Jamaica adventure YES!!!

Wow.

What an adventure. I only have to breathe to know that I am in a completely foreign country. Redolent with the scent of green growth, the humidity seasons every breath with life.

The fkight left on time, was just a little bumpy over the jet stream, and arrived early. Unforunately CanJet doesn't have a liquor license for Regina so it was a dry flight, not quite up to expectations, and our "meal" such as it was consisted of a bruised apple, 2 chocolate chip cookies and some kind of turkey swiss bun which would have been greatly improved with any kind of condiment. Ah well, minor setbacks. Where I had been warned that the trek from the plane to customs was around 4 blocks, we landed on the other side of the airport so it was much shorter (thank you 100 little gods) Customs and immigration were quick and our luggage was already on its way in once we were through.
Smiles everywhere smiles. Most genuine, some just a part of the job, but an overwhelming sense of welcome and strangely, of coming home?

iT IS SUMMER HERE. Winter for the island but certainly summer for me.

We left the terminal and right outside the door is a Jimmy Buffet's where we all bought several beer to take with us on the bus ride to NEGRIL. I had foreign import Guinness - damn tasty, and a cigarette, the bus was loaded and off we went. The 90 nminute trip seemed much less. We stopped halfway so we could all pick up some more bevvies and chat with some loacals and it was back on the bus.
It gets darl really fast here - and the sun set while were driving thro0ugh the hills. Rain was pouring in buckets. Goats dotting the hillsides, new homes alongside shanties, and boneyards regularly interspersed all along the highway. Little houses perched up in the hills like birds nests one one side and the ocean rolling along on the other. WOW.

The pictures of the RIU simply don't do it justice. all open air and lofty ceiligs -big spaces, unbelievably helpful staff. I almost lost my passport etc on the bus because it fell out of my side pocket in the bag, but I didn't - so it's all good.
My room is lovely, a huge king size bed, nice and soft with crispy sheets and lots of pillows, and nice deep tub, big fans and air conditioing facing a garden where the frogs are singing to me right now. It's quite the jaunt from the main building - about a block and a half, but on the ther hand, the beach is right outside the front door, with rows and rows of lounges ghosting the darkness echoing the music of the ocean as it rolls into shore. Swimming tomorrow first thing.

After finding our rooms we were handed nore rum punch when we went back to the main building and starving from the travel it was off to the buffet. Ye gods and little fishes I'm in heaven. For supper I decided to sample a took a little of a lot of the dishes offered. I had oysters on the half shell, scallops and catfish, baked chicken, grilled pork and some duck with a tart and not too sweet orange sauce. Fresh crispy salad with 3 kinds of cheese, shrimp, pickled mushrooms, red onion, and stuffed grilled tomatoe.deviled eggs and red beans and rice. And a small slice of killer super moist deep chocolate cake. I think I only made it through half the buffet. There wasn't a single thing I didn't thoroughly enjoy.
After supper, we adjourned to the open air lounge and watched the deluge over cocktails and just chilled. MMMMM blue mountain coffee and Baileys - found a favorite. By 10:30 or so we were all starting to fade so it was off to unpack and crash.

Man would you have laughed at me when I accidentally turned off all the power in my room. However, I grabbed the flkashlight from my backpack, found the breaker panel and had everything to rights in about 10 minutes. Having organized myself, set up the safe and stashed the big camera, ID and cash, I then tried to set the alarm clock. It took a bit of finagling, but it's ready to go now.
Tomorrow has been designated resort day so we can figure out where everything is. We have been assured it only rains at night and it is supposed to be 28 or 29C tomorrow. So it's brekky at 8 and then into the ocean for me. Meeting at the pool bar at 10am and we'll see how the day progresses. No net in the rooms, so I'll post during siesta time tomorrow afternoon.

If the rest of my stay is anywhere close to the wonder of today, it will have been worth every jot and tittle it took to get me here.

Jah mon.

.... and today has been better so far pics on crackbook