Trip reports - my take

I have my own personal relationship with Negril.com forums. It provides an escape when things are tough, a laugh when one is required. A glimpse into other lives when I'm a tad lonely. It provides me with exact information that has led me on great adventures, saved me oodles of time, money and disappointments. It is teaching me how to behave in a web based village and I'm still learning. I have also invested not a little emotion in the trip reports of others. I have read reports of newbies who have arrived in Negril with a load of trouble on their shoulders and leave a little more relaxed and more open minded to tackle their problems, from a new perspective. I have been sad with the marital breakups and the slow healing, and then pleased at the signs of the rebirth of possibilities of new love, no matter the age, young and old. I have seen poets sing the praises of a women they can't believe they deserve. I've read of long married couples settling into mediocrity, sneaking off to the cliffs to have a wonderful fresh affair, with each other! I've read of tough living tattooed bikers kneeling to a child with a huge grin exposing their hearts. I can't count how many grandmothers have cuddled their grandchildren at home to allow Mom a little break and recovery in Negril. I feel the love!
These life snippets and stories have come to me through Negril.com trip reports and I am ashamed to admit that I spend too much time and invest too much emotion on them. I prefer to believe that they all are true. Maybe exaggerated, but true. Maybe expressed from one point of view but true to them. I also see many talented writers and poets exposing their creations on the board as well. Fantastic tales that should be optioned off to be made into movies for all to enjoy. Well written lyrics based on events sometimes real but very often imagined embellished with good intentions but certainly not real, have a place. But they are not trip reports. So thanks Guirigay, Tiz, TicToc, Clarity Pool guy, Marley and so many others for a peek into your lives. And thank you all, the creators of fact fiction. You do tear at my heart and cheer me up with your fables and as I believe that wise man Booger once said "It's all good"

By the way. Thanks Rob

Wonderful Dash!
I've had the enjoyment of reading hundreds of trip reports in the almost 10 years that I've been lurking & then finally posting on Negril.com.
Each trip report has been unique, a labour of love, a lot of work and a true pleasure for me to read! Thank you, ALL!

Dash you hit it right on the head. I love the stories no matter fact or fantasy. I have been here on Negril.com from the begining I have watched many boardies and Rob go from being single to married. Watched great romances take place like Sweetness. Watched a boardie fight for what seemed like forever to get his child to the US. And I miss people when we haven't heard from them in a long time like Smith. I like most of you have laughed and cried with things posted. I have used it both for information and a way to relax after a bad day and fantasize about my next trip. I enjoy reading peoples thoughts on different hotels and their take on the people of Negril, and especially their expierences there. It is nice to read others opinions and I always keep in mind that people percieve things differently. I am kind of shy in RL so I don't post a lot but I am so thankful for the boardies that do. It is strange how so many people who have never met can connect in their love for Jamaica and when we do meet feel like we are old friends. The people of this board are very diverse in age, lifestyle and expierences yet it always reminds me of the saying "One Love" which sums it all up.
So even though we can be a pain in the butt, thank you Rob for giving us this board and also thank you everyone who posts here for sharing your lives with us.

I also love the TRs. They do give you a little fix or allow you to live vicariously through them, if only for a bit. I don't know about anyone else, but sometimes it is almost painful to read them if you don't have an upcoming trip in the works. So Negril.com is kind of like an internet "home", you may not always show up there all the time...but when you do it's like you never left.

Well said, Dash. Couldn't agree more. Some TRs I'm all consumed with and can't wait to check back to read more, others not so much, but I do agree that they are all a labor of love, and I totally appreciate because they help ease the longing in between trips. Thank you!

Well, I have not been a member here for very long, am a relative newcomer. I follow Vi trip reports religiously her reports give me a chance to lose myself in all that rich flora of places like Port land as I do not travel much.....when I do come on (which is not very frequent) I do a Vi search Trip report.

I have been following Leslie Chow TR and must say it perks my interest am loving, enjoying and laughing when I read.

My take I read, if what am reading I do not like I move on to something else. If nothing else peaks my interest I leave the site.....move on.

Thanks for the site Rob. gives me a chance to get away from my dulldum here in Canada:o

Fact or fiction it doesn't really matter the point is 99% of everything written on this Board / Forum is positive about Negril and Jamaica. The bottom line to the naysayers is don't read it if you don't like it. Rob does an awesome job mediating / managing (not an easy job) and everybody that posts or reads this is obviously interested enough to take time out of their lives to do so. Everybody take heed Positive Vibration is Positive!!!!

Attachment 29940

Dash & Prism-you beautifully wrote exactly how I feel. I love all trip reports and check in multiple times a day to look for postings when a new trip report is beginning. The only time I do not check in daily is when I am there but as soon as I get home I catch up so I don't miss anything. It is definitely an addiction for me but a good one! Thanks to Rob & Lisa and all the boardies.

Dash / Prism ----- DITTO!! Well said!:cool:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tfw73

I also love the TRs. They do give you a little fix or allow you to live vicariously through them, if only for a bit. I don't know about anyone else, but sometimes it is almost painful to read them if you don't have an upcoming trip in the works. So Negril.com is kind of like an internet "home", you may not always show up there all the time...but when you do it's like you never left.

---

Exactly! tfw you pinned it.

Dash, Prism, Bnewb yes, yes, yes! This forum is a vacation, or next best thing. The info is spectacular, hard to find anything like this for other locations around the world.

Thanks to you Rob for all the work to keep this site up and going.

Dash, very well said. as a 40 year traveler to negril and a board participant since inception though mostly as a lurker i agree. the board is great and all consuming.
i still am glad my first trip in 74 consisted of flying into mo bay finding a ride in a small car . 4 of us packed in with luggage. two of the 4 we just met while waiting for a ride.
drinking "jungle juice" on the trip out and when the driver said where are you going we said where's a good place to stay. he dropped us in red ground at a place he knew. $2.00/ night

thanks for putting it into words, Dash.

Well said Dash but when I read a book I first want to know if it's fiction or non-fiction....I want to know if my hamburger is real meat or fake meat......I have many many stories from my great times(16) in Negril but if I was a writer of reality and my story went like this..........Sat on the sand today and threw some stones into the water,ate some eggs for breakfast then took and afternoon nap......Nobody would read it right? Boring,right? In my opinion Negril.Com is really for those who are NOT in Negril and can't wait to get back.I will surely not be posting 30 times a day While I am in Negril because then Im "not" experiencing the real world to the fullest....That's all....I'm not really an Ogre or a Hater.... I'm just a really swell kinda guy...Love& Kisses to all,,,Freddy....

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Fred Stripe

Well said Dash but when I read a book I first want to know if it's fiction or non-fiction....I want to know if my hamburger is real meat or fake meat......I have many many stories from my great times(16) in Negril but if I was a writer of reality and my story went like this..........Sat on the sand today and threw some stones into the water,ate some eggs for breakfast then took and afternoon nap......Nobody would read it right? Boring,right? In my opinion Negril.Com is really for those who are NOT in Negril and can't wait to get back.I will surely not be posting 30 times a day While I am in Negril because then Im "not" experiencing the real world to the fullest....That's all....I'm not really an Ogre or a Hater.... I'm just a really swell kinda guy...Love& Kisses to all,,,Freddy....

---

Fred,

When eating food, it is your right to know what is in it as there might be food allergies or other issues that could cause serious health problems. This a serious matter.

Books are categorized as fiction and non-fiction, but you cannot trust these simple categories. Since Hunter has been brought up a few times now, if you read the letters that Dr. Thompson wrote about his "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" to his various friends and publisher, he was rather amazed that he got it listed in "non-fiction" category, when even he admitted there was no possible way that all of it was true.

So while you may want to know whether a book is fiction or non-fiction, sometimes that is impossible to know for certain. As the old adage goes, "history is written by the winner". Even our human history, which we take as facts are often just the viewpoint of those who wrote the history. There are always at least two sides to every story, and we are not always allowed the privilege of knowing the whole, true story.

Every trip report is written from the perspective of each individual writer. There are no demands on anyone to state what, if any parts of what they write are the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, or simple fiction. It is purely up to the writer as to what they want to include, exclude, embellish or create. It is called artistic license.

You may want to know if it is fiction or non-fiction, but you have no right to demand that information from any writer. There are no health issues involved and you not knowing changes nothing nor can cause you any harm.

But your constant and relentless demanding and personal charges being made against LC does, unfortunately paint you as a hater, or an ogre if you prefer. And you are the only one who can change the image that you have painted....

The mighty ROB hath spoken!

I never "demanded"anything Rob...I just prefer to know and if Hunters book was listed as non-fiction then someone Other than him made that decision... I also do not have constant and demanding opinions,I just have opinions but hey man,I get it.I'm the villain here and the minority so easy to attack me..I have written many funny stories here that's all my friend...So whip away folks whip away on my back.....One thing I don't write about is B Jobs or doing the Jamaican working girls and wearing Trojans,right?

Fred,

Stick to stealing from the AI's.

Enjoy,

VVHT

I love Hunter S Thompson!

http://www.thatericalper.com/wp-cont.../12/hunter.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Fred Stripe

.....One thing I don't write about is B Jobs or doing the Jamaican working girls and wearing Trojans....

---

I could read a mountain of Fred Stripe's postings and could usually not find anything I agree with him about but in this particular case.... I do.

There used to be a 60's-something guy "George" who wrote about his adventures with a 20's something "exotic dancer" and he took quite a verbal lashing. Now, maybe it is because he did post pictures of his exploits or maybe he just fit the stereotypical profile of "getting his groove back" but I don't know for sure.

I like Leslie Chow's writing as I am somewhat of a writer myself and his way with words and phrases do conjure up some vivid pictures without even posting one but, what Fred said above, also conjures up some vivid pictures and I think mentioning them in the stories is not essential to the story being told.

I know that "sex sells" and it titillates a lot of travelers who do or wish they did what he writes about. My only problem is that I live in a small town in Jamaica where the residents are very protective of their young ladies and young men and (I believe) would be aghast and outraged if they read that thread.

As I said, I am not in anyway complaining or "hating", because I enjoy reading what he is writing. I only think more care should be exercised. When I go to an "action movie", I get up and get some popcorn when the obligatory and gratuitous sex scene is inserted and has nothing to do with the movie plot. :rolleyes:

Just my own opinion.
Peace and Guidance

oldest profession in the WORLD - procured and paid for between consenting adults

and this is not the first trip report or inquiry on this board about this subject - it's usually described as "i meet my Jamaican girlfriend" and in the morning - we - lol

or i'm a guy going alone and want to know if i'll be lonely - ha!

Accompong sides with Fred Stripe ????? The world is askew.......With no conflict or dissenting opinions this board would be as boring as say,say, Trip Advisor........

This thread started really well and is nose diving very fast.

Well I would like to take a moment as quite a few already have to thank the man himself, Rob. If not for your vision and passion we all wouldn't be here or have even the opportunity to meet each other digitally and in person. also thank you for your relentless lugging of equipment for the casts I have yet to meet you but I know I will and If i'm to shy to say it you'll see it on my face that I thank you soo much hopefully I don't just look at you and tear up... god i'm an emotional reck of a being... lol and I'm unsure if you realize the crazy amount of impact this has on our lives. THANK YOU times infinity... But with that said I give you the most respect I can give and I always will have that level of respect for The MAN>>>ROB!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Prism

Dash you hit it right on the head. I love the stories no matter fact or fantasy. I have been here on Negril.com from the begining I have watched many boardies and Rob go from being single to married. Watched great romances take place like Sweetness. Watched a boardie fight for what seemed like forever to get his child to the US. And I miss people when we haven't heard from them in a long time like Smith. I like most of you have laughed and cried with things posted. I have used it both for information and a way to relax after a bad day and fantasize about my next trip. I enjoy reading peoples thoughts on different hotels and their take on the people of Negril, and especially their expierences there. It is nice to read others opinions and I always keep in mind that people percieve things differently. I am kind of shy in RL so I don't post a lot but I am so thankful for the boardies that do. It is strange how so many people who have never met can connect in their love for Jamaica and when we do meet feel like we are old friends. The people of this board are very diverse in age, lifestyle and expierences yet it always reminds me of the saying "One Love" which sums it all up.
So even though we can be a pain in the butt, thank you Rob for giving us this board and also thank you everyone who posts here for sharing your lives with us.

---

Prism, wouldn't it be great to read a fresh, brand-new Smith TR??

i would love to read a Smith744 TR --- i think he got a little bruised out here too :-(

Yes it would, I met him at a Boardie Bash Charity Event thing that Nurse Marcia held a few years ago. He came all the way to Rockford, IL from home to be there. He is the same in person as his reports. I hope he is doing well. My husband is a landscaper too so I do know that it is his busy season but hopefully we will hear from him soon.

I love me some Smith reports!

Smith reports are something special 4sure :)

I love this board. I enjoy ALL the trip reports, they each bring something different to the table. We all enjoy Negril in our own way and for our own reasons.... But that common love for Jamaica and more specifically Negril, is what brings us all together. I can't add anything to what Dash and Prism said. They summed it up pretty perfectly. Thanks to all who contribute to this fun community.

Thanks for the trip reports and all the positive vibes :)
Here is some music to read your trip reports by :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vofff0Ei3kk

Evryting IRIE Mon' !

I have learned a tremendous amount of great info from others trip reports.

Just as I have learned a tremendous amount about ones character from reading their post.

The shame is that we would see many more trip reports if it wasn't for the cattiness.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by booger

i have learned a tremendous amount of great info from others trip reports.

Just as i have learned a tremendous amount about ones character from reading their post.

The shame is that we would see many more trip reports if it wasn't for the cattiness.

---

ditto!

Totally agree Booger!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by booger

I have learned a tremendous amount of great info from others trip reports.

Just as I have learned a tremendous amount about ones character from reading their post.

The shame is that we would see many more trip reports if it wasn't for the cattiness.

---

Amen Brother Booger!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by booger

I have learned a tremendous amount of great info from others trip reports.

Just as I have learned a tremendous amount about ones character from reading their post.

The shame is that we would see many more trip reports if it wasn't for the cattiness.

---

Very true!!! :)

Thankfully, with all the tourist/Negril related websites/forums out there...this board has more TRs & less cattiness than most...but humans will be humans & we'll find something to complain about...moderators have their work cut out for them!!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bnewb

Thankfully, with all the tourist/Negril related websites/forums out there...this board has more TRs & less cattiness than most...but humans will be humans & we'll find something to complain about...moderators have their work cut out for them!!

---

True, with TA just out of control at times.

I couldn't do a MOD job......

You have to have patience which I do not have.

Thankfully 99.999999% (slight exaggeration) of the peeps on here are respectful.

As long as there are trip reports and Negril.com,
I will be hanging around, reading, dreaming and waiting for the day...
So thank you Rob and Negril.com and LC and Tizzy and PGW and everyone else who takes the time to share their reality!
Soon come...

I think that sometimes attitudes and mannerisms don't do well in the internet. I love to joke around and tease in real life, anyone who has met me in person knows this lol, but it doesn't always come across well online (thank goodness for smileys, but even those don't always convey correctly). I have gotten so much information from this site, made a lot of real life friends that are some of the greatest people I have ever met, and there are some folks that I have yet to meet and I won't be satisfied until I do! I know I am not the only person who feels this way.

Bnewb is correct, humans are humans so sometimes there needs to be someone there to smack us into place! Regardless though, everyone has something to contribute, whether it be a TR, an opinion, a recommendation, etc. Booger is correct; who you are really comes through with your posts. I hope I have never offended anyone, that was certainly never my intentions! :)

I love all the TR here, they are painfully sweet (painful because I miss JA, sweet because they are fun to read). Plus, like I said before...I have yet to finish writing even ONE of mine haha!

We don't go to Negril to judge others, so why would we judge them by their TRs? Thanks to all who post. Fact or fiction, you keep us close to the reality that is Negril.