Well its been just over a month since the beautiful big Air Jamaica bird swept me away to the place, I and lots others call home. Its taken me this long to work up the energy to write my trip report and the Kleenex box sits next to me as I type.
The trip down, non-eventful. Just the way I like it. I was sitting next to a couple that was staying at Couples for there honeymoon. She asked where I was staying and I proudly said Hedo of course. I know some people are a bit shy to disclose the fun place, but I just love the look on peoples faces when I say I stay at the Zoo. Its a priceless moment in time.
I took Tim Air over and it was fun sitting in the co-pilots seat. It was also cool to ride over with Kevin & Bonnie who were also staying at Hedo. Thanks you guys. I was at Hedo just after 11: 30 I think, and the plane from Chicago landed at Montego Bay at 10:00. It was great to get there so early. My room wasnt ready when I got there so my first stop, (of course would there be any other). The dive shack. Well I guess for others it might be Delroys or Roberts or both, but for me, the dive shack. It was a moment frozen in time in thy mind walking down that sandy beach and taking a slight right to see everyone I missed so much. I had dreamed that moment in my head since March and finally after DIF days upon DIF days it was happening. I had the biggest smile on my face when I turned the corner and there was Noel, in the same spot I had said good-bye to him in March. I knew he would remember me, but there was a slight doubt in my mind that maybe not, but he did. It was so good to see him. Since everyone was off diving, I headed back to the lobby and thankfully my room was ready. Dave and Sabrina (you guys are the cutest couple) had my dirty banana in hand at the lobby. You both are so amazing and I was thirsty.
Unpack (well sorta) and by then was able to say hi and give Hedo hugs to all my dive shack friends Myron, Ritchie, ONeil, Anthony and Derrick. It was so good to see them and I missed them so much. Truly some of the greatest divers and friends Ive ever met.
It was then time to say lets get naked and well off with thy clothes. I am a big grilled cheese eater and no one and I do mean no one does it like Robert. So, lunch time and my first meal (as it should always be) was Roberts famous grilled cheese with fries. Yum Yum. I then was off with my floatie, which was a Walmart special. The damn thing was the hardest to get onto and stay on. I kept slipping and sliding. As me and my raft were having issues, I asked this guy to help me out and hold my mug. My mom had made me my Hedo mug, which had my nickname on the cup Scuba Jenny. This was a good thing as the guy I asked to hold my mug was Tom and his wife Barb next to him. This was a good since with my name on my mug, it was easy to identify myself. You both are such wonderful people I cant wait to see you again soon. Hopefully at the next Chicago Hedo party.
Now the first day I remember really well, however the next 11 are sorta well blurry. So, to wrap it up. Here it is. I dived everyday. My birthday was on the 2nd and I really wanted to see a turtle on my birthday dive. Well I did. What a beautiful turtle it was and what a birthday present to see it. Out of the 11 dives I did I saw, 3 turtles, 1 octopus, lots of Lobster, 3 eels, 1 sting ray, a sea horse and lots of colorful fish. Myron and ONeil arranged a night dive on the 4th of July, which was really fun. That was my first night dive. I just wish I hadnt gotten so cold at the end of the dive. Thank fully it wasnt until the 3 minute safety stop at 15 feet that I started to feel the chills. I had so much fun diving, words to describe it dont do it justice. Diving is so much fun and really interesting to see a whole other world, but its fun to do it with such wonderful staff and hedo friends. Thanks to all I dived with. Ed, my dive buddy (scooby-do) you were great. Hopefully we can go diving together again.
I was on the trampoline quite a bit and that was lots of fun. Unfortunately, it seemed to want to rain most days around 3:00 which then of course the trampoline wasnt open. I played volleyball almost every day and that was a lot of fun. Im not the biggest pool person, so Im sure I missed out on a lot of fun things happening over there but I love to relax on the nude beach with some of the friends I had met over the internet. I had so much fun just listening to the beautiful Hedo waves and the whistle of the wind in the Hedo trees. (Yes, everything is Hedo). Thanks to Eric (cuz) & Lynn, Dave & Sabrina, Doug and Maureen, short man Frank (sorry my friend, I didnt nick name you) Ed (scooby-doo) & Leena, funny man Greg (did you ever get that red paint off?) ,Dale & Jess, and of course Hedo Dave (Forest). I had so much fun hanging out with you all.
I guess there are a lot of things that make Hedo, Hedo. I like it for the freedom of, I can do what I want, whenever I want. I like it for the people that come to Hedo. Theres just something about the people that you meet. Everyone is so nice and so real. I guess when you leave the real world you leave the crap behind and when you get to Hedo, its all about fun, fun, fun. I like it for the peace I feel inside when being there. Its just so amazing to feel that way. I want to bottle it up and take it home with me.
On eviction day, the sadness of knowing Id have to leave hit like a ton of bricks. I know I stopped crying briefly but the tears started in the morning and only for moments turned off. I said goodbye to everyone I had met over the chat line and my Scuba Shack friends. I was now heading back up the path of the beach to the stairs to take me to the lobby and unfortunately whisk me back to Chicago. I took the bus back. When another couple and I were waiting for the bus, a cab driver had said airport. We of course said yes, but he meant the Negril airport. All of us were like where are you going? Well he graciously got us back to the resort, (which I never thought Id see again on this trip) and thankfully the bus to the Montego Bay airport hadnt left yet. So, I got to cry thy eyes out AGAIN leaving home and well, I dont think I stopped crying most of the way back to Chicago. Eyes all puffed out like I was on drugs, I reluctantly got in the not so beautiful Air Jamaica plane and headed back to not so sweet home Chicago. I was grateful to get through customs so quickly and my bag was one of the first ones out of the gate. However, when going over to Declaration, I got pegged for a manual inspection of my bags. I guess because I was traveling alone and since I had just been there in March, they wanted to check. Well I would never do anything stupid and I knew I had nothing to worry about with the inspector checking my baggage. However, the look on the inspectors face when he opened my bag and saw my penis straw still attached to my Scuba Jenny Hedo mug was priceless. I started laughing out loud hysterically. Just as I stopped laughing, he looked deeper into my bag and found a present someone had given me for my birthday. A scrubbie for the shower with the handle shaped like a penis. I lost it again and eventually was able to get the straight-laced inspector to smile. He then asked where I stayed at. I again proudly said Hedonism. He just said ahh. Again, another Kodak moment in time. I love it.
Until the next trip in January, Im sure DIF might get better as the days go forward, but the countdown of days left to go has begun. Thanks again to all who made my second trip to Hedonism so special.
Respect!
Scuba Jenny A/K/A Scoobers, A/K/A Scooby-Doo.