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Thread: Clarity, Markus and Jamar in Negril – Nov 2011 Trip Report: Day 1-3

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    Clarity, Markus and Jamar in Negril – Nov 2011 Trip Report: Day 1-3

    It's been over a week now since our trip to Negril, so it's time to get started on our trip report.

    This is our second trip to Negril. If you want to read about our first experiences, you can find that trip report in the blog section here: http://negril.com/forum/blog.php?127-Clarity

    Just like last time I'll be mostly writing this with my husband, Markus. (He's in Germany right now on a business trip, so he's writing this from overseas) Our Best friend, Jamar will also be contributing from time to time to share his impressions of Jamaica. This was his first ever trip.

    We tend to ramble, so this will probably be long and wordy but there will lots of pictures once we get to Negril,( for those that like to scroll.) We're also slow as snails, but we'll try to finish this faster than our last trip report. Although.. I can't make any promises.

    Thank you again everyone for helping us plan this trip. Your advice has been amazing! This is our way of giving back, by taking you along with us and sharing our experiences. Just like you have shared yours with us.

    Hopefully, when you're finished, you'll feel like you took another whole vicarious trip to Jamaica.
    Carpe Diem

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    Jamaica Nov 2011 – Day 0

    Where to begin?

    It seems so much harder to write this trip report. There is for one the weight of the perceived expectations of those who have already read our last trip report. In my mind everyone is waiting for a trip-report 2.0 and I am not sure I can deliver or write anything that will satisfy.

    There are also my own expectations of myself to adequately recall and describe those special moments when everything just clicked and all things all around us seemed to hum in extraordinary concord. Those transcendent moments when life sang in an all pervasive harmony with a vibration that resonated in the deepest place of our being – a mystical universal song with a distinctly Jamaican flavor. Those moments that cause you to know...when you go.

    Such expectations are of course extremely UN-Jamaican and must be dismissed with a smile

    It doesn't help that right now I am stuck in ice-cold Germany, 5760 miles (or 9126 Kilometers) away from my beloved muse and her stimulating Dirty Bananas. Instead of Berris Hammond I only have the humming of the radiator in my Boss's bare-walled basement with only a little glass table, an I-Pod shaped, white-framed bed and a broken pool table to keep me company.

    The abode should be very fitting for a writing project, but I returned from Jamaica with a massive ear infection that since has spread to both ears, and the emptiness of the room only makes my thoughts turn more often to the throbbing pressure in my temples. No noise could be louder than the heart beat pushing past my ear-canal.

    Alas! I must find a place to begin.... but where? This trip started so much earlier than conveyed by our travel dates. Some part of it started right after we returned from our last reach or when we were still in Jamaica in April. Another telling of the story might begin with Daisy and her brother sharing a dream 2 years ago. Even earlier than that, our story might begin in the middle of the last century in the cold, old Scottish Highlands.

    That latter narration surely would produce the most awe, as it is laden with crowd pleasing coincidence, serendipity or fate, however you might call it. But that story is still in the making and for another person to tell, so I will begin this recollection just before our departure.

    Our building is a early 20th century brick structure in the heart of San Francisco with 4 floors and 20 Apartments. Below our apartment is our best friend, Jamar's studio. We decided after a year of meeting weekly for bar trivia, that we would like stop by each others place without the inconvenience of travel. We also like the show “FRIENDS” and thought this might be like creating a few new episodes ourselves...and right we were.

    The apartment above us for the last 37 years has been occupied by an elder ordained Buddhist monk named Ben, who likes to have me over for instant coffee every so often.

    On this day like on many others I found a note on my door. The tell-tale smiley-face signature made the sender immediately obvious: “Dearest hubby-man, please urgently stop by my Apartment before your departure. I will provide Coffee -Ben”, .

    It was Monday, the day before “Jamaica Eve”, and I had nothing to do. My boss had given me off, and Daisy had already frantically run around the house on Sunday, throwing all last minute necessary items into the two tiny carry-on suitcases. The note was intriguing as the word urgent was usually not in Ben's vocabulary.

    Ben as always greeted me with a big smile in his kind, round little face:” I am glad you came!”. He hugged me tightly and waved me in. Stacks of books and holy pictures are strewn everywhere and it took some rearranging to free a chair. He disappeared into the kitchen, I heard the microwave go “bing” and he reappeared with a cup of instant Joe. “Here!”

    I took a sip of the extremely hot liquid and tried to get comfortable while attempting to look appropriately holy in his presence. After some rummaging in several rooms he finally held up a book victoriously. “Here it is! I found this in a used book store. You can't have my copy, but this one I want you to keep. It will change your life!”

    I took the unassuming paperback entitled “A NEW EARTH” by Eckhard Tolle. “Read this on your travels. I want to know what you think.” I handled the book a little more looking at the back and front flipping a few pages and I thanked him profusely. We chatted a while longer and I went back down stairs to stuff the book into one of the bulging overfilled suitcases.

    The next day came and I spent most my day swiveling in excitement in my office chair. Every few minutes Jamar sent me an text saying stuff like:

    ”DUDE, JAMAICA, DUDE, TODAY!!!!!!!”

    I replied:

    “DUDE, I KNOW,! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!”


    Back to swiveling.

    Our cat sitter arrived around noon with her own little suitcase. We had felt really bad for asking her to sit the cats, but she immediately thought that she would love to spent a week in our apartment and so it was settled. I guided her through the idiosyncrasies of our apartment and gave her my computer passwords. Showed her how to feed and medicate my felines.

    When we were done she immediately started cleaning. I had really thought that the apartment WAS clean, but she could not be halted, so I stopped trying. We tend to befriend really, really clean people. It's not that we are total pigs, I swear!

    Finally Daisy came home from work. I had been dying for that moment all day.
    Last edited by Hubby-man; 01-27-2012 at 05:53 PM.

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    On the day of our flight, I could hardly concentrate at work! I would focus for about a minute, and then my thoughts would drift off to Jamaica. I just kept thinking about the warm sunshine, the crystal clear waters, jerk chicken, dirty bananas...

    I couldn't believe that we were going on this trip. That this was actually happening. Another trip to Jamaica? In less than a year? Part of me worried that I might be slightly crazy, but my heart was telling me to do this. Every part of my body was urging me to go back to Jamaica from the moment I left. I had taken vacations before where I had walked away thinking “Well, that was a pleasant experience, now back to every day life” but Jamaica was different. It doesn't let you walk away, it stays with you, permeates your being and doesn't let you go. The memories of the people you meet and the experiences seep into your soul and re-visit you in your dreams.

    Not only that, but our last trip to Jamaica was healing for my soul. For the first time, since my brother passed away, I felt at peace. I felt like I hadn't lost him and I knew in my heart he was still here with me. I felt like I was going to be okay.

    So I surrendered to the fact that Jamaica was now a part of our lives and always would be. We don't have a lot of money, but when you want something strongly enough.. you can find ways of making it happen and we did.

    We started saving a little each day, putting our money into a little box (The Irie box) which we eventually brought to the bank and cashed in for two round trip tickets to Montego Bay. That was August 9th, My birthday and the day we “pushed the button” again. The officially count down began.

    *****

    At the end of the day, I sprinted out of the office and ran all the way home. I lept up the stairs two at a time and swung open the door to our apartment “Today is the day!!!!”

    Markus pulled me close for a hug. Then I started urgently running around making sure we had all the necessary items for our trip and that all of the toiletries were in little quart-sized zip lock bags. Our friend, Leanna was going to be staying at our flat and taking care of our kitties. She was already there Jamar was no where to be seen.

    “Where's Jamar??” I asked

    “He's downstairs in his apartment... packing his suitcase”

    “He just started packing NOW?? Our ride to the airport arrives in an hour!”

    Jamar eventually appeared with a huge oversized knapsack, that he dropped on the floor with a loud thud. “I'm ready! Jamaica here we come!!”

    We popped open 3 red stripes and chugged them down. Then we ran downstairs to catch our ride to the airport.

    Our vacation officially began at the SFO airport bar while we waited for our red eye flight to Atlanta. We sat together and ordered 3 celebratory drinks to help us sleep. A big glass of German beer for Markus, A glass of Pinot Grigio for me and a Stella for Jamar



    I sat in-between my husband and our best friend. We toasted to our future adventures together in Jamaica. We knew this trip was something special that the three of us would remember for the rest of our lives.

    The flight to Atlanta was a long one. I spent most of the time bunching up my travel pillow against the airplane window and attempting to sleep. In-between those attempts, Jamar and I spoke about Jamaica in excited whispers... while Markus was absorbed in book he had received from our upstairs neighbor.

    Markus has a really hard time sleeping on planes and he gets restless leg syndrome during flights so he needs the aisle seat. His eyes were wide open and red with exhaustion by the time we reached Atlanta. We had a 3 hour layover which was mostly spent in the “death room” as Tizzy aptly named it. Lol. You inhale the equivalent of 5 cigarettes with every breathe taken in there and you have to leave every 15 minutes coughing and gasping for air.

    The flight from Atlanta to Montego bay was much shorter. I spent the entire time staring at this screen in front of me.. mesmerized.



    We received a message from the pilot that we would be landing soon and I turned to Markus in excitement.

    Oddly enough, he was out cold. He had passed out from sheer exhaustion.. his chin on his chest.. book had slipped off his lap.

    “Would you look at that! Now he falls asleep!! Just before we land.” Jamar started laughing.

    I shook Markus's shoulder gently.. “We're almost there, honey... look out the window”

    He opened one blood-shot eye and then both of them. The three of us leaned together towards the tiny airplane window to take in the view.
    Carpe Diem

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    It was a long Journey but finally we sank out of the clouds and familiar shapes came into view. I don't remember how many times I have flown into Frankfurt, Tampa, Miami or Newark. But I have never fallen in love with or felt so much excitement at the sight of an aerial landscape.



    The lush majestic mountains rose from the blue-green ocean, like a mythical coral Shangri La. The clouds gently covered the inside of the Island, veiling it like a bride on her wedding day. “Here we come! We are back! I told you it wouldn't be long!”



    Jamar was smiling. His eyes looked a little bewildered and groggy, but with some energy left to express great anticipation.



    Customs - a breeze, you know it. And we soon had our luggage in hand and dived through the glass doors into the thickness of the hot air, all the while scanning the crowds of omnipresent drivers for our man, “Chicken”.

    Daisy spotted a large mass of a man and pointed towards him. He held up a small sign that read “Chicken's Magic Bus” and was scanning the crowd. When he saw her running towards him, he smiled widely. She flung her arms wide open as if to greet an old friend and yelled “Chicken, Chicken!” The figure became alive and slowly moved towards her to respond to the gesture. They hugged while Jamar and I stood in line to give a greeting.

    Jamar almost tripped himself in excitement for his first interaction, but had to postpone as Chicken explained, he was going to get the car.

    While we stood at the curb waiting, familiar smells of allspice, turmeric and burning fires filled my nostrils. Incessant honking was all around us and we jumped every few seconds convinced that we must be the reason for the noise. We were immediately enveloped in insane chaos, noises and sensations.

    I remembered my first time and imagined how confused Jamar must feel, while I, for some odd reason, felt like I had just come home.

    To be continued...
    Last edited by Hubby-man; 01-27-2012 at 05:54 PM.

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    very pumped up for this ....

  6. #6
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    YAY! Now THIS is what I have been waiting for, and just like that.....you have me hooked already
    There I was reading along, smiling, almost crying, laughing, sighing.....and then you did it!
    The worst three words of all time...........
    To......Be........Continued......

    LOL
    Daisy and Markus......I am loving it already! More! More!





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    Nice read so far. It's nice to read a trip report soon after you return yourself and be able to instantly relate to the sensations felt by others. ATL I'm guessing Delta, who I flew as well. Did coach this time and could not sleep, at all! Also noticed everyone is raving about Chicken now. I'm going to refresh my screen ever so often to catch the next bit......


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    tag-teaming...nice. Can't wait for Jamar to chime in.... Love your reports and looking forward to more!!
    T

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    Oh GOODY, I was just wondering how long we were going to have to wait for this....

    lol

    Ya'll are off to such a great start!!! I'm so excited you'd think I just landed in Mobay myself!

    Oh and Daisy...if its not too much trouble could you have some more posted by... oh...say...9:00 am (my time)? haha
    Stir IT UP

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    Yeah nice so far. Markus hope your ears get better before you get back on a plane to come home to SF. We are waiting for more.

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