Gerry G's TRAIL OF ASHES TOUR Final Chapter -- The Mighty Californian's return

[gerryg123]

Typical gerryg123, I had forgot to bring money for my snorkeling trip with Roger – his first trip, I am sure he really appreciated that – so I made arrangements to meet him at the bottom of the hill to kick him down some cash.

Meantime, I filled the scooter with gas. I found it ironic that there were a bunch of youngsters on motorcycles right on the corner in front, yet none of them cared about the sign at the station seeking a pump attendant; they would rather hustle. Shayne the cabbie happened to be around, and he flagged me down. I made loose plans for him to take me to Roaring River tomorrow. He can’t keep up with the prices I can get these days, but I thought I would use him anyway just to be nice ‘cause we’ve known one another all these years, and he has only made 15 dollars off me so far.

[bjritz]

Loved that Seastar vid, you seem quite relaxed and happy at that point in your trip. Keep it coming, lovin' every minute of it.

[gerryg123]

On Wednesday morning, I reheated my left-over burger from Ahh Bees for breakfast (they’re so huge, it’s almost impossible to eat one in a single session), and with the ocean a bit rough, it seemed a good day go to Roaring River. However, I had called my friend there, Robert, whom I’ve known for years, and he said they were doing some construction at Blue Hole Gardens, so perhaps the timing was not perfect.
I took the scooter down to the strip, and sure enough I run into cabbie Shayne. He hailed me down and proclaimed the friend standing next to him lived at Roaring River, and that all was irie there, so we should do the trek. So I simply asked his friend about it, and instead of BS, he confirmed Robert’s story about the construction, siding with me and not Shayne.

“Well, nice try Shayne, that just cost you 80 dollars,” I said to Shayne, and we all had a little laugh. Along the way, I had bumped into the wholesale cake guy from a couple of reaches ago; he was driving a motorcycle. Between him and old-man David and the rest of the Negril characters, I’ve seen dozens of old acquaintances as I’ve motored around the past week or so. I decided to run along to Bloody Bay for old-time sake, as that is where I started, at the RIU Club about ten years ago.

I found a little pathway between the brush and parked right up on the beach and kind of took it all in. This was near Office of Nature, and an old lady was setting up some dresses and her wares to sell, and I picked up a few souvenirs. I didn’t need ‘em but what can I say? I’ve compulsive.

[chris55]

Really liking your reports.. I can't wait to be in Negril! With only 10 days it will be tough to squeeze everything in. Especially enjoy all the pics and videos. I know a lot of people love the All Inclusives but they just have no idea of the people you can meet and the places you can find when you get off the resort Thanks for making it real.

[gerryg123]

Here is video from enjoying food and drinks at Catcha Falling Star:

[Jamadian]

gerryg123 you are priceless

[Country]

Gerryg123 love the report. I began reading a couple weeks ago from the beginning. I read three trips,of reports, and I must say "You Got Style". I'd really enjoy catching you pon Di roc, in the future. I was a bit on the fence about Feb trip but after seeing Negril through your eyes and stylistic verbiage (all the prodding, "if your think about coming just book the trip) and all about five times. I realized you only live once! Like you, I tend to reflect on my life when in Jamaica, before I go, while I'm there and after I leave. It's more than vacation to me after 22 years and 18 Reaches I always come away with a new "knowledge" about myself or the culture or people in general. Thank you for the inspiration leading to the intention. Negril allows me to remember, " I just livin I life"

[gerryg123]

On the way back, I spotted Marko at Hi-Lo and, as previously mentioned, helped him tote his groceries. We made one stop together at the local fish market, where Marko got into a 15-minute argument with the store clerk, who claimed he was underpaid because of a mistake pricing out everything. After bringing packages into Marko’s little apartment on Ella Lane, we made plans to meet later at Seastar, where Marko likes to order diet cokes and soak in the pool, sometimes for hours; all the folks at Seastar Inn love the guy.

There in the pool, Marko told me his whole life story including some wild ups and downs. He has had an incredible life, and no one and I mean no one does a better job of doing things right in Negril than him. He lives life to the fullest in Jamaica on his own terms. He’s got a great personality and a great sense of humor, and we sometimes we laugh so hard together that it hurts.

Everything I’ve done in Negril, good and bad, Marko has done at least twice.

We ate heartily, feasting on lobsters and pasta and dumplings and french fries, in that order.

[HuskerJohn]

what a great report

[Laurel]

"Later I met an 18 year old part-time expat at Ahh Bees. You usually don’t meet ‘em that young, but as things happened, his father had re-married a Jamaican, so he’s living here half the time and said he enjoys it a lot, though I wonder if there are many peers that young. The average age in Negril is 40-plus, I would think."

I admit I have only read the first couple pages when they were first posted, and these last three pages or so ... but I am confused by your above statement. "An 18 year old ExPat" not having peers in Jamaica?? I assume this young man was a white American or Canadian, or from some Country in Europe?? If his father had married a Jamaican Woman - is this woman white Jamaican or a black Jamaican, or a Chinese Jamaican? If his father has married into a Jamaican Family - regardless of the shade of skin or shape of eyes, this young man will have scads of new extended Jamaican Family. Heaps of Cousins, Uncles, Aunties, and regardless of what Country a young person spends time in growing up ~ of course there will be "Peers". "Everyone in Negril is 40 years or plus"??? You do not see young Jamaican people around Negril/Jamaica? You gotta realize there is more to Jamaica and Negril than just what you experience as an extensive Tourist ... with the Beck & Call Girls, whatever one smokes or ingests to alter ones moods for the "Tickets to Paradise", & the copious amounts of available Rum & Red Stripes. The opportunity for a young person to have the experience to "live" within another Country & Culture is priceless.

Just saying ~