After my 6th reach to Negril, I figured it would be a good time to write my first trip report.
It all started back in 2011, wanting to break away from the all-inclusive resorts which seemed to be the same thing on matter what location we would choose. We had never been to Jamaica and somehow, I found Negril.com, after reading several great trip reports and where everyone like to stay, we made are selections. The 1st reach, 4 Night at Negril Palms and then to Idle Awhile for 3 nights then up to the cliffs to Citronella.
Negril Palms, or The Palms as it was called back then, the 1st impression and it was kind of shocking! The carpentry, which I still find interesting at every hotel I stay in, electrical boxes without covers inside and outside, the naked dude walking down the beach, the guy outside the little store across the street selling me some ganga, hiding out the back of the hotel smoking it not wanting to get caught and then heading to hang out on the beach, a lady sitting down next to us, opening a newspaper and lighting up a spiff like this nothing. We were newbie for sure.
Idle Awhile was nice with the little porch but the bathroom wall not going all the up to the ceiling was a little weird and then there was a water pump running all night which keep me up, so I went out to the side of the hotel to investigate. I?m handy and can fix almost anything, at the very least shut the freaking thing off. Well, it looked like someone had been recently working on it and maybe it was time to go home, so they just left it with water spraying out of the pump and a big pool of water around it, not wanting to risk electrocuting myself, I did not try to shut it off. One night we walked down the beach towards the little store across the road for Negril Palms to buy a bottle of Rum, stopped at what I believe it was called ?Thrilla Corner? to have a beer with some locals where a nice young man was kind enough to run to the store to fetch the Rum for me while I enjoyed a beer with the other fellas. I don?t remember everyone?s name except one guy because I couldn?t understand what he was saying, I thought he was Monte club or Money Club, no Money Cologne, I said was kind of name is that? Everyone laugh and we had a great time, the young man returned with the Rum, I asked how much do I owe you? $25 he said, what I know it's $14, he said delivery charge. Okay, $25 it is. Walking back to Idle Awhile we are approach by someone calling himself ?the Diver? he asked for money for a beer, the wife give him her freshly open beer, he gives her a Conch shell as trade, he continues to follow us and then asked for money for food, I tell him I do not have anymore money after paying the guy for the Rum, he continues to follow closely behind, now mind you it about 1 am, the wife has the bottle of Rum and looks like she is about to crack the Diver across the head, I grab the shall give back to him and yell at him to leave us alone, he give the shell back said it?s a gift and leaves us alone. It was scary at the time, and we laughed about it the next day but thought it was rude to be hassling us walking down the beach that late at night, now we always carry a flashlight when walking the beach at night.
Citronella, WOW what a view! We stayed in the Caves house, which I hear burnt down. We absolutely loved the Cave house and wish that we could go back every trip even though the roof leaked when it rained and I got shocked by the lamp, no grounds wire here! There were kerosene lamps in the corners of the room, so we decided to not use the lights a fire up the lamps which was beautiful. We walked up to the lighthouse and there was this little bar perched on the edge of the cliffs, the guy working the bar chatted with us for a bit, told us he makes great burgers, so we decide to give them a try for dinner. Aubie was his name, a dude from Canada making burgers working at a bar living the dream. We enjoyed talking with him and man he was right the burgers were great! Dinner at LTU?s, pumpkin soup for the first time, awesome views, and the food was delicious. We found it! The perfect vacation destination.
Reply With Quote
