**on-site Trip Report [[ Monday evening ....... 01/20/14 ]]

[smith744]

Mother Nature is NOT following the Jamaican play-book ___ :-( ___

'tis high season,
and 'spose to be *perfect* weather conditions,
according the past occurences
and the travel brochure

but that's NOT the case for these past several days
:-(
too too much rain fall

comments i've been given, by Ja-associates:::>>> something is wrong ..... all this rain (now falling) should have happened back in November, til early-December at the latest. Instead there was very likkle rain fall.

of course, global warming is being touted as the cause.

PLUS,
to make things *worst*, the temperature is notice-able-ly cooler (than usual) .... especially at dusk, and most nights/evenings.

so,
now,
down here,
we got:::>> coolness, rain, and persistent dampness::::: the perfect formula for colds, flu, etc.

so,
if you coming down anytime soon, pack accordingly. ..... and don't be doing a lot of hand-shaking or fist-bumpin' ..... i suggest just waving.

another comment told to me::::>> mangos are blooming ALREADY...!!!... which is too too early.

this weather situation is driving me crazy::::: normally my daily laundry/wash will dry in about 2-3 hours ..... now i takes all day,,,, IF it doesn't get rain-ed on..... lot of overcast cloud cover too .

grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

this morning i had to wash AGAIN, some things that were starting to mildew on the line, from hangin' so long, overnight, 'til late into the next day


and
and
and:::>>>the mud...!!!...
grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[[ continue in a few minutes ]]

[smith744]

[[ continue-ing ]]

the Egg-thread

last week,
while learning-to and making Ja-ChristmasCake,
my Ja-mentor (aka baking instructor)
told me sooooooooooo much about eggs:::: much-MORE than i wanted to know

1...always store with big end UP
2...freshness of eggs can be *tested* by smelling the big-end
3...if it floats, after submerged in water, then it's not fresh
4...told me a bunch of other stuff, which i've forgotten

she did mention something(?) about the roughness of the egg shell ---- smooth-surface is not a good thing
.
.
.

An Observation

Jamaican people don't age, like foreign people

this is especially notice-able with the womens/girls/young-ladies.

it *seems* to me,
that once they reach age 18-19,
the aging process stops.

they won't appear older until about age 30,
even after they've had 1, 2 or 3 pickneys

it's a VERY confusing situation.
.
.


Tipping Hotel Housekeeper

piggy backing on the weather issues (above)

i KNOW you/we foreigner/tourists types ain't doing the yard-shoes, house-shoes, no shoes in the house thing-y, na tru

so,
that means you/me/we are tracking in all that wet muddy stuff into our hotel room(s) ..... more mess for the housekeepers to clean-up

so,
'twould be *nice* to break-off a likkle $omething-$something for the extra-work they gotta do, during this rainy-season

and for all you really-BIG-people out-there, with the live-in or regular-almost-daily housekeepers, do them-too $ame-way
.
.
.
One *cure* for the itch-y's

as most know,
i hate the Jamaican itch-y's
when they strike

i'm not for-sure where they come-from,
but they *seem* to be dampness, the smallest grain of sand, or the tiny-est piece of dust, that might settle on your skin.

they also seem to *wake-up* after sundown,
especially when you're trying to go to sleep

they love love LOVE the ankle areas.

:-(

i've RE-*learned* that one way to fight the itch-y's is to simply wash ---- take a bath .... with soap & water. [[[ simple ]]]

[Hussyband]

Where you been? Or have I just missed your posts? Sometimes I feel like I am getting a Jamaican lesson . Keep it coming, it's enjoyed.

[Big_frank]

Bill. Who cares about a little rain when you in paradise. Beach was fine today. Lots of rain on west end.

[pretty40]

ageless lol

[irie always]

yes those itch-y's can drive you crazy! Thanks for the helpful hints.

[OAngie]

Yep the itchys suck. And I will take a rainy beach day over 3 inches of snow anyday !!!

[jamaicamarylance]

Always enjoy your report Smith. The no see em's we're so bad last year when we stayed in da country we we're forced to buy a bug net. Oh what a relief...

[smith744]

Bill. Who cares about a little rain when you in paradise. .

* sigh *

WHAT-ever..!!...

:-(

it was just last-night,
that a neighbourhood Rasta-guy tried to run that '..liquid sunshine..' and/or the "..I (he) like rain.." chat on-me.

I tell you,
like I told him:::>>> "...Seen ... I unna-stand ... I respect ... I appreciate your point-of-view, but me-PERSONALLY at this point in my vacation, do NOT like the rain.."

if was farming this & that, perhaps I-too would *like* the rain
...but right-now,,,today..?..:::: Nope!!... Can't manage .... blah blah raa raa

if I was use-to it .... had been bred & born & raised in this tropical-wetness, perhaps I-too would be singing that rain-good-thing-y song,,,, but today, with only 30+-days of acclimation, I'm NOT *feeling* so inclined.

* sigh sigh sigh *

A tip:::>> it *seems/appears* that as long as I where my water boots it don't rain.

yesterday, I wore 'em ----- no rain

today I got 'em on (right now, as we speak) and the sun is shining BRIGHT with not a cloud in the sky

weird eh

[smith744]

More about dem itch-ys

:-(

almost EVERY-day,
especially in the evenings,
just after sundown,
my Lucea-host/landlord pulls out a small bucket of water and washes his feet & ankles

so,
as I always-SAY:::>> '...when in Jamaica, DO as the Jamaicans do..'