Trip #3 - Going to Negril

[Tiger Eye]

Re: Trip #3 - Going to Negril

Dolly,

Juicy J's is one of my favorite restaurants in Negril. Good choice.

Will you be posting a picture of yourself?

It says Trip #3. I read Darlenebaby's (I think that's her name) report recently for the first time. Was that Trip #1 and is #2 posted somewhere so I don't read these sequels out of order.

Trip notes are an excellent idea. It is hard enough to remember much at the end of the day much less when it is all over. I guess that helps leave some memories in Jamaica. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

~ rizla

[dollybaby74]

Re: Trip #3 - Going to Negril

Hi all, enjoyed reading your comments! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Vi, Olivia is doing very well! She is so excited. She has been planning and saving for our next trip, hopefully in November of this year if all goes well.

Rizzla, Danielle actually posted a trip report of her version of my trip#1. My first two trips are in the archives, if somebody can tell me how to post a link I will place it in this one. I don't think I'm going to post my pic on here, but if you email me I'll send you some. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Sophie Magoo]

Re: Trip #3 - Going to Negril

Hi Dollybaby,
You are such a wonderful writer! Am enjoying every word . . . Call me please [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[dollybaby74]

Re: Trip #3 - Going to Negril

Hi Sophie! Havn't heard from you in awhile. I'll call you soon so we can catch up. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

We wake up and decide to sit out on the balcony and listen to some music. I brought the “Little Cottage in Negril” song after Sistacaf had mentioned it to me before I left. People would peer up at us, and start singing along to the song. We talk about where we are going to go tomorrow night. At home I was listening to Fame FM on the internet and heard that Bounty Killer and Elephant Man were holding a concert for Bounty’s birthday bash in Kingston. After listening to Irie a bit on the balcony, they mentioned another concert being held in St.Mary with Capleton and Sizzla. Since we were planning to stay in Ochi the next day we decided to see that one since it was closer.

It was about 5:30 by now, and we order our dinner down at Fun Holiday knowing it was going to take at least an hour before we were served. I decide to get the curry chicken that night.

Later we head out to Alfred’s on the beach. We stand in line and make our way in. There is some sort of comedy/dance show happening on stage. After the reggae starts playing and I have the BEST time signaling di plane, rowing like a boat, doin the pon di river pon di bank and of course I must wine like a gypsy to the Egyptian dance. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

The dj calls out that they are going to be doing the draw, we get out our tickets but we don’t win. An ecstatic Jamaican walks away with a few thousand J’s.

At around 2:00 we call it a night because tomorrow we need to get up early, rent the car and head out to Ochi.

Day 3 – Saturday

It is 6:30 am and I wake again to a beautiful day. There is not a cloud in the sky, I go out on the balcony to look out at the sea and it is a striking clear blue-green.

I want to go out to the beach before we get moving. Paul still looks tired and not very mobile and tells me to go on without him. So I find a swimsuit and towel and head to the beach.







There is not a soul out except for a few joggers and a rasta raking up the beach. I pull out a lounge chair and just enjoy the serenity of an early morning laying beside the water as the world starts to wake up. I’m so glad I’m in this world right now and not my own.

After an hour or so, I decide I should start getting ready so we could hit the road. When I get upstairs Paul is almost finished getting ready so I quickly shower and do the same. Downstairs again for breaky. Today I have callaloo. I order tea and guess what. They don’t have sweet milk for the tea. I am SO disappointed. After we’re done, the waitress says to me “You didn’t want to finish”? Oh come ON. Well that just got him going.

It’s about 9:00 now and we check with the front desk clerk about the car. He said they are just cleaning it up and it would be ready in about 15 minutes. We run upstairs to collect our stuff. The driver says they need to take me downtown to do the paperwork, Paul stays back at the hotel with the bags and I leave with the driver.
Once at Vernon’s, they collect $1000 as a damage deposit (oh my god) and tell me if the car is mashed up I will have to pay $2500 (OH MY GOD) and that’s with the maximum insurance coverage they available. The charge for 7 days is $350 including the insurance, taxes and free pickup and dropoff to the airport. I sign my life away, say a little prayer and then walk away with the driver to examine the car. It’s the same white Toyota Corolla station wagon that we came in. That’s the car I’m getting?? I think to myself. I’m not really a station wagon kinda gyal. Oh well, it’ll have to do.

I get into the passenger seat and the driver says to me “What are you doing, you’re driving”. I tell him “No, that’s OK, you can drive back”. I’m freaking out because I only planned on driving a few times MAYBE. I figured Paul would do most of the driving. He says “I’m not going back to the hotel, you’ll have to drive yourself”. OH NO!! I picture myself having to cross that busy street downtown, and remember to drive on the left AND figure out how to maneuver a car with the steering wheel on the wrong side. I picture $2500 with little wings attached to the bills flying over me.



See that white station wagon in the distance (barely I know) under the tree? That was it.

[stargirl911]

Re: Trip #3 - Going to Negril

((dollybaby)) [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[sheanlee]

Re: Trip #3 - Going to Negril

Originally posted by dollybaby74:
[qb]
they collect $1000 as a damage deposit (oh my god) and tell me if the car is mashed up I will have to pay $2500 (OH MY GOD) ........ I picture $2500 with little wings attached to the bills flying over me.
[/qb]

BOAL! Gyal you know how to turn a phrase! DWL!

[Tiger Eye]

Re: Trip #3 - Going to Negril

D ~

I will email you when I get home from work and include a picture of myself since it is only fair.

Rizla

[Classy]

Re: Trip #3 - Going to Negril

Girl don't even scare me! When I return for my trip next year I'm leaning toward renting a car
[img]/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]
But if I can manage to drive in San Francisco I guess Jamaica won't be so bad (I hope)

[geocox]

Re: Trip #3 - Going to Negril

[Classy]

Re: Trip #3 - Going to Negril

Originally posted by geocox:
[qb] [/qb]

I see you clownin hun? *LOL* Shhhh I won't tell anyone that this is what happened to your rental and that's why you call Sala when you go to Jamaica! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[dr. bones]

Re: Trip #3 - Going to Negril

Nothing like breaking you in slowly for the Jamaican driving. I've never driven in Ja, but really think I could. Only prob. is no one will get in the car w/ me behind the wheel. Your first time you were all by yourself to. No one to yell when you go the wrong way around a round about [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[dollybaby74]

Re: Trip #3 - Going to Negril

The driver walks away from me and I am left sitting in the driver's seat. Well, here goes nothing. The car starts moving forward out of the parking lot and it's as if I am learning how to drive all over again. A cat walking by is moving faster than me.

I head down the narrow roadway up to the main street. There is quite a bit of traffic and I have to turn right and get onto the left side of the road. Hit the signals and the windshield wipers start going. Oops,signals are on the OTHER side of the steering wheel. I find an opening and start merging with those coming off the roundabout to get onto Norman Manley Blvd. I get beeped at right away, later I find out I have to YIELD to these people coming off the roundabout.

Get onto Norman Manley and drive about 2 miles an hour the whole way. I do end up getting both me and the car back to the hotel in one piece. I can
finally hand the keys over to Paul and not have to worry.

I pull into Fun Holiday's parking lot and Paul asks where is the driver and where is our car. I point to the white thing. He responds "That's the
one?? Why they give you a taxi"? I didn't really understand what he meant but after driving it for awhile with people trying to flag us down for a ride, I get it.

We load up the stuff and he proceeds to get into the passenger seat. I pass him the keys and say to him "Here, you can drive". He tells me he is
not driving, and reminds me of the terrible car accident he was in a few years and is now afraid to drive. WHAT??? I KNOW he doesn't expect me to
drive all the way to Ocho Rios!!! Oh lord he does. I start to panic and think that maybe this renting a car thing isn't such a good idea.

I make my way out of the parking lot and stop to turn onto Norman Manley, there goes the windshield wipers again. I get on to the road and start heading towards downtown again to fill up on gas. While we are there Paul asks the gas attendant to check our vital, coolant levels, oil, etc. Well, good thing because there is no oil in the car. We buy some oil and it
takes up almost the whole thing. I wouldn't have even thought to check on those things. I make my way back to the roundabout and stop to yield.
This is where I learn that I'm not supposed to yield but continue through.

Twenty minutes later we are on our way to Montego Bay and I am having to listen to "Watch the cows, watch the goat, why don't you slow down, watch
the…...BANG…..POTHOLE!! Baby did you NOT see that pothole"!!! I am about to kill him and bury his body somewhere alongside the road.

After about an hour of driving it feels just like driving at home without even thinking about it. I fit in quite well, of course I'm told I drive
like a maniac back home.

After 2 ½ hours of driving and about 15 minutes away from Ocho Rios Paul points to the side of the road and asks me to pullover. I do and he says "Mek mi drive". Ok, so I get out and move over to the passenger side. He drives and we finally reach Ocho Rios. First thing I notice is the Jamaica Grande on the left from where we stayed during the first trip. Those memories all flood back and I smile to myself because this place really feels like home to me. I love Negril for the fun and partying and beautiful beach but there is something about Ocho Rios that just does something to me.

We pull into Main Street and it is busy. People and cars have flooded the streets, I hear the chattering and beeping of horns.

I look ahead of me and as if we are moving in slow motion, I see the front of our car about to hit the one in front of us and then I hear a bang and scraping sound up the side of the car (my side) and I just watch as the two cars collide.

OK. This must be a nightmare. This really and truly cannot be happening. The $2500 with the wings appear in front of me again.

[Suzi]

Re: Trip #3 - Going to Negril

Oh my gosh. Don't stop now. Hey, I give you credit for just driving.

[dr. bones]

Re: Trip #3 - Going to Negril

don't do to be continued now. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img] I would have puked thinking bout the $2500 w/ wings. I'm sure that they were able to pull out the dent, and all is well again. Right? [img]/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]