On Sunday, we did what we always do. Taxi as far as the Cool Runnings water park, hop through the fence and onto the beach. Then it’s a brilliant walk through the quiet bit, the undisturbed bit, the bit that was like the rest of it 25 years ago, before hitting the glitz palaces that are the A.I.’s.
A little story about doing this walk quite a few years ago, we got to Beaches or one of them and there were a lot of inmates laying around and we stopped (momentarily) to have a look at the resort. From nowhere, a megaphoned voice, (no it wasn’t Jim), shouted at us, ‘Please keep moving along the beach, no stopping on the beach’!!!! Can you imagine that being shouted at us, we did keep moving, but even the crabs were overtaking us.
Anyway, back to the day, the sun kept coming out and after so many days of cloud, it was piercing hot. Thank god it wasn’t like this all the time, or Jacky would have hardly moved from the sunshade.
Our beach walk is ritual and always finishes off the things on our ‘to do’ list.
At sundown, we went to SeaSplash for our final webcast and to say goodbye to those who were still around. As it turned out, it was another brilliant party. Marcus and Daisy, Bea, Bob and Cindy and ourselves along with Lisa and more boardies who I really can’t remember, (again), danced and sang and generally had a ball. There was even a beach bonfire.
Then all at once it was time to go! Hugs and tears and promises to keep in touch and we almost slipped away, but Cindy came running across for a final farewell and the tears started again and Jacky sobbed and I did that bloke thing, that is gritting teeth and swallowing hard and not looking at anyone in the eyes and suddenly we were on our own, on the road, heading toward the hotel. It was all over, it had been so, so great and it was all over!
What to say to complete all of this.
Before we came back on this holiday, we’d read that Negril wasn’t the same, how it had changed, (for the worse) a lot had said! Well, if Negril has changed it doesn’t matter. We’ve changed, that’s what we do, we mature, in some cases gracefully, in others not so much, but Negril is the same for us as it’s always been, since our first time. We meet new family, and we meet old family. We re-ignite a spark between us that dims in real life. We find ourselves and each other and we become who we used to be.
The team, the crowd, the group of boardies that shared our wonderful experience, have each become part of our life story, have enriched our holiday and given us memories that will live with us for always.
But most of all, we know we will be back, probably in two years, and next time it will be for longer. Negril will call and we will answer and we will see you again.
The Spottycatz.
