great start! Penthouse... o sweet sweet penthouse...
great start! Penthouse... o sweet sweet penthouse...
OMG, that is awesome! Its connections like these that are such a unexpected benefit of sharing our story. You've got me searching my memory banks trying to connect you to the right face. Did we see you at the Luciano show on Saturday as well?Originally Posted by rocknrollfarmer
Our paths may very well cross again this year, as we will be in Negril until December 7.
I read your last trip report, what grabbed me right away was the quote you posted "Never forget anticipation
is an important part of life." I say that to everyone when people ask me why I love travel so much. Especially to Jamaica. Really enjoy your writing.!!!
Chapter 2
“The real glory is being knocked to your knees and then coming back. That's real glory. That's the essence of it.”
― Vince Lombardi
As we got ready to leave for our trip I was quietly hopeful that my recollections of the magic of Negril hadn't been overstated. When we returned from our first trip, I was back on Negril.com almost right away. There was no doubt in my mind that we were heading back. We had seen just enough to know we hadn't even scratched the surface and we were ready for more.
The better part of year immersed in the enthusiasm of the board actually had me second guessing the trip a bit too. I could have called this trip report "Brought to you by Negril.com" because the influence of the board was evident in pretty much all our plans. Maybe Negril wouldn't be as good as we remembered? Perhaps we had woven a fantasy of memories that couldn't manage to live up to expectations?
So our departure date finally arrives. I had been counting down for some 230 days and I couldn't believe that tomorrow we would be back in Negril. I had a bit of pre-trip anxiousness. I had packed and repacked, second and third guessing most every choice. I don't know why I bothered. Judging by the pictures I appear to have only worn two things the entire time.
Work day done we both rush home for a few last minute details and then the cab arrives to take us to the airport. Check in and security was no problem.
We head over to the restaurant to see about a table. If this story is going to have a villain, we are about to meet up with it here. I don't have its permission to be in the trip report so let's just say I have never Thanked God For Thursdays. I've always wondered at naming a restaurant after a particularly beloved day of the week. Is it not kind of mocking you the other six days?
They are all full but our name went on the list. We were plenty early and in no particular rush. Not 10 minutes later a table for two opened up. We settled in to talk excitedly about all the fun we were going to have over the next 10 days. The tables on either side of us seemed to be occupied by tired and worn business travelers. It felt so good not to be one of them.
We both ordered warm sandwiches. I know Sunshine had a cheese steak. I think mine had chicken. They could have served us MREs and I'd not have complained. As it was, neither meal was actually much better than that. In fact, we joked the food was pretty terrible. It didn't bother either of us one bit; tomorrow we would be in Negril and nothing else mattered. The view departing Winnipeg.
Eagerly anticipating the next installment... And loving your writing style!
Don't waste your time with explanations, people only hear what they want to hear.
Cherry, Hey Hey My My Rock n roll can never die. To quote another famous Canuck! Neil Young. {you being the other famous one!} Yes, we were at the Luciano show. What a night! Us and another couple called from Coco for the Seastar free ride, and then we get there.. Not knowing what to expect, and to our surprise they had a reserved table for us right in front of the stage! What an unexpected surprise! Deb and I can't recall seeing you at the show, but for sure the One love bus! This Dec. we'll be at the Seastar til the 9th. So, yeah it would be cool to run into you two again. Respect . evryting Irie! Todd + Deb
Landing in Toronto I was feeling a bit worse for wear. Dinner hadn't settle all that well and I was looking forward to getting my bag and my Rolaids. I said as much to Sunshine and he heartily agreed. It seemed the airport was either too hot or too cold and everything was taking just a bit too long. Of course, our bags took something near forever. A further 20 minute wait and the shuttle arrived to whisk us away to our mediocre hotel.
We've changed time zones, it's now after 10. Check in was at least quick and once up to the room I broke out those Rolaids. With relief hopefully on the way, Sunshine got the ice bucket and headed for the ice machine, which is of course at the opposite end of the building one floor up.
WARNING – This party goes downhill quick.
A few minutes later the hotel room door flew open with a bang as Sunshine charged into the bathroom where I heard the unmistakable sound of his dinner greeting the porcelain thrown. As I round the corner all I see is vomit on the wall, vomit on the floor and when I opened it, vomit all over the outside of our room door.
Well this isn't good I think to myself. I try to make soothing sounds and offers of help to Sunshine. Then, as I always travel with a pack of wipes for whatever contingency, I get to cleaning up the mess.
Fifteen minutes or so later, Sunshine emerges, shaky and pale. We start looking for a root cause of his malaise and all signs are pointing to our last airport meal. It isn't the first time we haven't been thrilled with the food from that chain, but it will be the last.
If you've ever visited the Canadian prairies, you know is that it is easy to find yourself a long way from anywhere, especially if you find yourself unexpectedly under the weather. By a long way, I mean it could be at least an hour drive to a gas station that serves as grocery, liquor store, movie rental and pharmacy and that's only if you are lucky. This is a lesson I have learned the hard way and I always travel with what we call my portable pharmacy. It isn't magic. It covers the basic remedies for cold, flu and first aid, with enough of everything to get you through the first symptoms until you can find more.
I give Sunshine some Pepto and some Gravol. It is the best of what I have. I'm optimistic, but then I always am. Not half an hour later when Sunshine makes the dash again, I am a little more concerned. I note the time. He emerges some time later looking even worse for wear. More Pepto, hopefully this will be the last. It wasn't.
It was the strangest thing. It was almost like clockwork. Every 42-44 minutes he made the dash, emerging after too long a bit worse off than the time before.
He is being a real trooper. He's literally drinking a liter of water after each 'round'. It's not staying down, but at least he's still got something to bring up. I tell myself it is helping to rinse his system. This is the body's natural defense against unwelcome guests, right?
As we are nearing 2 am, I am getting more concerned. I keep saying soothing things, but I'm eyeballing my pharmaceutical supplies and he is going through them at a rate I can't sustain. I'm in a strange city, in a strange hotel not of my choosing. I am just not quite sure what to do. I'm counting the hours left in my head and I am grasping for anything that I could call a positive sign.
All the while, this little voice in the back of mind is whispering, 'We have to get on that plane in the morning. We've been waiting a year, we are half way there, and we have to get on the plane in the morning.' As the night continues, a second little voice starts asking, 'What if we can't get on the plane in the morning?' I felt like a monster for even thinking it. Sunshine is in living hell and I am selfishly worried about my travel plans.
Somewhere in the 3 a.m. hour I get my first good sign. Sunshine makes the dash, but the problem has migrated to his lower half. Using my extensive medical knowledge, primarily gleaned from Grey's Anatomy, I decide this is just the sign we were looking for. Whatever big bad is in his gut, at least it is transiting quickly. We've only got 5 or so more hours until our shuttle back to the airport, but there is a glimmer of hope.
Poor soul, I had to ration the Pepto. With less than 2 hours left until we were hopefully going catch the shuttle back to the airport, I resume dosing him. I'm hopeful we can find more at the airport. We've been up all night, but I sure don't have anything to complain about.
Ha, that (actually) famous Canuck and I are actually from the same town. He grew up somewhere in the range of 10 blocks from my parent's house. We must have been practically beside each other at the show, as we were in one of those front tables too. I was so impressed with Seastar's hospitality that night, it is a big part of why we are staying there this year. We'll make sure to not drink all the cold Red Stripe on you, we are staying there until the 4th.
Glad you enjoyed the first one - just think of it as a little mini Jamaican getaway each day. I may not manage to get it all done in 10 days this year, but you'll see the end before we fly back again - which is only 16 days away.
Ha, Ha, love it! I'm humming right along. And great avatar - if I am guessing the location right, this report is going to take you back there too.
Thanks jojo. I really do think at least half of the fun is traveling is the excitement of knowing it's coming. At the risk of sounding terribly spoiled, I HATE not having some sort of travel plans to count down to.
Oh gosh I hope this is not the end of the report and even worse you come back to say yall headed back to Winnipeg!!lol
Cherry you was a trooper for Sunshine! and I'm sure Sunshine heard the lil voice too 'We have to get on that plane in the morning. We've been waiting a year, we are half way there, and we have to get on the plane in the morning. haha!
"If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay home"
Drink Eat be IRIE!
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