A few back stories before my next reach...a little background

[irie luv]

Yetta, I have not seen any Jamaican based movies. I am sure I would enjoy them. I am going to watch the 2 that you mentioned. That should be good entertainment!

Momthor3, love the name , but to your post... I second that!

Lady Jane, I do have another story I can post today about when went to the Dirt Party. That had some funny moments. Glad you can visualize my stories and feel like you are there. I will try to post my next story within the next few hours.

Thanks guys !

[irie luv]

Ok, just a little update. I leave in 6 days and trying to remain calm. Last year D&L kept getting too excited and had to calm down because it was starting to affect her physically.Her heart rate would increase, she could not focus at work, and she would just get too hyper about the situation. She kept telling me to stop talking about it because she was getting too excited and can't take it anymore. Now this time she is the one that keeps talking about it to me. I cant get anymore excited than I already am. I can no longer do anymore anticipating. I just need to get there!

This trip is sooo needed right now. So what I have been doing is jotting down all the stuff I want to try and do on this trip. So I will need a lill help from my fellow boardies.

Drinks I want to try...ting&vodka,dirty banana......what are some of your favorites you'd recommend?
Best places to watch sunset.... we want to go to a new place every eve to watch the sunset(we have done ricks and blue cave)
Best live music/performances and on what days?

Thanks for your help. This will be the first time I am making an itinerary, as I want to maximize every moment, we will see how that goes. I never go by the itinerary...I dont even know why I am doing this, lol. I 'm just trying to maximize!

[marley9808]

You already listed two of my favorite drinks, but I would also add a Purple Rain (or Rein) and one that is a little less known....a Miami Vice..Ivan's Bar at Catcha makes a killer Miami Vice! But honestly they make every drink good. That would also be a great place to check out a sunset. Also LTU is a very nice place to check out a sunset
Other great places for sunsets:
Xtabi (great dirty banana)
3 dives
Canoe (great drinks there too)
Rockhouse (good drinks too)
Pushcart (the best PinaColoda I have ever had)


Have a blast!!!!!!

[booger]

I'll second the purple rain. Opal at Country Country makes the best ones.
Sunset hit Sir D's across from Sexy Rexy's after hanging with Rexy.

[Clarity]

So excited for you Irie Luv! can't wait to hear how your trip goes!!
Have a blast in Negril!
(I know you will!)

P.S. I don't have any exciting drink suggestions. I'm really boring in that department. I just drink Dirty Banana's, Ting&JB and a lot of red stripes
Let me know if you try any new drinks that are out of this world!

Update: Wait! Markus just reminded me of the "Bob Marley shot" we had once. It was delicious... knocked us out for the count. So proceed with caution. lol

[beccajean_ca]

LOL that is awesome.

[irie luv]

Marley9808-Good info! I will surely try the purple rein becasue I love Prince and I love purple so I can't go wrong . Will also hit each one of those spots for sunsets as we will have 5 to see. I have to maximize the moments!

Clarity- I think I remember the photo of the Bob Marley shot, was it the multi-colored shot that was WAY to big to be called a shot? If thats the one, it will be on the top of the list! Thanks!

Booger-Will put Sir D's and Sexy Rexy on the list. And can you give me more info on that. Is Sexy Rexy's a bar?

To make sure I don't miss a sunset, I am writing down what time the sunsets on each day I am there, I can't miss a beat!

Thanks guys!

[marley9808]

Yes! That is exactly why I tried the Purple Rain the first time I saw it on a drink menu....because I love Prince too!

[irie luv]

The trip was AWESOME! I dont know how each trip can get better and better. The adventures are never ending. It will take a lifetime to do all that I want to do on this island and around the rest of the world. I have been back since 4/3/12 and could not write a trip report because it was just too personal, as far as the way the island has changed me for the best in all aspects of my life, the feelings I felt the expericnes I had...just to much to verbalize. But I will share a few of the highlights...

I tried all the drinks except the Bob marley shot. All the drinks were good, but the dirty bananna took the cake. I could not believe how good and creamy, with the hint of I think coffee and chocolate, it was thick enough to be a meal, and at times it was, lol.

I did all my excursions excepts the Pelican Bar, there was just not enough time.

We went go to Mayfeild Falls. It was life changing. We saw the shy lady flowers, they are flowers that respond to your touch. When you touch them, they quickly fold into themselves and stay like that for 10 minutes, then they open back up. They go to sleep everynight at 6pm and open back up and "awake" at 6am. It was amazing, I took some video, just need to figure out how to post it.
We also got a "spa treatment" ,our guide scrubbed us down by getting pure limstone out of a rock along one of the pools of water and mixed it with water and scrubbed our arms and back with the natural exfoliant. Our skin was 20 years younger when he was done . It was amazing.
Our guide also picked some leaves for us and told us this was a natural soap called irie soap. He showed us how to fold the leaves in half and put it under the running water and scrub, it turns into soap! It had a real rich lather like a real soap. He said he uses it to wash his whole body except the hair. It had a very clean natural smell , almost no smell at all, but it did clean and lather. Just amazing.
He also pulled some fresh curry root out of the ground for us to hold, to have and to smell. I held onto it for 5 days then I lost it, I wanted to take it home.
After the falls we went to sit in our little hut to look a the photos, they had them on a CD for us to view on the laptop. The photos came out great so we got the entire CD and made a nice album. While sitting in hut there was a heavy downpour. Being in the mountains after such a great experience in the falls and have it end with the perfect rain the the cherry on to for us. We had to walk all the way back up the trail in this heavy rain, we had umbrellas but it was still fun.

On another day we went horse back riding. This was my first time riding a horse. I took a picture with one when I was 6 but never rode one. My horse was named Coffee and D&L's was named Sweetness. The trainers horse was named Phantom. The trainers name was Rudy. I was taken back when he told me his name. My first love was named Rudy. We were high school sweethearts and he passed in a car crash, I had never met another Rudy until then. It brought good memories of my sweet Rudy, he loved me so much. The horse ride was a 2 mile ride to a private beach. The horses went into the water, we took great photos. I stood on the back of my horse and then jumped into the water. I ended up falling in love with Coffee. He was a beautiful horse, well trained, and I think we connected. The guide said the horses respond to singing. So everytime Rudy would sing, the horses went faster and faster. It was so fun, I was really riding that thing.Rudy told me to sing a song on the way back. I started to sing "No woman no cry" and Coffee starting galloping! The joy on my face was like that of a child.

We went to scrub a dub for the first time. I enjoyed myslef.
Went to Alfreds enjoyed the band then to the beach park party but they had already wrapped it up.
Jet Skiied, went to Booby Cay, purchased goods from Mama Porter(we always buy souvinirs from her) she is the a very sweet lady.
It was another wonderful trip, we will be back 8/1-8/8 for ATI and 50th Independance Day celebration, I can't wait.

[irie luv]

I almost forgot to mention that we almost lost our lives on the paddle boat. I was paddling while D&L had her feet kicked up drinkning her purple rains. I suggested we go all the way to this little mini island we saw. It was farther than we ever went on the paddle boat, so it was going to be a real adventure. As we are getting really close to the island D&L says, "Don't get too close to the island becasue we dont want to get stuck on the coral."
"MmmHmm", was my response as I kept paddling.
As soon as I said that we heard a LOUD scratch on the bottom of the boat and we were STUCK on the coral!!
OMG my life was over! I was going to die in the carribean sea(not a bad way to go, but still !) My heart was pounding out of my chest and I was at the mercy of nature. I was not sure if our paddle boat was punctured or broken in any way. It was the most scared I have ever been.
Survival mode kicked in and I just stop paddling and let the current slowy move us off the coral, it was scary.
As soon as I knew we were off the coral I started paddling like a bat out of hell! I paddled all the way back to shore non stop becasue I still did not know if the boat had a hole in it. All this time while I am getting us to safety all D&L is doing is recording me on the camera phone in my hysteria, her feet are still kicked up and she is still sipping on her drink. Her view was that we are close enough to shore that someone will get us and our life was not in danger, and worse case scenerio we could swim back to the beach. REALLY!? It would take me 4 hours to swim back to shore. Who wants to risk getting stung by a jelly fish or a lion fish...Anyway we made it back safe and my respect for the ocean tripled. It is a beautiful but powerful place.