Takin' the Newbies along...a trip report

[SunJam]

Ha, my camera broke while I was there last week so I just went through the posts to see what camera you guys are using! I'm getting myself one - it seems to take beautiful pics, almost like paintings the colors are so vivid!

[Jenn]

Yep - use the "toucan" setting...or vivid as Canon likes to call it. haha

[madcam94]

I am literally in my office at work laughing so loud at the loincloth man! I could only imagine this happening to a newbie! Bring on more, please, please, please.

[gregandkelly63]

Jenn, go to my profile and there is a photo album of pics I added a few years ago. All pics were taken with that original Canon camera.

[Jenn]

Your pics are GREAT! I love Canon's little point and shoot cameras! They do take awesome pictures!

[gregandkelly63]

Your pics are GREAT! I love Canon's little point and shoot cameras! They do take awesome pictures!

Thanks! I agree! My wife makes fun of me because I take so many sunset pics. However, for my birthday last year she had a book made for me with many of my sunset pics that she selected. What a great gift!

[Jenn]

Monday:
Our days have settled in to an easy routine...up early... down to beach to watch the world wake up....then off to breakfast. We tried to hit up Montana's again...again, no luck. Didn't feel like going too far, so we stopped and had breakfast at Sweet Spot (right across the road). It was good...plain ol' eggs, bacon, and toast. Ate and headed back to the beach.

Someone asked for the perspective of the newbies. I'll do my best, as they aren't on negril.com. Up until today, we hadn't wandered too far. Remember she wasn't feeling well, and we just sort of eased in slowly. We're in Negril, right? No need to rush around. Sand gravity also had a pretty good hold too! Anyhow, they pretty much followed our lead. We'd given them a few pointers before going, so they sort of knew what to expect. That being said, it's hard to describe to someone who hasn't tried non-AI and you never really know how people will handle it, ya know? They were rock stars! They laughingly referred to the "rules" throughout the trip - you know, the basic, don't tell people where you are staying....just smile and say no thanks....don't tell them when you leave or that you just arrived, etc. They laughed one night when someone at Sunnyside asked where we were staying and I responded, "Rooms". They were like "WAIT - That's rule 1.a. Don't tell anyone where you are staying!" Um...yeah, about that. It doesn't really apply when they watch you walk over from there and home again. haha The first few days they just spent a lot of time looking at everything everywhere we went. "Just taking it all in - there's a lot to take in" But they quickly found their groove and a couple days in - they were pros.

Decided to wander down to Coco La Palm for lunch and to try the jerk chicken pizza. Had a few rounds of red stripes and ordered up a pizza. It was a good, but I have an idea for jerk pizza that doesn't include pizza sauce. I would love it with jerk sauce then chicken then cheese. I'm going to try it at home....I'll let you know how that works out. While we were there, we checked out a room. We've always considered staying there, so since we were there - why not take a look. Nice place. It's on my short list! (On a side note - the beach bathrooms at Coco are SPOTLESS!)
Pictures at Coco





Finished up there and headed back down the beach. The girls were in the lead on this walk and as we approached White Sands - I whispered wait for it and then take a sharp left....they'll follow. We pulled in to White Sands, grabbed another round of beers and headed up the steps to take in the beach. A great view! And we had the place to ourselves!



Finished our beers then back on our way. Pulled in to the Boat Bar for a dirty banana or two...or? The band was just beginning to arrive - so it wasn't too busy yet. We hung out, had a dirty banana, and then Schaef and Aims decided on a game of pool. The beauty of going on a trip with friends - someone always has enough money for another round. haha They were playing pool I ordered another round of drinks and realized I didn't have enough money to cover it. Walked over to the pool table and said, "Um, I ordered us another round, but I have no money left..." You know you have found great friends when nobody misses a beat and hands you the money to cover it. We had gotten into a pretty easy groove of we buy, you buy and nobody keeping track - it'll work itself out. Game over - my girl won and one of the girls at the bar offered up a game with him. So they played...for shirts. Needless to say, she won also! Looks like he's gonna be topless...oh wait. Some pics from our time:











Dinner at Xtabi...to be continued.

[Jenn]

Finally, we found our way back to the hotel and decided by this time to start getting cleaned up as we planned on hitting Xtabi for dinner. On our last trip, Brian and I had dinner there and loved it. When I was thinking about all of the places we wanted our friends to experience I started making lists. Lists of things to do. Lists of places to eat for breakfast. For lunch. For dinner. Things to pack. The breakdown of money to take. blah blah blah. I made a thousand lists...and only really got through a few of the things we wanted to do/places to eat. There's always next year, right?

So we all get ready and walk out towards the front of Rooms. There is a gentleman, Clovis, who is parked inside at Rooms. We spoke with him and agreed upon a price to take us and pick us up from Xtabi. We arrive a bit before sunset and get some great pictures. Now...I need to go off topic for a few minutes.

First, I have a love hate relationship with the cliffs. Mostly, I love the beauty of them and the fabulous places to eat dinner up there on them. However, as a trip to Negril gets closer - you know those dreams you have of falling when you are just drifting off to sleep? Yeah, you know what I'm talking about. Well...as a trip gets closer, I have HORRIBLE dreams about falling over the edge of the cliffs from various locations in Negril. They scare the heck out of me! So because of that...I also mostly hate the cliffs. However, every time we go up there - I choose to sit next to the edge. I'm hoping to train my subconscious into believing that I can sit there and not just fly over the edge. Ugh...just thinking about it (falling over the edge) gives me the heebie jeebies...just thinking about it right now. This will be important to remember from this point of the report forward. I am not afraid of heights. I love roller coasters and being up high...but the cliffs...man, I just don't know what it is...

Second, Xtabi is bittersweet for me. Our dear friend, Alfred, who some/many of you knew was based at Xtabi. He took us there first. Whenever I have been to Xtabi, I look around hoping to see his smiling face or hear his great laugh. Man, do I miss him. I always send up a silent toast to him when we are there.

Ok, back to the report.

Before dinner came - the guys decided to walk down the steps and stand out on some of the diving off spots. Of course, I only picture them falling to their deaths...because I sometimes hate the cliffs. So, after they return, I walked over to the edge. I got brave enough to walk down some steps...and then quickly (and carefully) scuttled back up them all the while my heart racing. Ugh...at least I tried.





Another fabulous sunset!


You're killing me, Smallz! PLEASE step away from the edge!

So dinner at Xtabi is good. Very good. At home, we seldom have the time to linger over a long dinner and just enjoy the moments. We waited awhile for our food...but again, good drinks, great friends, wonderful conversation, and the sun setting over the Caribbean Sea, who cares? We know not to go anywhere hungry, in case the wait is long. We also knew that the food would be worth the wait. There were some firsts for me this trip - which I hadn't included in my lists. We ordered conch fritters (?) for an appetizer. I've never eaten conch. OMG WHY HAVEN'T I? They were delicious! For dinner I had lobster thermador. Again...what exactly was I waiting for? It was fabulous. I can't seem to recall what everyone else had - but all of us enjoyed our dinner.



We finished dinner - grabbed a cold stripe for Clovis to take him after work - hopped back in the bus and back to the hotel. I can't seem to remember if we went anywhere tonight when we got back. Probably had a drink...but maybe we were too full? That slippery time continuum again....

I knew N.E.E.T was having a Cultural Day this week (and had thought that it was Monday). I was bummed we had missed it. However, I double checked and it is tomorrow! Plans for Tuesday made....YEAH! I'm so excited.

Tomorrow - another check off of my list....buying bricks....children singing and drumming and reciting poetry, an old friend and a new one.

[davevols]

Thanks for the report and the pics. We always stay on the beach, but usually have one day on the cliffs to snorkel and swim. Xatbi is almost always our choice, and it was Alfred that first took us there.

[Lola]

nice report (keep it coming) and A+ photos!