CHRIS & MIA'S TRIP REPORT FOR
AUG. 12-17 2004
First let me start this trip report off by saying that my husband got me this
trip for my 29th Birthday. He had orig. told me that he would get me a trip to
anywhere I wanted for my 30th Birthday, but I had a very hard year and almost
died in Feb. You see I have End Stage Renal Disease (kidney disease). I am on
dialysis 3 days a week and waiting for a transplant. On Feb. 2nd of this year my
Mother came over in the morning to get the kids for school, and couldn't wake me
up. She then called 911, I began to have seizures. They rushed me to the local
hospital, where they did a CAT scan and an MRI. They showed massive bleeding in
my brain, I had had a Hemorrhagic Stroke. I was in a coma &on life support. They
medi-vacked me by helicopter to a Trauma hospital in L.A. They told my husband
that if I did come out of it I would for sure be in a vegetative state, but I
probably wouldn't come out of it. After a few days I started to come around, I
was transferred back to my home town. After a few weeks in the hospital, I came
home. The only lasting effects are some memory problems &some weakness. I
continue to improve every day. Well, after all of that, (& the scare I put my
husband &whole family through), my husband decided that we both deserved a
vacation THIS year! So we got 3 of the Grandma's to agree to "share" the kids
for a week. After much reading on this website, &buying "the naked truth" book,
we were off to Jamaica. I had been there once when I was 12 but this was my
husband's first trip to another country. (Other than out yearly drives to
Mexico) So here is our trip....in a nutshell.
THURSDAY- Thursday night we had
some friends of ours drive us to LAX. We checked our bags &got a bite to eat at
the airport McDonalds then waited about an hour for our plane. We were scheduled
to leave at 1:30 a.m. on Friday the 13th! We left right on time, watched a
movie, had a drink &pretzels &we were off to Atlanta Airport.
FRIDAY- We were on Time to Atlanta
then on to the next plane to Montego Bay. Plane was uneventful. We were given a
really nice snack (chicken Caesar salads, cheese &crackers, cookies &a drink)
Then we watched a movie we hadn't seen. Then into Mo Bay.
We arrive into Mo bay on time &as soon as we are off the plane it hits us!
HUMIDITY!!!!! Oh my gosh it is so hot! But the humidity makes it much worse! No
air in the airport, VERY stuffy, &sticky. We go off to get our bags &find the
air-conditioned Superclubs lobby. We spot the lobby &in we go. We are bombarded
with guys asking us if we want to go on the 15 plane ride instead of the bus.
Why would we do that? The bus is free right? BOY did we ever change our minds on
that later! We check in at the Superclubs desk, they are very sweet &give us
each an ice cold bottle of water while we wait. After 30 min. we are off to the
bus with a few other couples. Of course we have heard many things about the bus
drivers... all true, lol. They drive on the "wrong" side of the road at 80 miles
per hour honking the horn the whole way &passing other cars, goats, people,
&anything else that gets in the way. Unfortunately about 10 min. into our ride
the driver gets a call that we forgot someone, so we go back to get her &this
adds about 30 min. to our total ride. Finally almost 2 hours later we arrive at
Hedo 2. &the fun begins!
We are out of the bus and back into the humidity. We go to the front desk and
are asked to sit &wait, they will help us in a min. We wait an hour, but enjoy
looking at all of the new people coming in. We finally get our room assignment
(we had ROH) &we get a 'Garden View Nude' room...very cool! We go to the room,
unpack, rest for a bit then shower &dress &we are off to explore &get some
dinner. They were just setting up for dinner, which starts at 7:30, &we found
out it was seafood night! YEAH! My favorite! They had all you can eat lobster
fresh off the grill, shrimp, snapper &tons more stuff. This would turn out to be
the best night we had as far as food goes. (NOTE: I am one who has to have TONS
of lemon on my seafood, &they do NOT have any! They did give me a few little
limes but it just wasn't the same). After filling up on food we were off to the
room to change into suits. By this time we were already sweaty again after our
showers. We decided that if we didn't go to the nude side now we might never do
it, so hubby wrapped a towel around himself &I put on a wrap &we were off. They
had just reopened the nude side (After the nightly cleaning) so it was almost
empty, but we did meet a few couples and did talk to one. So we tore off our
covers &jumped into the "spa" but it was cold, I guess we got into the wrong
one. We were in there for a while, had our "fun" &then went back to our room for
more "fun" &then to sleep, we were exhausted!!
Saturday-Once again we were up
early and off to breakfast. We then went off to the beach &to sign up to either
snorkel or windsurf but the weather was really bad with clouds &then lightning
&thunder so all boat activities were closed. So we got out our own snorkels that
we brought &just hung out in the prude beach, it was pretty empty. Then off to
lunch, then to take pictures of each other at various scenic spots, more
swimming, lazing around on the beach, dinner, drinks &crash out early again.
Sunday- Up at 9 am again &off to
breakfast. Thank God we brought our little travel alarm clock. We went to the
tour desk to get reservations for Pastafari's for that night. I then bought some
Internet time so we could look up prices to fly to Montego Bay (I had an apt. in
town the next day for Dialysis). We found out that one airline charter was only
$127 and the flight was only 15 min. SOLD! We decided to save money we would
take the bus TO Montego Bay in the morning, then the charter plane back to
Negril (Hedo) then when we left for home on Tuesday, we would take the charter
back to the airport. Well worth the money.
We decided to try to snorkel again &we went down to the prude beach, they were
just getting ready to leave so we hopped on the boat with only 1 other guy &off
we went. About 10 min out in the water &we stopped. We jumped out into 10 foot
deep water &snorkeled for about an hour. Without much sun it was hard to see
anything but we did see some starfish, bluefish &the other guy saw a turtle. One
time I looked up &there was a jellyfish 2 inches from my head! Overall it was
beautiful &peaceful &I would recommend it highly. We got some great underwater
pics &then headed back to Hedo.
Then we headed off to the prude spa where we were soon joined by 2 couples &2
single guys from N.Y. Everyone was very sweet &soon very naked. The Hedo staff
didn't seem to mind too much until the guys ran &jumped into the prude pool,
then they asked everyone to please put something on. I decided to go back to the
room to rest while Christopher (hubby) went to the nude side with our new
friends to play Volleyball &swim. Chris came back to the room &we showered &got
dressed for dinner. Pastafari's was very nice. Like I said I am very picky but I
had the shrimp plate &it was very good, I just asked them to omit anything on it
that would be spicy. Chris had the tortellini &he didn't like it at all, but the
atmosphere was good &at the end of our meal we met a nice couple from New
Hampshire that had snuck to Hedo to get married. They were really nice &we told
them we'd see them around &off we went back to our room (Chris had WAY too much
to drink &could barley make it to the room lol)
Monday-Up at 9 am &then off to
wait for our 11 am bus into Montego Bay. The front desk had arranged for a guy
named Deli to take us right to the clinic for $60. The ride was long but fine
&we made it right on time. I checked in for my treatment, paid the $300 and was
hooked up to the machine for my 4 hour treatment. The dialysis center was not in
a good neighborhood so when my husband tried to leave to get some food, the
nurses suggested he have food sent in to be safe. He ate his Chinese food
&napped while I was getting my blood cleaned. After my time was up &with only a
few complications, we got a cab to the airport. The cab driver took us right to
the charter flight desk &our pilots greeted us &we were off. The flight was
beautiful &had great views of the island. The flight was 15 min. (as promised)
&when we landed a driver offered to drive us across the street to Hedo for $5,
since dialysis makes me very weak, we agreed. *Make sure you have exact change
for everyone because the driver tried to keep an extra $3 when my husband asked
for change for a $20. My husband thought it was funny &said "nice try" &gave him
an extra $1 for trying.
I go back to the room to rest while Christopher goes to play pool with the
couple we met the night before at Pastafaris. While there they met another
couple who told them they would go get all 6 of us a table for dinner. I met
them at the main dining room &we had a great conversation. Turns out the first
couple was leaving the next day with us, and was even on the same flight to
Atlanta. The second couple still had a few days left at Hedo but said they would
keep in touch. I went back to the room to rest again but Christopher went with
the 4 of them to the bar to do shots. About 1:00 a.m. Chris returns to the room
and passes out on the bed. I fall asleep too. Then about 2:00 I am woken up by
gallons of hot vomit smacking me in the side of the head! Ew ew ew! So I clean
up the bed, myself &Chris and I am off to the front desk to ask for some clean
sheets. Back to the room and about 20 min. later the clean sheets arrive pretty
fast for Jamaican time. I re-make the bed &go back to sleep.
Tuesday-Wake up at 8:00 to make
sure we have enough time to pack. Chris apologizes profusely &we both laugh
about the incident from the night before. I go to the shop to buy some shirts,
coffee &other souvenirs for the kids, &family &friends. Then I am back to the
room to check on Chris &see if he can stomach some breakfast. We get a light
breakfast &then pick up our pictures (that the photographer took of us at dinner
the night before). We choose 2 at $10 each &go to the room to get our bags. We
go to the tour desk to get some Jamaican money for the kids &wait for our taxi
to the little airport across the street. The same pilots greet us and take us
back to Montego Bay to the main airport. The airport is so hot &humid &customs
is very slow because all of the bags are searched by hand (I guess they don't
have machines to do this) We grab a drink &head off to wait for our flight. We
chat a little with the couple from New Hampshire &exchange e-mail addresses. The
fight was uneventful to Atlanta &we had a snack &watched a movie onboard. In
Atlanta it's back through customs &very long lines but we make it through
without any trouble. We get on the flight to LAX &again it is a pretty smooth
flight with a little turbulence but no problem. We get to LAX and realize one of
our bags is missing, (along with just about everyone else's on our flight). We
register our lost bag at the lost luggage desk and we meet my mother in law out
front &we were off for our hour ride back home.
Over all the trip was great &we are considering going back in January, if my
health holds up ok. I want to thank everyone who answered all of my questions on
the boards &made our trip so much better!
Chistopher &Mia