|
|
Caribbean Travel RoundupNewsletter - Paul Graveline, Editor |
| CTR Homepage | Island Index | Search |
(Ed note: the following material is copyrighted by Compuserve's Caribbean Forum Sysop Jim Jordan and is used in the CTR with his permission)
Hedonism -- Revisited (Twentieth Time!)
Well, it's time for me to finally prepare yet another in the
continuing saga of one man's glorious globe-traveling, foreign forays
on his hedonistic hiatus from the cares and woes of a work-a-day
world. Yes Dear Heart, this comes after an interminable interval of
inaction, during which I had such mundane things to do as to unpack
all of my luggage (otherwise known as "bags") of their collection of
clothes in need of cleaning and all of my scuba diving equipment in
need of a good wash in the soft, clear, pure waters of my native
South Carolina. Then, there was all the reading of the voluminous
collection of messages and electronic mail from all of my friends and
the loyal, lovable members of The Caribbean Travel Forum, and my
painful attempts to respond to each personally. That had to be done.
So, I hope you will excuse me for being tardy (Gosh, the last time I
was "tardy" was way back in the fifth grade and Mrs. Love -- nee Miss
Babb -- took me to task right in front of God and all the fifth grade
class for doing something or other!) in getting this report compiled,
composed, completed and uploaded for y'all's collective edification.
<Whew!>
Now, unlike all those other members remembering their memoirs on-line
and including every single incident that they experienced -- from
listing each and every meal and about writing what Joe had for
breakfast, to going into detail on how the plane ride was, right down
to what time the plane pushed back from the jetway -- I'm not gonna
do all that! No sir-ee, Bob!
Now, everybody already knows that I go to Hedonism II in Negril,
Jamaica! And, everybody, who cares a whit, has already perused my
previous prose efforts at providing an account of trip number
umpteen, so I don't wanna belabor what has already gone before by
trying to top my 50-plus kilobyte trip report of a couple of years
ago. Suffice to say that this won't be your "usual" trip report.
Instead, I'm gonna make a decided effort to make this less of a trip
report and more of a collection of totally unrelated thoughts about
my twentieth visit to that heaven of hi-jinx, that paragon of
pleasure palaces, that loco location where almost anything's
acceptable -- Hedonism II! Yes, you read right -- twenty trips to
Hedonism! It may not be any world record, but I'd say it's a damn
good average!
Hedonism -- AGAIN??
Let me begin by saying that I hadn't planned to go to Hedonism for a
third time in nineteen hundred and ninety-six. And, since my last
trip had just been in late August and early September, I had no plans
of going yet again to Jamaica during the same year. Plus, I'd been
invited to spend a week in Anguilla (I was quickly informed that it's
pronounced "an-gwee-la" and not "an-GEE-la" as I had thought low
these many years!) in February as the guest of a friend, Daryl
Gurvey, the section leader of the Anguilla/Statia/Saba section of The
Caribbean Travel Forum (who looks strangely like a young-ish Ernest
Hemingway -- which explains my frequent use of the nickname "Papa"
when referring to Daryl). Anyway, back to my current episodic
account.
However, with the interval between early September and early February
being a FULL five months, I began to develop an acute itch to again
feel the tropical sun on my back and the sand between my toes and the
sights and sounds of that underwater wonder world of diving in the
warm waters of Long Bay. In other words, I was itching mightily to
get back to Negril and Hedonism and I wasn't too proud to admit it!
That said, I posed the question to my wife Nina, "What would you
think about going to Hedonism for a few days in December - prior to
the Christmas hubbub? I'd like to get in some diving." Whereupon she
rebuffed me with, "I don't want to go and I'd REALLY rather YOU
didn't either!" (Hey, what's going on here? We're talking bout a trip
to Hedonism for some scuba diving and relaxing! But what can a guy
say when in the face of such vehement opposition to a simple scuba
diving trip?)
I was later faced with the fact that shedd made reservations in July
for a trip to Hedonism -- for January! It was supposed to be a
surprise birthday gift to me - for my zz-tieth birthday! Yes, Dear
Heart, I had inadvertently suggested a trip and there was already one
planned! (And, NO, I'm not gonna tell y'all what birthday it was!)
Well, it all sorted itself out. She decided that going in January was
sorta close to the February trip and she really didn't wanna make two
trips to Jamaica and she had Christmas coming up and....and....! The
final outcome - I went to Jamaica in December!
The Trip - USAir and Timair
The trip down on USAir was - predictable. The plane took off from
Charlotte and it landed in Montego Bay! Not much else to say bout
that!
Upon arrival, I cleared immigration and secured my bags from the
carousel. I cleared customs with no hitches and hurried over to the
Timair counter in the transportation hall for my fourteen minute
flight to GNAT and Negril and - Home at Hedonism!
Home Again, Home Again! Lordy, am I GLAD to be Home Again -- Amen!
I know it sounds trite, but arriving at Hedonism has always had the
effect on me of not arriving at a tropical, Jamaican resort but
instead, of coming home to a place that really is a home away from
home. And, this trip was no different -- there was Sidney Watson and
his calypso welcoming band. As soon as Sidney spotted me, the band
struck up with the reggae song that Sidney composed in my honor --
"Jamaica Jim, He Come Home"! Now, you tell me that wouldn't warm the
cold cockles of anybody's heart?
Then, I made my presence known to the attendants at the registration
desk. Here I was again given the sad news. "Jamaica Jim! We're sorry,
but we had to assign you to a room on the Prude Side!" (This now
happens every time I arrive -- it's a li'l game that they play with
me, knowing that a Prude Side room assignment is the last place I
wanna spend two weeks!)
I hurriedly told them that I really thought I might be more welcome
at Grand Lido, stood up, turned and started to walk away from the
desk. They all laughed and said that they really weren't assigning me
to the Prude Side. But they said that there wasn't an available room
to be had on the Nude Side in my usual location and they were going
to put me in a room slightly removed from there. I would be moved the
very next day.
The following day, they had somebody move all my belongings to room
2166, at the other end from the usual "Jamaica Jim Suite" -- room
2175 -- which was occupied. But, much to my surprise, room 2166 was a
wonderful location and, from now on, I'll request it. It's located
directly behind the old beach bar and is the first room in the
building on the east end. I found it was really convenient to walk
out the door, around the corner and be right on the beach. Plus, this
location is somewhat removed from the far end of the beach, where I
used to hang out. That end, with the completion of the nude pool
complex and bar and grill, is now much more active and I preferred to
be slightly away from all the hubbub.
It should also be noted that I was not in the room when they moved my
belongings. But, I want to say right here and now that the person who
did the work, left nothing undone! I had left a quarter and a dime in
US coins on one of the bedside tables in my first room. When I
realized that my personal articles had already been moved and I went
to room 2166, I was amazed -- the quarter and the dime were there --
and they were in the exact same location in the new room that they
had occupied in the other one!
Friends
On most trips, I usually see many folks I've known or seen on prior
visits. However, this time I didn't really know anybody, except
Mariann Carpenter, a sysop and the co-section leader for the Mexican
section on The Caribbean Travel Forum. Mariann had decided on the
spur of the moment to take a get- away and knowing I'd be at
Hedonism, she had opted to make her first ever visit to the Land of
Wood and Water, so she would know at least one other hearty soul. I
was delighted by her surprise decision when she decided to be there
when I was. I believe she had a good time and found Hedonism to be
everything I have said about it, over the years.
I also had another nice surprise! One afternoon, I was reading on the
beach when one of the water sports attendants came up and told me
that Mr. Levee wanted to see me over by the main pier. (Luckily, I
had a swim suit in my bag, which I hastily donned and hurried over!)
Kevin had three fellows with him and he proceeded to introduce me to
them. One -- Allan Juda -- had asked Kevin if he knew where I might
be. It seems that Allan had seen my posts on The Caribbean Travel
Forum and knew that I was scheduled to be at Hedonism. He told me
that he had just wanted to meet me and thank me for all of the
interesting information he had gotten from things I'd posted and
uploaded about Jamaica and Hedonism!
In addition to Allan, I also met his associate, Tony Tilkington, and
Roger Mignot an official with the Jamaica Tourist Board in New York
City. I told Roger jokingly that he should have Faye Peckersgill --
the director of the JTB -- "appoint" me to an honorary position on
the board, representing it in Easley, South Carolina! After all, I do
provide publicity to the "Land of Wood and Water" every day!
<Chuckle>
The First Week's Returnee's Party Some of you may not be aware that
it's a tradition for Hedonism to have a weekly cocktail party for
returning guests. It's held in the disco each Wednesday evening at
about 6:30 PM. Every guest who is at the resort on their second or
more trip, receives a personal invitation slipped under the door of
their room that morning. Since I arrived on a Tuesday, I received an
invitation to be there my first week. I also happened to see Joseph
Smith that morning and he told me he was looking forward to the party
and hoped I was planning to attend. I assured him I would be there.
Now, as luck would have it, I was down at the hot tub at the
appointed time, having totally forgotten about the party. Somebody
asked me if I was going or if I planned to skip it all together! I
hastily went to the room, got dressed and made my way quickly up to
the disco. I slipped in the back door, since the party had already
begun and Joe was giving his usual welcoming speech to the assembled
guests.
Then, he totally changed from the normal patter and said that he was
proud to announce there was a celebrity at the party and he wanted to
give him due recognition. He then announced -- my name! I was
completely taken aback! I made my way to where he was standing, my
face a crimson red. Joe presented me with an award recognizing my
efforts over the years to enlighten people about Hedonism on my
computer!
The award itself is a beautiful thing, in and of itself. It's a
crystal disk measuring six inches across by half an inch thick and it
sits atop a crystal base six inches by three inches by half an inch.
The disk is most expertly engraved and it contains the following
inscription:
HEDONISM II
A SuperClubs Super-Inclusive Resort
15th ANNIVERSARY
The "Above And Beyond" Award
Presented to
JAMES "JAMAICA JIM" JORDAN
In Recognition of Your Extraordinary Support
Over The Last Fifteen Years
November 1, 1996
Many of you reading this, have met me over the years in person. And
most of you know that I'm never -- or at least, seldom ever -- at a
loss for words. Well, I'm here to tell you that the presentation of
this award took me completely by surprise and resulted in my being
totally tongue tied! I was caught unawares and unable to adequately
acknowledge what it meant to me. I can now say that I'm most humbled
at being so honored and I hope I can always continue to be a viable
spokesman for Hedonism and SuperClubs.
(I know it's probably vain on my part, but I have a graphic of the
award. On the off-chance that some of you might want to see it, I'll
upload it to the forum library in the very near future for your
viewing.)
Jamaica, Cold? You bet your Grandma's Long-Johns!
I must mention here that this was my first, ever trip to Jamaica, and
for that matter to the Caribbean, in the wintertime. Now, we all know
here in the States what happens in the winter! Depending on the
location, weather in the United States in the winter is -- COLD!
Sure, there are those states such as California and Florida which
advertise that they never get cold. Well, I never realized that the
Caribbean got cold. Not really cold, but decidedly cool.
In the first place, the humidity of the late spring, summer and fall
is totally absent in the winter. You first realize this upon walking
off the airplane at MoBay, only to find that your eyeglasses don't
fog up and you don't begin to sweat (Ladies don't "sweat" -- they
"glow"!) as you descend the stairs to the tarmac. You'll also notice
that there's less humidity in the mornings. When you leave the air-
conditioned comfort of your room, in the winter months, your glasses
and the lenses of your camera and your camcorders don't fog up.
In the second place, while the days are toasty warm in the sun, just
as soon as the sun makes it's dramatic departure from the skies each
evening, in December you immediately feel a change in the air. It
actually gets a few degrees cooler just after the sunset occurs. And,
it gets cooler as the evening progresses. It got cool enough that I
felt a chill walking from the hot tub, after taking a hot dip, to my
room.
By the way, when I said above that "the days are toasty warm in the
sun," I mean that it's warm -- not hot! And, I like it hot. For
instance, when I had been to Hedonism previously, it was so hot -
"How hot was it?" - that getting in the swimming pool was refreshing!
Well, the new misting pool, the raised Jacuzzi between the misting
pool and the swimming pool, and the swimming pool itself were all
cold enough that I didn't even get into them! In fact, there weren't
many folks who DID get in these cold pools. But, the newly reopened --
and magnificently refurbished -- hot tub saw plenty of use. And, for
what it's worth, the whole newly completed pool complex at the far
end of the nude beach is outta sight!
New Features
I can't say enough nice things about the new pool complex. It looks
very up-scale, it's very functional and it was sorely needed. The old
hot tub had seen better days -- and nights! It was really something
that was gonna hafta be done sooner or later, anyway. There are some
files in the forum library that show various views of it and, as time
permits, I plan to upload some photographs that I had taken and some
that were sent to me by my ol' friend, George Thomas Musgrave, III.
(George is an engineer with ABC Television and he's technical
director for "The ABC Nightly News With Peter Jennings.")
I particularly like the addition of tiles on the bottom and seats of
the hot tub. Oh, and there is one area on the side toward the beach
where the jets don't seem to work. I can well understand why, having
watched some of the construction that went into the overall job.
What's happened is that some of the tile grout got into the pipe that
supplies the jet openings - and clogged up that pipe!
BTW, the addition of the new misting pool will provide a welcome
respite from the heat of the day during all of the seasons except the
winter, but I've covered that pretty fully above. And, the "grotto"
that is situated adjacent to the misting pool, with the overhead
waterfall covering the entrance, had already earned it the nickname
of the "fornicatoruim"! <grin>
The Most Beautiful Sunsets in the World!
Some years ago, Playboy Magazine published a list of places that had
the "Most" of almost anything you can imagine. And, Playboy listed
Rick's Cafe in Negril, Jamaica, as being the place with the most
beautiful sunsets in the world! Well, I now know that in December,
the sunsets at Hedonism are just as beautiful -- if not made more so
by it's location!
You should realize that since it was winter, the days are shorter and
the sun sets earlier than it on earlier trips -- and in a different
part of the sky! I point out that first fact, just to underline the
fact that the days in the winter, particularly in December are
noticeably shorter than at any other time of the year. Now, that
doesn't bother us usually at home, but when I'm on vacation, I want
to have the maximum time to do "day" things -- and at my advanced
chronological age, the main "night" thing I do is -- sleep!
On the thing about where the sun sets, I have always thought it was
kinda sad that the sun always set just behind the trees that are on
Rutland Point and in order to get a good view -- and hopefully see
the "green flash" as ol' Sol drops below the horizon -- a person had
to at least go out on the main pier at Hedonism. You couldn't see
sunsets from the nude beach. NOT so in the winter! The location of
exactly where the sun goes down is dependent on the time of year and
in December, it can be easily viewed right from the nude beach.
My Fine Feather Friends!
Talking bout things setting in the water, I'm happy to report that
the nice family of pelicans on the nude beach are alive and still
doing a great job of showing how to catch fish, to the enjoyment and
sometimes to the surprise of the nude beach bums! At the beginning of
my vacation, I seldom saw these fine feathered fishers at work. In
fact, it caused me to inquire of Tina (the masseuse) if they had
departed the vicinity. But, before the first week was out, there they
were again -- dive-bombing the schools of bait fish and each enjoying
a hearty repast on about ninety percent of their attempts. Even the
youngest had watched his elders enough so he was able to get a good
meal of fish most times.
To the Depths!
It should also be noted that since the days are noticeably shorter
and the air temperatures are lower -- in the range of the mid-
eighties during the day and the lower seventies during the nights --
the water temperatures are likewise lower. And, I do mean lower! The
thermometer on my dive console usually shows a water temperature of
eighty-five degrees when I have been previously at Hedonism in the
late spring and the mid-fall. Not so in December! The water
temperature was just a bit over seventy-eight degrees and I'm here to
tell you that's cold enough to make it difficult to simply walk out
in the water to the floating rafts! It causes one to catch their
breath!
And, don't even ask about what it's like to scuba dive in water that
is seventy-five degrees. I've always shunned those divers who haul a
wet-suit down to the tropics -- they aren't necessary! Wrong! I don't
like wearing a wet-suit, since they make me feel like I'm wearing a
full body condom! But on this trip in December, I would have loved to
have a wet-suit!
But, despite the cooler than-I-like water temperatures, the diving
was -- as usual -- superb! (No Dear Heart, scuba diving at Negril
isn't world class like it is in Grand Cayman or Cozumel, to list just
two Caribbean dive destinations. But it sure beats the hell outta
most places where the folks reading this report have an opportunity
to dive!) I've long loved diving the waters of and around Long Bay in
Negril. Now, the pelagics are not in any abundance, but the sight of
a sleeping nurse shark or a big barracuda or a large grinning green
moray can make a diver realize these waters are a good dive location.
In addition, when I first began diving at Hedonism back some years
ago, the reefs were in pretty bad shape. They still have a long way
to go, but the initiatives that have been set up by the Negril Coral
Reef Preservation Society are doing a great job of providing the reef
with some respite. (By the way, yours truly is a current, dues-paid-
up member of the society!)
The NCRPS has placed more than thirty permanent mooring buoys at the
most used dive sites and that's stopped the dropping of anchors --
the prime cause of coral reef damage by man. The society has also
established a safe "swim zone" along the beaches and the police have
stopped pretty much the lateral movement of boats within that safe
zone, a prime cause of near- shore boating accidents. The society
also sends out a regular newsletter to it's members, telling what is
happening in the area and its efforts to help in the battle for the
marine ecology.
(For the information of y'all who actively dive the waters in and
around Negril and would like to contribute to the betterment of the
diving there, as well as to help preserve this aquatic area for
posterity, you can join the Negril Coral Reef Preservation Society by
sending your full name, your mailing address and a check in the
amount of $US15 to:
NCRPS Post Office Box 27 Negril, Westmoreland Jamaica, W.I.
I assure you it will be money well spent.)
I should also here note that Clifton Richie has been promoted and
taken an assignment as Water Sports Manager at, of all places, Grand
Lido. Richie is an excellent dive instructor and a good friend of
mine. While I bemoan him no longer being at Hedonism and my
personally having the pure pleasure of diving with the gentle man, I
applaud the promotion of a well deserving man. (Richie has been
replaced by a lady dive instructor -- and I'm ashamed to say here
that I have completely forgotten her name! <blush>
I also knew that one of the two boat hooks -- the long pole with a
hook on it, used to snare lines and buoys -- that I had previously
taken down and donated to the two water sports boats was gone. (I
think Joe stepped on it and broke it!) So, I'd made a point of
purchasing one at the local sports super store at home. I took it
along with me and, wonder of wonders, it arrived along with the other
checked baggage in MoBay. (Hooray for USAir and their baggage
handlers all the way along my route!) I took the boat hook down and
presented it to the dive masters, with the warning to Joe to keep his
big feet off of it! <smile> By the way, if you see it, you'll know it
-- it has my name on it!
As for the diving, it's always seemed to me to be great at Hedonism.
This trip was no exception. I dived most of my usual sites --
Treasure Reef, The Arches (with the "Shallow Plane"), Richie's
Gallery. But, my favorite dive site is now Frenchman's Hole. It's
located away from the sites that the Hedonism dive boat usually
visits, up between Bloody Bay and Orange Bay, at the area where the
river from the Great Morass feeds into the Caribbean. It has a
shallow plateau near shore at bout 30 feet, with drop-offs to sixty
feet and more. It's got some nice chutes dropping down the face of
the prime reef, as well as a couple of overhangs that a diver can
swim through. Nice place -- I'd heartily recommend you have the dive
masters take you there next trip.
NEW Catamaran!!
At Hedonism a year ago last October, the storm winds from Hurricane
Roxanne, over along the Yucatan Peninsula, caused eight foot seas in
Long Bay. I had the distinct displeasure of watching the death of the
"Great Eagle" on the rocks between Sandals and Hedonism. Try as we
might, Phillip Paxton and the crew of the "Great Eagle," along with
numerous guests from Hedonism, had to literally stand by while that
great ol' boat was disintegrated on the boulders.
Well, the time for sadness and fond memories of those neat nude
cruises and partying can now stop! Yes, Phillip and Patty now have
another boat -- and this one is BIGGER and BETTER! Phillip now has a
brand spanking new boat -- the "SunSation" -- and it is the biggest
boat in Long Bay! I won't attempt to post all the vital statistics,
but suffice to say that the "Great Eagle" may be gone, but the
"SunSation" will knock your socks off!
I had the pleasure of going along on what really wasn't intended as a
sail for Hedonists. It sailed from the pier at Hedonism down to Swept
Away to pick up a passel of partiers and then sailed on down to the
cliffs area for some snorkeling. I must admit that the Swept Away-ers
were much more daring that yours truly -- I watched as many of them
swam into the caves below the Pickled Parrot, climbed the iron
ladders up to the top and proceeded to jump off! I'm not saying it's
dangerous or anything, but one fellow talked in a high falsetto all
the way back to Swept Away and one gal -- well, I'll leave it to your
imagination what happened to her swim suit top when she jumped in --
feet first!
I was delighted that the cruise took place on a day when the sunset
was absolutely perfect. And, while it may be a fact or it may be a
myth, I did see the "green flash" just as the tiny top crescent of
the edge of the sun dropped down into the sea! (Or, at least I
"think" I saw it -- and that's my story and I'm sticking with it!
<smile> )
It was also great to be able to introduce Mariann to Rasta Ralphie,
an old friend of mine and the catamaran cruise comedian and reggae
singer. Ralphie puts on quite a show -- Hell, Ralphie IS a show! He
even gave Mariann one of his carved, bamboo reggae drums.
Lunch at Cosmo's Seafood Restaurant
As has been the case for a number of years, first begun by former
general manager Gary Williams and carried on by Kevin Levee, I was
invited to gather some friends together for a lunch at Cosmo's one
day. In the past, I've usually invited other members of CompuServe to
join me for what has always been both a grommet excursion and an
excellent opportunity to get to know the general manager and pose
questions to him. This trip, our lunch at Cosmo's was no exception.
On this trip, the only CompuServe members I knew of, were yours truly
and Mariann, so I extended an invitation to two couples -- Bonnie and
Bob and Cecilia and Paul -- new people whom I had become friends with
early in my trip. (In my world, there are no "strangers" -- there are
only "friends" I haven't met yet!)
All of us enjoyed a mixed selection of curried dishes that has made
Cosmo's so famous far and wide from it's location on Seven Mile
Beach. In addition, Kevin enlightened us about such things as all of
the problems that had been experienced in getting the pool complex
opened; the forecast of new resorts of Breezes Negril and Hedonism
Runaway Bay, both to begin construction early in the new year of
1997; the problems of implementing the "towel exchange" program and
what was being done to correct them; the new four-tier room rate
schedule; and the planned acquisition of a big new, sleek dive boat.
As we were finishing our meal, in walked Kevin's charming wife,
Cecile. She hadn't known we were going to be there, since she had
been at her new cafe down the road and had dropped by to catch a
quick lunch -- away from work. Cecile was most evidently pregnant and
Kevin said he didn't care what gender their first child was, as long
as it was healthy and -- here! I'd spoken previously to Cecile -- she
said that Kevin was hoping for a boy, but she believed it would be a
girl! I'll be looking forward to seeing the new Levee, whichever
gender it is, on my next trip.
Random Ramblings
Most of my time in Jamaica on this, my twentieth trip to Hedonism,
was spent taking it easy. None of the frenzy of some of the earlier
trips? Have I become jaded to Hedonism? Have I stopped desiring to be
as active as I was on earlier visits? In both cases, I think not.
It's just that I not longer have to do everything all in one trip.
Now, please take the following statements in context. I've been to
Hedonism a lot of times. I've seen most of the entertainment acts
multiple times -- sometimes when I was there for two weeks, I'd see a
repeat the second week of exactly what I had seen the first week.
But, I know that first time visitors really enjoy seeing each and
every one of these performances.
However, I no longer enjoy seeing the same evening entertainment each
trip. I tend to retire early, preferring to sleep instead, rather
than to sit and hear the songs of Melvin Williams -- he's good, but
after hearing him more times than I care to count, I don't get a kick
from hearing his show yet again. Likewise, I no longer get a kick out
of watching the Jamaican Cowboy or the Elvis look-alike. Both are
good, but again I've been there -- seen that -- and I don't need to
watch them again.
But last trip, I happened to go to dinner late one evening and that
afforded me the opportunity to catch a completely new act. I was
delighted to watch a new team -- a couple from Canada who performed a
great trapeze act right in the entertainment area. The week I saw
them perform was the first week they had been at Hedonism. They
juggled and did acrobatics, but the best part of the performance was
the trapeze act. I sat spellbound, watching the girl nearly drop to a
sure serious injury of hitting her head on the hard floor, only to
have her caught at just the right second! I would urge everybody who
has the opportunity to make sure and see this act. You won't be one
bit disappointed, I promise you! They are scheduled to be at Hedonism
through April -- and it's hoped that they will be retained much, much
longer.
(As a side bar, I met the couple and we had some nice chats on the
beach. I apologize, Dear Reader -- I can't for the life of me
remember his name -- hers is J.C. He was with Club Med for six years
as a circus GO and he enjoyed the work and the locations greatly.
But, he finally left Club Med and their loss is certainly Hedonism's
gain. Please, if you have an opportunity to get his name, post me and
let me know what it is.)
A Sad and Sobering Experience
I had never really given much thought to health at Hedonism -- who
does? On this trip, I had the sad and sobering experience to become
aware of the death of a guest, a young, thirty year old woman. She
had evidently fallen early one day and had gone in that afternoon, to
take a nap. Her husband went into the room late in the afternoon, as
I understood it, and found her comatose. The resort doctor was
immediately summoned and doctors and nurses who were guests at the
hotel hurried to help the woman. I understood that they were able to
maintain a pulse by cardiac massage. An ambulance was called and she
was transported to the hospital at Sav-la-Mar. She was alive upon
arrival, but wasn't able to survive the trauma to her heart and
succumbed that evening, I was told.
It was so sad that such a young life was lost -- and we were all
saddened to realize how fragile life actually is. In addition, I
thought that it must be a tremendous burden to the staff and
management of the resort, to have a death of a guest of the hotel. I
mentioned this to a friend the following morning and was told that
there were an average of about five or six deaths each year. I
pondered this for a while and finally came to the conclusion that,
with a total approaching nearly thirty thousand guests each year, it
is only logical that some will suffer this ultimate end. That doesn't
make it any easier on those who are left, though. And, it does cause
me to beg each and every one of you who might read this to see your
doctor prior to taking a trip, if only to verify that your health is
okay. Too many of us neglect watching out for ourselves, so maybe
this account will cause others to be a bit more careful of their
health in the future.
Too Soon - Time To Leave!
As with any trip, good or bad, that time does come when it's finally
time to head home. It was closing in on the Christmas holidays -- I
had found it somewhat disconcerting to hear "Silent Night" and "White
Christmas" played to a reggae beat -- and I had been at Hedonism for
more than two weeks. That's plenty for me -- I was ready to get back
home!
I'm probably the only person who visits Hedonism who folds his
clothes to pack them for the trip home! <smile> But, fold them I do,
and this trip was no exception. I finished packing my bags the
morning of my departure. I had already arranged for Tony to pick my
bags -- and me -- up and drive me directly to the Negril airport.
Tony arrived, the bags were duly stowed in the back of the truck and
away we went. We stopped long enough for me to turn in my keys to the
front desk. (I'm not good at "God-byes"!) Then, we drove over the
short distance to GNAT and my flight back to MoBay.
The plane that was to carry me back to MoBay was right on time --
Timair planes are like that. My bags were loaded, I climbed in and as
the plane taxied the short way to the head of the runway, I asked if
we could do a really low pass along the beach. The pilot looked at me
and smiled. (Why did I have the feeling that he was a "fighter pilot
wannabe"?) Then, he ran up the engines, released the brakes and our
little air ship started racing down the runway. At about the three-
quarters mark, the little plane leaped into the air, as if it wanted
to soar.
As soon as to the plane was clear of the immediate area of the
airport, we did a sharp bank to the right and came around on a
heading toward Negril and the South Point. Quickly, we banked again
and made a pass low across in front of Hedonism, turning inside and
across the inlet between Rutland Point and Booby Cay. As we climbed
to altitude, I could look back and see Hedonism slowly slip further
and further behind -- to be seen again on my return -- Home Again,
Home Again!
I had scheduled my return flight on Timair for a full two hours prior
to my departure on the USAir flight back to the states. Having just
spent the last fifteen days Hedonism, I guess I was somewhat sated
with the sun and sand and sea for one trip. Even though I spent many
hours lying on a lounge in the shade, reading some good (and not so
good) books, I was pleased to have the time upstairs at MoBay in
either the bar area or across the way in the enclosed waiting room.
Both are far less frenzied and frenetic and I settled back to read.
The flight home was a delight. I arrived at Charlotte, had a sandwich
at the grill opposite the arrival gate, and took the escalator
directly next to the grill down to the commuter departure gate. I
looked out the window, across the tarmac and I saw -- SNOW! Yes, here
I had been walking barefoot in the sand that morning and that night,
I was walking in snow! I must say the change was startling to say the
least.
A Humble Observation
Hedonism is not a place -- it's a state of mind! It's as wild, or as
mild, as a person wants it to be. It's different things to different
people. No two people see Hedonism in the same way, and no two people
can experience it the same. It's a place that exists both in Jamaica
and in the hearts and minds of the hundreds of thousands of folks who
found it to be the place for them. There have been dismal attempts to
duplicate it -- they didn't succeed. There is only one Hedonism. It's
the only one of its kind -- anywhere on earth.
Epilog
I'm finding that it is difficult to continually compose something
new, after countless trips anywhere. I know that many of you reading
this account may have read too much of the tripe I type anyway.
Therefore, I've endeavored in the above account to attempt the
impossible. I've tried to interject less of my Southernisms and stay
more on the sights and sounds and feel of Hedonism -- this really is
a twentieth trip review, if you will. I hope I've covered some bit of
information that you, Dear Reader, were looking for in reading this.
If I have, then I've accomplished what I set out to do.
Six couples, including my wife and me, traveled to Sandals Dunns River (S.D.R.) in Ocho Rios, Jamaica via US Air the last week of January 1997. Several were opposed to the timing because we left the day before the Super Bowl but it couldn't have been a better trip. We traveled from Kansas City via Charlotte and on to Montego Bay and all flights left and arrived on time. Charlotte was a good place to fly through with our flight being the only one clearing customs on the return trip making reentry into the states a breeze. After the usual slight delay at Sangster Airport clearing customs we quickly headed for the bus. There are numerous offers from within the airport to the bus for anything you might or might not want. If you don't want it, say no thank you and you'll get the Jamaican salutation, "No problem, mahn." We gave one of the locals by the bus 10 dollars to bring us a six pack of Red Stripe in a box of ice for the bus trip and were on our way. TIP: It is a good idea to change clothes while waiting to clear customs in Montego Bay. We always pack our change of clothes in an easily accessible bag and while one spouse waits in the customs line the other pops into the nearby restrooms to change clothes and make a pit stop. I strongly recommend the pit stop since the bus usually stops only once. TIP: Carry your own bags the few feet from customs to the Sandals desk. A porter will carry them from the Sandals desk to the bus and will expect a small tip, as will the bus driver. These will be the last tips solicited from Sandals personnel until the bus trip back to the airport. We've never had any problem or anxiety with our bus trip from Montego Bay to Ocho Rios and this was no exception. We stopped briefly at the half way point for a rest room break and to purchase drinks and finished our trip to Sandals Dunns River about two hours after leaving Montego Bay. Check in at Sandals Dunns River was painless. While the guys pointed out their bags, the ladies checked in and sipped champagne. We were upgraded from the standard room to the luxury class room and the second day there the desk called and offered another free upgrade to ocean view luxury. We accepted the first upgrade and declined the latter. It's a hassle to repack and we were content with our room. TIP: Ask for two room keys when you check in. Some rooms only have one key available. If only one key is available, ask for another room. It's no fun when you get home from golfing, etc., and have to find your spouse on the beach to get into the room and change clothes. Room categories: Rooms range in ascending order of cost from Deluxe, Premium, Luxury, Luxury Oceanview, Grand Luxe Oceanview, Oceanfront and Honeymoon Suites. The Luxury room we were upgraded to was perfect for us. The Luxury rooms are all located in two, two story buildings between the second pool and the tennis courts, where we spent a lot of time. The Deluxe, Premium, and some of the Grand Luxe Oceanview rooms are in the main building housing the lobby and guest services. The Suites and Luxury Oceanview rooms are in the high-rise (a former hotel) Genoa Wing. We checked the Genoa Wing out and these rooms had the best views but we were glad not to have to mess with the elevator. We toured the honeymoon suite during our stay. The room is about the same as all the other rooms but has a hallway leading into a large sitting room overlooking the ocean. The difference in cost between the honeymoon suite and a regular room is about eight hundred dollars for a seven night stay. This difference buys a fully stocked bar, room service, and a robe. The suite has two bathrooms and a large sitting room. Unless we wanted to sneak a few other people into our room to stay, the difference in cost would not have been worth it for us. We simply aren't in our room enough. We didn't find a big difference between rooms at Sandals Ocho Rios, Couples and Sandals Dunns River. I'd judge an all inclusive by the amenities and not by room size since little time is spent there. The rooms have 110 and 220 volt electric services, functioning hair dryers, good air conditioning, a telephone, wall safe, clock radio, satellite TV and a coffee maker. They lack CD players. The TV had a 24-hour Sandals channel outlining the week's activities. A nice added touch over other resorts we have been to was the 24-hour Sandals TV channel outlining weekly activities. The bed was king size and comfortable. Maid service was the best we have experienced. The maids were friendly and came to the rooms twice a day. The bedding was changed daily at their first visit and the bed covers turned down at the second. At each visit the maids turned on music in the room and replaced the abundant towels with clean ones. After fighting for the one wash cloth provided at Couples, the towel supply at S.D.R. was a bonus. Two large beach towels are also provided and there was no problem getting them replaced at water sports. Entertainment was inferior to that we saw at Sandals Ocho Rios and Couples. At Sandals Dunns River the entertainment is in The Forum which is an indoor theater setting with a dance floor. There isn't much seating and it is difficult to see well unless in the front row of the two levels. It is dark and there was little audience participation with the performers. The open air amphitheater of Sandals Ocho Rios was superior in our minds and the entertainment tended more toward audience participation there. The piano bar by the smaller pool was our favorite hangout but the piano played only from 11:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. We were in bed by then. There is a shuttle between S.D.R. and S.O.R. throughout the day. Unfortunately, the last shuttle leaves S.O.R. too late to stay for the superior entertainment there. One good option taken by several people we spoke with was to stay at S.O.R. and spend the daylight hours at S.D.R.'s superior beach and pool. Then you could return to the room at S.O.R., change, have dinner and watch the shows there. Beach and Pool: The beach and pool areas were superior to any we have seen. The beach is secure and there is no problem finding a beach lounge in the sun or the shade. Bathrooms are close, volleyball is nearby, and all watersports including water skiing are close. It's a quiet and peaceful setting. The two pools are beautiful and both are larger than any of the pools at Couples or S.O.R. Both have pool bars accessible from the pool or by land. Two of the three nice hot tubs are adjacent to the pools. They were larger and the water temperatures more predictable than those at Couples and S.O.R. We preferred the setup at S.D.R. with all rooms and activities in close proximity to the pools and beach. Bars: Bars were plentiful and bartenders mixed excellent drinks with our favorite rum drink being the Hummingbird. There were premium beers in addition to the Red Stripe if you preferred. Restaurants: The strength of Sandals versus Couples is in their service at meal time. There is NO comparison. The take your time' attitude of Jamaicans is not seen in the Sandals restaurants. Waiting staff is plentiful to help you to your seat and fill your drink glasses and they aren't stingy with filling wine glasses. They usually left a bottle of each type of wine at our table for our evening meals. Breakfast and lunch are usually buffet style with a terrific selection of local and international menu options. Evening meals are held at one of four restaurants: Teppanyakis is a Japanese style restaurant with oriental meals prepared tableside by an entertaining chef. This was our favorite and requires reservations. Ristorante d'Amore was Italian, Windies was West Indian, and The International had a variety. All had top notch service and were open from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Michelle's is the reservations required restaurant at Sandals Ocho Rios and is a good place to eat if visiting there and catching a little of their outdoor entertainment. TIP: While the Sandals brochure states slacks are required, shorts were allowed at all of the restaurants. They must be near knee length shorts (no jean shorts at all), shirts must be collared and if wearing sandals, they must have a back strap. SPORTS Sports - Tennis The tennis facilities were comparable to Couples and superior to S.O.R.. There are four lighted courts and good equipment available for use. The tennis pro, Trevor, was superb for instruction of all levels of player. In addition to Trevor, there are frequently visiting tennis pros. Paul McNamara was the visiting pro from Australia while we were there and he was also terrific. Between him and Trevor there were always opportunities for lessons and several tournaments were held. We never had trouble getting a court or a lesson. Sports - Golf The golfers in our group liked the Sandals course slightly better than the course at Runaway Bay. The greens could have been a little better maintained but on the whole the course was excellent and had beautiful views. Accuracy is a plus since the fairways are a little tight. Play is quick and the caddies are good to move faster golfers through. The course is a little closer to S.O.R. than S.D.R. but it was still only a 15 minute bus ride. Golf is included but a caddy is required and costs 12 dollars per person for 18 holes. Shoes and clubs can be rented but the shoes were worthless and in very few sizes. Tips to the caddies aren't required but I believe they were expected and our group always felt they were well worth a substantial tip. Some of the favorite caddies were Early, Alfred, and Richard. There are also a putting green and a nine hole pitch and putt course on the premises at S.D.R.. It wasn't much but they had a fun tournament on it. TIP: Bring your own golf shoes even if you don't bring your own clubs. Consider bringing old golf shoes to give to the caddies as tips. They can use them and they are very appreciative. Sports - Water skiing The water ski boat was excellent and had a boom for teaching those less adept skiers. They have some adequate combo skis and a slalom ski with a double boot which they keep on the boat. They also have a wakeboard and kneeboard available. Ask for the wakeboard fin on the boat if needed. Skiing was continuous from 7:30 a.m. to noon and from 2 - 4 p.m. There usually wasn't much of a line. Sandals doesn't offer jet skis or parasailing but they were available for a fee a few steps from the resort security fence. TIP: If you want to parasail, do it in the U.S. or Canada where liability laws ensure a safer ride. I saw at least one parasailor dumped into the ocean so far the parasail went in the water with them and the boat had to come back to pick them up. Sports - Fitness Center The fitness center was in an open air building with Stair Steppers, treadmill, lifecycles, and Universal Weights. There were saunas, hot and cold jaccuzzis, and steamrooms. It's nice to work out in the open air and was a superior location than those at Couples or S.O.R. Sports - SCUBA diving The diving equipment was good quality and so was the resort diving instruction. The instructors weren't too personable or enthusiastic but they seemed competent. When weather permitted, two or three dives were made daily. The first dive was usually limited to internationally certified divers and the later dives were shallow dives for both certified divers and those trained at the resort Three of our group took the resort course. The resort course probably suffices for strong swimmers with any athletic ability but I wouldn't recommend weaker swimmers diving without becoming certified prior. The aquatic life around the north shore of Jamaica is very sparse but I did manage to see some large crab, a large eel, and a puffer fish on this trip. I am certified and on our deepest dives we had planned to dive to 90 feet. There were only two divers and the divemaster. The divemaster dove to beyond 100 feet (by design or by error, I'm not sure) and the dive lasted 28 minutes before we started to ascend. This is beyond what is considered international safe diving limits. Though I stopped at 97 feet, I was still off the chart for safe dive limits. I was a little leery after this and kept a close I on my depth gauge, my watch and my dive tables. Watersports: The beach watersports staff wasn't as strong as at Couples and didn't seem too interested in teaching wind surfing or sailing but windsurfers, sunfish, and hobie cats were available along with aquatrikes and paddle boats. Playmakers: Most of the activities organized by the "Playmakers" were centered around the large pool. Pool and beach volleyball were continuously played and other activities such as Reggae Dancing were mixed in. The playmakers weren't quite as strong or personable as at Couples or S.O.R. Three theme nights are organized including Toga Night, Pirates Night, and Formal Night. Pirates night was worth catching and had Reggae dancing outside and a fire eater for entertainment. From what I heard, most of the resorts are spending less on organized activities and complimentary tours. Special events are occasionally held. There was a well done Super Bowl party during the Packers - Patriots game. Drinks and food were available in the Forum with a big screen TV and two NFL players, Derrick Walker of the Chiefs and Chris Calloway of the Giants, were present to sign autographs and have photos taken with them. Derrick and Chris were active at the volleyball, basketball, and tennis courts and added to the fun. Excursions: Excursions could be booked through the Tour Desk or you could book directly with tour services from numbers obtained from the Jamaican Tourism Board. Dunns River Falls The trip to Dunns River Falls is no longer complimentary. For 22 US dollars per couple a bus takes you to Dunns River Falls and returns you to the resort Everyone should make the trip at least once. It really is an impressive site. Everything off site is an additional cost. At Dunns River Falls it costs six dollars to rent a locker, the guide up The Falls requests a tip, the photographer who carries the cameras for you and takes your picture requests a tip, the bus driver requests a tip, and at the end of the tour you must run a gauntlet of aggressive tee shirt / paraphernalia vendors to get back to your bus. TIP: At Dunn's River Falls take water socks for the climb and a strap for your glasses. Combine with others in the tour group for your locker or take nothing but a little cash in your pocket and a towel so no locker is needed. If you are in a group, have someone carry your cameras and walk on the walkway adjacent to the Falls. They can snap some great photos / videos from there and your camera will be safe. The guide holding our cameras dropped one of them into the river. Also, consider taking the boat trip from Sandals Dunns River. It makes a stop to snorkel and stops at Dunns River Falls for the tour. TIP: Some in our group obtained vouchers for free trips to Dunns River Falls from their travel agent with no additional fee. Consider asking for their availability. Blue Mountain Biking I was opposed to this excursion because of losing a whole day in the sun for eighty dollars per person but it was well worth the trip. It was almost three hours from the resort to the starting point in the Blue Mountains and the same return trip. Our bus driver employed by Blue Mountain Tours made the trip go quickly and he was one of the high points of our trip. His name was "Juicy" and he gave us a running account of the Jamaican sites we passed as well as commentary on the political, social, educational situation in Jamaica. He was a comedian at heart and had the whole bus singing and laughing all the way. He also stopped to climb a palm tree and joined us for a swim under a water fall at the end of our 18 mile bike trip down the Blue Mountains. The downhill bike trip required almost no pedaling and there were frequent stops to see the sites in the rain forest. We were provided ponchos and the rain didn't dampen the spirits of any of the bikers. This trip was down roads traveled very infrequently by cars and an occasional coffee plantation truck. We were able to see the rural Jamaican villages and it gives some insight into how poor the country really is. We never felt unsafe and there were plenty of guides accompanying the bikers. At the end was the opportunity to swim in an icy pool of water under a large waterfall. It made for some more nice photos. TIP: If taking the Blue Mountain Biking trip, demand to go on a day "Juicy" is driving the bus. Blue Mountain Coffee may be purchased here for considerably less than in Ocho Rios or at the resort. Amenities: The usual assortment of outdoor chess, billiards, ping pong, shuffleboard, croquet and board games were available. Massages are available but are no longer included in the fee. Hairstyling was available at the resort and a short walk past the security fence will bring you to numerous locals who will braid hair. Anything else one could want from tee shirts to ganja could be purchased two steps beyond the "fence". Management made themselves very available to guests and were helpful in solving any complaints or problems professionally. A manager's welcoming cocktail party is held to introduce all managers to guests and answer any questions. Guests returning to Sandals received a special dinner and also a Sandals tee shirt and a bottle of Tia Maria. All in all, we ranked Sandals Dunns River just ahead of Sandals Ocho Rios and Couples. If we could bring the saxophone player strolling along the beach at Couples and the entertainment from S.O.R. to Sandals Dunns River it would be almost perfect. As it was, it was about as close as it gets. .
My wife and I spent the week of February 3, 1997 at the Braco Village Resort in Jamaica. I booked the trip through Filenes Vacation Outlet in Boston. A great value, a great trip. The past 2 years we have gone to Couples in Jamaica which we like very much. However, we liked Braco better and plan to return there next year. Braco is a new all-inclusive resort which has been open for only 18 months. It is adults only, and owned by FDR, a family resort near by. FDR is now building Braco-Pebbles, adjacent to Braco Village, that will be for families. Pebbles should be open for the 97/98 winter season. Braco is designed to look and function like a Jamaican village. It has a village square with streets to and from. The buildings along the streets contain shops and restaurants and the resort administration space. Vendors set out their wares each day along the sidewalks. Since the resort is all-inclusive, food, drinks, etc., in the shops and restaurants is free. Any other items in the shops or from the street vendors you pay for. The vendors are very polite and low key. No pressure selling like you would find in a real Jamaican village. Between the town and the beach is a very large pool. Buildings to the right of the town, house the guest rooms. The buildings are 2 and 3 stories with a row of buildings along the beach, and a second row behind. Most rooms have a small patio or balcony. Front row buildings have ocean view, and the second row has garden view. Our room was clean and nice, about the size of a typical motel room. The beach is a natural sand beach however there are many rocks on the bottom in some areas. The main beach in front of the pool is clear of rocks. However, outside of this space the bottom is rock covered, and you really need water sandals to walk around in the water. They are building two large jetties that will provide sunning areas and protect the beach. It looks like all the jetty foundation is in place, but the finish work is not done yet. We found the staff to be very friendly and helpful, but it seemed obvious this was a new resort where many were still learning their jobs. This was most apparent in the Victoria Market restaurant where we took most of our meals. Service was poor and disorganized. This should improve over time. The following is from my trip notes: TRAVEL: We had an American L-1011 non-stop charter from Boston's Logan airport to Montego Bay. The flight was on-time and flawless. In Jamaica we had our bags 15 minutes after landing. Much faster than previous years. Can't say the same for Boston however. We had to wait an hour and 20 minutes for bags after landing at Logan on the return flight. Logan has the slowest baggage handling I've ever encountered. What is their problem? ROOMS: King size bed, cable TV, excellent maid service. Fresh towels in the evening if you need them. Plenty of water. Plenty of hot water! Anytime! FOOD: Victoria Market is the main restaurant and if you want, you can eat all your meals there during normal meal times. Breakfast and lunch are buffet, and you order from the menu at dinner. This was our favorite restaurant. Also, there is a grille, and a pizza shop that are open from early morning to past midnight where you can eat anytime. There is a beach bar/grille that is open during daylight hours. You can also have breakfast delivered to your room if you are that lazy. We tried the Susumber gourmet restaurant one time. Service was great (your own bottle of wine also). The food was no better than Victoria Market (main restaurant) however. For the Susumber you need to make a reservation the day before; we didn't go back. Also, you must dress decently; jacket and tie are not required but some wear them. The waiters wear tuxedos. There is a wide variety of food at the resort with fish (snapper, lobster) and chicken (jerk) most prevalent. They also offer beef and pork at most meals. In general the food is excellent with a wide variety. DRINKS: The main bar in the village seems to be open all the time. There is a beach bar/grille and a swim-up bar in the swimming pool. In addition, you can get drinks at any restaurant when they are open. You can get almost any drink and/or brand of liquor you want; as much as you want. BEACH: The water is clear and warm; good snorkeling just off shore. Snorkeling equipment, kayaks, wind surfing, etc. are all included. They have a dive boat for scuba and for snorkeling trips. Anything done on the boat is at an extra charge. There are plenty of beach chairs and lounges, and flotation pads. Beach towels are not always available; sometimes you have to wait. The far end of the beach is clothing optional and only semi-secluded. It is lightly used with a mix of nudes/topless/suits. Since its adjacent to the main beach, you get a fair number of gawker beach walkers. JACUZZI: One by the swimming pool, and one on the nude beach. WEATHER: Sunny and hot. GOLF: A 9 hole executive course, par 3 except for one 250 yard par 4. Water hazard on most every hole but not many sand traps. In general, the course is in very good shape. Play is very light, maybe 10-15 players per day. Cost is $10 for 9 holes, club rental is $6, and pull cart rental is $4. TENNIS: Two lighted courts, excellent shape. The tennis pro holds clinics Mon-Fri from 8:30am to 10:30am, and 3:30pm to 5:30pm. Outside of this, you can play whenever you want. We played early morning and evening under the lights each day and seldom saw anyone else on the courts. The clinics were fairly well attended. Tennis racquets and balls are provided and there is no extra tennis charge. ENTERTAINMENT: Nightly at 9:30pm, generally in the village street. Mostly local musicians and singers. Its OK but only semi-pro. EXERCISE ROOM: They have a weight machine and a step machine. We didn't use the equipment but they didn't seem to have much of a variety compared to other exercise rooms I've seen. RECREATION ROOM: Two pool tables and a ping-pong table. Heavily used in the evenings since its right above the main bar. NATIONALITIES: A wide variety, mostly US, Canadian, European, and others. I would guess the Europeans made up the majority. Fewer Americans than I expected.
Well it's back to work after a great time in Jamaica. The weather was sunny just about every day. The food was grea Jerk Chicken was good) and the drinks were great (I went through the dozen or so drinks I know within the first day). During the week, I must have had about 20 or 30 Red Stripes, 15 or 20 Rum and Cokes, about 20 to 30 Mudslides, as well as enjoying tropical delights like a Big Bamboo, Jamaican Delight, Jamaican Kiss, Yellow Bird, Purple Rain, No Problem and a Tia Tia. All of them are basically a mix of rum and different juices (pineapple, orange, etc.). I hung out on the nude beach (it was pretty quiet -- unfortunately not too many super models to look at, but there were some ladies worth looking at). I went snorkeling off the beach in front of our resort and the resort next door (the water was maybe 8 or 9 feet deep, and fish and coral was magnificent). I also went out on a snorkeling boat from the resort and we snorkeling in a reef about 17 feet deep. We had life vests on so we didn't have to tread water much. Saw some Spring Coral and some Stingrays among other things. I also went on a glass bottom boat and they took us out to where I snorkeled and out further to where the big fish were (about 50 feet deep). I also played a round of golf at the resort's golf course. There was a family resort next to us and those people can also use the course. I was paired with a guy from that resort. It's a hilly but beautiful course. I started out well, but having to take 3 or 4 shots to keep up I was tired by the 7 th hole. Of course there was a big hill to the left of the 6th green and I wound up at the bottom of it. On the 8th hole we played "Best Ball" where I would hit from where his ball landed. I shot about 90, but I still had a good time. At meals on the Beach Terrace, they either had lite jazz, reggae and live entertainment, such as the resident terrace band, a country western singer or recorded reggae music. They had various contests during the day including Goat Races, Sumo Wrestling, Beach and Pool Volleyball and also at the bar they showed how to make the Jamaican drinks mentioned above (the only one I didn't try was called a Blow Job). New this year was a trampoline and trapeze where the offered clinics in the afternoon (I was not into that -- fun to watch, though). At night they had various singers come in, some who were there last year, such as Melvin Williams who did a lot of oldies and standards. One night they had dancers with flaming rings and a flaming limbo bar, then it was down to the beach for some relay races and a reggae dance contest. Also there was a big bonfire. They also had a Bingo Night and 2 Casino Nights where you could win rum, Tia Maria and Breezes merchandise. They also have a game room and slot machines (where I lost $2 US -- $1 US = about $39 Jamaican). Later on they have a resident band (Wrights Incorporated - - I sang in the Talent show for the third year in a row (Bob Marley's "Buffalo Soldier") that played before and after the show for the evening. Then the piano bar (where "Piano Man", "American Pie" and "The Gambler" were requested nightly). Then it was on to the disco for everything from 70's disco to '80's pop to reggae hip hop and even Michael Jackson, the Electric Slide and the Macarena! I also went on a shopping trip to Ocho Rios where I brought back some Appleton White Rum, Banana Rum Cream, Pineapple and Spiced Rum. There's no Hard Rock Cafe but they do have stores that sell the merchandise (T-shirts, mugs and shot glasses) that says "Hard Rock Cafe" - Jamaica. I also got a book on Chatting Jamaican and a Jamaica Bartender book, and a Bob Marley figurine. I also bought a few bottles of Ting which is a Jamaican Grapefruit soda and some reggae tapes and a CD ($8 US for a tape and $15US for a CD, at the airport duty free it's $12US for a tape and $25US for a CD). They have some of our places such as Burger King, KFC, McDonalds, Texaco and Esso (E on). They didn't have any prices so I couldn't tell you what a gallon of gas goes for Jamaican. As for a Jamaican Car Wash, just drive into a shallow ravine on the side of the road. We went to three Shopping Centers (the Taj Mahal, Soni's and a third which I can't remember). The stores are mostly owned by non Jamaicans, and the Jamaicans work there. They are very eager for your business, they will follow you around the store hoping you'll need help buying something. There was also an old man with a flowered hat at each place whom I took a picture of and of course if any Jamaican offers you something they expect a tip (sometimes I'd give a US dollar or two, other times I would just say "No thanks, mon!"). My other trip was to Nine Miles, the birth and final resting place of Bob Marley (the father of Jamaican reggae who died on May 11, 1981 at the age of 36 of cancer). He lived in a one room house about the size of 2 offices put together. The chapel where he is laid to rest is even smaller and he was buried with his guitar -- as candles, pictures and a replica of his guitar lay outside his tomb. In front of his house is a spiritual garden and on the side a patch of flowers and a bench where he used to sit for many an evening. He lived at Nine Miles with his mother from the time he was 6 months until he was 13 years old when he moved to Kingston (the capital city). His mother still lives in Miami and she and his sons (including Ziggy were there to celebrate his 52nd birthday on Feb. 6th). There were 100,000 people who came to Nine Miles for his funeral in 1981. Many of the Marley family live in the village which is called Nine Miles because that is the area it covers. It was about an hour's drive up the narrow road to get there, and you pass through Brownstown which is a poor looking Jamaican town but there is construction nevertheless going on. Most of the staff at Breezes remembered me from last year, however I didn't remember their names but they were great. They put in long days and many worked every day I was there. They seem to enjoy making sure we have a good time. On the way out they gave me a video on SuperClubs and a SuperClubs mug. The "ride from hell" to airport on the bus was definitely that especially holding 4 bottles of rum on your lap for 2 hours of winding roads and the fast speeds Jamaicans seem to drive was no fun. If a Jamaican sees someone who needs a ride they will pick them up. They seem to think a tour bus and public bus are one in the same. Almost thought I'd be stuck in Jamaica due to the American Airlines pilots' strike. I was flying to Miami Sat. afternoon and they walked out Friday at midnight. But President Clinton's order of a 60 day "cooling off" period allowed me to fly to Miami to spend what would be a stormy wet weekend with my brother and nephew in Fort Lauderdale. We had a good time anyway though. I hate Miami airport -- going through customs is a "zoo" and getting your bags to a skycap through a crowd is no fun. The flights to and from Jamaica were fine, the flights to and from Miami were turbulent due to stormy weather. On the way down, it didn't smooth out until we got over the water. On the way back, there was rough skies at 25,000 and 30,000 feet so we flew low at 23,000 feet and it wasn't too bad. All in all it was a great trip and I hope to get back and go to Breezes Montego Bay in October.
Sandals Negril September 9-19, 1996 My husband and I spent a 10 night honeymoon at Sandals Negril and would never recommend it to anyone. The first 7 days were wonderful - great food, great activities, great accommodations and on the last three days things were so intolerable that are honeymoon was ruined. We had reserved the top-of-the-line honeymoon 1BR suite at a cost of over $600 per night (all-inclusive) and were treated very well at the Sandals desk at the Montego Bay Airport. The 1 + hour bus ride was not too bad. At Sandals the suite concierge immediately whisked us upstairs to a private check-in facility for suite guests. Very relaxing with drinks during the check-in process. We were taken to the room and it was beautiful. Two levels with a spiral staircase leading to the bedroom with a four-poster bed. There was a bottle of champagne and a fruit platter waiting for us that our travel agent arranged. The premises are very well taken care of by the groundsmen. A board of activities were offered daily and you received points for everything that you participated in to win various prizes. We played beach relay games, took tennis lessons, beer chugging contests, water aerobics, etc. Most of the day was spent sitting on the beach, or floating in the ocean on the chair pads - which there were not enough of. Breakfasts and lunches were buffets and there was a very large selection which changed daily. Dinners were mostly a la carte (5 courses) except for buffets twice a week in the main dining room. There were four restaurants all together (Jamaican, Japanese, Low Calorie restaurant where you choose the ingredients for a stir fry meal, and the main dining area). There was also a beach grill with hamburgers, hotdogs, fries and pizza. We took an evening party cruise to Ricks Cafe to watch the sunset. My husband dove off the cliffs and lost his watch. The cruise was lots of fun with dance lessons, aloe vera body rub and free baseball caps. One tour we took was a full day bus tour to Black River Safari and YS Falls. Well worth the money. I think it was $90 per couple, including lunch. The safari was amazing with many crocodile coming up to our boat and the captain hand feeding raw chicken to them. YS Falls was beautiful. Very unspoiled by tourists, not like Dunn's River Falls which we had previously been to. The suite concierge had us well prepared for the trip by giving us a cooler to bring with sodas, ice and Red Stripes for the trip. All we had to do was ask. Sandals has numerous water sports to do - you won't be bored. We kayaked, learned to use a sailfish, paddleboat, waterbike (looks like a big plastic tricycle). There was water-skiing and other activities we didn't participate in. We did however go snorkeling about six times. Sandals has boats that take you out to four various snorkeling spots which were really good. We saw many stingrays and schools of fish. These boats are also glass bottom boats but you have to sign up separately for those rides. The first five days of the trip had perfect weather and the last five had rain showers for about an hour a day. We were caught on the snorkeling boat twice in the rain. Not fun. We took a shopping trip to the Negril markets ($15 US per couple). We didn't buy much. Not a big shopping area unless you were looking for Negril T-shirts. Now that I have filled you in on the great things that Sandals has to offer, here's what ruined our honeymoon. Our suite had ants on the walls when we checked in and the concierge said we were a part of nature and they won't bother us. The room was beachfront but had gardens all around it. By day seven the ants had grown wings and flew onto us at night. Housekeeping brought us ant spray which killed the ones in sight but the ceilings were so high we couldn't reach them all. We were offered to change our room but we were very comfortable where we were. The ants were so unbearable the last three nights, we had to sleep with a sheet over our heads. Our air-conditioning unit broke numerous times and every time we called difficult task. One night we had no A/C all together. The worst problem was that we had no phone service the last three days of our stay. The main desk told us that the problem was just in our room and they would set up an appointment with the phone company as soon as possible. The next day the front desk told us it was a resort wide upgrade and they would be letting us know the next day when it would be fixed. Our last day we finally received a notice under the door explaining the situation and that no phone service would be available for the next two days. I spoke with the manager on duty to relay my problems. It was getting very inconvenient to walk to the front desk to ask for maintenance or house- keeping due to lack of phone service. The manager was very nice and took diligent notes on my complaints and was apologetic but I wasn't offered anything for our troubles. Our last day came and we couldn't wait to get home. We had arranged a TimAir flight from Negril to Montego Bay (thanks to the Compuserve discount) and it was quick and hassle -free. Upon our return, my travel agent lodged our complaints with the tour package company that arranged the trip and I heard back from Sandals customer service, months later and was offered one free night stay at any Sandals resort (based upon availability and black-out dates of course). My husband and I were appalled. After spending our life savings on a ruined honey- moon, we were only offered one night. Since the response I have personally written to the Sandals customer service rep, her manager and Gordon Stewart, Chairman of Sandals. I have yet to receive a response. To sum up our Negril stay. The first seven days were wonderful and the last three were hell. I'm sure the majority of visitors love Sandals but we were very unhappy with their customer service that they are known for.
| CTR Home | << Back | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Next >> | Search |