Our recent trip to Accompong

[Accompong]

Nice pics, anyway.

Has anyone read "The Book of Jamaica" by Russell Banks? https://www.amazon.com/Book-of-Jamai...5990450&sr=8-1 . Accompong plays a major role in the novel.

I haven't been to Accompong, but I've run into the general theme of Jamaicans practically fighting one another for who gets to take the white mon's money (e.g. to be a guide, or whatever). If I go I will do like I do other places in Jamaica which is to go by myself and say "no thanks, I'll just explore on my own".

Yes, I met Russell Banks when he was staying at my friend, Rubber's house, in Accompong Town. In fact, Rubber is a main character in the book. Since you haven't been to Accompong Town, I will just chalk up your statement "no thanks, I'll just explore on my own" to naivety.

Because Accompong Town is a semi-autonomous region and governed by rules established by the Town Council and the Colonel, all visitors are required to sign in to the Community Center on arrival and the taking of an organized tour is expected. There are varying degrees to this law's enforcement. For instance, I can show up and I am treated as a citizen and have no requirements. You, however, would be standing out like a "sore thumb" and most all the members of the community would stop you from self-exploring and show you to the Community Center to register. After all, this is how they make their money not from lone wolfs wandering around not being escorted and especially not paying.

[rtitle]

Are you saying I owe them money because my skin is white?

[Accompong]

Are you saying I owe them money because my skin is white?

For a man trying to live in Jamaica, you seem pretty obsessed with your skin color.

No. What I am saying is that you have to pay them money just like you have to do at any privately or government owned and run attraction in Jamaica. Try wandering around at Dunn's River Falls or Y.S. Falls etc. without paying. Because you are now an "in between" sometimes resident of Jamaica doesn't give you special privileges like Jamaica is somehow your oyster.

This is what I was referring to as naive.