First time car rental!

[poolguywindsor]

The road up the westend back then was gravel.lol Only time I rented was a Honda Rebel back in 89 first trip we rode from Mobay to Ocho Rio, and all around Mobay, wow that was a long time ago.

[brasi]

PoolGuy: I am coming in December with my sons in tow for the first time and am planning on renting a car...I will be interested in hearing your experiences...and misadventures LOL

I bet it is great. I did a scooter for my last day last in January and it was amazing. The feeling of freedom is ridiculous...no cabs, no worries about having change, anywhere, anytime...the car is obv. a step up from that!

(And many people can now say "Brasi: I told you so!")

[poolguywindsor]

Yep I always think about things to do during the day but dont want the agrevation of getting a taxi, and then following a sort of schedule, So i am hoping I am going to be thinkin why didnt I do this years ago.

[JitterBug]

poolguy, you will do just fine, half of the battle is knowing your way around, which you do . . . and, you can't get lost in ja at all . . . drivers are curtious to us white drivers, i bet you won't go again WITHOUT renting a car after this experience . . . in the end it's the cheapest way and the most fun way!!! can you san "independent"???? no waiting for anyone, you're on your own schedule.

[Patty Sather]

YES!YES!YES! JOE,POOL,BRASI!....Ill have 3 of my besties to take me places in december.... ..(hands to cheek, with a big smile...hitch hiker thumb out...showing a little.....leg.....)

[Joe Trinidad]

Brasi, put it this way.. You have access to my FB pictures, please feel free to roam around in there and you'll see all the wonderful places you can visit when driving.

Example:
YS Falls - 1.5 hours, cost us 1/4 tank of gas, and that includes stopping at gluttons corner, 6 people..
Mayfield Falls - 1.5 Hours, cost 1/4 tank of gas
Black River - 1/4 tank of gas
Country Western horse stables - 1/8 tank of gas
Savanna-la-mar to go party with the people during the elections
Numerous drives around Negril + Travel to orange hill, Blue Hole in Brighton
Treasure beach 2.5 Hrs
Pelican Bar 2 Hrs
Lovers Leap 2.5 hrs.

All those places, imagine how much it would cost if you were taking tours with a family of 4, most of the time we were 8 or 9 people travelling in 2 cars. We even took Poolguy in the beast for the horseback riding stint.. Fun Fun Fun..

[ohliz]

^^ what Jitterbug said. I love having my own car and I bet you will too.

I actually ditch it when I'm in Negril and use it for when I'm not, but it is nice to have it to make daytime store/beach/whatever runs or get out of town.

You'll find having one in Duncans Bay to be cupcakes after Negril, and there it really is great to have a car.

[poolguywindsor]

I remember reading your blog about driving in Jamaica a few years back Ohliz and thinking, I am going to do that someday.

[SweetSue]

LOL....let me tell you this. On my very first trip to Jamaica (January 1999) I went with my college roommate, we were 22. We didn't even think twice, we rented a car ahead of time because we just assumed we needed a car to get around. We landed in MoBay around 8 or 9pm and got our rental car from Avis or whoever it was. They took us out to our car and I walked up to the passenger side and tried to get in. This was the first time I had ever been in a car with the steering wheel on the wrong side. This is the first time I had ever driven on the wrong side of the road. This was my first time in Jamaica. It was the "old road" It was about 10pm and I asked the guy "So how do we get to Negril?" He laughed and said maybe you should stay here tonight. I said no, we have to go, our room is waiting. He tried to give me directions but all I could understand was "Kentucky" so after his frustration he asked a Juta driver that was taking some folks to Negril to let us follow him.
So we did. It was dark. There were LOTs of potholes....we had to stop several times for cows in the road. There were times I was screaming...maybe even crying, I think I white nuckled it the whole way, but we made it. And the entire week in Negril the only problems we had were a missing hubcap (from hitting a pothole) and someone backed into our car (while it was parked) one night at Alfreds and left a scratch on the bumper. By the time I was driving us back to the airport I felt like a pro and the guy at the rental car place circled the car a few times, looked at me, looked at the car and said "You must be a really good driver"
My friend and I laughed....hard! I will never forget that week. Do any of you remember the roads in Negril around 1999....there were a million potholes....do you remember the road up to the West End? And we were staying at Samsara! It was like playing a video game while driving trying to maneuver around all of those holes and bad roads!

If I can do that.....I feel like just about anyone can rent a car in Jamaica!

LOL

GOOD FOR YOU Marley9808!! I never really felt the absolute need to drive when I was staying down in Negril proper...when you are a couple hundred feet from the water, who needs a car? But I finally did get up the nerve to rent. I felt like the longer I waited, the harder it would be for me to get behind the wheel. The first time I drove, I was following a friend about - we went thru Hanover to Blue Hole, back down thru Sheffield - all kinds of back roads. I enjoyed it. However, when driving alone on some back roads, I had to remind myself to stay left when another vehicle approached. I was in the middle of little road having just avoided some mega potholes and suddenly a vehicle was facing me having made the same moves coming from the other direction. We both stopped and it took a brief moment for both of us - it was an American behind the wheel too! We corrected ourselves. laughed & waved each other past.

Last time I was down in December, I rented a car from Elvis Bike Rental (next to Mary Gate of Heaven) and drove up to Mandeville. Had I known what a trip that was, I might not have done it as the only driver. 3 hours each way and I am told that the road is much better than what it used to be. Despite the potholes, we made there & back - shaken, stirred but still in one piece. No reqrets. The lady I went to see was a patient of mine when she was in the US and she was so happy that I made the trip from Negril to see her. She had her family bake Jamaican Rum Fruit cakes for me to take back to the hospital to share with all of the doctors and nurses who had taken care of her. It wasn't easy but I managed. It was 1 week after my return when I finally gave out the last of it and again told the story of how she wanted to express her gratitude to everyone for her care. That morning as I was on my way home, I received a phone call telling me that my lady had just passed. I was so glad I did not let caution prevent me from making that drive!!

PEACE & BLESSINGS