This trip started as a joke. A joke between my BFF and me to rile up my husband on the way home from a set of DMB shows in July at Alpine Valley. This trip started as a trip to NYC to see museums. My husband put his stamp of approval immediately on that trip, and my friend and I looked at each other like, “REALLY?!?!” So we immediately started looking at flights and hotels for the first week in September but were dismayed at the prices. No way were we dropping that kind of cash for a trip within the US. So we started looking outside the US for a cheap getaway and straightaway, Jamaica was our choice. So it was mid to later July and we had a trip booked – I usually book much, much further out than that for international trips, but we had time to research. For a while, I felt as if I was over-researching, but once we hit the ground, I was so, so glad I had done all the reading that I did. I felt totally at ease and confident in saying no, knowing what we wanted, and had a great list of places to see, items to eat and drink, and experiences we’d like to treat ourselves to. Of course, I owe a great deal of this level of preparedness to you all here at Negril.com – so thank you all for your vast experience and knowledge of this slice of heaven – it was endlessly helpful.
We left at 3:30am from my house. We were prepared. We had our luggage strategically packed to fit our St. Anthony’s donations. We had laminated maps (YES, LAMINATED; we’re teachers, dammit!), we had snacks, we had cash, we had swimsuits, we had snorkel gear, we had bug spray, sun lotion, sundresses, hats – we had it all. We parked at a friend’s house and walked the 5 blocks to the light rail station, missed one train by literal seconds (we even ran, a tall order at 4:30 am!), but got the next one, no problem, and arrived with plenty of time to the airport. We only had carry-ons, it was early, and so our check-in and security process was smooth as butter, much like the majority of our trip – all that planning and research really paid off in the long run.
After a smooth and uneventful layover in ATL, a few 9am drinks, and a snack, we sat down at our gate. Except when I sat down, I fell off my chair, well, more like slid off, and at that moment, I knew that we needed to really watch the alcohol intake on the trip – neither of us drink much anymore. So we made a pact to try to drink equal parts water and alcohol on the trip so we could (mostly) keep our wits about ourselves.
After boarding our MBJ plane in ATL, we quickly realized that the party vibe was already in full effect with most others on the plane, including our flight attendants, who sang, danced, and got us all cheering numerous times throughout the flight. Seemed they were just as excited to get to MBJ as we were.
Upon our arrival, I caught a few whiffs of the lovely sea air between the plane and the gate, and after quick, painless, and easy immigration and customs stops, and a quick purchase of some Appleton Estate and some run cream at the likkle duty-free liquor cart, we entered the hall to go to the bus counter and we were swept off to our awaiting driver and bus. We tipped the dude who helped with our luggage and I was a bit bummed we weren’t approached for a ganja transaction, mostly just so we could have a some good stories and also so we could practice our assertive rebuffing of such offers after having heard of how hard we’d get hustled, but I guess we look too innocent. Haha.
After chatting up our driver and the other couple on the bus, we realized we had a bit more of a wait, so we ran over and grabbed some patties and waters. After about a half an hour wait (which was annoying, but we expected it after researching, so it wasn’t the end of the world) we finally got off on the road. MBJ was pretty busy so it took quite some time to just get out into the country side. On the way our bus driver stopped and bought us a bunch of the grape-like fruits that have a jelly-like inside with the hard shell on the outside, which were delicious! We also had to stop at those Grand Pala-whadducall’um AI resorts to drop a few folks off – woah, so glad we didn’t go that route for a hotel. Just so, so not our style and way too ‘luxury’ for our tastes. We continued on, and moved to the back of the bus since it was raised up and we could see better. We thoroughly enjoyed the drive into Negril! It rained just a tad, although it looked as if it’d rained more heavily earlier in the day since there were some puddles and the roads were still wet.
Of course we were the last ones on the bus and the only folks on the cliffs on the bus, but we arrived to Xtabi safe and sound. Upon first look, both of our jaws literally dropped and I don’t really think that I picked my jaw up off the ground for the rest of the trip. We very quickly toured our room (#16 – much larger and roomy than we’d come to expect based on pictures!), congratulated ourselves on a job well done on the smooth trip, and dumped our stuff off, threw on swimsuits, and headed out. We hightailed it right across the road to the bar and the cliffs. We promptly ordered up two Rum Punches and again did some verbal back-patting while we sat down. The sun was on its way down and we were in pure awe. The drinks were quickly downed and before we could even think clearly, we headed down into the caves – all we could keep saying was “holy S#$*!” over and over again. My friend continually said, “I’m so happy! I’m so happy!” – it was that pure magic that only arriving just in time to experience perfection can bring.
Adrenaline pumped through my veins in a way that I didn't expect – it was a rush unlike any other; somehow knowing that we were in the right place, at the right time for this stunning show about to unfold before us was affecting me physically – and it seemed we were the ones it was all for – that somehow Jah, or Gaia, or God, or whatever higher power may control the sun and the sea, boiled up this brew of beauty just for us.
The permutation of awe, splendor, and humidity kissing my cool skin brought me to another place, a place where it was so easy to forget the 3 year old I’d normally have tugging on me, the messy house, the curriculum planning waiting for me to finish, not to mention the 170 students I’d be greeting in just a few short weeks for the start of the school year. It was all gone – gone and scorched into the very far reaches of my memory. I was living in the now. In the here. In the beauty of Jamaica.
We quickly stormed down the steps heading to the largest and smoothest swimming platform and we peeled our sweaty dresses off and before either of us knew it, we were in the water. I eased myself in and pushed back (gingerly because I had re-broken broken pinky toe from being clumsy two days before leaving for our trip – I originally broke it 11 years ago at my bachelorette party and damn, that freaking hurt). As I tasted that first flavor of the salty sea, I spread my arms wide and floated back, toward the sunset. I turned over, dove down, immersing myself fully in the sea, somehow both cool and warm simultaneously. It was perfection. Meanwhile, Krista was out a ways exclaiming, “I’m so happy! I’m so happy!”, making me smile and realize that our entire 20+ year friendship felt like it was coming to some sort of culmination – a special place that we’d never forget. We’ve travelled on the road together a number of times, but never like this, even though we are both relatively well-travelled for our ages and incomes (her more so than me). We made a pact to do as much as possible on this trip – she had made a list of things to do, experience, to taste, to see – and we were determined to cross off those items. In fact, just the very act of floating in the ocean watching the sun set before us, as Rum Punches danced on our taste buds satisfied a number of items on the list alone.
And despite our wish to get out, to see, so do, to experience, our first night was spent at our resort. Quietly, with joy, we returned to our room, dripping sea water as we scuttled across the road. We changed, and despite our very best intentions of heading to Canoe Bar to catch the tail end of the webcast, we decided to just eat at Xtabi that night.
Originally Posted by 2nutz4travel
