** on-site Trip Report ~~ Thursday evening ... 09/10/15

[smith744]

First-ly:::>>> for-ME,
while IN-Jamaica
the word '''.happy.''' is spelt(sp?) with 3-'P' s

in other words::::>> me hapPpy...!!..


you-all WON'T believe how my days has gone thus-far,
and i haven't even reached my Lucea-country yard YET..!!..

that oh-so-wise boardie-Seveen recently posted something-something
about how when she walks out that arrival door at the airport::::>>>> she *considers* the wait for ride, the trip to her destination, and anything that happens/transpires as NOT an issue, but simply just another '''...Ja-tour...'''

SO,
when my plane touch-ed down at 11:30AM,
me-SAY:::>> '''...I'm gonna deal with things as i [[.think.]] Seveen *might* handle-things.

i didn't WAIT 'til i left the arrival area
...my ''..Ja-tour..'' began once i walked out the plane door

me had BIG-fun..!!!.
greeted ALL the Ja-airport workers, with howdy-do's, smiles, blah blah blah blah, had plenty of jokes, got much-laughs.

I started with the Ja-immigration guy,
who asked me all those pry-ing sneaky questions

of course,
i always did my no-Sir, yes-Sir, thing-y .... gotta give 'em their props,,,, let 'em feel they in charge, and run things.

did the customs-guy same-way, when he looked at me, with the funny-look, as if to say, '''..what's up this this ragamuffin looking old-man, with the Madden's Funeral Home cap, and the tattered Hi-Pro tee-shirt ---- looking like something the cat drug in.

customs guy say, with a likkle patois thing-y:::>> '''.whats in the bag..''
me-SAY::>> '''..clothing, Boss..''

oh
oh
oh... i forgot to mention the VERY-cute, but-young, duty-free lady.

i'd seen an earlier post,
about duty-free ON-arrival ---- but never seen it myself

Well,
i SAW it today.

dem had a carton of CravenA for US$50...!!!..
...THAT is a GREAT price, and the hustle-ing wheels in my likkle pea-brain got to turning.
........ i got a carton..... MORE about this, and my **plan** later

interesting-ly,
the packs didn't have those ugly-pictures on 'em.
....i asked the duty-free lady if these were OLD cigarettes, blah blah.

i was gonna get some chocolates for a few Ja-folks, but was worried about it melting in the hot sun .... duty-free lady tried to reassure me, but i wasn't buy her argument.

she was kinda reserved in her sales approach,
so,
to help her out
I, in a LOUD voice began to shout::::>>> '''...Duty-Free ... get your duty-free cigarettes...'''

sheepishly she laughed
as she got away from me, the crazy foreigner..

.... continue-ing in a few minutes..

[smith744]

..continue-ing..

for some weird reason,
folks are puzzled with-me::::>>>> they don't know if I'm Jamaican or not
....it tickles me

once i cleared all the check-points,
and entered the lobby with all the drivers, and ride-services,
like flies on dung,
the sales pitches began.

me-SAY:::>> I'm cool ... I'm set.
some-SAY::>> ''..welcome home .... enjoy your time with the family, who's coming to pick you up..''

that's when i decided::>>> i'm NOT getting a driver ...... I'd already told the landlord NOT to tell my usual guy to come get me.

i was going Ja-style:::>>> i was gonna use ''''public transportation''''
......or as Seveen *suggested*:::>> create my-own Ja-tour

back-tracking a bit.... you had to see the Immigration lady's face when i told her i was gonna take a taxi over to the MoBay bus-park, and take a route-van to Lucea.

she tried all kinds of tricks with her queries to see if i knew what is was doing
...even went so far to ask how much was the fare, blah blah ..... somewhere in the conversation US $20 came up.
........ i almost lost it,,,,, but i quickly calmed down, and told her the fares for the various legs of the journey.

i'm getting a likkle sick and tired of all this question-ing and testing, to see what and/how much i know about things-Jamaican.

i leave the airport building
...it's HOT HOT HOT...!!.
...but NOT humid
* whew *
that was a relief,
compared to my trip last-May-ish.

outside i hastily, and with purpose
walk pass all the drivers
and
walk toward the departure-entrance

i didn't get more than 48-yards,
when i saw a car coming

a up-reach-ing hand & arm reached out the window

i KNEW the *sign*

it was a route-taxi

i wave back

he stops.

i see the sign on his car::>> ''..MoBay..''

i ask anyway::>> ''..MoBay..??.... Bus park..''

''..Yeah, mon..''

driver gets out
i take my bags to the trunk

driver's got this look on his face, that i've SEEN before:::::>> he wants to **work* me ... . wants to play games....

i'm ready..

....to be continued...
later this evening/night

they closing the cyber cafe.

i got to get to country,,, un-pack
but WILL type more from-yard

likkle more

[NRV]

Excellent! Another "on site trip report" from Smith!

[VVHT]

Bill, thank you...

Rough day today at work, get home late and turn on my computer and see a likkle on-site trip report from Smith744, all good now!

Enjoy,

Very Very Happy Traveller

[Momthor3]

Yep made my night !!! Nothing like a Smith trip report......makes my wait a little easier......

[smith744]

...continue-ing...

Whew !!!
i'm tired

up all night before leaving, and running around all day and night 'til now

but,
i promised to type more
..so will do a few snippets, and fill in blanks later

un-packing done
earlier in-country, folks surprised to see me back so soon
....folks STILL chattin' 'bout my last trip, fresh-killed-curried goat mourning for mom .... more on THAT later

had a looooooooooooooooooooooooong *chat* with my landlord about my house-for-me plans ..... he not happy [[[[[ that's happy with two-P's ]]]]

again, more on THAT later, too
...be patient with me


for now,
back to my arrival ----- taxi man tried every trick in the book to get more-money from me ---- it broke his likkle heart that this fre$h-from-foreign old-man was gonna get away with a Ja $120 taxi fare
lol
lol
lol
he offered to drive me to Lucea for 'bout US $20, but i wasn't buying what he was selling

then, as he tried and tried, i threw him a curve ball:::>>>> '''...hey,,,, let me out at KFC, and i'll walk to the bus park ......wanna get something something for a Lucea friend.'''

he not happy ... with two p's

i hope out
get bags trunk,
and enter KFC

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
place soooooooo clean .... they frying a heap 'o chicken, but the place don't smell

i order the popcorn chicken ... 'bout Ja $320 ... brain tired right now

bottom line::>>> i tasted just-one piece, and changed my gift-ing plan ::::: ate it ALL

:-(

start my stroll
pulling one bag, and back-pack thingy with wheels, on my back

it felt sooooooooo good to be back in Jamaica ....... felt like i never left ..... was NO re-learning curve for me today ....... i was in my groove.

it was a SMART move on my part to make this trip at the time I did, 'cause school was in session, and there's a laid back vibe to the town ....Lucea same way.

...and the food.....!!!!!
food every-where, in stores, on side-walk, in the streets, on the corners, on wheels, in carts, etc etc.... all the things i love love looooooooove

saw avacados that looked a swollen softball.
...WILL be getting one of those Friday, for sure

ginneps ginneps and mo' ginneps .... got two BIG bunchs @ Ja $100 each
ummmmmmmmmmmmmmm
i *wonder* what dem charge, over-so in Negril
ummmmmmmmmmmmmm

stay tuned for the ginnep video

i don't want to [[ 'cause i tend to get carried away ]]]
but
i must comment::::>>>> the Jamaican ladies are STILL beautiful

* sigh *

by the way,
some of you's vacation in Mobay ..... so,
be sure to leave the hip strip
and explore the area around SamSharpe Square

nice der
and there's waaaaaaaaaay *different* price-ing $tructure for purchases

i reach the bus park, after an easy walk/stroll

...to be continued...

[smith744]

...continue-ing...

oh
oh
oh...how could i forget:::>>> i got some wonderful pepper shrimps from the lady street corner vendor
darn
i can't remember the price
but was GREAT value...and they tasted sooooooooo good... spicey and juicy

sat on a stool
in the shade
at the bus park
listening to four guys chattin'
while they sat around a table with dominos

smoke a CravenA
....heaven MUST be like this

it took a LOT of will-power NOT to buy more food, from one of several cook-shops.
...folks eating box lunches everywhere,,,,'twas lunch time, afterall

stroll to the Lucea bus bay, for the Ja $220 trip
...driver puts my big-est bag in the bus trunk area ... no charge
.....i hold the other smaller and lighter bag in my lap

jumping ahead
...we leave once bus fill up
....i look at the sights, from my right-side window seat

'bout the time,
just after we pass the SandyBay,
a Big Big truck passes with 'bout 8 guys bravely standing in the truck bed

'''....Bill..!!!...''' <<<<shouted the guys.

i look

was bunch of young guys from Lucea country,,, have known most of 'em since they were toddlers, or pre-born

i wave at 'em,,,,
i wonder how big my smile was

they wave back

..continue Friday morning late..... i'm tired ..

btw.... i've got a bunch of nice videos for you...stay tuned

[Sam I Am]

Can't wait! I am very "happpy" you are back in JA and we get to hear/see all about it!

[billndonna]

Love the Smith trip reports,thanks for sharing and please keep them coming!

[justchuck]

Always love your trip reports, make me so happpy!