WE WILL ONLY DO AN OVERVIEW OF OUR TRIP , WHICH STARTED ON THE FIRST DAY TO BE AN ADVENTURE INSTEAD OF A VACATION . THIS IS OUR THIRD TRIP TO HEDO ON AIR JAMAICA AND WE NEVER HAD A COMPLAINT. THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A NONSTOP FLIGHT.
SUNDAY , WE GOT UP AND STARTED FOR THE PHILA . AIRPORT AROUND 5:30 AM TO CATCH AN AIR JAMAICA FLIGHT 44 DEPARTING 8:15 AM AND ARRIVING 10:43 AM IN MONTEGO BAY. WE STOOD IN A SHORT LINE TO CHECK OUR 2 BAGS IN , SO FAR SO GOOD.
WE WERE TOLD THERE WOULD BE A SLIGHT DELAY AT 8:20 AM .THE PLANE WAS BROKEN. THEY SAID A MECHANIC WAS COMING FROM NEW YORK AND THE PART FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE. THEY ALSO HAD A MECHANIC FROM UNITED AIR IN THE SAME AIRPORT LOOK AT THE PROBLEM, AT 9 AM THE FLIGHT WAS CANCELLED , BUT WE WERE NOT TOLD ,NOR DID WE SEE IT ON THE TV SCREENS . THEN THEY STARTED TO HAND OUT BREAKFAST VOUCHERS , BAD SIGN.
10 AM WE WERE TOLD THE FLIGHT WAS CANCELLED AND THEY ARE FINDING ALTERNATE FLIGHTS FOR US . WHEN WE SAY US IT MEANS ABOUT 100 PEOPLE . SOME WERE NOT TOO HAPPY. THE WIFE AND I JUST GRIN AND BEAR IT , NOT TO LET A LITTLE PROBLEM DESTROY A GREAT VACATION THAT WE KNEW WAS AHEAD OF US.
WE THEN WERE TOLD TO PICK UP OUR BAGS AT THE AIR JAMAICA CHECK IN COUNTER, WHERE THERE WAS A LOT OF CONFUSION. WE WERE GIVEN A PIECE OF PAPER FOR U.S. AIRWAYS WITH A FLIGHT NUMBER 1023, DESTINATION MIAMI , 1:10 DEPARTING TIME AND TOLD TO GO TO US AIRWAYS FOR OUR TICKETS AND RE-CHECK IN ARE BAGS. PROBLEM WAS US AIRWAYS WAS IN A DIFFERENT BUILDING , ALL OF US WERE NOW DRESSED FOR JAMAICA HAD TO BRAVE THE PHILA. COLD MORNING WINDS IN OUR SHORTS .
WHEN WE GOT TO US AIRWAYS AND STOOD IN A VERY LONG LINE AND GOT TO THE FRONT DESK THEY DID NOT HAVE OUR NAMES AND THE PLANE WAS FILLING UP VERY QUICKLY. THAT GOT RESOLVED AND WE FINALLY CHECKED OUR BAGS IN FOR THE SECOND TIME .
WE BOARDED US AIRWAYS ON TIME BUT SAT IN THE PLANE FOR 55 MINUTES BECAUSE OF A BROKEN GAUGE AND PAPER WORK. IT IS NOW 2PM , THE TIME I FIGURED WE WOULD BE ON THE HEDO BEACH ENJOYING A DRINK AND BEING NAKED WITH OUR FRIENDS.
WE ARRIVED IN MIAMI AROUND 4PM , GREETED BY AN AIR JAMAICA REP . WHO LED US ON A MILE LONG WALK TO AIR JAMAICA DESK NOT REALIZING THAT SOME PEOPLE , LIKE OURSELVES DID NOT TRUST THEM TO TRANSFER OUR BAGS FROM PLANE TO PLANE , HAD TO GO TO BAGGAGE PICK AND RE- CHECK THEM . ANOTHER LONG LINE ANOTHER PROBLEM . REMEMBER THE WIFE PACKED ALL THE MAKEUP , HAIR DRYER, IRON , AND EVERY HEAVY STUFF WE OWN IN THE CARRY ON THAT I HAD TO CARRY FROM PLACE TO PLACE. I HAD A STRAP MARK ON MY ONE SHOULDER AND A RASH UNDER MY ARM PIT. ON THE RETURN TRIP YOU CAN BET IT WEIGHED LESS.
AFTER A 3 HOUR LAYOVER AT MIAMI , AIR JAMAICA BOARDING TIME WAS 7:10, BUT BECAUSE THE CO PILOT GOT SICK WE HAD TO WAIT FOR A NEW CO PILOT AND THE PAPER WORK AGAIN. I THINK WE TOOK OFF ABOUT 8.30PM. PILOT SAID ETA IN JAMAICA 1HOUR AND FIFTEEN MINUTES
WE DID EAT IN MIAMI , NO FOOD VOUCHERS , $15.00 FOR 2 HOT DOGS ,2 BEERS , CHIPS
WHEN WE ARRIVED IN JAMAICA IT WAS ABOUT 10PM BUT WE THEN TURNED OUR WATCH BACK 1 HOUR AND BOARDED "THE BUS" TO NEGRIL FINALLY ARRIVING AT HEDO 11:00 .
AS EXHAUSTED AS WE WERE FROM THE 16 HOUR DAY WE SEEMED TO GET A SECOND WIND WHEN WE PULLED UP TO THE FRONT GATE. WE FEARED WE WOULD BE "BUMPED" TO THE PRUDE SIDE OR WORSE YET TO ANOTHER RESORT FOR THE NIGHT, AS HAPPENS TO SO MANY, BUT MUCH TO OUR DELIGHT WE GOT OUR ROOM RIGHT AWAY. OFF TO THE BAR FOR OUR FIRST DRINK BEFORE GOING TO OUR ROOM TO CHANGE. A QUICK VISIT TO THE DISCO A STOP AT VERONICAS AND FINALLY THE HOT TUB TO TRY TO MAKE UP FOR LOST TIME. WE WERE UP 24 HOURS WHEN WE FINALLY CALLED IT A DAY. MY WIFE PAID FOR THAT THE NEXT DAY .
WE FOUND HEDO TO BE MUCH THE SAME AS WE REMEMBERED. THE COFFEE MACHINES AND CD PLAYERS AND PHONES WERE NEW AND WE WERE SURPRISED TO FIND AN IRON AND IRONING BOARD IN THE CLOSET, THAT SCARED THE HELL OUT OF ME EVERYTIME I OPENED THE DOOR.
WHEN WE FINALLY HIT THE NUDE BEACH ALL THE TROUBLE THE DAY BEFORE DISAPPEARED. THROUGHOUT THE WEEK WE MET A LOT OF PEOPLE WE SPOKE TO ON DENNY'S WEB PAGE. THE PICTURES WE EXCHANGED MADE IT EASIER TO RECOGNIZE THEM. WE MET A LOT OF FUN PEOPLE THAT MADE THE TRIP EVEN MORE ENJOYABLE. THANKS TO ALL OF YOU! AND A SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SOUTHERN AND BERMUDA FRIENDS.
THE FOOD WAS ABOUT THE SAME AS WE REMEMBER IT--NOTHING TO WRITE HOME ABOUT BUT NOT TOO MUCH TO COMPLAIN ABOUT. THE SALADS WERE GREAT. THE STEAK ON TOGA NIGHT WAS GOOD IF YOU COULD MANAGE TO CUT A PIECE. HOPEFULLY THEY WILL SUPPLY STEAK KNIVES NEXT TIME. LUNCH WAS USUALLY HAD ON THE BEACH FROM ROBERTS GRILL. WE USUALLY HAD GRILLED HAM AND CHEESE & FRIES WHICH WERE GOOD. IF YOU LIKE HOT DOGS, YOU MIGHT WANT TO SKIP THE ROLL! THE DRINKS WERE GREAT--SPECIAL THANKS TO DELROY AT THE NUDE POOL BAR. WE SPENT A VERY FOND AFTERNOON THERE WITH SOME FUN PEOPLE DRINKING A LOT OF BEER (AMONG OTHER THINGS) .
AFTER BREAKFAST ONE DAY WE WENT OUT ON A KAYAK , FOLLOWED THE COAST LINE TO NEGRIL , IT WAS REALLY A LOT OF FUN , BUT AFTER AN HOUR YOU CAN NOT FEEL YOU LEGS BECAUSE THEY WENT TO SLEEP, AND THEN TRYING TO GET OUT OF THE KAYAK AND WALK, FORGET ABOUT IT.
I RECOMMEND THAT YOU GET OUT OF HEDO AND TAKE A TAXI TO NEGRIL FOR SOME SHOPPING OR TAKE THE TOUR . IT WILL GIVE YOU A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF JAMAICA AND THE PEOPLE. IT WILL COST 20.00 TO 40.00 A COUPLE. YOU CAN FIND SOME GOOD BUYS IN NEGRIL .
APRIL SEEMS TO BE A GOOD MONTH AT HEDO , GOOD WEATHER,(ONLY THREE BRIEF SHOWERS), A LOT OF FUN PEOPLE THAT WE SAW IN 1994 WHEN WE FIRST WENT, SAME PEOPLE ,SAME TIME, EVERY YEAR. WATER WAS CLEAR, BLUE, AND WARM. WE HAVE OUR OWN FAVORITE SPOT , UNDER SOME PALM TREES ON THE BEACH NEAR THE POOL BAR. CLOSE TO THE BAR, NEAR THE OCEAN AND THE POOL AND IN SHADE AND BY THE GRILL. NOW THAT IS HEAVEN. WE WERE THERE IN NOV. 96 AND IT WAS NOT AS NICE , OCEAN DIRTY FROM STORMS AND IT RAINS A LOT.
THE LAST TWO TIMES WE STAYED NUDE OCEAN VIEW ROOM 2179, BUT THIS TIME WE BOOK A NUDE GARDEN VIEW AND IT WAS JUST AS NICE, FOR THE LITTLE TIME YOU REALLY SPEND THERE. OCEAN VIEW IS NICE , SHORTER WALK TO THE ROOM FROM THE BEACH ,BUT LONGER WALK TO THE MAIN DINING ROOM. GARDEN IS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE.
HEDO 3 IS SUPPOSED TO OPEN 1999, STAY TUNED . THE MODEL IN THE LOBBY IS VERY IMPRESSIVE, AND WE JUST MIGHT TRY IT OUT, MAYBE IN THE SECOND YEAR THEY OPEN, SO THEY CAN WORK OUT ALL THE BUGS . IT LOOKS LIKE ONE BIG WATER PARK, POOLS EVERYWHERE.
THIS TRIP WE DID NOT BUY ANY GANJA , BUT WE DID GET A TASTE FROM A FEW FRIENDS , WHICH WAS JUST RIGHT. THIS TIME I REMEMBER THE ENTIRE TRIP. I THINK WE DID IT ALMOST RIGHT THIS TIME. I GUESS WE WILL JUST HAVE TO KEEP COMING BACK TILL WE GET IT PERFECT AND DO EVERYTHING WE SAID WE DO. PRACTICE MAKE PERFECT.
SINCE THIS WAS OUR THIRD VISIT TO HEDO, WE WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO TRADITIONAL "FUN" EVENINGS AT THE HOT TUB. WE BELIEVED HEDO TO BE A PLACE FOR RESPECT AND TOLERANCE. LETS FACE IT, IT IS THE " FREEDOM" THAT BRINGS MOST PEOPLE TO HEDO. THE ABILITY TO "DO YOUR OWN THING" THE CONSTANT PRESENCE OF THE SEX POLICE (SECURITY) WAS VERY INTRUSIVE. MY WIFE WAS INTIMIDATED BY THEIR LOOKING OVER EVERYONE'S SHOULDER TO SEE IF YOU ARE TOUCHING YOUR OWN PARTNER.
THERE WAS ABOUT 30 OF US IN THE HOT TUB AND SOMEONE SUGGESTED THAT WE ALL START TO HAVE SEX AT THE SAME TIME AND SEE WHAT THE GUARDS WOULD DO TO STOP IT. THE NEXT NIGHT THEY TURN UP THE TEMP ON THE HOT TUB SO HOT IT BURN US. THIS RUINED OUR LAST TWO NIGHTS AT HEDO.
ON PRIOR VISITS WE WITNESSED FAR MORE "ACTIVITY" THAT WAS NEVER CHALLENGED, BUT THIS TIME SECURITY WAS OVERBEARING , INTOLERANT AND AT TIMES DISRESPECTFUL TO THE GUESTS. OUR NIGHTS AT HEDO WERE SPOILED BY THIS PROBLEM. I DID TALK TO MR. LEVEE AND HE SAID HE WAS LOOKING INTO IT AND THAT HE WOULD COME UP WITH A SOLUTION. HE SAID AFTER 1 AM HE IS PULLING SECURITY GUARDS OFF AND NO RULES. . HEDO IS JUST ANOTHER RESORT IF THEY START MAKING RULES, ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE NUDE HOT TUB.
ANOTHER ISSUE ABOUT THE HOT TUB WAS THE "SCUM" FLOATING IN IT. ONE OF THE GUESTS MADE AN EFFORT TO SKIM IT FROM THE TUB AND WAS TOLD HE WAS NOT ALLOWED , HOWEVER NEITHER THREE SECURITY GUARDS NOR THE NIGHT MANAGER WOULD SKIM IT OFF. ( SOME OF THIS PROBLEM WOULD BE AVOIDED IF GUESTS WOULD SHOWER BEFORE ENTERING THE HOT TUB TO GET RID OF SUNTAN OIL AND MAKEUP.) SECURITY TRIED TO TELL US IT WAS SPERM AND THAT'S WHY NO SEXUAL ACTIVITY WAS PERMITTED.???
I THOUGHT THERE WERE NO RULES AT HEDO BUT RESPECT AND TOLERANCE. WE LOVE HEDO AND ARE HOPEFUL THESE PROBLEMS WILL BE RESOLVED SO WE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO A RETURN VISIT NEXT YEAR. WE WILL BE READING THE TRIP REPORTS AND ARE CONFIDENT MR. LEVEE WILL COME UP WITH A SOLUTION.
WE ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO PJ PARTY AND TOGA NIGHT . IT IS FUN TO SEE THE GREAT OUTFITS EVERYONE COMES UP WITH. I WISH THEY WOULD HOLD PJ NIGHT IN THE MAIN DINING ROOM AS THEY DO TOGA NIGHT. MORE PEOPLE WOULD ENJOY IT. THE DISCO IS JUST TOO SMALL AND TOO HOT.
ANY QUESTION JUST ASK samantha@voicenet.com
BILL AND JOYCE
Thanks Bill & Joyce. - Denny