Its a bit over the top, yes, but I try to have fun with it.
I talk to them, ask their name, listen to their pitch, tell jokes, laugh with them, most of them are cool.
There were a few nasty ones, no chance of a sale there.
When I walk the beach with my girl, we never stop walking. If you wanna talk to us, you gotta walk with us.
Interestingly, there seems to be a protocol to talk to the male first, order among the chaos.
I think it depends where you stay because some resorts allow people to constantly "bother" you. I was talking to a couple at the airport that has been going to Negril for twelve years, and they said they were bothered so much that it would be their last trip. When you walk down the beach people are always asking you to buy things, and if you are asked all day while on the beach it can become too much.
It seems the focus of the article deals with tourist harassment at the ports - Montego Bay and Ocho Rios - where the tourists pour off the ships and are immediately set upon by vendors. The beach vendors we encounter in Negril are tame compared to the swarms of vultures that prey on the cruise ships. Having been to Negril nearly 2 dozen times since 1999, I can't say that many of the beach vendors remember me (although some do) but I've been able to fend off those I don't wish to deal with using a simple "no thank you."
While I've never been to Jamaica by cruise ship, I have been to several other ports in the Caribbean by ship and can attest to the uncomfortable feeling you get when the locals and tourists meet.
Ricky Ginsburg
Fort Collins, Colorado
(Where it's always a Rocky Mountain high.)
This is so true. We've stayed in Ochoa Rios a few times, and I always comment on how much more often you are approached there than in Negril. It's really a very different vibe.Originally Posted by fawnridge
here're a couple *thoughts*, ideas & suggestions & observations
1...your body language is key ..... just the other day, when the Lucea-electrician & I were chattin', we had a lot of laughs about the how *residents* can READ body-language ....... they do it so well, that many-times it's as if they've '''...read-my-mind...''' ...... they can even *read* fellow-Jamaicans who're visiting/returning from-foreign.
2....wear your sunglasses ----- they like to get close, and look in your eyes .... no can see eyes, and they have a *problem*
3....move, walk, what-ever, etc. with-a-purpose in your demeanor ::::: project confidence, and no-fear ..... There's NOTHING to be afraid of, ESPECIALLY in-Negril, or some other tourist area.
4....STOP giving money to ANY & ALL folks beggin' .... this INCLUDES the children/pickneys, who're practice-ing and testing their wings to become future beggers. ..... STOP it...!!!.... I repeat::::>> STOP giving money to folks you don't know....!!!! ..... STOP it STOP it STOP it.
those who give money to strangers are feeding the *beast* and encourage-ing the beggin' behavior, and ALL other forms of so called harrassment.
so,
STOP it...!!!!...
.
.
.
:-(
.
.
5....IF your have a problem,
always keep in mind that you have a ""..Tourist-card...''' you can always play....so, play it.
YOU ~~~ the tourist/visitor/guest ~~~ have a LOT of clout/power..... so, use it.
Jamaica's NUMBER-#1 business is YOU-the-tourists :::::::::::: they want NOTHING to mash-up the tourists bizness.
so,
if you're troubled/bothered/harassed, etc etc, what-ever
....call a cop
....scream
....cry
....act the fool
....holler
....asked the other Jamaicans in the area/vicinity to HELP HELP you.
.....get one of those toy-cops (i.e., beach patrol) to help you
stop feeling sorry for people
...you're on vacation .... you're not Mother Theresa .... you are not a social-worker ...... YOUR-tax dollars are doing a lot of good-thing$ right-now in Jamaica [[[[ minus a likkle Ja-government *administrative* this & that ]]]
.
.
6....the trouble-makers ain't gonna do physical harm to ya
7.....do what YOU want --- NOT what THEY want you to do.
8.....I *think* 'tis written some-place:::>> ''''...for everyting there is a season, blah blah blah ....... a time to be polite and a time to BE RUDE, blah blah...''''
so,
if you find yourself in a *season* which requires rude-ness, then BE RUDE,,,,, and forget about all that '''respect'''' foolishness/con
9....again,,, STOP giving 'em money [[[ period ]]]
be hapPpy
10...go to a nearby shop/business/bar
and asked someone there to HELP you with the trouble-maker
11....if you have a cell phone,
pull it out
and tell 'em you're gonna dial 911
ummmmm
that won't work
can't remember what the **911 number*** is in Jamaica
somebody help me with this, please
be hapPpy
119
Thanks..!!!...
:-)
so,
as i said,
PULL OUT your cell phone
and tell 'em you're gonna call the police & dial #119
be hapPpy
That’s a shame because this “harassment” does NOT take place everywhere in Jamaica. In the limited key tourist areas & cruise ship ports, yes, but where the country’s true vast beauty and amazing culture thrive…rarely or never. So if a person has a low tolerance for or just tired of the “in-your-face” higgling, these are the locations they should avoid. If not, their overall view of Jamaica will be negative causing them to miss knowing what the country is really about.
There are countless places throughout the land where “tips” on how a visitor is to respond to an aggressive individual are not even needed.
i have a Jamaican flag tatoo on my upper right arm, most of the higglers see it and do not bother us, soon come
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