TizzyATX Trip Report - 1st Timer

[bbcamp2]

I'm glad to see Captain Clarke is still around. I always think of him as the boss of the Negril Beach Mafia, in a good sorta way. I remember a trip several years ago, we left our beach towels on a chair and went for a walk. When we returned, the towels were gone. Clarke knew we did not take them from the property so he told the attendant not to charge us for the lost towels. He then tracked them down and dealt somewhat forcefully with the "tief." He told us he cannot abide a tief, so he runs them off whenever he finds one. Just looking at the man, you realize you don't want to mess with him.

My trip is 3 months away, and I'm getting so excited. That's not like me.

[TizzyATX]

Gerrry, & BB...no doubt, Cap'n Clarke is top notch. Love that story bout him putting the "tief" in check. lol Looking forward to going out with him again. I also want to go out with Vincent next time I'm in Negril. Saw his boat pass by the cliffs everyday and have heard good things...

When is your next trip Gerry? I'm counting on you reporting live again....that was fun stuff.

[sandy-girl]

Nice pics and report Tizzy. Keep it coming!

[CaliCutie]

Thoroughly enjoying your trip report Tizzy, thanks for sharing

[TizzyATX]

Day 3 (cont)


I'm itching to walk down the beach...getting pretty hungry. She’s already had two meals and I’m just now warmed up enough to eat. Walking the beach is loads of fun…7 mile beach has this energy, that I’ve never experienced anywhere else before…and this is the slow season. Stop to take some pics, and this dude walks up carrying a bunch of conch shells. He wanted to get in my picture. Lol We joked around for a few minutes then went on our separate ways down the beach.







By the time we got to Fun Holiday, I couldn’t take it anymore, I had to stop and eat. Sure wish I’d held out. Wasn’t very impressed with the food… I have a whole list of all these great spots to eat, per negril.com, so I was kinda bummed. Just in the wrong place at the wrong time, with a growling stomach that got the best of me. Lesson learned. Luckily the atmosphere made up for the mediocre food. Sat back watching the beach activity. My friend has quickly befriended a stray cat. I laugh at some women trying to shoo an obnoxious drunk guy away from their table. Funny sh*t.





We resume our walk down the beach. Come upon a little craft market where several beach vendors were set up. There was an older man selling hand carved parrots. I tell him I love them…but sadly do not have enough cash on me…I will be back.

Check the time, and it doesn’t look like we’ll be making it to Legends in time to ride the shuttle back to the cliffs...unless we run, and fat chance I’m going to be running anywhere while I’m on vacation. So we chill for awhile then decide to take a taxi back to the cliffs. Need to get cash so we ask the driver to take us to an ATM. He points us to the little ATM vestibule and there is a line outside of it. We wait. More people piling up in line behind us….all locals. Once inside this claustrophobic little booth, we are faced with the challenge of figuring out how to take out the right amount in JA dollars. Attempts 1, 2, and 3 failed. A nice young Jamaican girl steps in to save us from the increasingly impatient line outside. Thank God. She asks how much we want to take out…I tell her I want xxx American but I want it in Jamaican. She punches in a really big number…logically it makes sense…but my finger just does not want to go through with this transaction. hahaha Ok, ok, turns out it’s Aaaalright. I will remember how to do this next time.

Back at Samsara with plenty of time before sunset. I’m ready to head down to the cliff, and I turn to ask my friend if she’s ready….Guess not, cause she’s laying in bed watching T.V. “I need my T.V. time…you don’t have to wait for me, go do whatever you want.” I tell her what a lame-ass she is and that I still love her, on my way out the door. Lol

There are people down there jumping off cliffs…OK, this is what I’m talkin about!!!! They tell me it’s my turn. Haven’t jumped off this side yet…I’m standing on the edge wanting to dive but the water is so clear it looks as though there’s coral and rock two feet under the surface. I have to do a test jump. Opening my eyes under the water I realize it’s probably 20-30 feet deep. Actually I’m not good at judging depth, but that sh*t is deep enough to go head first. Cool. Climb back up and dive in again…and again…. Had a great time hanging out with my new cliff jumping buddies…E&L. He (L) is from Kingston, and she (E) is from Massachusetts. They had met on her previous trip to Jamaica, and had stayed close. There was also a teenage boy whose name escapes me now. I’m not sure where he was from, as he didn’t say very much, and I’m pretty sure he didn’t speak English but he laughed at everything we said so I guess he understood some. The four of us hung out all evening, checking out different spots to jump from…good people, lot of fun to hang with. Love diving the cliffs…could do this every day for the rest of my life.









I have no idea why these pics are so huge....i tried to shrink them.

[TizzyATX]

At some point, my friend came walking up with a drink in her hand…hopefully strong enough to loosen her up a little. I tell her to come and jump with me…she’s reluctant….she “doesn’t like saltwater”. Ok, I’m not even going to say anything. Finally I convince her to take the plunge into the glorious salty water. Growing up she lived out on this lake with lots of cliffs, so this is nothing new to us. She picks the highest spot…she runs…she jumps….and….she bellyflops! DOH! Omg that sh*t had to hurt so bad. Unbelievable. Caught a perfect shot, check it out…



After she catches her breath and recovers from the pain, I get her to jump one more time…a “redemption jump” if you will…she opts for a much smaller cliff. LOL…Lol…lol. (sigh)



Sun is starting to set…more people gathering around the cliffs. One family who seems to never leave the hotel, is there. They’re loud, and funny. The son used to be on the dive team for his college….he puts us all to shame with his beautiful dives and flips. Dad is hilarious….he scores his son’s every jump….never a 10. LOL







After sunset, which of course was incredible, we head to the room to clean up and get dressed to go eat dinner with E & L. I turn my phone on so I can call my folks and check on Thing 1 and Thing 2. I’ve never been away from them more than one night at a time, so needless to say, hearing their sweet voices really did a number on the heartstrings. As much as I needed this break, I couldn’t help but wish they were here with me to play on this island. Boy would they have fun here. Love my babes. Ok, enough with the hallmark moment…but just look at ‘em. (Yeah I’m showing off)



Hook back up with E&L and start debating on what to do for dinner. Instead of taking a taxi, we agree to walk to one of the restaurants along the west end road. It’s really dark…and yes the cars are driving by really fast…and there really is no shoulder on the road….but it was fine, and it was actually a lot of fun. We stopped at one place…seemed like a local dive. I’m still not real sure what happened here, I guess L thought it was shady or something, because after I asked a guy to cook me a ¼ chicken, he grabs me by the arm and starts ushering me down the road. “Hey, that guy is cooking me a chicken…” He tells me not to do that again. I don’t get it. He says I should let him order for me, and that we were not going to eat there. SIR YES SIR! Lmao. I know a little something about JA guys. I had to bite my tongue, as I’m older than L…but he is much larger… Large and in charge! That’s cool, I can appreciate an assertive male, and know that at times it’s best to let a man, be a man. hahaha We keep walking. We all agree to stop at Chicken Lavish for some Jerk chicken and red stripes. When the waitress comes to take our order I look over at L and point to what I want to eat. He smiles and says, “you go ahead and order”. I grit my teeth and grin. Lol Dinner was great, and we closed the place down. My friend befriended about 10 stray dogs by the time we left. We were lucky they didn’t follow us back to Samsara. Walking back on stomach full of chicken and beer…not near as much fun. Back at the hotel, we kept drinking and played a few rounds of pool and ping pong.

It was a really good day.

[Clarity]

…Delta gives us a complimentary overnight pack. Included is a bootleg toothbrush, toothpaste, something labeled “deodorant” but looks more like a rock, an oversized t-shirt, and some laundry detergent. Fantastic. After a trip back to the death room, and a bloody mary, I start making changes to our arrangements…. .

LOL – your writing style has me cracking up – I was literally snorting to hold back my giggles while I was reading this at work. My co-workers kept glancing over at me curiously.

Yes, that smoking room IS like a death room! You can’t even breathe in there, it’s like a torture chamber! I can’t believe you missed your connecting flight! Ahhh no! So glad it all worked out in the end. Samsara looks beautiful and I so relate to your desire to drop your stuff in the hotel and just head out of the room. Toiletries can be arranged later, there’s only so many hours of sunlight in the day! I basically dump my suitcase on the floor, pull on my bathing suit and break into a run to the waters edge like I’m on fire!

OMG! that belly flop picture!! Ack!! she must have been hurting after that fall!!

Enjoying this trip report so much! Can’t wait to read more!

P.S. you are so FIT! And you have two kids? (they’re beautiful btw!) You have to share your secret w/us, Tizzy~!

[marley9808]

P.S. you are so FIT! And you have two kids? (they’re beautiful btw!) You have to share your secret w/us, Tizzy~!

Those were my thoughts exactly! And your kids are just the cutest!!!
I am loving this too....your writing is making me laugh...I love all the side commentaries....very cute!

[gerryg123]

i was thinking the same thing, too -- no wonder a crowd was gathering around the Cliff jumping .....

[TizzyATX]

ohhhh you guys....pretty sure I'm blushing now! lol Thank you...and also for the sweet comments about my kiddos.

Clarity I can't tell you how stoked I am for your trip report that will be coming soon...right? wink wink

I'm really enjoying writing this all out...at first I thought it was going to be hard, but it's just kinda flowing.... helping me remember and relive it. Now I'm jonesing to go back. lol Yeah I get it now...

Day 4 tomorrow.