On the prowl in Negril

[Rum-polephoreskin]

Be advised this (memory gaps) is what happens when you don't do your trip report in a timely fashion.

Regardless, there is some factual information in this report that will possibly justify using your valuable time to read it - well maybe, you be the judge and feel free to jack me up if I have led you astray.

We flew in May 27, 2014. Our driver was Clive. On the ride to Negril he told us he'd spent time in our home state/province. We had another thing in common in that he was a former teacher. I had just left that profession after 26 years in a prison classroom (yes in a prison).

Got road drinks in Lucea (Clive's home town). Stopped at Bigga's for some finger licking good chicken on the way down. We had the cabin closest to the gate @ Catcha (our first time there). We mosied down to the bar for some post trip drinks.

Kevin, the bartender informed me that there was a currently a "Heinecken shortage". Fortunately this Heinecken shortage didn't extend beyond Catcha's gate and I was able to keep properly hydrated.

A couple words about this particular cabin. There was audible truck traffic until about 8 PM, due to the proximity of the gate and internal driveway. There is also foot traffic at shift changes that goes right by the cabin's deck.
Actually we kind of enjoyed this, but if you're contemplating renting this cabin these are things you may want to know.

Bdee, bdee, bedee, Thats all folks, for day one.

[JitterBug]

no matter where you stay on the property, you are at catcha!!!

[STRIPER]

Dig Clive,dig biggas,dig the west end,diggen this report!

[Rum-polephoreskin]

Day two, Wednesday, May 28
We had breakfast overlooking the sea.
Carol was our server and she was sweeter than bear meat. Coffee is self serve in an urn which is perfect for me.
I really, really need coffee to start my sputtering motor.

After breakfast we walked to the beach. We stopped for a couple hunks of that special chocolate cake you can obtain in the west end. Two pieces for $20. The cakes seemed to have lost their old punch, either that or I'm incredibly jaded.

Next stop was Sun Island, I was looking for some swim goggles (the little kind you use for lap swimming/surface swimming). Sun Island had none and they sent me down to the drugstore, across the street from the Chinaman's (downtown). On the way down we stopped at the Sea View Sports Bar & Grill (AKA the Corner Bar).
It's a fair walk to the beach and one must stay properly hydrated in the tropics.

The drugstore came through with goggles and we walked on to the beach. We passed through the area that looks like an open air market. I picked up a servicible herb grinder in the market. Mrs. Peel got a craft bracelet (if my memory serves).

We hoofed it as far as Sunbeach and decided that was far enough and it was time to re-hydrate. Sophia was tending bar and miracuously (to me anyway - my memory is simply vestigal at this point in my life) Mrs. Peel remembered Sophia's name (how does she do it?).

Mrs. Peel was sampling rum punches and I was replenishing my vital fluids with a little help from the Dutch. A submarine may have surfaced while we were at the beach, but again, the memory is hazy so let's simply assume (based on past practices) that is what transpired.
Then we were hungry.
We ordered pepper/salt shrimp.

We headed back down the beach. As we neared my daughter's favorite spot on the beach (Root's) I heard nature distinctly calling to my bladder.

Libations of all sorts ensued and the next thing you know, someone had turned up the (sand) gravity and we were a long way from Catcha. There was some minimal panhandling going on at Roots, nothing problematic though.

Nature called again by the time we reached Alfred's. Alfred's had a small "No Ganja" sign posted that was being ignored by the assembled with extreme prejudice. Mrs. Peel concluded that Alfred's had the best rum punch she'd sampled that day. That's what she said but she may have been punch-drunk by that time.

We managed to navigate back to the Chinaman's for groceries but it wasn't the most organized shopping excursion.

Somewhere (my notes fail me) we had pina coladas and dirty bananas. My next note is: The sun fell early this evening.

[pine tree john]

vacation is such a wonderful thing !

[Patricia]

You look like the cat who swallowed the canary...LOL

[Rum-polephoreskin]

I hope this next section is useful.
One day I timed our walking with the intent of sharing the information with fellow boardies.
We tried to walk at least one way everywhere, generally if there were groceries involved (wet groceries or otherwise) we took a cab back.
In the main we walked everywhere, thus according to our calculations anyway, we could drink as much beer as we wanted.

From Catcha:
Sips & Bites 5 minutes
De Bar 10
Pressley's 15
3 Dives 20
Jenny's 25
Canoe 40

I'll follow this up with more destinations and times.
Let it be noted I have one bad leg so you may be a little faster but I think you may find this info helpful and if you walk you don't have to worry what color the cab's plates are.

[Rum-polephoreskin]

Um, Patricia I used to live in spitting distance of Mayville.

[Lola]

Hi Rum! Nice to see you back on the board and posting your trip!

[Navvet]

Well put....said