Alligator Pond & A Decade Of Loving Jamaica....

[ReggaeGirl2000]

IM, this reminds me so much of when I went to AP..

.... I've been to AP twice now, when Rebel Salute is in town, usually around the third week in Janauary and both times I've stayed at the Sea Riv - yes a very beautiful place!!!

Thanks so much for posting this report, as it sure did bring back very fond memories [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

I knew you had great talent with beading, now with your writing skills you sure are one talented lady!!

Bless,
RG

[QK13]

Re: IM, this reminds me so much of when I went to AP..

Does Sea Riv have a web site??? I'd love to find out more about rooms and rates... [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70402-thinking.gif[/img]

[ReggaeEbony]

Re: IM, this reminds me so much of when I went to AP..

this is such a beautiful story, thanks for sharing. it's so great to see ppl getting off the beaten tourist path and learning more about the real JA.

[Nanook]

Re: IM, this reminds me so much of when I went to

Q.K, there is no website that I know of, but then Reggae Girl has been there more recently. The phone number I have for them is 10 years old too but I can check for it later and send it to you. We paid 25 a night and it wasn't that long ago I had heard the same rate. It might be more for Rebel Salute time though, I would think.

Thank you Reggae Girl, I'm glad you stopped by and had a little visit back to A.P!

Orbra, thank you too, I'm happy to hear you're along as well. I'm driving a big bus! There's plenty of room!

OK, back in a couple minutes with more story...

[loops]

this shows in the main forum

ain't that odd....when you go to the main page...the title of this report has now changed to

Re: IM, this reminds me so...

because of the way Reggae girl posted. Now watch it change to my subject that i listed above...This new board is yucky.

I'm loving this report though (((IM)))...love the way the scanned photos look like old postcards


[img]/forums/images/graemlins/70409-waytogo.gif[/img]

[Nanook]

Re: IM, this reminds me so much of when I went to

As our time in Alligator Pond was coming to a close and the impending trip to Negril for the last leg of our journey loomed nearer each day, along came with it a melancholy feeling about it and I would much rather have stayed in Alligator Pond, but to re-make all of the arrangements to leave at all was just too much hassle. Remember, this was before everyone had cell phones and internet wasn’t even a spoken word, so we just gritted our teeth and accepted that two more days wasn’t going to make a huge difference anyway, if anything, it would be harder to leave. Our new friends lent many words of wisdom which grew out of their concern for our welfare for when we hit the big metropolis of Negril. The wisdom was much appreciated and I’m sure we were much less victims of “first timer syndrome”, otherwise known as the school of hard knocks, than we would have been without it, but with all of the cautioning advice a feeling of apprehension began to instill itself in my mind. After all, I’m a northwoods country girl through and through, and I liked my surroundings just as they were, thank you!

On leaving day I was finally privileged to make the aquantince of Shorty, remember him from the beginning of the story? Shorty came to Alligator pond to visit with Peggy & Roger and take us to Negril, the scenic route. Shorty has fairly recently lost his arm to a motorcycle accident and I remember jokingly asking him if he drove a car any better, and I also remember that I got a lot of laughs for that one, heheh…



Shorty...



Goodbye SeaRiv... sniff, sniff



Hello Lover's Leap!



And off to Treasure Beach....



Our room at Samsara awaits....



There is one more little bit left, soon come...

[Nanook]

Alligator Pond, a Jamaicaholics Retrospect...

Negril was interesting but I liked Alligator Pond more. We had a great time with what little there was of it. We walked to the beach…






We went on a boat trip to Booby Cay and did some snorkeling and diving for Sea Urchins!



See the little Sea Urchin in my hand?




And I parasailed...





One more little part, coming up....

[loops]

Re: Alligator Pond, a Jamaicaholics Retrospect...

they had parasailing in the dark ages??????

oooooooooooo looky at the beach babe. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[Nanook]

Re: Alligator Pond, a Jamaicaholics Retrospect...

Epilouge....

The time had come to leave Jamaica and come home to reality. It was a lot easier leaving Negril than it would have been to leave Alligator Pond, although we did enjoy our time there as well. A last stop just outside Montego Bay before having to walk into the dreaded airport…




And this is what I came home to, it had snowed quite a bit while we were basking in the sunshine and warmth of the Caribbean….

tell me I wasn't a little sad about that!



Earlier I mentioned that this trip was life changing, and it surely was. Out the windows went any further plans for yearly trips across my beloved Desert Southwest U.S., instead they were replaced by dreams of another Island escape where I could continue my love of exploring a countryside, and that’s what I did. I’ve been back to Jamaica around 20 times since then, I stopped counting after 10, and my wanderlust has led me on many fascinating journeys criss crossing the island on a scooter. I still call a small fishing village in Jamaica home, and although I’ve been back to Alligator Pond a few times since this first trip, it was Little Bay that ultimately stole my heart and mind.. Peggy now spends winters in Jamaica, you can usually find her in a little shop in Broughton. One of her daughters who was with us is getting married in Negril in January. We will always miss Roger's presence in our lives....

THE END

[img]/forums/images/graemlins/notworthy.gif[/img]

[QK13]

Re: Alligator Pond, a Jamaicaholics Retrospect...

[img]/forums/images/graemlins/70458-applaud.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70458-applaud.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70458-applaud.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70458-applaud.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/bannana_purple.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/bannana_purple.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/notworthy.gif[/img]

Thanks IM. I know it's been a lot of work. Last night I yakked my roommates ear off with tales of Jamaica...

He said... you need it bad! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70409-waytogo.gif[/img]

[Nanook]

Re: Alligator Pond, a Jamaicaholics Retrospect...

ReggaeEbony, thank you, I'm so glad you're enjoying. I never was one to let the dust settle on my shoes and I still cannot get enough of exploring Jamaica's countryside. I've learned a lot about myself on my journies.

loops, thanks for the head's up on the title changing, I'll have to go make a report! And, yes...they had parasailing back then. I did combine photos from 2 back to back trips that were 6 months apart though, in case you didn't notice, wink [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Q.K, yep it was a whole lot of work and I'm estatic that I'm finally finished but it was also fun to go back in time for a little while and relive it all. I hope you can get back soon, and one day maybe you'll see some crazy blonde on a scooter pull in your yard and that'll be me! Whew, now I can get back to the ATC's, heheh... [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70390-shhh.gif[/img]

[Scarlet]

Re: Alligator Pond, a Jamaicaholics Retrospect...

[img]/forums/images/graemlins/70458-applaud.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70458-applaud.gif[/img] IM, this was fantabulous. Thanks so much for taking us along on your journeys.

This inspired me to dig out my many tins of photographs of Jamaica, they never quite made it into albums. It was almost twenty years ago I made my first trip, I've got just a little scanning to do. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

[img]/forums/images/graemlins/70392-silly.gif[/img][img]/forums/images/graemlins/70388-shameonyou.gif[/img] I was young, very, very young, you hear?

[Laurel]

Re: Alligator Pond, a Jamaicaholics Retrospect...

Dear Dear IMie ... I have not been around for a while and once I got back on I have only skimmed quick quick .... but you know GURL ... you brought me right back to some of my own first timer memories .... not the same location mind you - but still ....

Tomorrow I will have to dig in for another really good read!!

Nice Job!

[ReggaeGirl2000]

Re: Alligator Pond, a Jamaicaholics Retrospect...

IM.. again, thanks so much for posting this report [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

I no longer have the phone number to Sea Riv, sorry.. for sure they don't have a website.

Bless,
RG

[ohliz]

Re: Alligator Pond, a Jamaicaholics Retrospect...

That was wonderful IM, thank you!!!

I have wanted to go to AP for so long...and stay there....your photos are just amking it worse. This April we will have about 4 days after Negril with a car and no plans so......