We decided that this trip, our 5th, would be more low-key than last July's. We'd been over-organized then, with too many planned activities, and this time wanted a *vacation*. The one thing that we did do in advance was to set up a yahoo group - the Equinox group - about two months beforehand, for people who were going to be there that week. We already knew one co-conspirator from a past trip, Mikey/UPSMan. We sent out invitations to join the group, based on Denny's visitors list, and more than half of the people we invited did join, plus more friends of some of them later on. What with chats and pictures and the message board, there were at least a dozen couples and single folks that we "knew" when we arrived. We stated on the group that, other than the group itself, we personally were planning only one activity: a toast to the Equinox. Spring arrived at Negril on Monday Mar 20th at 1:41 PM.
This was definitely the fastest jetway-to-Hedo trip ever: 2 hours 10 min. We got off the plane (10:30 AM Saturday) at the very last gate at the end of the new concourse at MoBay, and walked and walked and walked and walked (all on the lower level; departures and the shops are upper level in the new area) until we entered the immigration room... with the zigzag lines completely full. Nevertheless, we spent only 20 minutes in line. They had a number of portable stations with computers along the left wall. Our bags were ready when we got downstairs, customs took seconds, we barely had time to drink a bottle of water in the Superclubs lounge when they had us head for the bus.... out to the *right* of the Margaritaville stand. There's a new bus area there, with a covered waiting area, and no Red Stripe stand. The drive to Hedo was quick, with a very short beer/rest stop.
We had gone ROH and ended up been "upgraded" to OVP. At least that's what it was listed as, and yes, if we leaned over we could see ocean beyond the trapeze. It was the last room of the OVP building nearest the disco, and the view was mostly the next building. Still, any room at Hedo is a good one.
I won't do the "day-by-day" log for this trip, but just mention high and low points. It was Spring Break, but we saw relatively few such folks at Hedo. There was a much higher percentage of non-English (and non-Quebecois) speakers that ever before, maybe 10%, with lots of Italian. Oh, and one Turk: a single male member of our group who was a great guy.
- We did the boat ride to Office of Nature with some of the Equinox group and had a great time. Jerk lobster! This is a "don't miss" offsite trip.
- I sailed the Hobie cat numerous times, and got some real lessons from another group member. The sum total of my sailing instruction in my life up to that point had been 60 seconds of shore discussion with a Watersports staff member, several trips ago. I learned a lot this time.
- The ECs took over bar duties one afternoon. Ray-Ray made Carol his special, which I think was a Zen drink: one with everything. Carol was way buzzed that afternoon and evening. Beware Ray-Ray specials!
- At one point Delroy, Scumba, and Paulette were all working the nude pool bar.
- During the first half of the week, there were almost no beach games carried out, and the ECs seemed few and far between. We had trouble winning enough Hedobucks for rum. We were told that Hedo had been 100% occupancy the week before with the "Ms No Swimsuit" contest, and many of the staff were being given time off after being overworked that prior week. I'd guess maybe 50% occupancy while we were there.
- Of the ECs, Ray-Ray and Foxy are the Elders. Rohan and Omeca, who were both just starting last July when we were there, are both doing very well at their jobs. All the others are new, and some are still learning.
- You can hook an iPod up to the rear TV input jacks, and use the TV as its speakers. You need an stereo-plug-to-RCA splitter and RCA jack cables. Use the "TV/video" button on the remote to select the "video 1" input.
- Danny in the piano bar is working the crowd more effectively than last summer, but the piano still is not in good tune.
- One of the male Equinoxers expressed a desire to be "tied up, teased, and tormented" while at Hedo. You do *not* want to tempt Carol that way.<G> (Or maybe you do...). Did you know that the hammocks between the nude hot tub and the men's room can be unhooked very easily from their poles, and that the hooks on the two poles toward the hot tub provide excellent tie-off points for ropes and cuffs? And in plain view of all in the nude pool complex (while not being as public as down on the beach)! Carol and four other women had a interesting time using a variety of Fun And Intense Toys on him. I think that he was expecting a little more along the lines of "erotic", but let's face it, women *are* more sadistic than men, and one does need to be explicit when communicating about such things.
There were also male Equinoxers watching who obviously were envious of what this guy was receiving, from what I could observe.<G>
- Carol won the "sexiest tied toga" contest! It helps to have an organized cheering section (the Equinox group), and flashing your boobs at the right time doesn't hurt either.
- They're still serving Oakville Swill for "wine" in the bars and main dining room. The restaurants had Chilean Merlot, Cabernet, Chardonnay and an Italian Soave, all quite drinkable.
- The Blaze male strippers were introduced Wednesday night. They participated in the Battle of the Sexes (new games since last summer), and we're told did lunchtime spin stuff later in the week, though we didn't see that, eating at Robert's instead. Their "finale" was scheduled for the Saturday night show, after we were to leave Sat. AM.
Midday on Friday, we heard the rumor that the Grand Gala dinner was being shifted to Saturday, because of the stripper show. We found out that the guests who were staying until Sunday were notified of this. Any leaving on Saturday were not. Needless to say we were pissed at both the loss of a chance at lobster, and how the resort staff was handling this. Carol and another Equinoxer talked with a manager, and eventually about a dozen of us that were due to depart on Saturday were told that we'd be fit in at Pastafari on Friday evening. Lobster! Afterwards, the menu board in the Main Dining room showed just an average menu, clearly not the Grand Gala.
And concerning the food: it clearly has declined a notch in quality since last summer, when Michael Thompson was still Head Chef. We were told that there was an Acting Head Chef Scott at present. Wednesday dinner in the Main Dining room was still an attempt at Cajun, what with the Mardi Gras theme, but it was not nearly as good as when a real Cajun boy (Thompson) did it. The jambalaya was not spicy, was just rice with a few additional things in it, and the spices weren't the right ones. Other dinners were also not exciting. The Monday Jamaican and Tuesday Mexican themes seem to have disappeared. There was no shortage of variety in what was set out, and what we ate was by-and-large fine, but it's clear that they need a real chef at the helm. There were a few not-so-good dishes: the suckling pig was tasteless and fatty, compared to USAn pork these days. I only got callaloo and ackee&saltfish for breakfast once.
Robert's grill food and Charlie's omlettes were as outstanding as ever, though. As long as those are available, we're happy.
As we arrived at MoBay for our departure, we saw the monster cruise ship in the MoBay harbor that had burned the day before - with the burned side turned toward the ocean. I would *not* sail on that: it's so big, it's got to be top-heavy. A woman in the check-in line at the airport said that her room had been just above the one that burned, that the current story was that it was an electrical fire, and that what she was wearing (nice pajamas and flops) were all the clothes that she had.
There's things that could have been done better, but There Is No Bad Trip To Hedo. Special kudos to Foxy, Ray-Ray, and Denver the Pastafari maitre d'.