Wet, Wild & Wicked - December, 2020: DennyP
Flight There & Arrival in MBJ
We (Jenn & I) got our COVID tests within the 9-day window before our flight to Jamaica. The paperwork was checked at Charlotte before boarding. It was an uneventful two flights. Of course masks were required in the airports and while flying, None of the flights were 100% full, but they were fuller than the domestic flights I was on in September. Upon arrival in MBJ we were met by our Club MoBay representative. She checked our paperwork including our Jamaica Travel Authorization and our Form C that was generated with the authorization. We proceeded to the sanitation station and had our temperatures taken. The Ministry of Health staff did a check of our paperwork, but I don't recall them checking our COVID test result form, just our Travel Authorization and Form C. We were then sent to the link for foreign visitors. Next, we went to the Club MoBay Fast Track Immigration station where we were first in line. It took the normal amount of time to clear that station and proceed to get our luggage. Customs was next and we were in the Club MoBay Fast Track line where our luggage was quickly scanned and we were on our way to the Sun Holiday desk. We checked in there and had a short stop in the Club MoBay arrival lounge. The light food service there was not self-serve like normal, but was ordered off a short menu. We were soon called to our Sun Holiday ride which ended up being a private transfer since no one else there was going to Negril.
Drive to Hedonism II and Check-In
The drive from MBJ to the resort had the normal delays getting out of Montego Bay and again in Lucea. But it was nothing excessive compared to other trips. Soon we arrived "home" and were promptly greeted by many staff members. There were no other arrivals around the same time. It took a little while to get our room assigned because I requested a change from our original location down by Sandals. We ended up in an OVN room: 2123. The beautiful ocean view from that room made Jenn very happy. She spent a lot of time sitting in the open window enjoying the sounds and views.
First Night
After unpacking a bit we made our way to the dining room a bit before the Friday night Gala dinner started to check things out. There was a storm with lightening and thunder in the area. While sitting at a table Donna Grant came and sat down with the two of us. She was jovial and chatty. There was no indication that she was leaving the resort for good and she was gone on Saturday. Like most nights, we retired early since we both were on a working vacation. I'm not going to do a day by day summary and will just hit on some highlights for the other days.
Masks and Social Distancing
I realize that everyone has their own thoughts regarding mask wearing and social distancing. That is ok with me. I've learned that I need to look out for myself and follow my own "rules". Other than while in the pool or ocean, in your own room and while eating or drinking, masks were supposed to be worn. The staff wore masks all the time with a few slip-ups here and there. We didn't wear masks while laying on the beach. The chairs were separated by 10' or more. We were in the pool only once or twice for a short while when it wasn't crowded and didn't huddle in any groups. We did wear masks when walking from our chairs to the bar or grill with maybe an omission or two. When walking from our table to the buffet (where servers plated your food as requested) we wore masks except for a few unintended missed. I believe one time, Jenn was asked by a server if she'd put hers on when she forgot one time. We tried all the restaurants and enjoyed them all. We dined mostly with the same small set of people which kept any exposure low. We attempted social distancing as much as possible without trying to be rude.
WWW Cocktail Party/Erotic Gift Exchange
Sunday was our WWW cocktail party and collection of Christmas gifts for the kids and staff of the Santoy Basic School which we have been doing for 20+ years. While our group was smaller than normal, their generosity was much larger than normal. We collected enough for 2 gifts for each child and some for the teachers. We had some left over for staff kids. Because of COVID, I could not play Santa and deliver gifts directly. School wasn't in session anyway. But the gifts were sent to the school by cab where the principal met the driver to take delivery. Diana from the H2 staff went along and took pictures which are posted in the WWW picture section for this trip on my web site. Thanks to Jenn, Dave & Cindy and others who helped organize the gifts and sort them later in the week. You all were a big help as always. The Erotic Gift Exchange had low attendance but had a high fun level. Thanks to those that participated.
Miscellaneous
If you plan to use the new HedoWeedo dispensary, be sure to have a paper copy of any medical card you have. Phone copies are not accepted. You can get a short-term certificate from the nurse's office for $20. Weather was pretty good. There was a smattering of rain, but nothing long term. One day was a heavy-duty red flag day with strong winds churning up the ocean. Waves were breaking over the top of the concrete dock for most of the day. Water-sports were canceled for that day.
Return
The return home was uneventful, just tiring. We ended up with another private ride from Sun Holiday as no one else was returning at our time. Both Jenn & I tested negative for COVID after 6-days. I've hears from some others who were also negative. I have no reports of any positive tests although I did ask for any reports and would not name names. We've been back over a week for most people, so we should be out of the woods mostly.
Personal
Most people there were aware that I came down with an eye infection most likely due to a contact case contamination. I did see the doctor there who treated me with antibiotics. When I got home, I saw a couple of ophthalmologists and was diagnosed with a bad corneal infection. It was bad enough that I had a corneal transplant on Dec 18. I am recovering from it and waiting to see if sight will come back in that eye. It can take several weeks. I'm not in any pain to speak of and am taking my eye-drops, getting up every 2-hours through the night. I can drive with one eye but didn't try that until today on a short trip during daylight. It was successful. I will stay away from longer trips and night driving for a while. Luckily I have the benefit of having the beautiful angel Jenn living 5 minutes from me who made sure I got to medical appointments, the drug store a couple of times and a surprise grocery delivery. She also checks up on me. I truly appreciate her friendship over the past 13 years and especially under these conditions. Thanks, Jenn. You rock!
I've been working on this report for a few hours and need to call it quits. If anyone has any specific questions about the resort or about traveling in these COVID times, please email your questions to me. IMPORTANT: keep in mind that any travel requirements I encountered and reports can change at any time. Please check the COVID-19 Travel Information page on my web site for current information or check with your travel agent.
Added: 12/25/20 - Two weeks back and no one has reported a positive COVID-19 test. There have been a couple dozen reports of negative tests.
Respectfully submitted,