Steve and Sharons Trip Report Hedonism II - January 4 - 11, 2001
Trip Rating - A+ (by unanimous vote).
Getting There - Not good this time, but an adventure all the same. We circled MoBay in the rain for 30 minutes, got about 1000 feet from the ground in our attempt to land, and went right back up, and off to Kingston. A long wait, a lot of confusion, then a flight back to MoBay, followed by the Bus Ride From Hell that everyone keeps telling us about. This guy almost killed us about 4 times and had locals diving into the bushes. He had the nerve to ask us for a tip for getting us there in one piece. I dont think so!
"The Road" - Quite a bit of progress since October. We actually rode on parts of it! That said, there is still plenty left to do.
Check-In - We booked through Lifestyles again, but they had just gotten in also, and weren't set up yet, so we checked in directly through the front desk. It was 6 PM on Thursday and we had the place to ourselves. The front desk is pretty good when half the guests aren't in the lobby at the same time.
Friends - Lots of old and new friends this time. There are too many to name, not to mention the chance of leaving someone out. You good people know who you are, and the trip would have been nothing without the time we spent with you.
Food - Lobster tail has returned on Tuesday nights! Two trips in a row without it would have been quite a let down. Everything else was about the same as last time. We didn't make it to Pastafaris or The Scotch Bonnet either. Maybe next time.
Weather - Terrible on day 1, a little too cool on days 2 and 3, and perfect on days 4 through 8.
The "Sex Police" - This is the most liberal weve seen it in 4 trips over a 15 month period. Anything and everything was going on and the guards didnt even blink. Thank you Hedo, for realizing that we are all adults and can choose for ourselves.
Our Room - 2235 in H Block, and next door to the room we had last January. Nothing new and different to report, except to tell you that Im now convinced that the water pressure and consistency of temperature is far better on the Basketball Court rooms.
Getting Home - Those of you familiar with the Air Jamaica checkout in the hotel dining room may remember hundreds of people milling around, if Saturday is the day you leave Jamaica. Thursday is another story all together. A total of 6 people were checking out with Air Jamaica, and we were the only 2 there at 10:30 when the Rep arrived. We cleared immigration and customs and had our bags checked in about 5 minutes from beginning to end. If there are any negative aspects about leaving midweek, this more than makes up for them. The bus back to the airport was our best trip ever. This was a real bus, very much like a Greyhound, except the bathroom was missing. The ride was smooth and comfortable, a complete turnaround from the trip in. Its amazing what you see out the window when your life isnt flashing before your eyes.
Conclusion - Well be back, and not soon enough. Hedo is the closest place on earth to The End Of the Rainbow.