Using a regular land line telephone to call the US from Jamaica will cost you about 26c per minute. This will reduce significantly during off-peak hours i.e Nights and Sundays. The rates are in fact a lot cheaper than many places in the world.

Thanks for the info. Alimirage, Will I be able to get this kind of rate in a hotel though? I'm staying at Sunset beach in Montego Bay.

You probably wont be able to get this rate in a hotel. My recommendation is to buy a phone card from a vendor. I think the phone cards for the land lines is called World Talk Calling Card.

Hi Juli, Well the time is drawing closer.

You will soon be there. Alimirage has given you great advice.

Here is my two cents worth..

1) Give up the phone for a week.

2) Avoid taking a cell to Jam.

3)Calls from Jam are VERY expensive. No matter what system you try to use.

4)Steve gave you the best advice. Call collect. Be brief.

5) If you MUST call. Buy a card in Jam. There are many.

Choose the right one. Many Jamaicans have family in the USA. They know which ones to use.

6) Leave the hotel name + tel + fax number at your neighbours home, your office and parents home.

To be used ONLY in case of emergencies.

Give yourself a break, you deserve a holiday.

Love to be going with you all.

Johnny, Great advice once again. I would have no problem not calling home at all if it wasn't for my 3 sons ages 6,4.& 3. Yes, I do have my hands full. I'm lucky enough to have wonderful parents to look after them while I'm gone, so I wouldn't feel right about calling them collect and there is no way I could go a whole week without speaking with them.

Just out of couriosity, what are you doing in Spain?

Hi Juli, You are going to have a ball and you feel guilty about it. Right!(smile). I hope that you have the telephone card all sorted out by now? Let me know.

Spain. Sunny Spain. The people. The music. The food.

The culture.

Sounds a lot like Jamaica. This is why it is my second home now. Also the birth place of my better half.

I could not do without her in my life.

We spent six years on our honeymoon in Jam.

But our actual honeymoon vacation was spent in the Canary islands.

Sounds funny since I was born and living in Jamaica at the time. My wife wanted to show me her paradise islands.

So thats what I am doing in Spain....nosey!(smile)

There are going to be so many of you fun people in Jamaica over the Thanksgiving holidays. Have you informed the breweries of this. They may have to start working overtime from now. So as to stock up on the Appleton Rum & Red Stripe Beer.

Keep Checking out these sites prior to your going to JAM.

www.weather.com The Caribbean satelite.

www.go-jamaica.com This is the local newspapers site.

On the left hand side, Click onto the Gleaner Company on-line.

This also has a local weather report and all the latest news.

You dont want to be down there during a water strike or anything as drastic. Its just nice to know what is going on.

ENJOY!

Johnny, Ooooooooooh, so that explains it . Yeah, I'm nosey, I always wonder what makes people tic. Sounds like Spain is wonderful. Believe me I won't feel a bit guilty about having fun in Jamaica. Your right, maybe I should notify Redstripe and Appleton prior to our arrival so their sure to stock up. ~Later!

Hi Juli,

This is what I do now instead of trying to call out. I buy a few of the cheap phone cards at Walmart and leave one with my children and one with my mother. I set up a time, usually when we are in the room getting ready for supper say around 6pm. I have one of them call me and the front desk transfers the call to our room. Just calculate the time difference if it applies. That has saved so much trouble, and it is so easy for them to call from the US. Just a thought.

RedSoxNation, Congratulations on the Red Sox's big win. Thanks for the advice. I didn't think about having them call me. What a great idea!