Loving your report! So much so that I"m starting to regret going go Barbados this December instead of our usual Negril trip. I knew I would miss going to Negril but its starting to be painful! May just have to find a way to get back sooner! Keep posting.. I"ll suffer through it.
Yeah, I love being a good influence! I expect at some point we are going to want to see Negril at high season, but for now we are really into the low season rates. I'm expecting some more of your awesome pictures when you get back.Originally Posted by justchuck
Hahaha! When I started this, I never considered how cruel it might be to others; it's getting me all psyched up but I'm into the single digit fidget.Loving your report! So much so that I"m starting to regret going go Barbados this December instead of our usual Negril trip. I knew I would miss going to Negril but its starting to be painful! May just have to find a way to get back sooner! Keep posting.. I"ll suffer through it.If I where you, I'd look into that getting back sooner thing. Like justchuck!
Last edited by CherryNorth49; 11-16-2013 at 08:16 PM.
Chapter 10
“Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.”
― Benjamin Franklin
We arrived at CocoLaPalm and they were expecting us. For the first time in the trip, someone wanted to see some ID and get my credit card information. I needed to put $100 deposit down for 'incidentals' which would be refunded at the end of the trip if we hadn't used it. I have a foot note on that detail. Other than at Catcha, we were paying in cash everywhere, including Coco; it keeps spending under control. When we checked out, they refunded the deposit. However, exchange rates weren't going our way and by the time my credit card had its fees, we were out $19. So minor really, but if I had known that was going to happen, I would have spent $100 at the bar rather than paying cash for our Red Stripe.
Check in was a breeze and the porter showed us to our room. I had been disappointed I wasn't able to book a junior suite but as it turns out I needn't have been, because we ended up in one anyway. Yippee! Seriously, this room is huge. It is a big octagon, with a beautiful double vaulted wooden ceiling. The two queen beds couldn't have taken up 20% of the floor space. There was table for four, a couch and a big wet bar. The bathroom had a big open closet, double sinks with something like five feet of counter between them and a double shower. You could practically park a car in the bathroom and still get ready in the morning. The balcony was huge, with a table and four chairs and two loungers. We were towards the street side of the property, overlooking the Coco fountain. The fountain made great white noise, so we didn't really hear the street. The greenery in the centre of that section of the property is so lush. I was totally in love.
We did make it down to the beach in time for sunset.
It was another winner, at least from the beach.
Given these clouds, I don't know how the view would have been on the West End. Looks like we moved just in time!
If you are ever looking for me in Negril, if it is around sunset I can reliably be found facing west just taking it all in. Which was exactly were Mamade11 found us. We swapped stories of the day and she suggested perhaps later we might share a few beverages around the hot tub a little later. We agreed to the concept. We each went our own way for dinner. We'd been in Negril for six days and hadn't had any barrel jerk yet, so our plan was to head across the street to Best in the West.
Walking back to the room, I discover that the bushes are filled with Christmas lights. It isn't fully dark yet, so we aren't getting the total effect. You should know that I have a real soft spot for Christmas lights. When I say Christmas lights, I mean real lights, not those crap LED things the stores are full of these days. I kind of feel like I've found a kindred spirit when I see someone else still doing it old school by using the real lights.
I walk out on to the balcony and it looks like we are perched above a twinkling carpet of Christmas.
I might have actually squealed. There might have been clapping too. So not only am I in this amazing room overlooking a jungle, they've covered it in bright, multicolored Christmas lights. I don't think anyone on earth could have appreciated that particular room any more than I did. Everything is coming up Cherry.
Sunshine eventually dragged me back off the balcony, but only for as long as it took to walk across the street, order chicken and bring it back to my twinkly balcony. The chicken was good. Though we were relying on a year old memory, I still think Step-a-side is better.
Now that we are down on the beach, we can get back to one of our favorite night time activities, standing with our feet in the sea, drink in hand enjoying the night air. On our way back we reconnect with Mamade11 and decide it's time to take action on that hot tub plan.
We had a great evening with her and Frank. Mamade arrived with a bottle of over-proof rum and a jug of juice. Though I know I've had rum punch that included a little over-proof, I'd never mixed it on my own. Yikes, that stuff is not for the faint of heart. We hung out for a long time in that hot tub, solving all the world's problems while simultaneously solving none. What a great spot! The tub is huge and totally tucked into the trees. I hate pool setups that make it feel like the whole resort is staring at you from the rooms. That kind of greenery takes time to grow, even in the tropics. I wonder if the person who first had the vision is still around to see the plan so beautifully realized.
Eventually the fun of the day had caught up with me and I was ready to call it a night. We say our goodnights and head for the room. I'm not handling the transition very well. It is all getting a little spiny.
So we have three potential explanations for why it is now my turn to be worshiping the porcelain gods. I may or may not have sustained a minor head injury at Mayfield Falls. I did just spend 2-3 hours hanging out in a hot tub. While I was doing that, I was drinking over-proof rum punch, essentially for the first time. It's my story, so I'm going with head injury. It was clearly time for bed. Stick a fork in me, I am done.
LOL - clearly a head injury
I hoped you see things my wayLOL - clearly a head injury
Damn Cherry, can this trip report get any better?
Sorry you were feeling under the weather...hot tubs and overproof don't mix too well
Love the TR, love the pictures, glad you had a great trip.
Aww, thanks LoraxDamn Cherry, can this trip report get any better?
Sorry you were feeling under the weather...hot tubs and overproof don't mix too well
Love the TR, love the pictures, glad you had a great trip.Negril gives me such good material to work with!
I have certainly learned to treat the over-proof with the respect it deserves! I'm hoping that is a lesson I don't need to learn again.
I go with the head injury too but I'm sorry you weren't feeling good after the rumI have always been told hot tubs and alcohol don't mix - but in Jamaica I've been known to break my own rules when it comes to rum!!!
I am so enjoying your report!!! Bringing back great memories.
But..... will we have to wait until next year to hear how much fun you have this year - maybe some sneak reports!!!
You almost broke me, but I pretty much bounced right back! All those good Jamaican eats helped fix me back up. Really, it was all my own doing. I know the hot tub rule, but we were having so much fun!I go with the head injury too but I'm sorry you weren't feeling good after the rum
I am so enjoying your report!!! Bringing back great memories.
But..... will we have to wait until next year to hear how much fun you have this year - maybe some sneak reports!!!
If we are going by the pattern so far, the marathon report is probably another year away. It seems to take time for the story to come together in my mind. I'm hoping to have better luck technology wise this year, so I might manage to post some pics along the way. No promises though, because once my feet hit the ground, I get a little caught up in the moment.
I suspect
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