Day 4-6: An Unexpected Surprise!

Day 4 Sunday
I can’t be certain, but I think this day the girls got up somewhat early and had breakfast and went to the beach. When they came back to the room about noon that is when I got up. I am NOT a morning person on a regular day, and I am DEFINITELY not a morning person on a out late the night before with too many drinks kind of night! Lol. I hadn’t even made it to the beach yet and it’s now day 4. Geez.

Backtrack: When I first started staying at Hidden Paradise in 2000, I quickly became friends with the “hotel crew”. I can’t really think of a better word for them…One actually worked for the hotel at the bar and the others just kind of hung out there on the beach? They were like a little club. One ran the jetski’s right next to Mama Flo’s and 3 others well…they just stood on the beach hustling most of the day, but it was a great bunch! Well over the years almost all of them moved away. A few to the states, a few to Europe. My 3 trips previous to this one I did not see ONE person I knew there anymore =( So that was one reason I hadn’t made an effort to walk over to the beach..honestly it kind of made me sad. I tried to coincide my trip with a few that were flying down in August but I couldn’t make it. (you will need to know this for later)

We decide to walk down to Kuyaba for lunch. Bobbie had seen the menu the day before and wanted to try it out. I knew it was pricey there, but it’s close and we were hungry. I got a snapper sandwich if I remember correctly and it was a HUGE plate of food! I could only eat like a quarter of it. We were contemplating whether or not we would go to Rick’s today. Bobbie wanted to get her hubby a T-shirt from there. After going back and forth we decided to save it for another day. Lisa wanted to go back to the room and take a nap, so Bobbie and I decide to change and head downtown to hit up the ATM machine (again).

We start walking up the road and decide to grab a taxi. I had explained to Bobbie at the beginning of the trip to look for a red plate because the ones parked on the side of the road are going to charge a lot more. By day 2 she had it down pat. She sees a red plate van parked on the side and the driver was just crossing the street from the cambio back over to his van. She starts to flag him down but then I tell her I’m not sure if this is quite the same as actually grabbing one that is already going down the road! Lol. Anyway she bargains with him and they agree on a fare to Scotia Bank. So I sit up front and the driver starts asking us if we have taken any tours. I tell him, been there done that and I think the best kind of trips are just up to the county to sightsee. So he says “well I just so happen to be heading up to Orange Hill to run an errand, if you guys want to ride along that’s fine with me. I won’t charge you anything extra. So I think for a minute…he has red plates, I have his business card…Ok, what the hell. So we swing by the ATM then we’re off. Well almost. He has some Motown type music playing in his van, so I ask him if he has any reggae. He hops out and goes around back to open the trunk part. He comes back with a HUGE case full of music. Woot Woot! He has all the classics…Dennis Brown, Heptones, Toots… we all agree on the Mighty Diamonds and THEN we’re off!

We head up the road past Scrub a Dub and drive for a little ways until I see a roadside bar. He asked if we wanted to stop for a beer. Um, yeah!! So we hop out and head inside. We get 3 stripes and just chit chat with the dude behind the bar about all the bills (money) up on the wall. He explains how he used to have more but someone broke in and stole a lot of them. Some he said he was able to recover, but not all. Then we notice that the back door of the bar opens up into like a rock alcove. It’s pretty cool. We take some pics then jump back in the van and keep on truckin.
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Up we go, all the while chatting about legendary singers and their lives and about how some of them were taken way too soon. He tells us stories about some of the ginormous homes we pass. He tells us how Bob had a place up in that area and he would go there to chill out out back in the day. We chat about the ganja farms and how it all started years and years ago. This guy was old school and was really interesting to talk to. He stops and meets up with a rasta on the side of the road, and then we keep on moving. We cut across and end up on the West End coming down the road. As we were driving I was admiring all the beautiful homes. It didn’t help any when I saw one of them was for sale. If I ever hit the lottery, I know where I’ll be.

It was mostly dark at this point as we head down toward the roundabout. We had probably been gone a good hour or two. It was a nice little outing and I was glad we decided to go along.

:D-great report!

So.....did you ever make it to Ricks Cafe then? We are heading to Riu Negril on the 27th of this month. There is a group of 30 of us, however
this is our first time ever to Jamaica. Any info or help you'd like to give me would be great. Advise on things we must do or must not do.
For sure I know we want to go to Ricks Cafe, this is about the only thing we've planned for the week. Believe it or not I've never had a Red Stripe either, looking forward to this (they do sell it in Minnesota, sure it's not the same taste though).
Thanks in advance.....

We watched in horror/jealousy as you guys got your food at Kuyaba on Sunday. We had ordered about 1/2 hour before you got there...just apps...after 1.5 hours of waiting....we bailed...it was the only bummer to the whole trip and the only bummer we've EVER had a Kuyaba...

We decided to chalk it up to it being the 1st, a holiday and all........

Oh No RR!!!! That sucks about the food. I would have been mad too! I think 1 1/2 hours was the longest I waited on this trip for food...now that I think of it, you were there too! Don't want to mention the place because the food WAS good. It just took forever!

Well, next time try wearing a lower cut top or something! I find that get's you faster service. :D

Great trip report, I was right there along with you. Your experience at dinner and beach park and the walk back home absolutely mirrors a dozen vacation night crawling experiences my friends have had and mornings after...
I've had ...what a great vibe Jamaica has ..keeps you on your toes yet it's so surprisingly sweet.

rastagal...so enjoying your report!

Dang Rastagal I should have been with ya"ll I enjoyed reading your post! I plan on going back 6/21 - 6/28

@Coronawomen we did make it to Rick's on the last day. It's a fun place to see if you have never been. Since it's your first trip to JA I would go see it. There are so many different things to do in Negril. Depending on what you like, some people like to do day trips and excursions, some just lay on the beach. The nightlife is great but since you are staying at RIU, you would have to take a taxi to get to it. The all inclusives are at the beginning of the beach road and most of the nightlife is middle to end of that road. They do have a nightclub at RIU but I suggest you guys get out at least a few nights to experience life outside the resort. If you like nightclubs try the Jungle on a Thursday or Saturday. If live reggae on the beach is more your thing, go to Alfred's on a Friday or Sunday night.

I've been to that particular bar in Orange Hill many times. Does he still have the pigeons?

Rastagal I just love your reports!
Ahhhh to be young and brave again! You go girl!!

Day 5 Monday
Since I had gone to bed at a relatively reasonable hour the night before, I was actually up at about 9am or so. Lisa calls our room and I answer. She asks if I want to go to breakfast. Bobbie is still knocked out so I tell her OK, I’ll be ready in about 30 minutes. She knocks on the door and I tell her I want to go down to Café Goa for some coffee and banana pancakes. No problem. We get there, sit down, and peruse the menu. All of a sudden everything looks good. I usually don’t eat a lot in the morning but I feel like I’m starving! So we both order the “Big Nyam”. It’s pretty much everything! My eyes were definitely bigger than my stomach because I don’t even think I finished half of it. It was good though.

We finish up breakfast and head back to the hotel to see if Bobbie is up yet. She kind of is. So we decide we will all walk across the street to the beach and she will just have lunch at Mama Flo’s since it’s almost noon now anyway. Remember I have not been to the beach YET! As you can probably tell by how deathy pale I look in all the pictures. Haha!

We walk over and Lisa heads straight for the beach to try and round up some chairs. Bobbie walks in and sits down at a table and I just stand next to her table, but on the outside of the railing. I look over at the bar and I do a double take. I tell Bobbie, “that looks like my friend Randy that used to be the bartender here but it can’t be”. This guy had sunglasses on so I thought maybe he just looked similar. Randy and I had kept in touch since he moved away about 4 years ago so I thought I would have at least seen a post on his Facebook page or something if he was going to be in JA. So, after about a minute the waiter comes over to the table to see what she is going to order. He looks at me and says” You look like you want to ask me a question”. I guess I had a confused look on my face. I think it was more a confused and almost excited look all at the same time. So I tell him..”Well, I don’t want to look like an idiot if I’m wrong so do you know the guy’s name that is standing over there”? He replies….”Yeah man, that’s Randy”!!!!!!!!!!!!
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So I scream RANDY!!!!!!!! He looks over and peeks over his sunglasses and shouts ”Bumbaf@ck”!!!!!!!!! I run around the little fence and give him the biggest hug ever!!!

I am so excited and I can’t believe he is here! He said he didn’t post if on FB because he likes to come by himself over the Holidays so he can relax. I was so bummed because he had been there since the week before and I had already been there 4 days without knowing, and only had 2 days left.
He was my right hand man back in the day. We would hang out all the time. So much that everyone swore something was going on. I swear just because you have a friend of the opposite sex, EVERYONE always thinks it HAS to be more than that. It wasn’t. And that’s probably why we were friends, because he wasn’t trying to hit on me all the time like the other 99%.

So we chat for a while, then I see Hamilton, another member of the “group”. He apparently did not move away, but it had still been at least 4 years since I had seen him also. Then he tells me 2Pac is also in town but he is roaming the beach somewhere. I never did get to see him which is a bummer..he was one funny dude.

So I didn’t get any beach time in because I stayed under the bar chatting with mi fren dem. Eventually Bobbie wandered up and joined in the convo. We were still talking about trying to go up to Rick’s for the sunset and Hamilton said he had a car, so if we wanted to go anywhere he would take us.
Lisa is still on the beach while Bobbie and I are up by the bar with the crew. We were telling them how Lisa had never been to JA before and she seemed a little uptight. Frankly, she was getting a bit unbearable. So of course each one of them thinks they have a remedy. There is a lot more to that story but it’s probably best not to share it here. I thought I had a pretty good idea. I suggested we have her try some Stone & Gravel…that stuff is bound to loosen ANYONE up.

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So I run across the street to Shamrock and buy a bottle of JB Overproof and some Ginger Wine. Oh God this stuff brings back some memories!
Back to the beach bar we go and the fun begins. The bartender lines up the cups, and it is so funny because when he poured the drinks he apparently put more JB in one of the cups, so when Lisa goes to grab a cup he stops her and says” No, THIS one is for you! Hahahaha. This might sound horrible, but if any of you had to deal with what we had to, you would have done the same thing!
A few cups later and it’s now mid afternoon. We decide to go back to the room to freshen up then head up to see the sunset. We all jump in the car and head up to 3 Dives!!!!!
We pull up and park, then head over to a bench and table by the cliffs. Realizing we are getting low on drinks, I go back up to the front where they have stuff you can buy, and pick up more JB and Ginger Wine. I am NOT a rum drinker, and definitely not an Overproof Rum drinker, so I’m just hoping I can hold up!
Back at the bench we all pour ourselves some more drinks! It is beautiful up there and the weather is nice. My friend calls and I tell him I’m at 3 dives. He says he will be there soon. So we all just chill out there for a while and watch the sunset. My friend shows up and Bobbie and Lisa decide to go up to the front to order some food. I don’t think I saw them until like an hour later!!! They had started the little bonfire next to the bench we were sitting at and it was getting kind of hot sitting over there. Bobbie and Lisa finally finish eating and we decide to head back down to the beach. The 5 of us hop in and away we go. There is a song on in the car from Christopher Martin that we all LOVE and are singing at the top of our lungs!
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I think every one of us is feeling nice at this point. That Stone & Gravel will do it to you every time!

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Back at the hotel we all get out of the car and just stand around for a bit trying to decide what to do. We were supposed to go to Coral Seas but I got out voted. Bourbon Beach was the final decision. I’m sure we went in the room and changed but that part is a little fuzzy.

We got to Bourbon Beach and there is already a guy sitting at the front charging! And it’s early! So Bobbie and I volunteer to go up and try to get out of paying the cover. It didn’t work. Something must have been wrong with that guy. So we go back to the car where the other 3 are waiting and tell them we didn’t have any luck. My friend heads up there next to do some negotiating. He comes back and says we’re good, we can all go in. Damn. Apparently he has better negotiating skills. LOL.

We go in and head to the bar. Order up some drinks and head upstairs. I love the view from up there, and it has a nice breeze. So we all just dance and talk and drink…you know. The usual. Nothing really exciting to report this night. Bobbie and Lisa end up downstairs at the bar talking with Anthony Able and some other musicians that are performing that night. Eventually they want to leave so I tell them to go ahead, I’m going to stay for a while. It was a good night.

Love the Beachpark on Sundays!! Sorry about your sandfleas. No fun so now I stand near the bar to avoid the "itchies."

you put flea collers on your ankles,and you wouldnt have sand flea problems

Yes, what Patty said.

Great report. You girls know how to have fun

Oh goodness I am now really feeling "miss Jamaica so bad and these months won't pass fast enough until I can get back". Chris Martin is one of my favorite singers, love that song! The three of you ladies are pretty, no wonder you ended up with "tour guides" at the beach party LOL. Please continue posting.

@Yvonne I didn't see any pigeons so not sure about that one.

@Patty Thanks!

@Mud I might have to try that!

@Cali I already have that can't wait to get back so bad it hurts feeling. I can't even concentrate! Although that will be a hard trip to live up too. I'm not sure how much better it could have gotten? LOL

To everyone folllowing along: Thanks for all the positive comments!

great job, keep it coming>>

The Last Full Day
I woke up this morning with that feeling that all of you know so well. This is my last full day in Jamaica. Just writing that brings that feeling back all over again. I even think about the last day when I book my trip, because as excited as I am to plan the next reach I know the last day will come and then I’m right back in the same boat again. But I quickly push the thought out of my head and make the best of the time I have left.

Since I had spent some time in Whitehall the previous evening, my first plan was to get a taxi back to the beach. That involved a bit of walking. I finally make it and decide I need to lay down for a little bit and try and get some kind of sleep. I try but I can’t. Oh well, so I just jump in the shower and start the day.

The only thing planned today was to finally get to Rick’s so Bobbie can get her hubby that T-shirt she promised him.

Randy stops by and we tell him what we were trying to do, so he calls Hamilton so he can take us up there.

We stop at Juicy J’s for some patties on the way. Get in line, get up to the counter and we are told they won’t be done for another 13 minutes. So she asks if we would like some Coco Bread and cheese instead. Ok, sounds good to us. I was really looking forward to a Veg patty but sometimes you just have to roll with it.

Back to the car with our Coco Bread and cheese and we head up to Rick’s. I’m not thrilled about being here but whatever, it’s a nice day. I head to the bar and get an overpriced drink and just take in the view.
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We stay for sunset then head back down to the hotel. I head to the fridge and take out all the alcohol we have left and just set it all up on the table on the patio. Some Coconut Rum cream, Coconut Rum, some stripes, and some Vodka. There isn’t much left in each but when you put it all together, it’s good enough. We turn on some music and we all just sit outside and talk for a while. I am still so bummed I didn’t realize some of my peeps had been there until just 2 days previous. So we make plans to try and meet up in August when he and his family come down for their semi-annual trip.

My friend calls and says he wants to stop by so I tell him no problem. We are just chillin out on the patio. He shows up and we all mingle for a bit. Bobbie and Lisa want to go eat but I’m good, I tell them to go ahead without me. My other 2 buddies say their goodbye’s to me as well…. and then there are two.
So I sit with my friend, and there are a lot of silent moments. As you walk the road of life you never know what is going to be around the next corner. And sometimes it takes you by surprise.

I’m not a serious type of person so I try to keep the conversation lighthearted. So I say we will keep in touch and see what happens. I don’t trust many people in this world and I am a big believer in actions speak louder than words. If you know someone long enough and their actions hold up, then you might have a chance =)

The girls get back from dinner and I realize if I don’t start packing I’m going to be in trouble. The shuttle is coming at 645 in the morning.
My friend and I say our goodbye’s and Bobbie and I start trying to pack up the ridiculous amount of stuff we had scattered throughout the room over the last week.

We talk about some of the things that have happened on this trip..things we would have changed, etc.
The morning is there before I know it.

As I sit in the airport waiting to board the flight, it sucks. But I know I’ll soon be back…..

Ooh rastagirl, I've read most your report, and enjoyed your easy nature share. I know EXACTLY how you're feeling. Each time I'm departing Jamaica .... is bittersweet. I always get that Harry Belafonte song in my head ..... Until your next reach.....

"But I'm sad to say,
I'm on my way,
won't be back for many a day.
My heart is down,
my head is turning around,
I had to leave a little girl in Kingston Town."

In case there's any doubt ... that "little girl in Kingston Town" is me .... or a very real part of me .....

Kritter I adore that Harry Belafonte song. Thanks for tagging along...I think I might go have a listen to that song right now :)

In the 1st photo of Ricks, do you know what those 2 thatched places to the right are? And what is that white barrel-shaped building (?)

You wrote: "...I am a big believer in actions speak louder than words. If you know someone long enough and their actions hold up, then you might have a chance =)" NICE!

Rastagal...I loved your report! I can so relate to those final days, too, and I could so feel your pain in your words. You have a great laid back and sweet attitude. Glad you didn't let the uptight friend ruin your vibe.

OH AHERM now you know I am dying to know what you was doing up in whitehall lol COME WID IT!

"In the 1st photo of Ricks, do you know what those 2 thatched places to the right are? And what is that white barrel-shaped building (?)" - I'm not sure what those are, maybe someone else will chime in with some info?

@Eden- Thanks, and I don't think I would have let ANYONE ruin my trip!

@Tic- Girl, I'll have to message you on that one!

:D;)

Nice report rastagal. I'm glad you took the time to share some of your trip with us.

Thanks for sharing Rasta had a lot of fun reading along....I leave in a couple of weeks and the boardies who are down there are helping pass the time as we live vicariously through you all! :)

Rastagal-Enjoyed your report very much-thanks for taking us along,hopefully I will be returning in May or June:)

Not sure how I missed this report....it was really great! You seem like fun to travel with....I can totally relate to having a uptight friend tagging along, but no worries there is always fun to be had.

Lemme know next time someone backs out on you! :)