Marion,

it's wonderful that you can say that you enjoyed everything about your vacation, you managed to read an awful lot of books

We've just got home from Jamaica and I have to say I'm missing the 'lushness' of Jamaica, here in MA the trees are finally getting their leaves.

Goat Hill and it's caretakers seem to be exactly what you needed, will you visit Goat Hill again?

Hi Alya,

I know exactly what you mean about missing the "lushness" of Jamaica. I miss that and the temperatures !

Here in Maine, we are usually about a month behind you in MA in terms of anything being remotely green. And I think if the local meteorologist tells me one more time that it will be "cooler on the coast", I'll scream !

I have booked a return to Jamaica at the end of November. Just one week...before the rates go up !

I'm booked at another villa....just for comparison before a longer trip next Spring.

Linda Smith did arrange for me to tour several properties while I was there and that was great fun.

I think you stayed at Jamaica Inn ? I stayed there last year for two weeks and would have returned had I felt more *social*.

How was your stay there ?

Marion

Marion,

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss.

I'm pleased that you found your time at Goat Hill to be therapeutic.

Could you tell me about your transportation arrangements once you were at Goat Hill? When you went in town to MoBay, did you call a taxi or had you established a connection with the driver who took you from the airport to the villa? If a taxi, how long between your call and its arrival?

Did you shop with your cook?

While you were there, was there anything about the villa you would have liked to be different in some way?

Looking back, is there anything you would change? Anything you know now you wished you'd have known before? Anything you would have brought into Jamaica with you?

How did you go about making arrangements to stay on through Linda Smith...and revise your air travel?

Thanks Marion. It's good to have you back, but I have a feeling you wish you could have stayed another 2 weeks.

Hi Golf Guy !

Thanks for the morning brain challenge Let me try to answer your questions.

Linda Smith arranged airport transfers with Ken Smythe and I continued to use them while there. When I wanted to go somewhere, one of the staff would call and a driver was there, on time, to take me whereever I wanted to go. I'm not sure there are taxis, as we know them, in Jamaica. I arranged with Ken to have a *running tab* and paid, by credit card on departure day. Convenient and reasonable.

I did shop with my cook and with my driver. Although my *pre-stock* was everything I requested. Patricia, the cook at Goat Hill, is very observant . We discussed my likes and dislikes, tolerance of heat level in spices, etc.....if there was something left on my plate I'd never see it on the plate again.

Part of the reason Goat Hill has such privacy for multiple guests, is that it's situated on three different levels. For me, the lovely stone steps, were a little difficult, since there are no railings. More of an age and depth perception issue for me....not something that would bother most folks.

I'd bring more books. Tiverton suggested that I bring some vegetable and flower seeds for the staff and they were very well-received. I also brought some *snazzy* earrings for the female staff....not costly but fun shapes, and those were a big hit I do think that bringing some small tokens to the staff is a great idea. They certainly make you feel that you're in your own home for the duration of your stay...but most of them have worked at the same villa for many years, so it is their home as well. A *hostess* gift is how I would think about it.

I made all my airline changes directly. Since I had paid a fee to change the original booking, there were no additional charges.

I didn't mention that I stayed at a different villa for the last 9 days. Goat Hill had guests coming in on my scheduled departure day so Linda and her staff worked with me to find something else ! The transfer was quick and easy.

You are absolutely right, I wanted to stay for at least another month !

By the way, the Jamaican calling cards are great, inexpensive and made it easy for me to notify my daughters that I was extending my stay. This came as no surprise to them !

If you have any other question...feel free to keep my brain challenged !

Marion

Dear Marion,

Welcome back! I've missed reading your insightful and balanced posts here. I'm truly sorry to read about your father, as the last time you mentioned him here you were tending to him. I'm glad that Jamaica provided some respite for you and that you were well taken care of. I, too, am looking forward to my return trip to Jamaica, although unlike yours in the fall mine is in the nebulous future.

WOW ! WOW ! WOW ! Marion , what an amazing place ! I am glad to hear you had a wonderful time ( sorry for your loss )...... Now your back on the cold eastern seaboard ! Brrrr.... Let lovely thoughts of beautiful Jamaica keep you warm until mother nature warms things up for you here . Now , I will go back to dreaming of Goat Hill . ( love the whitewashed villas and weathered grey shingles that so many Jamaican Villas seem to have ) Seems very " old world " Faith .

Marion,

Thanks for the quick response!!! We used Ken for transport also.

I wish we had a cup of tea and some cookies to set out for you, I'd like to settle in for a chat.

Since I don't, may I ask just a few more questions?

Once you turn off the North Coast hiway at the road at the Great River valley, about how long was it to get to Goat Hill?

Which villa did you move to in mid-visit?

Please, please, tell us a bit about the meals Patricia prepared for dinner.

In the past we have brought coloring books and crayons for the staff's children, but I copied Tiv's list of seeds and will bring a bunch when we go in November.

I just saw a post that the Rose Hill Ritz-Carleton is shutting down for 6 weeks to make repairs to damage resulting from extremely heavy rains on April 27. Were you caught up in what sounds like extreme nastiness?

OK, that's enough for now. I'll wait my turn and get back in line for later.

Thanks, Marion.

mmmm....cookies and tea, and company...sounds good to me !

Once past the Great River Road you are less than five minutes from Goat Hill.

I should have mentioned that Goat Hill is at the end of the road....set on a point, which accounts for the wonderful views. On the way up, you will pass Hanover House and Windsong. In the welcome packet, Linda has a map (which I intended to steal ) that really helps those, like me, who are geographically challenged. And the reverse driving side was always a problem for me ! I usually can give accurate directions...but I wasn't sure about left or right !

Patricia can/will cook anything, and I'm sure she loves cooking for those who are not quite as *picky* as I ! I don't eat seafood or shellfish but love vegetables and pork/poultry. She has wonderful ways with ackee, callaloo, breadfuit, and still answered my need for something fried, with some of the best chicken and homemade french fries. I love curry....and she does a great job with that....with freshly grated coconut and all the traditional toppings. I asked for meat patties to be stocked and both the curried chicken and meat were memorable. Her soups....pumpkin/carrot with ginger, green pea and many others were served on nights when she thought it was little chilly !

The other villa was Sea Island. It was a completely different *feel* and price range...but spectacular. It was recently renovated and beautiful. Again it was the warmth and caring of the staff that made it special as well.

The rains of 4/27 were horrific. The road from Ocho Rios to MBJ was impassable for many hours. Several people lost their lives in cars that were simply swept away. I was secure in the hills, aware of the impact on so many.

Any more questions ? I'll make my own tea !

Marion

Marion,

Thanks again for your patience and all this excellent information.

Will have to read and re-read this thread for a while, and then print out for my wife and the friends we do Jamaica with.

As much as we love Tryall, we are always interested in options. But we'll still need to be close enough for golf. That's why I'm so intrigued by the possibilities of Goat Hill and some of the other Linda Smith properties nearby.

Thanks again. I'll probably be back later with more questions.

Welcome home Marion. It sounds like your trip was just what you needed in this rough time, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Liz

Try the South Pacific if you REALLY enjoy the whitest of sands and the best of isolation--Might I mention New Caledonia--just south of the main island called Isle de Pines--but--then you would have to investivate that--it's worth it!!! or the Loyalty Islands
just a-ways north of New Zealand--anyone heard or been there? Or you fly out of Sydney god forbid! lol

Marion

I'm also a female used to traveling solo and your trip report is inspiring! Thanks for sharing. I love the look of Goat Hill but I was wondering if you visited any beaches? I assume looking at that view that there are some near by? Also, what airport did you fly into?

Hi Marion,

I know what you mean about Jamaica Inn we only ate alone on the first night after that we tended to eat with people we met over pre-drinks.

A sociable place but it's always nice to try somewhere new and I don't think we'll go back again - too many other places I'd like to visit.

New England weather? Oh don't get me started! Rain forecasted for the weekend again

Marion-
My family will be going to the Tryall Club for the first time in June. Would it be appropriate to take small gifts for the housekeeper, or is the tip enough? What type of gifts would you suggest?

Thanks so much for your help!

Julie

Hi Julie,

It was Tiverton's suggestion that I take something to give the staff at the beginning of my visit. He is a wise man !

In addition to flower/vegetable seeds I brought earrings for the women....and they were a great hit. Any kind of bracelet would also be nice. Just something bright and colorful would be my suggestion.

I would also suggest that any kind of perfume, body wash/cream would please.

It's always easier to shop for the women ....maybe Tiverton could make some suggestions for the men !

Enjoy your stay at Tryall ! I'll look forward to a trip report from you

Marion

Thanks, Marion. That's very helpful.

Julie

Men enjoy reggae-dancehall-US soul cds (so do women of course), baseball hats of teams that are doing well, t-shirts of same, if giving to a gardener (most villas have one), garden tools are nice, dominoes (the double sixes, as I recall).

Just back from island, I find the newest in-demand 'gifts' are movies on DVD. Comedies (White Chicks, Barbershop) and action films are the favorites...Also, the most popular gift I've ever brought down is a Mexican/Key lime squeezer, available online at many purveyors (don't get the big Persian lime squeezer model, tho). It extracts max juice with min effort. Garden seeds went over well, as always.

Welcome back Tiv !

I hope all went well for you !

I'm sure I'm not alone in saying you have been missed here !

Marion

Marion: Had the New Yorker travel issue (18 April) and thought immediately of this board when seeing the Roz Chwast
end paper full page cartoon serial called 'Traveloque'/a hoot. In the same mode, will let you know of many new things on island as soon as I finish answering inquiries here and adding 6 new properties to our roster...

Can't wait to hear all about it Sasha!!! Did you take many photos?

Liz: We start reviewing 27 rolls of film and 3500 digital shots tomorrow -- and probably all next week. We'll be opening new places in Treasure Beach
(La Sirena on Billy's Bay and Dream-A-Way in Fort Charles); introducing a new La Casa Duna with pool also in Billy's Bay;Oasis Spa in Belmont-Bluefields Bay will now be offering special spa weekends and weeklong spa holidays for 2 guests, quite romantic;Culloden Cove, where our crew stayed, is debutting all-inclusive rates since the food there is so good/equal to Mar Blue (which is now buying cakes from Culloden);Great Huts in Boston Bay will be joining us and we'll rep Silent Waters, the posh estate;and best of all, we've been asked to redesign inside/outside and gardens a 1950s beachfront house on the South Coast. So if I post here, it'll be early ams, getting the brain going...
Likkle more....

ttt for mayilove

Apologies to all those who have read this ramble

Marion