Fabienne - The Nervous Traveler -in Jamaica 6

Negril

Business was over. Now it was time for fun! We were off to Negril, which is another hour drive from Mo Bay. The drive was smooth and enchanting. KnowJamaica was at the wheel, and we were softly humming Bob Marley’s most famous jams before switching to some more modern music. After we stopped for a bathroom break at a little rest stop area, I fell asleep. When I woke up again, it was raining…

I tried hard not to be upset, but I couldn’t believe that the rain was actually interfering with my discovery of Negril. I was looking forward to this for so long! The sun was well-tucked behind dark clouds, and when we arrived at destination (a little beach-side hotel opened to the public), it still wasn’t out.

However, when I saw the beach, I naturally decided to put any hard feelings behind. My swimsuit was already on. We dumped our towels on a few chairs, claiming our seats at the restaurant/bar, and we ran into the water. By then, it was drizzling. I had stopped fussing and appreciated the charming splashes of raindrops on the water surface. The rain fell like a crystal curtain on the ocean, which was surprisingly salty. And then, timidly, the sun came out to play, caressing the surface of the water. For a minute, it was like swimming (or in my case, hanging on to Deuce for dear life) in a pool of mirroring gold. There were very few people on our side of the beach, and in the distance, two lovers swam circles around a fisherman’s boat and played hide and seek. I fell in love with the cool, laid back atmosphere that surrounded me. And I fell in love with Negril.

We stayed in the water for hours, just floating and observing our surroundings. Next door was another Jimmy Buffet’s MargaritaVille, and they were having a great fourth of July bash, jumping up and down on trampolines that were built into giant floating devices. The shore was all lined with little local beachside restaurants and hotels, and the more the hours flew by, the more people came out, walking hand in hand or strolling with their children.

Hunger finally lead us out of the water and drew us back to our table. We ordered some food and ate, and watched the sunset. Again, it was the best I had seen in a long while. Negril is famous for its sunsets. Located on the west side of the island, it’s where tourists and locals all go to watch the sun come down. We witnessed an amazing phenomenon: we saw the sand become pink. Then, it slowly became blue. Then, lavender… What was going on, we wondered? When we looked up, we understood the method behind the madness. The sunset was painting the sky in all different hues, and the sand was reflecting all those changes right before our eyes.

Once the sun had set completely, we went for a walk down the beach. The air was cooler, and everyone seemed more prone to party. MargaritaVille was alive, with a live band playing some well-known tunes. Further down, we encountered beachside villas and hotels, one more luxurious and quaint than the other. And straight ahead, we had a perfect view of the city, lit up like a Christmas tree in the dark. The high tide was in synch with the music around us, and every minute on the dot, the waves came crashing and foaming at our feet. It was night, and we were about to leave Negril.

The drive back was quiet, almost melancholic. The moon was out, and the stars jostled each other up in the midnight sky. We opened our windows to feel the breeze. If you thought Jamaica was splendid by day, you should see it at night. It will take your breath away. The foliage, the glistening waters, the tall coconut trees all seemed to be part of a corner of heaven Rastas might refer to as Zion. This must be the promise land. There was probably no reason to look elsewhere.

I stayed awake until we touched base at RIU. By then, we were exhausted. I was amazed at Javia’s ability to spend a whole day with us, driving, laughing, joking, enriching our minds, opening our eyes, and in the end, staying awake to take us to destination. It was about two p.m. when we got back to our hotel. That was definitely a true example of KnowJamaica’s commitment to its customers. He still had to drive back home…

RIU was still alive with laughter, drinking, and the discotheque was blasting music, inviting us to join the party. But we had had our fun, and our loyalty now lied with our beds…

(Continued...)