on holiday day 1

Despite fighting a nasty cold I have been so excited that REM sleep has generally eluded me for the last several days.Not that it mattered cause today I was going back to Jamaica mon.
Work flew by, picked up the last few things I needed, had a pint with Mur at the Abbey and collected some hugs, and then booted over to Amanda & Chris' for supper and a game of monopoly with the grands, and it was time to go.
Chris hauled me to the port and dealt with my luggage (wonderful guy) and took my coat back to the house with him. Despite my great paranoia about luggage weights- it was all good and I checked both cases, picked up my smokes from duty free (less than $100 for 2 cartons), and sashayed my way through security without at hitch. Kory was already waiting so I grabbed a Timmy Ho's and we chilled until the flight was called.
Surviving the hazing from my friends about the blowing snow and winter weather, the flight left ON Time at just after midnite. Kristeo and Selso were on it, a few other people from work, and at the last minute Brent Pool showed up too!
If only the 2 children seated behind me could have seen their way to settle, stop crying and quit kicking the back of my seat, it would have been better. The "Please return to your seats" notice when I was in the head caused me a bit of panic, but really when you've already traversed the micro aisle and managed to wedge yourself in there, you might as well finish what you started, it was only a bit of turbulence so really ...
The lights of civilization at night was an amazing experience, and the storm out to the east as we overflew St Loius was phenomenal. Seeing lightening from the top down - BOOYAH! It looks like a mushroom cloud explosion when you're above it, a sentiment that my seatmate didn't apparently appreciate. The lights along the Florida keys were a glowing necklace and the total void once we were over the ocean was astounding.
The sun was just starting to peek over the edge of the world when we reached the island.
Immigration was quick, the JUTA transport was about 20 minutes late and Margueritaville closed but our driver Franklyn found us a roadside cold beer stand just outside of MoBay. Tourist prices for red stripe that early in the morning - but really who cares;) I was so happy to be driving along on the coast road that I found myself actually crying for joy. Frank was hilarious and is quite adamant that before we look anywhere else we should go to Port Antonio for real estate.
The Mariner is one of the older hotels on 7 mile, a patina of age comfortably settled across its shoulders. They found Kory and I a room to stay in until check in time at 2. Our King rooms won't be available until Monday (thank you expedia you jerks), but the ones we got are clean and serviceable. The safe in my room however, doesn't work. So we got cleaned up and wandered through the garden getting our bearings and looking for eats and cold bevvies around 10ish.
Lyngah by the Sea is the local outdoor restaurant perched on the edge of the beach with an endless view of the ocean. The service was great and the food ..mmm.. awesome! jerk chicken salad with this tangy mango sauce and blue mountain coffee with rum cream. Kory had the jerk chicken dinner and from the looks of our remains it was fan-freakin-tastic.
I could have just sat there all day.
Wandered a bit about the property, there's a minimart, 2 gift shops, the pool, and a beach bar. Big sand, l,ots of loungers and some pretty good shade trees for afternoon napping.
So Kory and I started walking the beach in the early afternoon - we sauntered down to the BarB Barn and had some cool ones there, and continued on to Alfreds where we had supper. Scampi for me with jamaican cole slaw and rice and peas, fish for Kory. Delicious. Will certainly go there again.
Having traversed over 2K of sand walking and being sleepless foe most of 3 days I grabbed a cab back to Mariners while Kory continued his trek (another mile) down the beach to Margueritaville.
A few cool ones at the beach bar, splash in the ocean, a shower and crisp clean sheets and it was nighty night little girl.
Sleepin' with a big ass grin.
...and my cold is almost gone;)