10 Years, 12 Nights, 6 Hotels, ONE LOVE - April 2012 Trip Report

[Hubby-man]

When the bus arrived at the front gate, we stood waiting like two school kids, satchel and all. The whole crew was already inside. We slapped fives as we walked through the aisle and were immediately handed a Red Stripe. “Good Morning!!”

To my surprise it wasn't Chicken driving the bus, but his brother. Very well. My brain was still too tired to comprehend it all.

First stop ATM machine then everyone back into the bus.

We hardly sat down, when the bus came to a halt again in a strip mall near the Negril round about. Every one spilled out and and headed into a tiny mart. Inside the windows and doors were bared and the cashier was in a cage. To get to the merchandise one had to pass through an impossibly narrow turnstile. Just like South Central I thought.

All 16 people descended on the beer cooler. It was cleared out in seconds and like locust the crowd swarmed out through the rest of the store to demolish any other alcohol bearing shelves. It didn't matter who got what anyways, since any item purchased became common property as soon as we had left the store.

Outside some people lit cigarettes, others sought a bathroom. It was difficult to get everyone back on the bus. What is more: we only had a few feet to go before the bus had to pull into yet another parking lot. There was a leak in radiator and water was visibly dripping from the grill. Chicken was already waiting with a replacement vehicle at the most recent stop.

The whole troop hobbled out of the bus again. Luggage and Coolers were transferred, a little traffic jam occurred as people tried to enter and exit either of the two buses. So some stepped out of the way and lit another smoke and opened another bottle. Raul even began creating improvised mixed drinks, in two plastic bottles.



Others remembered things they forgot to buy before and crossed the parking lot to find another store.

Meanwhile Chicken made his way through the crowd and of course found many familiar faces and old friends. A lively chit chat ensued. Some people who had already transferred their belongings to the new ride sat patiently in the seats of the new bus, but - as nothing was happening - exited again and popped open another drink.

Several attempts were made to get back on the road, but someone was always somewhere other than here. Whoever had waited the longest sighed and stepped out of the bus again lighting more smokes.

“Geez, it's like herding Turtles!” Becky exclaimed.

“Like what? ... What did she say?”

“She said it's like herding turtles!”

“Oh that's a good one. We should make that the title of our trip report.”

“I like turtles.”

“Did she call us turtles?”

The rest I guess is history.

Well, even turtles eventually get it right, and with every one on the bus Chicken grabbed the microphone and proclaimed the official beginning of the trip.



“Every disappointment is an appointment!”, he announced referring to the broken radiator.

I am not exactly sure what that meant, but the pun assured me that the real Chicken was now at the helm.