Change must be in the air....

Withrespect, I will be visiting Ochi and Port Antonio (5 days in Ochi and 5 in Port Antonio)for the first time in June. Can't count how many times I have stayed in the Negril area.

77 days and counting :)

You will have a great time. New experiences= wonderful new memories!! And we will be waithing to hear all about it! Have a great time!

CQ22

Blue Mountains !!!!!

Thanks CQ22 :)

I'm way too excited (I've packed already)!

Oooh...Robin's bay. I can't wait to hear what you think of it, please take lots of photos!!

Time to escape from that igloo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Long story to follow...

Flying into Kingston was an experience that I will NEVER forget as long as I live. I flew into Kingston with a group of 25 other college students (and two professors) in January 2003. We were to be there for 6 weeks, adding onto and remodeling a primary school in Hampton Court, St. Thomas, and giving medical clinics.

We arrived into KIN at about Midnight after flying since 5am the same day. Our group had MEGA baggage due to the length of our trip AND we had 16 6 foot long foot-locker type containers that contained everything from saws, hammers, and construction materials, to HUNDREDS of pounds of medicine that was donated by doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies in and around the Indianapolis area.

Now, for those of you who have flown into JA before, imagine trying to get all of this through customs. We had all of the legal and notarized forms required by the Jamaican Minsiter of Health and the ok to bring in the construction materials, so we thought that we would be fine. Ummm...no. The customs agent contacted his supervisor and the supervisor then contacted his supervisor until we were finanlly told that they believed the documents to be forgeries.

WHAT?

It is now 1 am and we are more than a 2 hour drive from our hotel just East of Morant Bay.

The two professors, myself (head of construction), and a fellow student (head of medicine) had to sit in a non-air conditioned office with no windows while they contacted 'someone' about what to do. At this time, the remaining 23 or so in our group were not allowed to leave the airport and crowds of workers and, for some reason yound children, had begun to gather around the tired group that was crashed on the floor surrounded by dozens of suitcases and 16 6 foot long foot-lockers. One little boy of about 5 or so put his face up the to the steel grates over a window, pointed at us, and said, "Mommm...Look, Whities!" (all but 4 of our group was white). The tired students and all of the people who had gathered around had quite a laugh about it.

By 2am, the Boss finally got off his cell phone to tell us that ALL of our supplies and medicine were being confiscated but we would be allowed to leave the airport. We were then given a "claim" ticket for our massive collection of supplies, medicines, and donations AND asked to help carry them into a room where they would be locked up for safety. We were told that we could discuss the matter with the Minister of Health at his office in Kingston later that morning.

So, we take off at 2:30 without our stuff for the long journey to St. Thomas parish. We arrived at a little after 4am. We all crashed. 4 of us had to get up by 7am to be back at the Minister;s office by 9am. We arrive at the office a few minutes before 9 with perfectly outlined arguments and all of our paperwork. At nearly 11am (2 hours later), we were ushered into a conference room and sat down with the Minister's assistant (or something like that). She looked at the paperwork, asked no questions, took out a large rubber stamp, and stamped the document. She pushed it across the desk to us and said "No problems". WHAT? All of that last night and "no problems"?

We drove directly to the airport, showed the customs officials the stamped form, loaded up all the giant cases, and headed back towards Morant Bay.

I have dozens of stories from that trip, but this is what I think of when anyone brings up the Kingston airport...thinking of the ordeal and "Look whities!" as my FIRST impression of Jamaica. What a first impression.

I have been back 5 times since and I will return many more times. Jamaica will always hold a special place in my heart.

Sorry for the long hi-jack!

LOL Easton, I think the hijack is acceptable this time. I will continue to fly into Mobay :)

no worries I enjoyed the story as others did I'm sure!

Yes the igloo is 1/2 gone so I can actually get to the car now LOL.

Blue Mountains...to funny I live at Blue Mountain (Ontario). ONE LOVE