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My last month trip to Jamaica was undoubtedly one of my best trips ever to this place I now call home. The Christmas/New Years Holiday season is a great time to visit and, when you live in a home in a local community instead of a hotel, you get a few glimpses of what life is like for a local trying to exist and sometimes simply survive in these troubled times.
I have been to Jamaica 60 times over the past 22 years and have written umpteen stories about those travels so I will only give a few impressions and pictures of a few events that stand out from this trip.
I was delayed in Kingston for a few hours as the plane to Montego Bay seemed to lack me from it’s list of passengers although I had a printed itinerary and ticket showing I was booked on the flight. I try not to let small things bother me in Jamaica so I graciously consented to a seat on a later flight. Now, after landing, I thought I could get a Tourwise Bus to Negril with “No Problem” but, as it turned out, nobody else was scheduled to go to Negril or went to the counter to sign-up so I guess I was now on my own!
I pulled my heavy bags over by the exit from the building and asked a security guard to watch them for me as I went outside to try my negotiating skills in getting a taxi to the Negril Yacht Club where my partner and good friend had been waiting patiently (I hope!) for my delayed arrival. Before I could even get a word out of my mouth to the assembled throng of drivers, I heard a voice shouting “Bill! Bill! Over here!” It was my good friend Eric from Treasure Beach who had been waiting for a couple to arrive but they had, for some unknown reason, failed to show. “Divine Intervention!” we simultaneously said recalling many times we had used that phrase when referring to the rain when I lived in Treasure Beach. We laughed and hugged before I went back inside to get my bags. Boy! It was good to see a friendly face when you just arrive in Jamaica! It began to rain.
My friend lives in Sheffield and I would be sharing living space in a home with two other groups of people while staying in the Negril area. Sharing a kitchen, living area and bathroom with my friend and some hither to unknown people presented some challenges but also made for some fascinating interaction. One group who lived at the house was Judy Kerr and her beautiful young daughter “Lexie” who I simply adored. We spent a lot of time together talking, painting and playing dominoes.
Judy is a Gospel singer and has a group known as the “Judith Kerr Ministry” and they have rented a local venue called “Cool Runnings” for a show.
Judy’s family who live all around Jamaica are singers and performers so they descended upon the house the day before the show.
Now, the occasionally frantic household of 5 people contained 10 more bodies so again we had to adjust to the situation.
The Gospel Concert was a wonderful experience as the crowd was feeling the power of the Lord! Everyone was dancing and singing.
I had been to a Nine Night a few days prior and both experiences provided bookends to a wonderful first week back home in Jamaica!
More Soon Come
I have been to Jamaica 60 times over the past 22 years and have written umpteen stories about those travels so I will only give a few impressions and pictures of a few events that stand out from this trip.
I was delayed in Kingston for a few hours as the plane to Montego Bay seemed to lack me from it’s list of passengers although I had a printed itinerary and ticket showing I was booked on the flight. I try not to let small things bother me in Jamaica so I graciously consented to a seat on a later flight. Now, after landing, I thought I could get a Tourwise Bus to Negril with “No Problem” but, as it turned out, nobody else was scheduled to go to Negril or went to the counter to sign-up so I guess I was now on my own!
I pulled my heavy bags over by the exit from the building and asked a security guard to watch them for me as I went outside to try my negotiating skills in getting a taxi to the Negril Yacht Club where my partner and good friend had been waiting patiently (I hope!) for my delayed arrival. Before I could even get a word out of my mouth to the assembled throng of drivers, I heard a voice shouting “Bill! Bill! Over here!” It was my good friend Eric from Treasure Beach who had been waiting for a couple to arrive but they had, for some unknown reason, failed to show. “Divine Intervention!” we simultaneously said recalling many times we had used that phrase when referring to the rain when I lived in Treasure Beach. We laughed and hugged before I went back inside to get my bags. Boy! It was good to see a friendly face when you just arrive in Jamaica! It began to rain.
My friend lives in Sheffield and I would be sharing living space in a home with two other groups of people while staying in the Negril area. Sharing a kitchen, living area and bathroom with my friend and some hither to unknown people presented some challenges but also made for some fascinating interaction. One group who lived at the house was Judy Kerr and her beautiful young daughter “Lexie” who I simply adored. We spent a lot of time together talking, painting and playing dominoes.
Judy is a Gospel singer and has a group known as the “Judith Kerr Ministry” and they have rented a local venue called “Cool Runnings” for a show.
Judy’s family who live all around Jamaica are singers and performers so they descended upon the house the day before the show.
Now, the occasionally frantic household of 5 people contained 10 more bodies so again we had to adjust to the situation.
The Gospel Concert was a wonderful experience as the crowd was feeling the power of the Lord! Everyone was dancing and singing.
I had been to a Nine Night a few days prior and both experiences provided bookends to a wonderful first week back home in Jamaica!
More Soon Come
Great to see you had such a fabulous visit. Excellent photos and comments so far, keep it coming. Sounds like I not only have to beat you at a game of Pool, but a game of Dominoes as well... [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img] 
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