And getting back to the OP for just a minute, I wondered when I read it why $750 to $800 was acceptable, but that $1,000 was not.

I found that amusing. I mean, in the scheme of things for a 7 day trip, what's another $1400 or so ?

Marion

Hi Marion!

Yah, me nah vex is a great philosophy.

I seem to be able to do a much better job of it when in the islands than I do when I am just WANTING to be there!

Today is Jamaica Independence day - wear the colors!

Marion, I must have somehow let my patois info slip through the cracks. Sasha sent such a voluminous folder full of good stuff that it was overflowing. In fact, there were a few times over the winter that I lugged it out to pore through the various places I missed out on during my brief stay. I long to go back to Treasure Beach.

Diana, I remember the first time I read your use of the word "trampoosing" --it's so perfectly descriptive. And now I'm glad to know the source of it.

One of the first things Sasha ever wrote to me was "nah vex yuhself" when I had a small moment of panic. I use it all the time at home now.

I've been thinking back about my various vacations, Caribbean and otherwise. There have been a few times where my hotel choice was on the luxurious side, an indulgence, where I stayed put to a much greater degree. Those times were always very enjoyable during the moment, but in my memory they're so much more two dimensional and less colorful than the times I've chosen places based on charm & character, the places where my trampoosing rewarded me with so much more than a sea salt reflexology massage and bottomless pina coladas.

Very interesting and informative thread, which I read with great pleasure! However, I have to wonder what happened to the original Joanie?? I strongly suspect that she (he?) is (was?) a 'troll'... Nevertheless, maybe we should be grateful to her anyway for getting this interesting discussion going!

Carola,

I'm not sure she's a troll, but she is lacking in social graces.

Many people who post here, are provided with thoughtful information and then are never heard from again.

I think we would all appreciate an update on decisions made and of course the very important trip report.

Just because we communicate electronically, we should still remember the courtesy of a thank you.

Marion

I wonder if Adverse Billy has truly , truly , left us ???? I am not sure if Joan was a troll ..... probably a bit suprised at the hub-bub though !!!! Maybe a better choice of words , as I stated earlier , would have been in better taste , does one really need "upscale - clientele" ??? Anyway , if she truly was someone in search of valid info. , she recieved more info. than she expected !!! Sorry Joan . Now where's that Billy !!??

There are some expensive properties that surely tempt me. There's an island off the north end of Tobago with a house that was once owned by Ian Fleming. It is accessible only by boat, and there's only the one house on it. I"ve heard it rents for more than $1,000 a night, but I don't rember the exact figure. And I doubt that the bathrooms have marble, probably because it's an older house. Anyway, it calls to me -- An island all to ourselves! Alas, too rich for my blood.

I also am curious what Joanie or Joan decided..if indeed she was sincere with her post.

Marion:
You are so right with this "And getting back to the OP for just a minute, I wondered when I read it why $750 to $800 was acceptable, but that $1,000 was not." I totally agree.:)

Christie,

It's just one of those detail things that I tend to remember. Much to the dismay of many, I'm sure ;-)

It sounds like your trip to Negril is going to happen. I'm so pleased for you.

I'm sure the experts will post with your taxi cost information.

Diana will give great advice about how to negotiate. I'd like to have just a portion of that woman's *spunk* :-)

Marion

Marion..you have plenty of spunk.;)

Y'all are funny, and wonderful travelers to boot. I just love to hear about everyone's trips, and I am envious of your trip to Jamaica, Marion. I can't wait to hear all about it. :)

As far as spunk goes, I am very comfortable bypassing all of the people taking advantage of the tourists just off the boat, plane, etc. and negotiating on my own.

Marion, being gracious and friendly - as I know you are - goes as long a way as does being spunky!

I try to always be respectful but firm, and let people know that I am familiar with what the costs should be and I will not be ripped off but am willing to be fair.

People are just trying to make a living, and I get enjoyment out of knowing they are happy with what I am paying them as well as that I got a good price.

If you treat someone well and with respect on your way to the resort from the airport, you may well have someone who will take you all over the island and show you the sights few tourists see and will treat you as a friend.

ej - I always enjoy your trip reports and observations as well. You are very sensitive, and make the best of things every time. We all know that Caribbean travel can be full of the "unexpected," and you alays make lemonade out of your lemons. :)

fwiw, I also suspect the OP may have been a troll as well...

Diana:
I know that I don't know you but have read alot of your posts.I like people who are honest.;)I would like to say that I enjoy your posts...you seem to be a very wise woman.:)

As for the OP..we are up to 90 posts now and Joan has not responded so probably a troll.It's good that we have all had some good conversations on here and not any braws.:)

Diana,

I remember one of your posts, prior to your trip to Jamaica, where you listed all the places you wanted to explore.

You had clearly done a great deal of reading and even had your geography right :-) I believe it was Tiv who suggested you might want a little time to relax ;-)

I think you suggested that I try the bike trip in the Blue Mountains:-)...but if I'm vexing myself about getting up to the Pelican Bar, I'm probably not going to bike in the mountains ! But I have a great mental image of you doing it !

Maybe you could give Christie advice about a basic Jamaica reference book ?

Marion

christie, You are so sweet. Thanks! :")

I enjoyed your fodors-flirt with the boys a few weeks ago. It was very cute.

Marion, tiv did give me a lot of excellent advice. We ended up doing about 10% of what we wanted to because the rum punch at Jamaica Inn derailed many of our plans.

We'll have to go back and do the Treasure Beach and Porty combo.

As far as the Blue Mtn bike tour goes, the ENTIRE thing is downhill, and I saw people of all ages on the tour. They even have a few bicycles built for two (tra la la) that you can ride behind a guide or husband. They start you out at the top of the mountain, and you basically just coast all the way down past the coffee plantations and little villages. Stops for lunch and breaks are nice. It was just incredible.

Here is the website:

http://www.bmtoursja.com/

I REALLY wanted to do the Martha Brae river raft trip too. So much stuff, so little time!

As far as guides go, I used jamaicans.com and negril.com. I have found that many written guide books don't encompass the off-the-beaten path stuff we like to do.

Trampoose away! :D

Many thanks for your kind words. When I can't be traveling myself, it does my heart good to read about the good times y'all had on your own trips.

Diana, all this time I've been thinking that you must be some kind of she-woman for biking UP the Blue Mountains. Well, now that I know that it's all downhill, sign me up! Bike riding is hard for my right knee and riding uphill is no fun at all, but what you did sounds like a blast. Like you, our next trip to Jamaica will be a sampling of TB and Porty, with a stopover in the Blue Mountains in transit. TIverton has given me the website of a small b&b to stop overnight, but I can't recall the name of it. Perhaps if he reads these he'll chime in. Come join the pahty, Sasha. You'll lend us an air of sophistication.

Hi EJ,

I just topped a post for you that will give the address of the place Sasha recommended for you. It's called Faraway :-) !

Marion

Thanks, Marion. That's exactly the place I was thinking of.

The Pelican Bar really isn't that daunting--it's less difficult than hauling oneself out of a pool by one of those vertical ladders. I know you'll have a fabulous time relaxing there, smug with the knowledge that everybody back home in Maine would give their eyeteeth to trade places with you!

Diana:
The mountain bike trip sounds like it was a blast.I think that we might check into that.:)

Hi everyone, hope you're having a great day.
ej WJ is a wonderful way to visit the small out of the way little known islands of the Grenadines. WJ is how I learned about these islands resulting in the long term friendships I have talked about. If WJ runs a special and you find a reasonable airfare your trip could run as little as $12-1300 from Sun-Sat. Stowaway night Sun sail Mon. Yankee Clipper and Mandalay sail from Grenada. YC is 6 days sailing thru out the Grenadines. Mandy sails from Grenada thru the Grenadines north to Antiqua and then back. My vacation time is limited to 3 wks, I visit my brother in Fl.and stay in St. Augustine FL at my timeshare for a week could trade but love ST.A. , then I usually nickel dime the last week with long weekends to Niagara Falls or Atlantic City. Love to gamble and that's when I stay at the Taj Mahal getting my marble bathroom fix a few times a yr.
Pre and post cruise I try to spend some time on St.Vincent. i stay at a little unknown apt/hotel called Tranquility. Basic efficiency apt one room with private bath, appliances, couch table twin beds, tv(one channel no satelite here)lg porch overlooking Indian Bay with direct views of Young Island and Bequia.Perched on a hillside with very short walk down the hill to the beach where mostly locals gather. I will go to market and buy some perishables and cook or go out to eat once in a while I will have a meal with the owners. I have friends who live in town so I go to their home for dinner too. My stay isn't really as a tourist more akin to visiting family.This yr I will most likely visit 1st or 2nd week in December. If interested post thru the forum and we can exchange e-mails and set something up. Sometimes someone from home will go other times I'm on my own. My S/O isn't keen on sailing or the Caribbean so he and I do the other trips mentioned. I just found an airfare from PIT/SVD for 588+tax and fees little over $600 total. Pretty good fare. Fare to Grenada has been running a bit more. I will fly to SVD Fri or Sat and then book a flight to Grenada for Sun. If the ship visits St>Vincent on Fri I will just jump ship and stay behind,if Capt. Julian visits earlier in the week I'll fly back from Grenada on Sat and stay till Monday.
Diana I won't be sailing while you're in Carriacou but the Yankee Clipper is in the area so watch for it. You used to be able to tour the ship when docked but now with all the security issues no longer permitted.
brenandg like Buffet but LOVE Kenny he knows what he's talkin' about "tired of this beeper tired of this phone tired of this old tie I got on tired of this traffic jam that I'm in we all get sick of it all now and then when I've had it up to here I go down there...."
Hey anyone that's interested in doin' a WJ let's try to set something up.
Sandy

Wow ! that sounds awesome ..... I would love to visit St. Vincent and the Grenadines ..... Landbased . I could wave you in at each port of call !!! Someone needs to make the Painkillers ! I love the mountainous , lush , wild look of St. Vincent , when you need the " perfect " beach fix you pop to Bequia . Grenada , Tobago , and Dominica are also on my list . Some of you sound like wonderful " characters " , or as we say back home " good people " ! I would imagine it would be fun to meet up someplace . Faith .