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+--- Thread: TR 12/10to 12/20 (/showthread.php?tid=102009)
TR 12/10to 12/20 - CardBoardBox - 12-21-2017
Mini trip report 12/10 to 12/20. Did not stay to 01/12
Down side? Southwest did ban cardboard boxes over xmas, as they did last year, and as last year, posted such when it was enacted in Mid November. I was prepared but both customer service and the head muky-mucks have their head up their arses keeping it a secret until the last minute and NOT telling customers clearly in the email beyound a small url link to bagage policy of this important restriction.
Flying over Cuba into MoBay was like a twilight zone episode. Solid Gray clouds. I joked "this wasn't in the brouchure."
Sunday afternoon arrival, to wind and rain, so at 8 PM, with the streets of Negril empty, Burger King was closed. Bummer.
But my celly worked because I had recharged $5 from home before the cut off date. My friend picked me up. Monday was the same rain and wind. We won't talk about the sea but the SALT water on the power lines caused so many short outages over the next 4 days, I thought I was back in the 80's. I lie - back then they were longer in duration.
Tuesday and Wednesday were near zero rain. It was border line sweat shirt for warmth.
Arriving in town just hours after the 2 kids got electrocuted,
(published elsewhere), for two days the RumBar people closed the West End road off with small baracades of burning stuff. Walking, which everyone not on a motorcycle (good for taxi business them) a change for me to see Foreign walking and also the locals hanging around. Reminded me of the political ralleys of everyone wearing orange or green shirts, and of the time of burning tires on the road to protest when the gas price jumped. 90's ??
The road closure was more or less limited to around MiYard. People with cars had only the long way around, (past the light house?)
My days were bland. The nice days had me in town buying patties, veggies, supermarket items. Shocked that a stalk of celry was 600 dollars. Spoiled are us tourists.
Solid tuna is $300 plus GCT. I was slightly annoyed at my friend feeding his cat, but 1. I paid only 50 cents each, and 2. he does not eat tuna out of a can.
Did meet up with the girl from PA, but with sucky cell service past Ricks (exactly where I can not tell you, but was next door to "coffee retreat"***), I gave up on voice mail to meet her again.
Jitterbug - sorry I did not try to contact you will your last day.
Shaeleen - I fly home before you landed. Sorry.
I got bored without cable at night time, and thinking how I should be working on my houses here, and other things, so on Monday, after only a week, I changed my flight out to Wednesday.
And return I did to freezing weather. Not so sure I made the right decision. LOL
In hind sight, it was just the wrong time for me to be there. I'm usually happy with my routine, and isolation and walking to town and shopping, but if I go into more detail it would serve no purpose.
Everything seemed more expensive.
There is now a 3rd Chinese owned market near BK, in the cambrio plaza, first floor. Why? Buying up the island?
Great to feel the vibs in town, with the usual hussle from locals. Perhaps due to the wind, a lot of bananas were available in town in near overripe condition.
Actually walked on the beach and the beach road twice, stopping by at the Negril Beach Club Condos (Jean always a pleasure) and also discovered a restaurant at "one mile" with a BLT and homemade fryes for J$500. Ate there twice.
I'll go back for a few days in Feb.
***footnote. THE verbal coffee retreat review by HER, not me, is that this new advertiser on the happy news site was disappointing, did not have a menu with prices and was shocked at the $16 charge for what she ordered for breakfast.
RE: TR 12/10to 12/20 - Firemon - 12-22-2017
Well, I enjoyed your foot on the ground report. I always do a lot of walking when I'm in Negril. Can almost hear those taxi horns demanding my attention.
Not familiar with the Rum bar but I've been to MiYard many times to visit Delroy. Some interesting characters drop by that porch both foreign and local.
I always bring an LED camping lantern for those surprise power outages. Sure comes in handy. Negril in the dark is DARK.
I've heard stories that power outages frequently coincide with cigar boats roaring ashore with nefarious cargos.
I was in Lucea one Election Day and not only was there a clash of colors (orange/green) the military was stationed outside the courthouse with a tank.
Like you said food in Negril isn't cheap. Not sure how the locals afford groceries much less eating out.
Freezing weather builds character. Good luck with your houses.
RE: TR 12/10to 12/20 - Westenders - 12-22-2017
Sorry you wasn't feeling this trip.
Have a lovely Christmas and good wishes for your Feb trip.
Cost of living versus wages always has me wondering
RE: TR 12/10to 12/20 - Aquavit - 12-23-2017
Hmmm....Wild Coffee Retreat is in my neighborhood and I get good cell service here. I am about 1/4 mile north, wonder if that makes a diff...? Interesting....wonder if you need a new phone?
The protest/road blocks only lasted 24 hours but I'm sure it felt more like two days. The road was blocked up to 3 Dives with the biggest blockage at Westland Mountain Road. I was at Canoe on the 13th for a few hours in the afternoon and on our way back home we passed the bulldozer that would ultimately dismantle all three blockages. Going home in a taxi with 4 other drunk women over Mt. Airy was a hoot, I gotta say.
The weather sucked while you were here, simply put. Big winds, cool temps and sideways rain (I think the big night time rain storm might have happened before you got here). Long pants and long sleeves for 5 days. Maybe that put a damper on your mood - I tried not to let it get to me but consistent gray skies can be a bummer.
Those shorted out blips in the current were happening in my neck of the woods since before I arrived mid-November...it was like someone was flipping a switch on and off. We started counting them down. Not happening at all anymore. JPS kinda had to step up their game after the accident and have been on the road every since repairing and replacing their stuff.
Hope your next trip is more up for you, thanks for the report!
RE: TR 12/10to 12/20 - CardBoardBox - 12-24-2017
The reward for writing a tripreport is that folks actually read it, with any reply a bonus, so thanks.
Some fills: The gal had Digicel, I had FLOW. A long time ago, up at Mirage II, there was one spot on the table which allowed connection with the tower. I forget which carrier.
The power glitches duration varied from seconds to (rarely) an hour, and often only affected one of the 110volt feeds (2=220v)
The burning roadblock was mainly at Westland Mountain Road, but the rocks and trash and fire progressed on the second day to just south of tryon's bar near Jenny's restaurant.
It was that 2nd afternoon that the front loader was clearing the roadway. Seemed there was more idle time than work time. Sorry I did not pop into Canoe for say hello to 5 drunken ladies.
AquavitI imagine JPS did some fixing. Rumor is the protest encomposed the fact that Westland mountain was without power for days prior to the accident AND that the wires which fell were burning for days before too.
Afterward, JPS was spraying fresh water (mixture?) on the insulators on the poles along OneLoveDrive. Water is an insulator; Salt water is a conductor. The sea water mist also makes many leaves fall from the trees hundreds of feet inland.
The RumBar was a new expression I heard on this trip for a bar where the locals hang around and drink (cheap) rum. We'd call it a bar, but we'd probably be buying beers.
Negril is dark when it is dark, but during a new moon it is worse.
Income; used to be workers/maids earned 65USD for a 6 day week. (Some) Laborers used to earn J$2500 a day but lately it has jumped to J$4K.
New item+fact; One day I did go with my friend to the free clinic/hospital in Sav. My prior visit there is when I decided Jamaica was not to be my retirement place. Small world? During the brief visit, an acquaintance from Negril was boarding an ambulance for an ultra sound of the lump in her breast. I learned that the hospital supplies the bed sheets for patients.
RE: TR 12/10to 12/20 - daniel - 12-24-2017
Always nice to hear about day to day in JA . Thanks for taking the time .
RE: TR 12/10to 12/20 - JonTom - 12-24-2017
Thank you for the trip report, CCB, but sorry it wasn't the best for you.
I'm assuming I'm not the only one that laughed at CardBoardBox says Southwest banned CardBoardBoxes.
RE: TR 12/10to 12/20 - MissJamaicaSoul - 12-24-2017
Sorry that you got caught up in that bad weather.Its always good to hear a trip report though.
I remember staying up in Good Hope and Redground having water and power shortages many times....all an experience!!!
Weather usually good in Feb so hopefully you can make up for this trip......sometimes I really enjoyed doing nothing in Jamaica....just "chilling" in a yard ....knowing the next adventure was round the Re corner!!!!
MissJamaicaSoulx
RE: TR 12/10to 12/20 - jitterbug - 12-28-2017
hey ccb
Yes it was a strange weather for sure. Things are expensive? Don't know how ppl survive. On our way to negril, our driver stopped and bought 6 mangoes -- $2000j??
Miss gem charged 600j for a pear!
Our hotel employees have not been paid for 5 weeks when we arrived!
We had to put our thick skin on for this trip!!'
Sorry to have missed you!