Clarity, Markus and Jamar in Negril – Nov 2011 Trip Report: Day 1-3

[Clarity]

Trip Report Continued...

I woke up with a pounding head the next morning, the sunlight was streaming in from our hotel windows.. and it hurt my eyes. I moaned and covered my head with blankets. I quietly resolved to never stay out that late again...at least not on this reach.

Markus sat up slowly...and looked around the room with puffy eyes, utterly disoriented. His hair was sticking straight up. Apparently I looked equally as fabulous.. and we both started laughing at eachother.

I stumbled out of bed and turned on the TV to the Jamaican weather channel to find out the time.

11:45 AM.

“I think we missed breakfast...” I mumbled while fumbling in my suitcase for the bottle of Excedrine I had packed.

I showered and got dressed, Markus was still shaving when I told him that I was going to see if there was any coffee left in the kitchen area.

I love the way the beach looks in the morning.. the water is calm and it's utterly peaceful.



Tomorrow we would be moving to the cliffs, so I sat down for a few minutes with my coffee before returning to our room. I just wanted to soak it all in while I could..



The German tourists were in their respective places, wide awake and already sipping on Dirty Banana's. They had probably been up since the crack of dawn. They always sat in the same beach chairs every day, all day long... They had incredibly dark tans and utterly relaxed postures. I suspected this was their second or third week here.

I remembered how I used to have one month vacations when I lived in Germany...
Those were the days...

I brought the coffees back to our hotel room. Markus was out on the balcony taking pictures of the insects and wild life.

“Hey honey, Take a look at this cool spider”.. He said



I'm terrified of spiders, and this one made me shiver involuntarily because it was so weird looking.
Does Anyone know what kind of spider this is?

“Did you find Jamar?”, Markus asked.

I shook my head.

After coffee we decided to pound on Jamar's door and wake him up.

Today was the day that we were planning on going on our first excursion. Mayfield falls! We had been hoping to set off at 9 AM the latest, so we were a bit behind schedule.

Jamar emerged from his hotel room bleary eyed, but smiling. He told us about his night with Sasha. Apparently he had also stayed out until the wee early morning hours. We all sat together talking on beach chairs..beach gravity was beginning to hit and we had to get moving.

It was at that moment I remembered that we were supposed to pick up a handmade necklace purchased from a vendor down the beach..

Markus and I headed over to the vendor station next to Roots Bamboo and Jamar stayed back to drink some more coffee...We picked up our necklace, chatted with a few vendors...



then realized we were running out of time, so we started rushing back across the beach to our hotel

[Clarity]

That's when I heard “DAISY!! DAISY!!!!”

The voice was coming from Alfred's, I squinted and gazed into the distance to make out who on earth was calling my name.

It was Bella Bea!

She was sitting with her Mother and her mother's friend at Alfred's. We walked on over to her and she introduced us.

“I'm so sorry about last night!”, Bea said urgently “I decided to take a little nap and I set my alarm for 10:00 so I could meet you guys at the Jungle... but I slept right through it. I ended up waking up at 4 AM! I can't believe that happened! I feel so terrible...I hope you didn't wait too long for me”

“No worries! We didn't wait long” I assured her “It's really okay!”

Bea is incredibly sweet and it was good seeing her again.

“Come have lunch with us. We just ordered.. let me get you a menu”, She said “you can tell us all about the Jungle”

“Unfortunately, We can't stay for lunch... we have to go to Mayfield Falls today”, I said

“Today?”, Bea looked at her watch. “It's almost 1:00 already!”

“I know. We got a late start.. but this is the only day we can actually do it.” I explained

“Oh in that case.. go go go!! Have fun!”, She urged. “We'll catch up with guys later”

[Clarity]

So after our saying our goodbyes to Bea and her mom, we headed back to the Grand Pineapple to grab some lunch before contacting Chicken about a ride to Mayfield falls.

Of course Markus and I couldn't resist a really quick dip in the ocean on the way...so refreshing...

After that, We packed our plates with delicious food.. jerk chicken, curried goat, pasta, salads... (I had heard that food at budget all-inclusives are usually rubbish, but GP meals have been consistently good) and we all sat down to eat.

At the end of the meal, I realized we didn't have any Jamaican Dollars left for a tip so left the table to grab some cash from our hotel safe.

*****

When I returned from the hotel room, I saw that Tayshaun (Grand Pineapple, Front desk) was now sitting there with Markus and Jamar.

They were all smiling at me. Big strange smiles.

“What's up?”, I asked easing into the chair slowly. I couldn't figure out why they were all looking at me like that.

Tayshaun and Markus exchanged excited glances.

“Markus was just telling me how you're looking for your family here in Jamaica..”, She started. “the family that your father stayed with as a child?”

“Yes?”

“Your maiden name is McIntosh* and you have family in Mandeville?” Tayshaun asked with a smile.

“Yes”

“We have someone working here at the Grand pineapple with the same Maiden name. His name is Paul. His mother lives in Mandeville. His skin is very light in color and he looks a bit like you”

I froze. I just stared at her in shock. I've been in Jamaica for less than 2 full days and I've already located a family member?!

That's impossible.

My mouth was just hanging open. “Wow! Wait.Is..he here now?”

“No, He doesn't work until tonight. Let me give him a call”, Tayshaun said happily. She was as excited about this potential connection as I was.

I watched her as she made the call on her cellphone, I was unconsciously holding my breath.

“Hi Paul, this is Tayshaun. I think I found a member of your family visiting here from the states. Her maiden name is McIntosh. Yes.. she said she has family in Mandeville.”, She continued.

“Ask him if his great grandfather is Thomas McIntosh?”, I interrupted. McIntosh is a common last name. I figured it would be best to cut to the chase.

Tayshaun asked him over the phone and then her eyes lit up. She nodded. “YES, that's his great grandfather!” she paused, listened some more and then cupped her hand over the phone “He said His Grandfather is Charles McIntosh”

“Oh my god! That's my Grandfather's brother...” I said. I thought back to the Ancestory.com ship records listing Charles McIntosh as a traveling from England to Jamaica in the 1950's . This was surreal!

I felt like I couldn't breathe. Markus laughed and hugged me. Jamar began to hit my shoulder excitedly.

“Holy crap!” Jamar said “You just found your family, Daisy, right here at the Grand Pineapple!”

When Tayshaun hung up, she was all smiles..she reached out and touched my hand. “Well, Looks like we just found your cousin”, She said “He's coming into work tonight. You'll see him at dinner”

This was too crazy. It didn't feel real. Do you ever have those moments, where you swear you're dreaming? Like you step out of your body and you think you're watching yourself in a movie? It's hard to describe this feeling in words. What are the ODDS of this? A member of my family working at the same hotel that I'm staying at? Honestly?

I felt like I was in weird daze, the three of them were staring at me... waiting for me to say something.

And all I could think of was my little brother. I could see his face so clearly in mind and he was smiling. I knew he'd be so proud that I had traveled to Jamaica (twice now!) in his memory and that I was re-connecting with family that my father lost touch with back in 1974. I only wish that he could be be here with me to see this, although in my heart I know he is...

“Thank you Tayshaun”, I said.

Markus, Jamar and Tayshaun all continued talking excitedly, and I was quiet. I was running my fingers over my necklace.. and I stared off toward the beach.

I had found my family
I needed some time to digest this..I had all these questions running through my mind, but I couldn't verbalize it.

I was wondering what Paul would look like.. what he would be like...and what I would say to him. This long lost relative that I didn't even know existed until a few months ago!



(A picture of Markus, Tayshaun and Jamar – right after the phone call)

That's when Markus looked at his watch “It's 1:30 – If we're going to see Mayfield Falls today, we need to find Chicken NOW..hopefully He's available to drive us”

To be continued.........

(Disclaimer* - No, my maiden name is not McIntosh. I have changed the names of my family members in respect for their privacy.)

[Seveen]

okay i'm sobbing - not crying - sobbing

what a story!

[Maryann]

WOW! How exciting!!! Maybe that it why you were drawn to Grand Pineapple... serendipity. I'm adopted so understand how amazing it is to find a piece of the puzzle.

[irieworld]

Wow! I can't get over how the universe works. You go to JA following your brother's dream, and of everywhere, you end up at Grand Pineapple where a long lost relative is working. Amazing and heart lifting. You know your brother is guiding you.

[irieworld]

yeah and I cried too, Seveen! I cry every time Clarity writes about her brother.

[sandy-girl]

I'm crying too.. You stayed at Grand Pineapple last time and went back, right? Wow! I'm at a loss for words.. This is wonderful.

[Sweetness]

again - I nominate Clarity/Markus trip reports as the best in 2011, and 2012 and maybe EVER.
Thank you for sharing these special moments with us. more love

[tranquilitygurl]

again - I nominate Clarity/Markus trip reports as the best in 2011, and 2012 and maybe EVER.
Thank you for sharing these special moments with us. more love

I second the nomination.

Keep smiling!