Irie's attempt to get her groove back...TRIP REPORT

[Iriesistah]

I threw one of my huge bags over my back along with the backpack that I was already carrying and slung the other bags over random body parts like a warrior and headed for the curb where R's friend was bringing the car to.
A random man who was probably in his 60's was watching from the sidelines...he jumped to his feet!!!
"Sweetie, Please let me help you with that...no charge...please...look at you girl, my god!!!"
R chimed in..." No worries Mon, she has twin boys back home...she's got this, she is TUFF!!!"

I on the other hand was thankful for the 20 feet of help from the kind stranger!!!

Before for I knew it we were loaded in the car and on our way...

I asked to stop at Mega mart to pick up a few things that I wanted for the week... beer, rum, snacks, water...ect.
R wanted to argue with me about Mega Mart...said that I should support other places.
Deep inside i knew that he was right, but I also knew that I could get everything that I needed at Mega Mart and at a OK price, I wouldn't have to haggle.
I just wanted to get my stuff and be done.

Sometimes R and I have little tiffs like a brother and sister would, but I know that it is all good.
I truly believe that we see each others points in the long run.

So J and I skurried into the store while S went to take care of some "stuff"...LOL...I wish that I could elaborate but it just isn't OK to post.
lets just say that our Jamaican friends got to experience some extra fun because of us!!!
By the time we had finished our shopping and were heading for the checkout counter R and S were coming in to meet us.

We headed out to the car and R was carrying the most precious of all my bags... THE RUM!!!

I looked at R and in slow motion right before my weary eyes he DROPPED THE BAG!!!

CRASH!!!

and there was rum cream ALL OVER the parking lot!!!
My heart sunk...but it could have been a LOT worse...we only lost one bottle!!!

I almost couldn't let it go...


We gathered ourselves and loaded back into the car and we were off....

I took a deep breath...it was another one of those deep FULL breaths that were so totally settling that it cradled your soul, hugged you fully and released all that was bottled up inside of you...
It was wonderful.

We made a few stops along the way for beers...
We toasted to the trip...to our week of girly freedom...


R needed more JB so we stopped yet again...at this point there was a small argument between him and the driver...sometimes R can be a bit much...lol.



Everything seemed to be moving in fast forward...a common feeling throughout the trip for me...

We arrived at our hotel, Beach House Villas.

I hopped out and it instantly was like coming HOME!!!

Everyone in the office knew who I was, even the new folks. They were all full of smiles...so heartwarming.
I can't even put into words how amazing it feels to be back there...everyone is like family and the property feels so warm and inviting.

I was going through the check-in process with J and S watching from the sidelines...

Like a ray of sun, there she was...MY ROSE!!!
She came over and we embraced like mother and child separated for years.

J grabbed the camera and took some photos (none turned out that great, sorry)
Later J told me that she was totally crying as she watched us hug and catch up...
I had told her about how much I cared for Rose and she knew about our connection...she was totally touched.

Rose is a housekeeper at Beach House Villas...a TRULY AMAZING WOMAN!!!
A warrior...a hard worker...she deserves the world...I wish that I had it to give to her.

after all of the hoop-la we headed for our "little cottage in Negril".
It was up above the office...the least expensive room on the property but totally everything that we needed.
Two bedrooms, a living room, full kitchen, bathroom and a perfect deck.
We were in paradise!!! FINALLY!!!

I was starving since I had not eaten yet and was like a drill sergeant with the group, barking out orders to hurry up...I wanted lunch at Kuyaba.

After a short lay over at the room we headed down the property's path to the beach for our short walk to Kuyaba...


One of my absolute favorite meals in Jamaica is the blackened snapper sandwich on coco bread at Kuyaba.
A traditional first meal for me on many reaches.

If you have never been to Kuyaba to eat, PLEASE do yourself a favor and treat yourself to at least one meal there.
The food is to die for, especially the lobster thermidor..but that is a whole other story...soon come...

The staff at Kuyaba is wonderful...the same folks have worked there for as long as I can remember and they always remember me. It is a great feeling.

I said my hellos and we ordered our food...4 snapper sandwiches and 4 rum punches!!!

My first rum punch of the trip...