HEDO 99' TRIP REPORT
APRIL 25TH -MAY 1ST
This was our 4th trip to hedo and planning a trip is a 3rd of the fun , the other 3rd is getting there , and the final 3rd is being there. Our planning started in September 98' by searching for the best rates at several t/a's and tour operators . Go-Classy won out with the best rate at that time and still is the best rate that I heard of from many other people who paid much more than us for the same nites stay, but then again we all think we got the best rate. right..<G> Our best advice to firstimers is to do your homework with the t/a and tour operators , also in picking your week to go to Hedo , some weeks/months like January and February are mostly swingers groups , which are a good and fun group if that is what you looking for , March is spring break for the younger crowd , other weeks/ months are a mix of nudist , swingers , and firsttimers with the only difference being the hurricane and rainy season.
A week before Thanksgiving 98' we put down our deposit , for the week that we already knew we wanted Sunday April 25th to Saturday May 1st and started to count the days with a two other couples ( Fred and Maureen , John and Myrtle from N.C.) who also plan to go the same week . We three couples were among the first Dennys Hedo Visitors Listed for the last week in April and soon the list grew and grew to 40 couples and singles. And by the way, thank you very much Denny for the use of your site. The email started to fly , people started to get to know each other by exchanging pics and stories of each other , plus the many jokes . I started to do a 100 day count down mid January every 10 days or so , sometimes with facts and tips for hedo and Jamaica , plus some Negril weather reports to tease and keep the excitement alive. Many distant friendships started by this method , where you get to know people pretty good by the way they write and think , such as our friends from Sweden , Niels and Karen , Helen and George from Canada , plus many others South and West of us , here in Pa. , and by the time you get to Hedo , you feel you have know each other for years and then the fun begins. Joyce had fun shopping for the trip and dragging me to all the stores , LOL. but it was fun , especially when you are shopping for Hedo stuff. We had some fun nites upstairs in our bedroom with our drinks trying on clothes and tying Togas. <G>
Almost down to the wire with only 5 days to go , the gas riots broke out in Jamaica , concern set in that our long awaited trip might be canceled . Lance from Go-Classy called to warn us that we should check everyday with Super Clubs and Air Jamaica as to advisories which was "no problem mon , come on down ". They kept putting the best spin on the trouble there. Thanks to Jamaican Jim , Doug , Pat , and many others on Dennys message board for keeping us updated as to the real news in Jamaica during that week . You all kept us informed and calm .
Now on to getting there, up at 5am to catch a 8:30am , Air Jamaica flight to Mobay , that hopefully will be only 3 hours as it should be , not the 12 hour problem flight like last year. Since we did arrive at the Phila. airport 2 hours ahead of time , we walk the airport . They had just built and opened up a new concourse that had a shopping mall with restaurants and while walking we bump into Warren and Mal from New Hampshire , who were also headed to Hedo . Although they did not list on Dennys Visitors page , we have seen them every trip and by chance they had a layover in Phila . They belong to the Butt Crack group , who are also at Hedo every time we went and are a fun and amusing group.
So far no problems on this trip , Air Jamaica took off on time and arrived on time , round trip too. A nice flight and plane , we flew coach with good forward seats with plenty of leg room. Even the food was good , as far as airline food goes. We arrived in Mobay at 10:30am Jamaica time , Only to stand in a very long line at immigration that start outside the doors , a long while later we pick up our bags and headed to customs and went right through to the Super Clubs desk , where we were greeted and remembered from our last trip.
Soon we were on the bus with 10 other people but not before we pick up a 6 pack of red stripe for the ride to hedo for $15.00 ($2.50 a bottle) <G> . The bus and the ride was great as usual , with some thrilling moments , then we stop for a pee break and more red stripe. Also just to show that instant friends can be made , we met Lynn and John from Texas on the bus to Hedo and plans to meet again at Hedo with email still going strong.
Now on to being there , we arrived at Hedo around 1:30pm , hopeful that we would not be bumped to another resort as so many others have. The Hedo gods are with us , they say go have a few drinks and food , come back in 45 minutes room for our room . While having ours first Hedo drinks we meet several people , including Mike and Judy from Southern IL., that we have been emailing with over the last few months . A few more drinks and a few more meeting of friends and we missed our room assignment , a quick check at the front desk , they say give them 30 more minutes , more drinks , more meeting of friends , a another quick check at the desk , they say we have your prude room ready , WRONG very politely , we requested and paid for garden nude . They said check back in 15 minutes, more drinks more meeting of friends where we lost track of time and about 4:30 we went back to the desk and found that waiting pays , room 2238 the H building and as luck would have it next to Fred and Maureens . A great room , second floor , quiet , secluded , centrally located , heaven.... Semi-unpack and off the the nude beach again , but this time we are naked. Found our chairs under the palms by Delroys on the beach , a quick tour of the area and the hot tub till 7pm . Back to the room for some R+R , then dinner in the main dinning room , show , disco , veronica's , hot tub again till 4 am and bed. With the first day under our belt , the next morning felt like a truck hit us. We always over do the first day and pay the next , then wise up . The next nite we were in bed by 11:30 PM and I was was up the next morning at 5:30AM walking the beach naked and cold and that was the only nite we went to bed early. LOL. The rest of the week was pretty much the same except after breakfast , we hit the beach with our chairs under the palms till we got too hot , then either the ocean or bar/pool to cool off being the same temp as the air , no need to go on your tippy toes there . <G> We partied with friends till about 5 or 6 PM then back to the room for some more R+R , then the same nite life with different variations .
The great thing about hedo is that you can do as little or as much as you like , we enjoyed being with people and also enjoyed being by ourselves depending on our moods . we varied , and enjoyed the walks and talks on the beach late nite , especially at the point and always ended the nite back at the hot tub with other people till 3 or 4 am . Joyce especially love this trip , to her it was the best and that is what counts , and we will be back .
Our best memories at Hedo are Niels and Karen taking us out sailing on the catamaran , Niels having a 30 or so footer of a sailing vessel in sweden , knew how to sail well and it was very thrilling . We tried to do it again but the boat was out that day for a long time....to Niels and our dismay. Also Karen should be applauded for her courage in coming to a nude resort for the first time and not having the command of the english language , for Niels and Karen are newlyweds , but with the help for some friends we made her feel at ease and she had a constant smile each and every day. Indeed a beautiful couple.
A sad note , it was reported that Niels and Karen 's safe was broke into and money and a credit card was taken on thier last day , Saturday. Since they left Hedo for Brazil and are not back to Sweden till May 15th , no further info is available.
Another fond memory was , while sitting at breakfast , a couple who were leaving drop off a bottle of champane on our table , saying they had got 2 and could not use the other , many thanks. And speaking of champane , the beach blanket champane evening under the stars that I had planned never got off the drawing table , never was able to get it together. <G> my fault , the dining room supervisors had made it all possible , I just , did not follow thru.
Another was , Joyce and I finally got off our chairs and did something else , like the glass bottom boat at 3PM , we were the only ones on the boat and it was a great hour looking at the bottom of the carribean , 13 star fish , and many other tropical fish , like the sargent majors , sting rays ( I think) , coral , and such .
Another was , the high wire circus acts on Fridays nite , a first for us . They were the greatest next to PJ and Toga nites and also saw the infamous beach bonfire . The beach games are too funny to describe , a must see for sure.
Toga nite nite was great as usual , mine stay on most of the nite and hopefully I did not look like a shepherd , Joyce look like a Roman goddess. Toga nite is the big nite of the week held in the main dining room with alot dancing , audience participation , and contest.
PJ nite was a hoot in the disco , most of the people that won best whatever did not stay till the end and the staff kept calling out names with nobody coming up to the stage. Kudos to Fred and Maureen , Dave and Bev in the couples contest who were there to pick up their prize.
Another first was the wet tee shirt contest , that has nothing to do with a wet tee shirt <G> it is more about bribing the male judges with female body parts . Works for me , and a must see.
we still did not go to Pastafari's , Ricks cafe , or the sunset cruise , maybe the next time<G> , I guess we will have to keep going back till we do it all and do it all right.
Things we did not like was the disco , only played techno Jamaican and heavy metal music , wish they would vary the music a bit , also the dining room music was too loud to hold a conversation with the people next to you at dinner. Food was normal for Hedo , not bad , not great.
Service and Staff were excellent , especially Karl and Augustus who got our beach chairs and pads for us under our spots by the palms and both remembered us and our names , Christopher for his constant dining room attending , Delroy and Scumba for their great service and drinks..
Hedo hottub sex police and Phila. customs agents must be on vacation , even the Phila . customs dogs. Hottub sex was an all time high this year . <G> Yea mon , but we met a couple on the bus that did not like the open sexual activity in the hot tub or elsewere at Hedo . All firsttimers , please do your homework and check out the other trip reports and web sites and message boards about Hedo. Open sex does occur at Hedo and if this offends you , Hedo is not for you. Respect and Tolerence for people who dare to be wicked , and also for those who do not , is practiced at Hedo.
Also it was reported that Shoe Polish Bill was at Hedo and denies all allegations and rumors .<G>