Hello everybody, here is my first trip report in English, please don’t laugh…….*smile*

TRIP REPORT 03/21/02-04/04/02

Takeoff Day:

I could not close my eyes the whole night, I am terrible nervous…..
I stand in Frankfurt at the airport and my feelings are totally out of order………….”Jamaica I come”

I see humans, humans everywhere only humans and all want fly to Jamaica ……*smile*……I look for Ulrike, Sarah and Antje because they want also stay in the Irie Rest Guesthouse too but I can‘t find them…….. ok, I think in the airplane I will find the three girls. I go to my seat and the coincidence was good for me, because the three sit nearly beside me…….*smile*…….Juhuuuuuu, I had found them and although we had not ever seen one another before…………….that’s life……*smile*.

Arrival in Montego Bay:

My lucky hormones rise up ……….. I can’t believe it………….I’m in Jamaica :-))
We all leave the airport and my vision slides over the loads of people and suddenly I recognize a face….juhuuuuuu, it is Robert, my joy is boundless and I give him a very big hug……..*smile*
Now all man into the bus and then we go to forward to Treasure Beach/Billy’s Bay.

Arrival in the Irie Rest Guesthouse:

Lennie, Pauline, Leandy and Tisha already waiting for us, I leave the bus and look at all this loved people ….. from this moment on I have lost my self control ……… I cry like a baby :)) ….”REDEMPTION”.
The first night appears to me as in a dream, all my senses are open, I can feel everything……….. “I am overjoyed. “ :-))

The first day in Jamaica:

After very many months, I see the sunrise in Jamaica again…………… It is for me like magic.
Pauline serves to us a brilliant breakfast…….mhhhh ….delicious! :-))…….. Pauline is the very best cook.
We sit on the veranda with a good drink, then come past surprisingly, Allan…….Allan is also a very good friend………. what for a beautiful surprise…… the joy is large………what do you think happened now?????? ………..logic ……..hugs and kisses for Allan………*smile*
After the welcome, we meet the other nice and friendly people from Billy’s Bay, we want say hello to all. I am pleased now I can see all my sweet kid’s from Billy’s Bay again. These children brought in these 2 weeks so much cordialness to me, it is unbelievable……………”Oh, babies I miss you 🙁 and I love you all but I will come back” :-))…….. also Sarah the daughter of Ulrike is somewhat completely special…”I would like send you greetings Sarah” :-))………… Sorry,I forgot myself……*smile*…….. now however again to my trip report.
Later I go to the beach…….. I feel the sun on my body and I stand in the warm water of the ocean, I inhale deeply……………… and only now I can really realize, where I actually am………juhuuuuu, I’m back to Jamaica :-))

Our first tour we make with Eric, our taxidriver. He is not only a good driver but also a good friend. Our destination is the YS Falls, these waterfalls one should see……..it is an unbelievable natural phenomenon.
Our way leads us back by the Bamboo Avenue, this is a road like a tunnel with bamboo over it………oh, it is nice.
On the way back to the Irie Rest we meet Lennie in a small store…………… for this I can only say……… I cry forward to laugh………..*smile*…………..so is Lennie :-))……….. if you knows Lennie then you know what I mean………..*lol*
Ulrike, Sarah and Antje want to make a Trip to Negril. Briefly decided, we jump also in Lennie’s pickup because we want look the tourist center………..oh no…… I will do it never again…….. I don’t have understanding for it, that Jamaica’s people is sometimes not allowed to go into a restaurant ……… that is not correct :-((…. the tourist center is not anything for me…….. I would like to see and feel the original Jamaica………the best on this trip was the drive in Lennie’s pickup. I saw beautiful nature :-))
It is Thursday, in the evening and the first week is past. We sit all before the Irie Rest and wait for the arrival from Markus and Joerg (we all have acquainted in the German Jamaica forum)…….. juhuuuuuu, they come……. and then can you think surely what comes now?…….yes…..hugs…….*smile*
Starting from this time the Irie Rest is full with people from the forum……….. basically this can be a way to meet each other personally………… we flew halfway around the world……… also then we can see each other personally….*smile*

Of course we made a boat tour with Allan. I have implored Allan …..”Please, please Allan, show me dolphins” and Allan has shown me dolphins …….many dolphins…… I could nearly touch one………..a dream come true. I could see my favourite animal in freedom. Our next destination was the Black River, this was always an experience. I have seen crocodiles, nice birds and very beautiful nature. …….I love it……….. you feel related with nature……………..”Thank you Allan for this nice day”……….”BLACK RIVER I COME BACK” :-))

Eric drove us to Nine Miles……..oh, I love this place……… since my childhood, I love the music from Bob Marley……… I’m a very great fan of Bob Marley and already in my half life time I wanted to visit this place……. “Thanks Eric, that you fulfilled my youth dream” :-))

On a beautiful evening we all drove to Great Bay to a Reggae Festival by the sea. There it was live music, much Red Stripe, many friendly people and dancing……….oh, I could feel the rhythm…….on this night I learned the “Logon dance”………*smile* :-))

Oh, oh….. then there was still my doom……….*smile*………..Lennie’s birthday party……………Oh no, I was very drunk…….. “RUM CREAM” was my fate……….. the day after became true…….*smile*…… I thought my head was big as a football field, I felt rarely so bad in my life……but……….it was worth it……*lol*

“Lovers Leap” …….. at this place I could feel the freedom…….I was speechless……I find not words for it…….look down to the picture…..but a picture is a picture, I miss the aliveness.

Now I could tell you still for hours because I had seen so much and felt so much but I must come to the end. Thus I tell you of my last day……….helpppp………THE DEPARTURE DAY :-((
The first thing I did on this day, I put on my sun glasses……….. I had the feeling as would press someone on my heart……….. I could hardly breathe and I felt an infinite sadness. I look in the faces from all these loved people, I want to carry their laughter in my heart………… and I want tell you that still I can hear the laughter from these lovely people……. and this laughter is it, what gives me the power that I can hold out here. ………….BYE BYE JAMAICA…… THE DAY WILL COME WHEN I MUST NEVER LEAVE YOU…………..SOON

ONE LOVE

GABI :-))

Author

  • Deborah Gabriel

    Dr. Deborah Gabriel is a Lecturer in Marketing Communications at Bournemouth University and the Founder and CEO of Black British Academics; a Community Interest Company working to advance race equality in the higher education sector.

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