**OFF-site Trip Report ~~ Aug 2011 ~~ Part #1 of several

:-(
Yep..!!..
..mi back in-foreign
...a too-short trip na tru

nevertheless, GiveThanksAlive (all one word)

mi ok with being back
..but i'm surely gonna miss eye-balling all those Ja-ladies
* whew *
they are truly beauties to behold
...make my likkle heart go pitter-patter pitter-patter

but, at least i can catch-up and *finish* this report
..especially the videos

mi no know why YouTube treats Jamaica like a half-dead-step-pickeny
...the videos load MUCH-MUCH quicker here in-foreign

so,
without delay
...HERE::>>> the '.Tree Frog.' video(s)
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOLKBl_OzHk
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.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vbdlksz2FRE
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9dGdOJMh7U
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.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-evFkgfjrw

the '.School-Boy.' video
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IoMEQKHrI8.
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About the video:::

1.....the material in that uniform is outstanding...strong, WELL-made, hand-washable in cold water .... much better than Dockers, or anything i could buy in-foreign at the same price. 'Twill make excellent casual-wear, or work-cloths... i love those Ja-pleats... shirt WILL-BE a work-shirt... mi vexed 'cause i should have gotten another set.

2.....finally, i had someone teach idiot-me how to sharpen a machete, with a likkle-file (video soon come)

3.....the back-pack::: when asked, the sales-lady wasn't sure what the price was... e.g., JA$350 or $450,,, so, when i stepped-to the cashier I plopped-down JA$350. China-man cashier's body language *told* me he-too wasn't fi sure.... but he took the $350

4.....the bare-foot '.slippers.' (i.e., running shoe) ---- try 'em...!!!.. may-be able to get good-price @ Zappos online.... they even have *special* socks (with toes) for bare-footin'

Thank you for your trip reports and videos. Sorry to hear you are back in the states so soon. Well now you can book, pack and go again. Shhh! No he did not walk up the hill at night. I won't say a word. :-) you look good in your uniform. Nice backpack too.

Route Taxi 101 (continued)
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xZc1No0JaQ
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MORE Route-Taxi-101 video soon-come
....e.g., proper hand-signals for hailing a taxi
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the *interview* was done inside Micheal's taxi, 'cause it was raining .... and he was chilling waiting for liquid-sunshine to stop, so he could go-back to work.

i wanted to get photos of several route-taxis, so you-all could see how nice many/most of them are now-days .... Micheal's taxi is one of the slightly older taxis .... but there're many many NEWer models on the roads.

in a prior *interview* when talking about taxi-cleanliness, i wanted to mention that even the taxi wheel-wells are washed EVERY-NIGHT.... those taxis are spotless

regarding the 'stinky passengers' ---- that was a dumb question, 'cause this is NOT an issue,,, but i KNOW some folks have a concern about this item.

mi no know why or how, but body-odor seems non-exisitent in a route-taxi full-up with passengers.

an aside::>> while in Jamaica my normally funky-body-odor disappears .... tru tru, i might be sweaty, but not funky .... one of those Ja-puzzlements.

Ok Pastor Smith aka Skool boy...again, you looking fine in those threads..enough said, mi do wanna make mi Jam. B-friend too jealous....

and yes, I'm still waiting on the outdoor shower project.....

and I see, outside your Lucea fan club-that there;s some fine folks from this board that wanna join up- or start are own fan club here on da board....!!!

Glad you made it home safely....When's your next reach???? and don't forget the shower project video...I be on you forever until I see it....

stay tuned
the bathing-area video(s) soon come
..i promise

a ramble-ing blah blah raa raa video

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0yA3_oqCbs
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Mr. Smith744, glad you reach home safely. I am really enjoying the posts and the videos. Nice to see someone show how things can run in Jamaica.

Oh, my. Can't believe you walked up that hill in the dark either, but enjoyed hearing the tree frogs/crickets. Great trip report and videos (looking good in your new uniform). Enjoyed it all. Thanks!

Fantastic information Bill.
Hope there's more to come.

101 part 1 & 2 :)

good interview mon
very informitive
hopefully it will put to rest da
route cabs are for locals only foolishness
:cool:

ps... da tree frogs ones were 'kool too'
mi miss their tunes at nite.....

Thanks for sharin your videos and pictures with us. I really appreciate them!

Route taxis, part of Jamaica's public transportation system, was created for everyone on the island to get around...but...Juta (Jamaica Union of Travelers Assoc...est 1973) was specifically set up for visitors to the island. This is why Michael said in the video...that a tourist could potentially take a seat a local would've had after a long days work. Not all businesses have the private bus mentioned in the video....the local may have to wait awhile until another taxi came along.

This isn't to say that tourists shouldn't use a route taxi...but they were NOT specifically set up with visitors/tourists in mind.

Love the videos.....and love the school boy uniform...too cute!

Oh, where to begin!! Just a word of thanks for all the reports and video's...almost as good as being there. So cool that you cleared up so many misconceptions about route taxis. BTW, I just love Michael!! Gotta make a trip to Lucea just to find him. LOL

Amazing, just how DARK Jamaica country is at night. I have only experienced it once in Cousin's Cove...up in da hills to a JA friends home. OMG, so dark that I couldn't see mi hand in front of me. I am amazed at how well you made it up da hill. I would have been mashed up fi sure.

And the crickets and tree frogs....mi fav!! I even ordered an hour long cd with the sounds on it. Dag...could have ordered one from you at a good price...right???? $$ to be made mi friend.

As above...hope there's more............PS...love the school boy look. I have no doubt that that outfit will last for years to come. Thanks again...:)

Welcome home Smith-Enjoying your report and videos-thanks for sharing-more please:D

man your treefrogs put the little choruses of them I hear around Negril to shame! That is insane! They are almost too much of a concert to lsiten to come sleep time. But I miss them so.

smith your legs with them running shoes on em probably have them JA ladies remarking:)