So after reading a bunch of trip reports, I decided it was time for me to go back and do mine before I forget about them all together. It has been a long time since this first trip (5 years) but I realize now it's selfish not to share with you guys my experiences. So here goes, be gentle...
Day 1
Took an Apple Vacations/USA 3000 flight from Chicago. Everyone on the plane was headed to an all inclusive, mostly in MoBay. We told a few people we were going to stay at a castle on the cliffs in Negril and got some strange looks to say to least. We landed in MoBay, and let the craziness ensue. Crazy long line for customs, but it moved quickly enough. Grabbed our bags and headed outside for our first view of Jamaica. People were everywhere, yelling about taxis. “Yo man , where you going?” they all yelled at once. After a few seconds, I saw Petey, our driver, holding the tiniest Blue Cave Castle sign you could imagine. Introductions all around, then we hop in Petey’s little hatchback for ride to Negril.
Talking to Petey on the road, his first (maybe second) question is “You smoke brotha?” I look at him with a mischievous smile and say “Yah mon, but she don’t,” waving back at my girlfriend holding on for dear life in the backseat. He seems confused by this, “She don’t but don’t mind if you do?” he asks. “Yah mon,” I respond. He still seems a little skeptical, but accepts it. “Okay we stop at my friends up da road and smoke,” he tells me as we fly through a curve on the coast road.
After driving on the coast road for a long while, asking questions about Jamaica and life and answering his questions about Chicago and life up there, we stop at a little shack on the side of the road. I’m a little confused why we are stopping here and turn to ask Petey what’s going on, but he’s already hopping out of the car and headed towards the shack. “Okay, let’s go,” I say to my lady, and we’re out and headed up to the counter.
I cannot remember Petey’s friends name, but he says hello and we order some beers from him as Petey rolls up a little something for us to enjoy. To this day I haven’t seen anything like that first view. I talk with Petey’s friend for a little bit, and complement the beautiful view from his kitchen. He cracks a little smile and responds with “Yah mon.”
The picture from his place is to this day one of my favorite photos I’ve ever taken. You can see the metal roof and
the cooking pots, and realize that that’s about all this humble man has, and then you see the gorgeous view he has to look at every day. And he is at peace with the world. That’s when it hit me; how truly special Jamaica is.