My Return to Jamaica a 3-month homecoming

Greetings from Accompong Town St. Elizabeth, Jamaica.

I am starting a thread on my stay this winter. I am not able to post any pictures at this time but I will later. Since the first part of my trip deals with Negril, I am starting it here. I will, however, post the remainder of it at “Living in Jamaica” Forum for all those interested.

Well, here goes……

Sometimes I lose perspective on my life going back and forth from my home in Jamaica to where I work and live more and more infrequently in Florida. Maybe it is due to the fact that where I am in Florida is so similar to Jamaica in both the weather and the many Jamaicans who live in that area. However, nothing even comes close to my home on a mountain top deep in the Cockpit Country of St. Elizabeth, Jamaica.

This time, I overstayed in Florida due to a heavier than normal workload and the more and more frequent spells of daydreaming could no longer provide enough sustenance to satisfy my deep desire to go home so I finally bought a ticket and arrived at Montego Bay on October 15th to the smiling face of Linston, my friend and driver, for the first part of my trip.

Linston has just the right amount of qualities that I look for in a driver. Punctuality, a good fair price, safe driving and the right amount of chatting. When I arrive in Jamaica, I want to drink in the atmosphere. The sights, sounds and smells are eagerly assimilated into my consciousness and I appreciate not having to engage in idle chatter over trivial things. Linston treats you like an old friend and not just a paying customer.

Normally I just go straight up into the mountains seldom seeing the ocean or the coast until I leave in mid January to return for some work. This trip I decided to spend a week in Negril to wind down and relax before I headed home. I chose the Primrose Inn on Breadnut Lane (check them out on the Hotels link at the top of the page. All their contact information is there.). Gosnel Hylton and his son Martin run a nice quiet and secure 5 unit inn on the West End (Cliffs) of Negril. I like the size, the good reasonable price, hot and cold water showers and particularly the well stocked kitchen. Longer term stays can be negotiated.

I had a major case of burn out and just wanted to sleep in peace without the constant telephone ringing in my ears. Linston stopped for me to get a box lunch at a little shop across from Drifters on the beach. I don’t eat meat so a delicious meal of stewed bonita with some vegetables with lots of rice and peas fit the bill perfectly.

He dropped me off with a promise to come back the follow morning so I could get a new chip for a cell phone and groceries to last for the week. I hardly remember lying down but the sun was barely down and I didn’t wake up until it rose the next morning.

Except for the occasional visit by a friend or two, I did pretty much nothing but relax and read. I did enjoy having a good WiFi connection in my room so I spent some time catching up on my interests that I didn’t have time for at work. Because I live in Jamaica, I just don’t have the same drive to go out and explore Negril but I did pay a visit to Chris at SeaStar Inn on Saturday afternoon where I ate my only meal that I didn’t cook for myself.

The week passed by slowly but I was thankful for the slow pace and the healing rest. I made plans to return to Negril for one night on November 10th to see my good friend and Accompong Town neighbor Mystic Bowie who was headlining a show at 3-Dives that evening.

I was packed early on October 22nd and waited for Linston to take me home. First, however, we needed to pick up Jitterbug and her friend at BarBBarn who wanted to have a scenic day out on the island.

More to come on the trip up to Accompong Town.

Hope you enjoy.

Peace and Guidance

Looking forward to more!

I will be following you daily! You are living my dream! Thanks Accompong!

bill, loved hanging out with you on the drive . . . waiting to hear more . . . love your very descriptive ways of writing . . .

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Originally Posted by JitterBug

bill, loved hanging out with you on the drive . . . waiting to hear more . . . love your very descriptive ways of writing . . .

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Jitters and Bill....Linston sends his greetings

Cap

More please, I'm hanging on every word.

Back to your island escape, enjoy your well deserved peace with nature and friends.

thanks captain . . . pls send my greetings to linston. that was the most fun day with a driver ever!!

October 22nd – Trip to Accompong Town

Linston is a lot like me when it comes to time. I am usually always early and waiting or exactly on time. I try never to keep anyone waiting and so it was this morning. Both Linston and I were early so we packed the car and headed to BarBBarn. The car was neat, clean and shiny and Linston put a cooler in the trunk at my request which would be needed when we stopped to see our friend Monday who sells fish at the Savanna La Mar market. We were our way to see my good, longtime friend called Jitterbug and her traveling companion.

Jitterbug and I met in Port Maria some 10 years or so ago when we shared a guest house over New Years. I often think back to a particular day we spent playing dominoes and drinking rum on Pagee Beach with some locals and New Year’s Eve on a cliff overlooking Cabarita Island. We always seem to miss each other as we were in Jamaica at different times, opposite ends of the island or had previous plans so I was delighted that she and her friend would be joining us for the trip. I called her the night before and we agreed on a time. She is a real traveler so I knew she too would be waiting.

Another thing about Jitterbug is that she is a leader and not much of a follower just like I am so she was understandably unsettled by my choice of a driver she didn’t know and the cost for the trip not confirmed but we settled the cost part right away and it didn’t take too long before she was expressing her happiness on Linston’s driving as we were off to Sav.

Monday and I have been friends for sometime as well so I was looking forward to seeing him again. I was surprised when I talked to Linston about buying some fish and he recommended his friend Monday to me. Now I knew for sure that this was a great choice. Monday has a stall right on the ocean at the foot of St. Georges Street next to where some fishing boats come in. I almost didn’t recognize him without his dreadlocks as he was clean shaven bald. I picked out about 10 pounds of butterfish and goat fish and had them cleaned and cut into steaks while Monday and I talked about old times and what had happened in our lives since we last saw each other. Task completed and paid, we were off to Accompong Town.

Likkle more soon come.

Peace and Guidance

hey bill, we met in 1999! 16 years ago . . . how time flies . . .

Jitterbug... after 10 years back I have limited memory. You can only administer abuse to your brain cells for so many years and then they just shut down like an overworked donkey!

continuing....
We pulled out of Sav in high spirits after sharing a few laughs over fire trucks in a station and no hydrants to connect to if a fire should start and the other three were eating fresh coco bread from a local store. The ladies were settling in for the ride after gaining confidence in Linston’s driving. The only thing on my mind was my impending homecoming and spending the night in my own bed in my own bedroom.

At Ferris Cross the road was new without potholes all the way past Whitehouse making for a smooth ride. Around Belmont we took a brief break to imbibe in herbal supplements to properly align the mind in synchronization to the smooth road. Mission accomplished and we were nearly half way to our destination.

Middle Quarters, Holland Bamboo and finally Tombstone at Lacovia where we turned North towards Maggotty and then Accompong Town. We were now in my neighborhood travelling through Haughton and Newton. I am getting more excited by the minute.

At the roundabout outside of Maggotty where the back road to Montego Bay branches from the road to Appleton, we saw the first Accompong sign. Jitterbug asked, “How much further now, Bill?” and I said about maybe 10 miles or so. Of course, over those 10 miles we have to climb about 3000’ so the roads become steep, curvy, pot hole ridden and narrow with drop offs right from the edge of the road some 1000’ straight down. Maybe I should have added that but I didn’t.

We reached a shortcut at Tranail Road where the road suddenly started a steep climb with cutouts in the road for water to go across. When Linston went over some, the underside of the car would scrape. Linston and I laughed when he said his mechanic asked why the bottom of his car was so clean. Now we know why. Jitterbug was not so amused and it was then that I sensed she was a little uncomfortable but we pressed on scraping several more times and meeting a vehicle or two where only inches were the clearance between the vehicles and sometimes the edge of the road. We were still only about half way there.

Steep walls on our left and drop offs of 1000 feet or more made for beautiful scenery but uncomfortable for some people. We entered the small village of White Hall and Jitterbug asked Linston to stop because she didn’t want to go further. She would have been more comfortable driving but even then she indicated that she would have probably have turned around some miles back. Linston was reluctant to leave her there but I knew (and Jitterbug agreed) that she would be just fine there in that Maroon community where I have many friends to await Linston’s return.

Some sharp turns, switchbacks and steep inclines later we entered Accompong Town. A couple of residents tried to get us to pull over and register as visitors until they saw me and said welcome home. Through the village we continued with friends waving a greeting until we pulled up in front of our house where Marshall was waiting on the verandah.

The house had been completely tiled since my last time home and I just couldn’t help admiring how good it looked as Marshall greeted Jitterbug’s friend and Linston who he already knew from last year. I could see that Linston and Jitterbug’s friend were anxious to pick her up so we said our goodbyes and they were back down the hill.

I was home where I belonged and I instantly felt that old familiar feeling that I was missing in my life. Marshall cooked some pumpkin rice with ackee and a piece of fish. Ahhh… Could life be any better?

Thank you for reading. I will post a couple of short pieces later when I get to November 10 and the Mystic Bowie concert at 3 Dives and a stop before I leave Jamaica for South Florida next year. I will also post a link to the continuing story at Living In Jamaica when I get to that point.

Peace and Guidance

The ride up the mountain sounds like a blast to me!!!- Kinda felt like I was there with ya. lol Thanks again!

Good stuff, thanks for posting.

i love all your stories and adventures and will be looking forward to reading daily.. i have wanted to go to Accompong Town for years.. the ride sounds a little harrowing for this 60+ year old, but i know i could make it part of the fun.. thanks for sharing.

Anytime ya'll want to go visit Accompong Linston will be happy to take you for a visit!

You will see true Maroon history. For hundreds of years Accompong has been an independent principality within the borders of Jamaica. It will be very educational.

The drive is just as great. When I was commuting three days a week from Spring Garden to Shiloa (Appleton Estate) Linston would travel with when he wasn't in school. So you can say he's been traveling that road since him a pickney. Of course that last ten miles is a "pip"

Something much different than the usual day trip to bars, falls...etc It is a full day.

Cap

I just LOVE reading your stories, thanks so very much for them!!

Peace & Respect

Looking forward to Feb. now even more!!!!Jojo said Linston will get us there!!!

Really enjoyed your report, looking forward to more

that road was something else . . . at one point, as we came to pass another car, we had to back up to accommodate the passing car . . . the scenery was stunning though, when i was brave enough to look . . . was feeling pretty anxious and had to get out! . . . it was a blast, the whole trip!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by captaind & Linston

Anytime ya'll want to go visit Accompong Linston will be happy to take you for a visit!

You will see true Maroon history. For hundreds of years Accompong has been an independent principality within the borders of Jamaica. It will be very educational.

The drive is just as great. When I was commuting three days a week from Spring Garden to Shiloa (Appleton Estate) Linston would travel with when he wasn't in school. So you can say he's been traveling that road since him a pickney. Of course that last ten miles is a "pip"

Something much different than the usual day trip to bars, falls...etc It is a full day.

Cap

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Linston was a bit concerned but your humorous approach eased his concern.

Cap

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JitterBug

that road was something else . . . at one point, as we came to pass another car, we had to back up to accommodate the passing car . . . the scenery was stunning though, when i was brave enough to look . . . was feeling pretty anxious and had to get out! . . . it was a blast, the whole trip!!

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Jitterbug, Nuff Respect mi fren! I know how you felt. I remember my first trip in 1988. I was terrified but couldn't show it as I was already the object of everyone's attention as it was. Here is a link to a story about my first visit http://www.negril.com/discus/message...tml?1281835874 Perhaps you will give it another try some day. Would love to have you visit here for a few days.

Peace and Guidance

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sonja

i love all your stories and adventures and will be looking forward to reading daily.. i have wanted to go to Accompong Town for years.. the ride sounds a little harrowing for this 60+ year old, but i know i could make it part of the fun.. thanks for sharing.

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sonja, I turned 68 this past November and I can assure you that just like in life, it is not about the destination it's about the trip to get to the end. I think you will enjoy the experience.

Peace and Guidance

'' It's not the destination but the journey""....Joy is found not in finishing an activity, but in doing it !!! As long as you don't mind me screaming a little...Momthor!!! lol.....

Testing my connection for uploading pictures. Here is a picture taken about an hour ago when the CIB (coffee industry board) came to town with tools for the coffee farmers. Maybe more to come if this works.
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Peace and Guidance

Enjoy, you have the knack for writing. You had my suspense traveling up that mountain road. Don't know that I would make it that high up. Your home is the reward.

Wow, sure glad I popped by today and read this...great storyteller :). More please!!.

Always enjoy reading tales of your travels.

funny i don't remember that road being scary maybe because it was nighttime. might of been frightened if i could see it!

November 10th – Trip to Negril for show at 3-Dives

With all the craziness here at our house with touch up rendering, painting and, of course, tending about a 20 acre farm with workers leaves little time for anything else. One date has been circled on my calendar since I arrived in mid-October; November 10th at 3-Dives.

My good friend and across the gully neighbor, Mystic Bowie, was headlining a show with a number of guest artists like Ras Noble, Mark Irie and a few I was not familiar with backed up by the 3-Dives Band. I had never experienced a Mystic Bowie concert but have heard him sing many times on the road in front of our neighborhood store.

Mystic Bowie is a rare individual with loads of talent, humility and a staunch supporter of the youth in our community. He and his foundation have recently completed a brand new library with 14 hi speed broadband computers fully stocked with thousands of books next to the basic school. His goal is to make the children of Accompong Town the best educated children in Jamaica. A lofty goal but if anyone can achieve it, Mystic can.

We wanted to get an early start so Marshall and I had our friend and driver Peckish pick us up at 7:00am as we needed to stop in Belmont and to get more fish from Monday in Sav. Traveling with Peckish and Marshall is a whole experience in itself. Peckish loves the music with plenty of BASS until it sounds like being inside a drum while he and Marshall try to carry on a conversation in rapid-fire patois. My senses are constantly on overload waiting for one of them to say, “ya overstand, Bill?” to which I just nod and say “yah mon” and maybe add something if I really do understand what they are saying.

We were looking for someone in Belmont that Marshall knew from many years ago in Kingston. We had a first name and little else to go on except that he was Peter Tosh’s cousin but then at least 2 out of every 3 people in Belmont claim that relationship. It always amazes me that with so little to go on only a couple of brief shout outs put us right on his yard. Business concluded, we were off to Sav. Monday was at his stall but he only had some larger butterfish which we bought 9 pounds cleaned and cut into 4 pieces each to take to Negril to refrigerate while we were in town.

Negril soon come!

Peace and Guidance

Sorry, forgot to add a pic of the library and the new computers.
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Peace and Guidance

While looking around, I saw Rob and Lisa coming into the eating area and after greeting each other they sat down with us at the table. I have known them for several years but I never had the opportunity to chat with Lisa for any length of time. Sometimes I find it a fault of mine that I talk with a couple I tend to focus one-on-one with one person and often exclude the other in my conversations. I kind of feel I did that with them talking almost always exclusively with Rob and not including Lisa. After an hour or so chatting with Lisa I began to realize that I enjoyed my time so much that I regret not doing so earlier. She is such a smart, witty and engaging person. Big Up Lisa.

Then, of course, up walked CaptD. I had never met him in person but we have chatted several times by phone and emailed each other a few times. I could best describe him as Hemmingway-ish without the beard. He obviously loves to have a good time and I think he did that night. I am sure he and I will be spending more time together in the future. He told me Linston was working and would arrive later and about that time Linston appeared.

To me, the whole atmosphere was both electric and a little surreal. Surrounded by so many good friends at a beautiful spot like 3-Dives and added to that good music. About when I thought it couldn’t get better, it did. A mini bus pulled in and nearly 30 of my friends and neighbors from Accompong Town joined the festivities. Now I really felt at home.

This group was the Maroon Cultural Group along with a few helpers and Garfield Rowe the Principal at the Accompong Basic School. The group consists mainly of students and recent graduates of the basic school as dancers and drummers. They came as guests of Mystic Bowie and although they were not hired to perform, they told Mystic that they wanted to perform anyways.

Sound check over; it was time for the show to begin. One after another, marquee stars like Mark Irie and others along with some of Mystic’s friends took the stage to perform but I came to see and hear Mystic Bowie so when it was time for him to take the stage, I was delighted.

I play Mystic Bowie’s albums like “Neva Kiss and Tell” all the time on my home stereo so what really amazed me was his vast repertoire of tunes made popular by artists such as Freddie McGreggor, Barrington Levy and Dennis Brown just to name a few. Hit after hit from other artists interspersed with some of his hits like “Itty Bitty House” and “Mama” all more than adequately backed by the 3-Dives Band.

The show had to finish by midnight in respect for the hotels in the area so they took a brief break before the final set. Mystic Bowie stayed at the microphone to address the crowd. He told the assembled that he was a Maroon by heritage and gave a brief history lesson on just who the Maroons were and what they did to gain a Peace Treaty with the English in 1739. He declared his pride on being a Maroon and then went on to introduce the Maroon Cultural Group.

He told the crowd that they wanted to play for them and that any donation to give the performers would be deeply appreciated. Some hats were passed around and some money was collected for the group as they put on a long drumming, singing and dancing exhibition. I was very proud of my friends and neighbors at that moment.

A full night of wonderful music was over as the clock struck midnight. We had our fish from Penny’s refrigerator and hit the road for Accompong Town. It was nearly 3:30am when I finally hit the pillow but I couldn’t go right to sleep as I was still smiling from my wonderful day and night in Negril.

Peace and Guidance

We pulled into Negril about 11:00am a little earlier than planned but we knew our friends would be up and ready for a visit. Penny, Scott and Freddie were staying at Y Worry Cottage https://web.facebook.com/Y-Worry-Cot...7077713592311/ just across Breadnut Lane from Primrose Inn were I spent the first week of my stay.

We had not met Scott before but we all knew Penny and Freddie from a few years back. We toured the cottage taking a closer look at the three freshly painted bedrooms, the kitchen, bathroom and large front room. There was a beautiful outdoor shower that Marshall really liked remarking that he could sure use something like this out on the farm. I had to remind him that we didn’t have pipe water so it would be difficult to use a rain catchment in that way. The house and landscaping were immaculate and I made a plan to stay here towards the end of my stay.

Freddie, who is a Rastafarian, had a special treat for us as we don’t eat meat in Accompong Town. He cooked a delectable feast of kingfish steaks, earth vegetables and rice and peas. Afterwards, we spent the rest of the afternoon on the verandah catching up on what had been happening in our lives when a powerful wind and rainstorm blew through cutting the current for much of the afternoon.

Around 6:00pm the current came back so Peckish Marshall and I headed down to 3-Dives to catch Rob and Lisa doing the web cast. Penny, Scott and Freddie had some other plans but would meet us later for the show.

When we got to 3-Dives, Mystic Bowie and the 3-Dives Band were getting set up and doing some sound checking. I looked around for Rob and Lisa but figured the web cast was probably cancelled due to the earlier power outage. I had been so busy working on the house that, although Mystic Bowie had been in Accompong while I was there, this was the first time this visit we talked. Mystic pointed at the stage and said that the drummer said he knew me. When I looked up, I saw a very old and dear friend, Clarkie, whom I knew from the old Yacht Club days. In fact, around 1991 I was in Negril for the final week of a three month stay, when I was almost completely broke. Clarkie and I, along with two Rasta breddren, bought two pounds of rice and fished everyday for our meals. Clarkie had a lady friend who stayed at the Yacht Club who worked at night and she let me sleep in her bed while she worked. Somehow I managed to spend that week on the $75 US dollars I had at the beginning and still had enough to by a pound of Blue Mountain to take home. Clarkie is truly a special friend and I was so happy to reconnect with him again.

There were only a few dozen people there and most were eating so we decided to grab a table closest to the stage and have a cold Red Stripe while we watched people coming in to the show. I particularly love to look at tourists and wonder where they are from and try to determine if they are recent or long time travelers. I even try to see if I know them possibly just through the board and try to guess what their board names might be like if their nose was running maybe they would be a “booger”!

This is a wonderful report,thank you so much for sharing!

Your writing is wonderful and I love hearing what you get up to. Thanks for taking the time to do this trip report.

Many what a feeling by reading this!!

Love your stories!!! Cant wait for Feb

It is a real pleasure to read the report. Thanks a lot for this one. I miss Jamaica badly!

i hope you publish your stories so we can buy the book to read on the beach, in a hammock on the west end, or when we are missin' Jamaica and her ways.. love the historical tidbits.