Hedo II Redux, or, You CAN go home again
We finally got back to Hedo! Due to family and business obligations we were unable to return home for six long years. Would it be the same? Well, yes and no, both Hedo and us were older.
The wife and I got packing down to an art; one carry-on each. Every time we go to Hedo we manage to bring less and less and still dont use everything we bring. The flight in was smooth and uneventful. We even remembered to bring a pen to fill out those immigration forms! No lines whatsoever at customs at MoBay and within minutes we were on the bus to Negril. The bus was full, about eight couples, as we headed thru Mobay. This was our first time in Jamaica since the new highway was built. It made the bus ride from Hell enjoyable and we would certainly recommend it. All of our fellow passengers were Hedo bound with the exception of one couple going to the Grand Lido. It was the quietest bus ride we were ever on. Strange. usually a bus full of Hedonists is a great way to kick off a weeks vacation.
When landed at Sangster it was a typical Jamaican day: sunny, warm and breezy. But time we got to Negril it was raining and raining HARD! This became a recurring feature everyday we were there: hard rain every afternoon that lasted for at least 2 to 3 hours. Bummer. Every time weve been to Hedo we went during the end of May. Rain was always typically tropical: a little shower in the afternoon and then bright, warm sunshine for the rest of the day. This time it RAINED everyday and lasted for hours! It rained hard enough to clear out the beach, the pool, the hot tub and Delroys. Oh well, nap time.
As we pulled up to the entrance it was like we never left; we were home again. Check-in was a breeze as there was few people either checking in or checking out. We had booked prude side but a good friend of ours who has been to Hedo many, many times told us to talk to Faye and get an upgrade. One day on the prude side and we were sent packing to to H-Block, second floor. Our nude side room was one of the newly remodeled rooms. I dont really see gray as a tropical color, but is was an improvement over the old rooms and the bathrooms were much, much better.
It was a quiet week at Hedo; several blocks of rooms were vacant due to remodeling. According to some of the staff the resort was about 50% full. It didnt matter, we were happy just to be there.
Improvements, Changes, etc.
The water slide was fun, the new gym looked great (never set foot in it), and do you really need a TV in your room? We really liked the old Hedo: no phone, no TV (not a single luxury) just a clock radio that might work. OK, the Playboy channel was a nice diversion but every time it rained guess what channel was un-available?
We never set foot in the disco the entire trip. We arrived on a Wednesday and left the following Tuesday so we missed the PJ party; the only good time to be in the disco. Pastafari, Munasan and the dining hall buffet were good. Not great, but good. But we knew that from previous trips. I hear they have a new chef and hes shaking things up. The piano bar was our usual hang-out at night and it was fun. Dave was not there and his replacement was OK. It was the staff (Rae-Rae, etc) that made the piano bar fun. In fact, it was and is the staff that makes Hedo. They do a fantastic job. Despite the changes and improvements Hedo still exudes some kind of magic and it was good to be back.
I guess were getting older (or wiser): this was the most relaxing trip to Hedo we ever had. We normally come back from Hedo needing another week to recover. Every day our routine was the same: up at 7:00 am (?!), one of Charlies heavenly omelets for breakfast, off to the beach, which is just so peaceful that time of morning, hit the pool around noon for lunch at Roberts and begin socializing and drinking (the best part of the day). The rain would arrive at 2:00, off to the room for a nap, back to pool around 4:00 for jerk chicken, drinking, fun, and hot tub antics. Dinner with friends, piano bar and back to hot tub to end the evening. I dont think we ever stayed up past 2:00 am the entire trip.
There are certain moments when it hits you: THIS is what Hedo is all about. Walking thru the grounds or on the beach, naked, with your wife, husband, lover, whatever meeting complete strangers who become your best friends by dinnertime laughing so goddamn hard your stomach hurts the next day making a fool of yourself at the piano bar or toga night and not caring. Those are the things that make Hedo a special place.
Thomas Wolfe was wrong: You CAN go home again. Hedo may change, remodel and improve but it will always be special to us. If youve been there, you know. If youve never been there, well, if we have to explain it you wouldnt understand.