Trip Report: Blue Mountains, Boston Bay, Kingston

[mwenvlay]

we walked 1 minute down the road and had dinner at jojo's jerk pit, which was a big outdoor complex that looks like it caters to afterwork gatherings and large groups. to get to the restaurant, you have to walk through a rocky, unpaved parking lot filled with ancient construction equipment and old buses. there are a lot of restaurants like this in petionville (the upscale area of port au prince), so we felt at home immediately.













husband and i had the janga (crayfish soup) and one rum drink each and ti boss had buffalo chicken wings and a virgin colada. the bill, which included a 10% gratuity, came to the equivalent of $35us. i kicked in an extra $4.50us tip and we went back to the hotel.

basically, that was the end of our last full day in jamaica.

[mwenvlay]

the room rate at the terra nova hotel includes a free breakfast buffet.

[mwenvlay]

we're doing final packing now.









2 red stripes and 2 guinness to finish.

[mwenvlay]

I don't think I'll be able to go until next year. We went in December and it kind of messed up our normal routine. And I left everything to the last minute, so no room at the inn for us. Although with the never ending rounds of snow we've been getting I'm kicking myself and keep threatening to just go to the airport and jump the next available flight. Why do I live in this state? *sigh*
But I'm enjoying this through your trip report, so keep it up!

we're heading back to snow today

we tend to average 2 trips a year. one is usually to visit family in haiti.

when i was single and childless (a state that lasted through my early 40s) i would travel whenever i was able, but now that i have a kid i find it's easiest to travel in february (my birthday + spring break for kids) and then some time between july and september. sometimes it works out to be easter break and thanksgiving.

i want to get my guys to new orleans or california and do a trip to a few places in europe. those are on my short list.

[mwenvlay]

ti boss slept on this couch both nights that we were here.









he just noticed this morning that it pulls out into a mini bed.

i'm annoyed that no one at reception reminded us when we checked in that the room has a pull-out couch.

[mwenvlay]

we stopped at tastee patty on the way to the airport.









we got through security at the airport and had about an hour to kill. after i did a little bit of liquor shopping, husband and i sucked down a pretty yucchy rum and pepsi (with bottled lemon juice) at a very charmless bar near the gate.

the flight to miami was annoying, because i was trying to sleep, but husband took the window seat and kept climbing over us to get to the bathroom and kept raising the window shade to look out.

getting through immigration, grabbing our bags and re-checking them in miami was annoying, but we got through it.

the flight from miami to ny was pretty good, because i'd booked us into a main cabin extra seat, row 12, front/center aisle, so there was no one in front of us, we had a lot of leg room and both husband and i were on the aisle, so there was no climbing over anyone. on the negative side, they didn't bother with beverage service and we were supposed to get a free cocktail with our main cabin booking. husband kept asking me when they were going to come around with the drinks. i told him to ask a stewardess but we never saw one- they were all too busy serving the first class cabin. for an expensive airline, american is so erratic with their service.





jfk- other people's boring luggage




back at jfk there was the usual cab annoyingness- we were the first people on the cab line, but we had so many bags that we needed to take one of those suv cabs. the dispatch guy made us walk all the way to the back and the first suv can guy refused to go to brooklyn and then some d!ck with one small suitcase cut in front of us and grabbed the next suv cab. and then there were no more cabs and we had to wait 15 minutes until the next set up cabs rolled through.

we got home around 11:15pm. an almost 12 hour day of travel. the cats were happy to see us.

[FarOutWestEnder]

I have been following your report & loving it. You stayed in some great places, I loved the pictures and videos too - I'm also in NY (Hudson River Valley area) - the weather seriously sucks big time. I was in JA for a couple of weeks in early February.

[mwenvlay]

I have been following your report & loving it. You stayed in some great places, I loved the pictures and videos too - I'm also in NY (Hudson River Valley area) - the weather seriously sucks big time. I was in JA for a couple of weeks in early February.

i'm glad you enjoyed my trip report- it's the first one i've ever done!

i can't believe i came back to a snowstorm.

[mwenvlay]

here are some photos from strawberry hill that i forgot to post during my trip report.





morning view from the main bedroom






this is gong, a studio unit to the right of bamboo cottage.
thankfully it was empty for 2 out of the 3 days of our stay.
the first day it contained a screaming, whining baby and its loud parents.






bamboo cottage has one bathroom, with a walk-in shower





this is the second bedroom at bamboo cottage

[mwenvlay]

strawberry hill hosts an annual backgammon tournament