Bill & Nancy - September, 2009

JAMAICAN WATERSLIDE TEAM

2009 TRIP REPORT

 

THE 10^TH ANNUAL MEETING of the Jamaican Waterslide Team has come to a close following our trip during the week of 12 to 19 September 2009.  This year was one of our best and we helped Hedonism III to celebrate their 10^th anniversary with a Grand Gala celebration.  Our group numbered almost 100 people from 20 States in the US and four countries outside the US, with our farthest travelers coming from Ukraine on their honeymoon.  The members came from all walks of life, all income levels, too many professions to name, and all ages from the 20’s to the 60’s.  There were a few singles and mostly couples, but everyone seemed comfortable regardless of who they were or where they came from.

 

The group came together in months prior to the trip with weekly chats, our unique message board and posted biographies and photos, giving all of the members a chance to get to know one another prior to arriving in Jamaica.  It also helped first time travelers to Hedo III to get their questions answered and their concerns aired.

 

As has become our tradition, our Welcome Committee tried to meet as many members as possible when they stepped off the bus into the Hedo III lobby.  They immediately found a warm welcome, their favorite (requested) drink waiting for them, and personalized items to make them feel part of the Team.  That also helped to smooth the “first time jitters” for many and to renew many old friendships for others.

 

The week included a few fun events, but not too many to fill up everyone’s vacation with group events.  Sunday night saw our (now famous) theme of “Wear Mesh and Glow” which included a grand march through the resort ultimately winding up in the disco with enough glow material that we could have been seen from Space.  Our Welcome party on Monday had the theme of Naughty T Shirts and the staff helped to judge the best entries which earned prizes.  Tuesday we staged an outside Team Dinner under the stars on the Prude Pool Deck which Dining Room Manager Renford Williams and his staff set up for us in a beautiful fashion with candles and black table cloths.  Our theme for the ladies was “Sexy Little Pastel Dresses” and they all were absolutely gorgeous.  Wednesday the Gang went on a Nude Catamaran Cruise just for the JWST, and from all reports the party continued long after the cruise on the bus heading back to the resort.  A GREAT time was had by all. Thursday afternoon was our “Erotic Gift Exchange” party which brought so many laughs to the group that our faces hurt, and of course Friday night was the big 10^th Birthday celebration for Hedo III and the annual Ms. Hedonism III contest.  We’ve been lucky since they started this event, because we’ve always had JWST members who entered the contest.  Our ladies have won first place a couple of years but we also have always finished in the top three.  This year was no different.

 

We participated in many of the resort’s theme nights in large numbers such as PJ Night, Pirate Night and Toga Night.  We also indulged ourselves a little on Fetish night by adding “Pasties” for the ladies and “Absurd Costumes” for the men.  Not much action with “Absurd” but it might grow next year.

 

All in all it was a great week with a few firsts for the group and lots of fun and laughing all week long.  This year we saw line dancing in the nude pool, and a successful number of slide runs lead by our Slide Captain.  We still hold the record for the most individual runs down the waterslide during our week.  We also saw the continued development of our men’s and women’s massage teams lead by their respective Captains, with lots of satisfied customers. Another first was one of our members who booked the trip as a surprise without telling his wife where they were going.  She did not have a clue until the bus arrived at the lobby.  She recovered very quickly though and had the time of her life as he had shopped and packed for her as well.

 

We have always said that what makes a Hedo III vacation great is the people.  The resort is nice for sure, but the people who travel with us and the entire staff of the resort make it a huge success as a vacation destination.  There were some minor issues with this or that going wrong in the rooms from time to time, but the staff, especially Christine Smith, Guest Services Manager, made every effort to set things right. The food was exceptional and not enough can be said about the preparation and presentation by Executive Chef Mark Cole, Executive Sous Chef Joseph Kalinyuk, and their staff (including Anthony the pastry Chef).  From eggs and omelets-to-order in the morning, to a pasta or carving station at night, you could not help but find something you liked to eat.  For lunches and afternoon snacks, nothing compared to John Campbell’s Nude Pool Grill and his way of  keeping everyone happily fed, or the Reggae Café by the Water serving authentic Jamaican Cuisine. We also heard lots of positive comments about the daily servicing of the rooms by the housekeeping staff.

 

Finally, we’d like to thank General Manager Lance Parrish and all of the people behind the scenes who we seldom saw, but who were working every day to make sure we had the best vacation experience possible.  We certainly salute them and the efforts they made for us, from the guys who raked the leaves to the front desk staff.  Whatever we asked for and whatever issue we discussed with anyone, the answer always was, “No Problem” and they got right to work making things happen.

 

As the week came to a close, “DIF” (Dreaded Island Fever) began to set in for all of us.  As we watched each bus depart with our friends we could not help but to start thinking and planning for 2010.  Look for us to descend on Hedonism III once again during the week of 11 to 18 September 2010 for our 11^th annual meeting.  Want to be part of the fun?  Visit our website at www.jwst.com and send us a note.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Sunset Bill and Ms. Nancy