How do I...

[booger]

Wow, this is a hard one

Typically when I read something like this, my tendancy is to shake my head and wonder how and why people travel like that. Why do places tell guest things to make them scared, what sort of marketing tactic is that? Because typically, those folks go home and tell their friends who then never will even consider travelling to that country. I just can't understand that behavior. And why do people spend so much money to travel to a foreign country only to sit in a box that represents the exact place they just left? Is it all for safety? Because honestly some of the stories that come out of the US would never EVER make me feel safe! Huge buildings being hit by planes? School shootings? Movie theatre shootings? I have traveled a lot in my life and if there was any place I would ever feel too scared to leave the confines of my room it would be here....in the good ole US of A! And that is the truth, but that is not living. I refuse to live my life like that. If you are not experiencing what all the world has to offer you than what is the point in living? And please understand I am not knocking folks who stay at AIs. That is not my thing for sure but I can understand why some people like them, to each their own. But I love to travel and the main reason I love to travel is to see new things, experience new things, meet new people, etc. Some of the most enriching moments of my life and definitely some of the best memories have been those made chatting with locals and learning and seeing a different perspective. I wouldn't trade that for the world!

However, that is a whole other topic.....now on to the pub crawl. Funny enough, I believe the idea was originated by the fact that they wanted a way to bring people to areas they may not have ever seen before, either because they were staying in AIs or maybe they were too timid or afraid to venture out. So, how do you solve those type problems? You get a big brightly fun colored "fun" bus and you load it with tourists. You pick them up (for free) and you take them to approved locations, you offer their own personal "welcoming committee" which offers them drink specials, food, entertainment, in some cases even free hugs! Then the tour guide delivers them safely back to their resorts safe and sound. Brilliant idea! And if it wasn't then I doubt it would have become as popular as it is. Plus I have read time and time again from LOTS of folks staying at AIs (and even many many other tourists) that the pub crawl was the "Highlight of their trip" or the "most fun they have ever had in Negril"

So, there are tons of things you could tell, show or explain to your friend to make your case here. And if she is the kind of person who is normally timid or nervous but can be coaxed out of her shell and enjoy herself, then go for it! And good luck!

However, if she is the type of person who truly believes she is danger of being harmed then it might be best to let her enjoy her vacation in the comforts of those walls. The great thing about Jamaica is that (regardless of thoughts or opinions of which is better) it truly does offer up a great vacation to any kind of traveler, whether its one who wants to sit on one beach and eat and drink or one that wants to get out and explore and actually experience the country. Everyone has a right to vacation their way and enjoy themselves.

So have fun on your pub crawl (you surely will) and good luck to your traveling partners, I hope they can enjoy themselves as well, however they choose to do that!

You took a breath. LOL

Ignorance is bliss I guess..you can't cure it..more fun for the rest of us..lol

Some people just are not wired for Negril. My brother has asked numerous questions about our trips but one thing I do know for sure is I would NEVER take him there. He would be locked in his room watching Fox News all day......

[Lorax2]

TandJ, everyone here has given you great advice...Go out, have fun, take a bunch of pictures of you having fun, bring them back a t-shirt...show them the pics...
I hope EVERYONE has a good time and enjoys Jamaica, it really can be a special place if you let it...

[marley9808]

[QUOTE=booger;88672]
You took a breath. LOL

LOL, yes I did

And I bet you didn't read past the first sentence! Ha!

[Fred Stripe]

Yeah it's scary to go out in Negril.....In NYC they are celibrating the "plunge" in homicides...Yeah,,,,only 414 last year ?????

[Melody]

I'm single and took a friend to Negril in November. He's never travelled outside Canada/US and is pretty set in his ways. I told him about the pub crawl and that I wanted to go. He never seemed too excited about it and then when I asked him directly about it before leaving, he said he doesn't drink (much) and wasn't interested in it if it was like the rural pub crawls around where we live. I said it's not all about drinking, you've got to look at it as a free tour of some cool little places on the cliffs....a way to meet people and have fun. He said he wasn't interested in meeting people. I replied that it wasn't speed dating, but a way to go out with a group rather than just the two of us. The short of it is that he had a negative idea in his head about it right from the beginning. He did go, and the bus was packed. He got out at the stops and complained about the loud music from the speakers right over his head, couldn't hear a thing. He doesn't drink much, but he will have a drink....but he did not have one single drink on the pub crawl. He found a couple of people to talk to at the stops, but as the evening wore on, and people had more drinks he closed off pretty much completely and went and sat off to the side, essentially waiting for the bus to leave. I felt obligated to sit with him. As a result, neither one of us had a good time. The next day he told people where we were staying that he had an awful time. All it cost him was about $10 to tip Lenbert. I had only one drink as I didn't want to get tipsy so as to really p*ss him off.

So....depending on the person and their mindset going in....I have to agree that it's best not to try to do any convincing. If someone doesn't want to go, they shouldn't go as they could ruin the experience for others. My friend should not have gone, seeing as he made no effort to enjoy himself. I would have had a better time by myself. There were other occasions during our week's stay where his attitude hampered what I wanted to do. I had a good vacation despite that, but it just confirmed my idea that I should travel by myself. I have another trip planned for April, was going to go with a friend who just cancelled about a month ago. That was a pain to have to readjust everything on short notice, but I'd rather have it out of the way before leaving rather than put up with someone who doesn't really want to be there. My solo trip has come sooner than I'd thought!

In your situation, it's probably best that you're with a group and because of your friend, that you're at an AI. That way she can make her choice and do what she wants. Hopefully, the rest of your party will also feel free to do what they want, and not stay back simply because of her. In the end, it is everyone's choice what they decide to do, and it's best that they make it for themselves. The more that you can clear the air about that before your vacation, the better it will be.

Have fun!