Here's a shot of a local gas station


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Felt good to hit the beach again

Het G,

Look like you lost some weight....I think I found it

Yes, just what I needed to cure my Negril fix for now.

Gerry wicked mon, wicked good report, love your writing and love your on the ground videos, oh how I miss that "ya-mon".

I hope you had/r having an awesome trip.

Jamb

Thursday in Negril. Jungle night.

Good thing I didn't have spear-fishing quite so early at the usual 7 a.m., having pushed the starting time till 10 a.m. for a meetup with Vincent and Roger at Seasplash, as usual.

Nevertheless, I was up early. It's part of my routine that includes an afternoon nap, though on this reach I didn't nap much. I ran pretty much on adrenaline the whole time.

Seastar Inn makes a nice breakfast every morning that's free, including a big glass of OJ, plus continental stuff like muffins, bagels, cereal with milk, coffee, that sort of thing. Sometimes we order a little somethin' extra like an egg and bacon to make a little breakfast sandwich. I did so this morning.

Later I motored down the hill, enjoying the sights and sounds and smells. Past Rockhouse and BLue Castle on the left and No Limit Bar and then the school and Mi Yard on the right, through the Roundabout to Bourbon Beach.

Memphis Mike was in Room 9 upstairs, enjoying a great deal. Fifty per night with a 25 dollar food/drink credit every day. I flipped him some money in the beginning and kind of made Bourbon Beach my beach home, claiming so by leaving my greeen raft with one of the workers, Shagger ((I think that's the name), a cool Jamaican with a warm smile featuring gold teeth.

Wow you did take off some weight, lookin' great!!

So I'm sitting at Bourbon Beach, enjoying the ocean view and hangin' with Memphis Mike. Meantime, there are about eight locals at the bar, mixin' with the the two or three employees, and a couple of them get in a heated LOUD discussion, screaming in Patois back and forth enough so that you can hear 'em from probably 500 feet away.

There are guests at Bourbon Beach, but no one says a word to try to quiet the two down. They're not fighting, just arguing very loud, and the whole scene is NORMAL for Negril. At the Hilton in USA or the Marriott or Sheraton or Hyatt or Best Western or any place like that, the security guards would be rushing over, the employees or tourists (not sure who was arguing) would be told to be quiet immediately, and perhaps 911 would be called; there would be a written report. Here, it is NOTHING. One of the key differences between the USA and Jamaica -- that extreme level of tolerance needed to cope on the island.

The differences become less subtle the more time you spend in Negril, but even for long-time returnees like myself, some of the scenes can startle you when you first arrive.

I downed some coffee and jumped into the water, still early in the morning. It's best on the beach early before all the vendors and beggars arrive, though this week there aren't that many folks period because it's so quiet in Negril.

Clouds are rolling in. Dark clouds. One thing about Negril, it's VERY hard to predict the weather. You don't know if a storm is going to last a minute, an hour, a day, a week. Even the locals, with a feel for the sky after living here for decades, have no idea. They just shrug when I ask if they think it's going to rain for a short time or long time.

Here are some shots from the countryside .....

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Hey gerryg, I dig the TR so far. I think one of the biggest reasons I fell in love with Jamrock and Negril in particular is the fact that it is considerably less PC (or should I say non-PC) than at home. I am the kind of person who sorta tells it like it is myself, and that can really rub some people the wrong way at times. (even my wife) So I can totally relate to what you were saying about the "little argument" you witnessed. You said it perfectly about the level of tolerance you notice when in Jamaica. To them....things like that are really no big deal, but back home you would NEVER see something like that go on for long. Keep it coming man! Respect! BS

GerryG. One thing I always notice about your TRs is your ball caps. I have seen several teams.

What's the deal dude? You just like the hats or are you a multifan?

I just like hats, especially for the sun.

Here's a little video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=FtMi7zWY2FM

What a nice thing to wake up to this morning! Missing Sea Splash and Negril so much. Thanks gerryg123,looking forward to more!!

looking good gerry123!

Gerry. Is see some beach in front of treehouse that wasn't there last time

Sad news to report about Rambo, the XL-sized, utterly dependable security guard for Seastar Inn. He injured his knee cap in a motorcycle accident and has been off work for a bit while he recovers. Let's please hope he gets better fast!

Nice to see you back in Ja.

Yes it is! And nice to see you too Rasta!!

Much love and good wishes sent to Rambo! He is my very favorite security guard in Negril. Even if I stay somewhere other than SS...Rambo rocks! Really a great guy and guard...plus a smile that can light up a room. A real sweet, kind man...that I have no doubt, could take down anyone that messed with you. What a wonderful combo.

Thanks for the reports Gerry G....I am so missing Negril right now. Gotta wait a while before me reach but soon come.

Anxious to hear more and see more pictures of your adventures.

By this point, I had ‘sub sandwich’ supplies placed in strategic points in Negril on both the Beach and Cliffs to make things easier and to avoid being part of a future episode of “Locked Abroad.” I do believe Jamaica is the only country where it’s easy to do this, thanks to a ready supply-and-demand combined with my relatively easy knack for making friends.

At Seasplash, the clouds were getting darker, and just as I suspected my Negril phone rang. It was Famous Vincent announcing he could not pick me up quite yet because of the weather, and I understood. That’s why you should always get in as many activities as soon as possible on a tropical vacation because you never know what can happen with the clouds; you want to protect your 3k investment, right?

The rain started as I made my way up the hill. I stopped in to chat with Bobo, then it really started coming down, so I had to race back to Seastar Inn before gerryg123 got washed away. It’s OK. I love the rain in Negril.

Here are some pics:

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Nice day the beach

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Where is Rasta Dave when you need him?

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gerryg123's catch of the day (still on loan to Clarol)

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I will ALWAYS be loyal to the Seastar Inn