Trip report sept 1-14, including pelicanbar, etc

I guess everyone starts by reflecting on our past trips, so here goes...Been married to my lovely wife, Janet, for 23 years this sept...For most of our years together we took a week in september in florida, mostly daytona, for vacation. We have no kids, I play alot of softball, and florida has a lot of world tournaments in sept to play in to start off my vacation. Fast forward to 2009, Janet found a can't miss deal on Negril at the Grand Pineapple. Being a wannabe hippie(my dad was strict and tough, his brother a hippie to the fullest, by the time I was teeenager in late 70's, hippies were phasing out}I had always wanted to go to Jamaica, so I'm game to give it a try. I hear the subs are pretty good there, hehehe....So we go, have the time of our lives (trip report in my signature), and haven't been to florida since cept to play ball for the weekend a couple of times. We went back halloween 2010, no trip report due to prolonged illness and loss of my mother and her sister, but returned this year for much needed relief from the pressures of our everyday life.

I do have quite a few pictures from 2010 trip including halloween dress up, negril before during and after a tropical depression, I was about 100 yards from the Mickey Hill incident, didn't see anything, but will never forget the loud shot, and the mass confusion and everything that went with that mess, Rhodes hall, I may post some of these later, I just looked at these for the first time, my mom got sick as soon as we got back.

Ok we are the type that hate the travel days, so we feel we would rather stay longer vs going more often...Labor day is usually a big softball weekend, so we planned to leave Monday, Janet found a great deal for A/I for legends, (we r not a/i people, but...) we also wanted to try a coiple days on the west end, so with the deal cuz of construction at catcha, we added 3 days there. We are beach people and felt we would be bored on the cliffs, esp me, but wanted to try. Friday party at LTU, sat at seastar, 100 candles at ivans for annivesary surprise, we will be ok, then added a few days back at legends to end the trip.

well, softball trip cancelled, so we have extra day or two on our hands. we enjoyed rhodes hall our last reach, Janet and Anita at rhodes hall had a good time together, foound the best subs ever near there, and lets just stay there for one night. we will get some jerk from biggas, relax on the long travel day, and bust in on negril all rested up. good plan. never got a response to several emails to rhodes hall or phone calls to anita. change of plans. saw the deal at bourbon beach, and so we will try this for one night...a little worried cause we never noticed that they had rooms there, and on our last trip in 2010, a big sailboat was in the middle of the dancefloor cause of the storm, and bourbon beach was not really open for business. but our friend ann was right behind the stage. so lets do it....so here we go....

We book a stay park and fly deal thru value fly...figured to be the best deal since our flight was early sunday morning. We arrive at the hotel in atlanta and guess what? No reservations. And she said they had no rooms. We call value fly and of course no answer...We are frustrated. I had a couple of hotel numbers in my travel book, so I call the two close to us, no vacancy...Janet is on the phone with the owner...Finally found us a room, 20.00 more than we had thru value fly, but we'll take it...since they had to dig us up a room, I expected the worse. well, pleasnatly surprised, room was nice, a/c worked great nice king bed, and the room number was......420. this is a sign of the great weeks ahead. Janet just says I am silly. What?

Not many choices in the area, settle on Mexican resturant across the street, not very good for either of us. go back to room, watch opening day of college football, drink beer, subs and early sleep.

wake sunday morning 5am, not feeling well, load the shuttle, wait, I need a minute...step outside and for second time that morning, had to do what I call puke and rally...supper didnt sit right, only 2 beers, just get it out and I'll feel better...one last sub to relive the nausua... and it worked...ok lets go..our driver spoke a little fast and didn't quite understand everything he said...on the way, he's complaining about the new international terminal the atl airport has, and how far it is and blah, blah, blah...well it is a long way from the old one...he told us to blah blah, and he would meet us there in zone 3...ok, zone 3, I got it....should have listened better... arriving back to atl from international is a vary long walk and another very long shuttle to where he met us.....not better or easier at all...

anyways, check in is easy, board w/o problems, plane is full, aactually land about 15 mins ahead of schedule....
arrive at sangster, gather our checked luggage, and we are looking a mess, 2 big checked bags, 2 carry on bags, laptop bag stuffed,and a huge purse...practice my system at home, worked great, just not as easy here in public, at the airport, trying to get out to our ride....ok all done, lets get outside

clap clap clap........great reporting......look forward to more.......

We chose kingsley to drive us. Alfred was our only driver we had ever used, other than a taxi here and there...One time alfred was busy and had recommended kingsley...we never had the chance to use him, but when Janet mentioned him, i remembered his name, and found out, yes he did work out of xtabi like alfred did. Kingsley said he was alfreds friend, answered a few questions for us, not as talkative as alfred. He stopped right outside of mobay for a couple of cold redstripes and had my subs ready...ok it is on...between mobay and negril, we went thru 3 different sets of cops on the road, sitting with radars, us being warned by the blinking lights of upcoming trafffic...come on man, can't a guy enjoy his sub w/o all this hassle, lol,...

we arrive a boiurbob beach. Kingsley said he didnt know BB even had rooms, thats what I said. I ask for Kevin, He is napping, but we are waiting for you...Let me back up for a minute...when I booked for the one night at BB thru email, all Kevin said was sure, all done..I emailed a few days later with a question, again all ok, do you need a credit card, no we got you, he says...so I didnt have anything but my emails for confirmation. Well, Kevin told us to tell you he would get with you later...ok, we are surrounded by 4-5 people who claim to be with BB, all wanting to help. It was a little overwhelming, even kingsley said, which one is security, they are taking off with your bags, mon... Janet you follow our bags, kingsley you wait here...get up to room, get bags dropped off, go settle with kingsley, still a little overwhelming with people asking what I need, all wanting to help, just let me get settled, I'll be down in a few, still havent checked in, tipped anyone, have at least 5 people tote our bags, wow, what a whirlwind...but noone has asked for anything yet....I go down, order some jerk chicken for both of us, 1/2 for me 1/4 for janet both with fries, ask how long, 10 minutes he said, so we eat...as we are eating, we see ann heading over to us...she recognized us from a distance, gave us a big hug, and said she would catch up later...I think that set the tone for the trip...They all said, you know ann? yep, our friend for long time, think that earned us some respect. the jerk was very good, moist, little hot but very good...

I walk to store for beer, ice, water, juice, I have a collapsable cooler we use...works great...
The rest of the day we didn't do much, just sat on deck, beach chairs by ann, sat at bar, etc...finally met the people that helped check us in...my friend seymour (fast car), and dewight wyatt, security guard jack, and everton day bartender, and chris, night bartender, and dont forget shaba, heart shaped glasses, will turne out to b one of the hardest working men on the beach..
for supper we had a burger and another round of jerk.....we drank and unlimited number of beers, had 2 meals each and with the deal, well at this point, still don't know how much we owe, we haven't checked in yet....did meet kevin and he said he would get with us later...ok....we sit in hottub, sunday is movie night at BB, they set up a screen and show 3-4 movies, pretty cool to sit on deck to overlook the sea, and watch a movie...fastcar and I walk to alfreds, I took 10.00 with me, pay 6.00 for me to get in, and give him the 4.oo left...alfreds is dead, I enjoy a sub, and then I am feeling dead....head back after about 3 songs, and just sit on the deck, watch movie...i remember patrick from last trip, he hung out near ann, and he comes to me...you are the one who likes dogs, right, I say yes. He says you gave bella foood, I say yes I remember bella well from ast trip, well bella is mine...2nd case of many incidents that someone remembers something that happened 2 years ago, and I make them prove they really remember...

end of day 1

only a couple of pictures, all from Bourbon BeachAttachment 17643Attachment 17644Attachment 17645Attachment 17646Attachment 17647Attachment 17648Attachment 17649Attachment 17650

Great start! Like your style. Looking forward to more.

Great report so far! Can't wait for more great stuff ....

Loving it so far!

This is going to be good!!

The worst part of reading a trip report is waiting for next "instalment" :) Looking forward to Day 2...

bourbon beach is looking great! i didn't know they had rooms - lol