Jamaica Day 2 and Part of 3

I'm relaxed - I mean really relaxed and it feels amazing.  Yesterday after the post they showed us a new room and I was really undecided on it   It has a small balcony, but had no lounge chairs and what I loved about our original room when I booked it before I knew of the tree is that the balcony was huge.   I knew we would want to just be outside much of this trip and I wanted to do that comfortably.  Well, we told the Butler we would take the room and then went back to our old one to pack.   I then decided, no I really wanted the lounge chair and decided to just suck up the tree...  Well, Sandals is not to be outdone, so they rearranged the 2nd room to give me a lounge chair and here we are.   An amazing view and a lounge chair I can relax on and nap on.  It's awesome.

While they were swapping rooms we found a fairly secluded spot on the beach and just chilled.  We read our books, sat under the shade of another gigantic tree and just relaxed.  This portion of the beach has over the water hammocks and swings, both of which I've enjoyed thoroughly.  I also love the fact they have staff on the beach so if you want a drink or lunch, you never have to leave - you can just enjoy the surf while they bring it to you - it's amazing!

After our beach time, we came back to the new room where I promptly got a bath in the garden tub that overlooks the water.   The window above it opens and you can just sit and listen to the waves - amazing!    I then took a nap on my balcony lounge chair :)   

When I woke up I noticed I was quite crispy.  The 50 SPF was not quite enough today despite being in the shade... lesson learned.  I brought some Young Living after sun spray though so it's not painful and healing nicely.

Once we were rested and cleaned up we headed over to the other resort, Ochi, for hibachi and to go to a speakeasy bar they have called the Rabbit.  Dinner was nice and the bar was very interesting with a laid back vibe.  We experimented with a couple new alcoholic drinks, but mainly stuck to water and I enjoyed a fuzzy navel or two, but Sandals wins with us when it comes to the unlimited alcohol - we just don't drink a lot.    The bar has a singer they call Mama and she was really good.  She sang throw back 40's - 60's music that was really good.   there were several there that had drunk too much, which was obvious by the fact they could barely stand, much less dance.  And there was a woman dancing that really looked like she needed a pole in front of her, but other than that most people were really chill and having a good time   I did note that the Ochi resort is not for us though - just too busy and big.   Paula, choose well for us with Royal Plantations, we can relax and then go over to the busier resort if we choose.   I wouldn't have wanted to stay at Ochi - not my speed.  After the show, we came back and promptly fell asleep!

This morning we were exceptionally lazy.   We slept late, had breakfast brought to the room and just chilled until around noon.   At which point we put on our bathing suits, went and bought a much stronger sunscreen and hit the beach.   We stayed there under the tree, or in the water hammock for several hours.   Reading, having lunch, drinks, snacks, and just chilling.   It was awesome - a whole lot of nothing and I loved it.

We did go to the tennis courts for maybe 10 minutes and tried to hit a ball or two around.   It was nothing if not comical.  Afterward, we came back to the room to get cleaned up.  I took another relaxing bath in my gigantic garden tub and am now sitting on the deck updating you all.    We have dinner next to the beach tonight and they have a band playing this evening.   It should be nice.   I hope you all are well.  This trip may have started off rocky but it has improved at every turn and I'm so glad now to be here.   Relaxed and Happy.

Jamaica Day 1

It's technically our 2nd day here, but I didn't journal last night so I'm doing it this AM instead.  It's vacation time - so I'm breaking the rules, lol.

Yesterday we got up at 7:30 which is super early, well early for me and got ready to head out.   We left the house at 8 and headed to the airport.  Overall our flights were uneventful and we made it safely to Jamaica.   Upon arriving we went through immigration and customs, both a fairly seamless process before making it over to the Sandals Lounge.  A few minutes later we got in our transportation to the resort.   Let me just say they need to upgrade the transportation... it was a little SUV that should fit 4 - driver, 1 in front and 2 in back.   In no way is this a luxury vehicle with comfort as its goal.  Instead, it was 3 of us crammed in the back for hour 1.5-hour drive to the resort.   That drive turned into closer to 2.5 due to festival traffic, so by the time we got here I was tired and slightly grumpy.  The drive overall though wasn't bad though and the people in the car were nice.

The similarities between us and the other passengers in the vehicle were eery though.  They were named Jack and Lisa  - he was in IT, she loves essential oils, though she is using Doterra instead of my beloved Young Living.   It was so funny!  There were of course differences, they have kids, we don't, etc.. but what are the chances?  Same name? Same hobbies/careers?

As we arrived at the resort they had a marching band playing out front with Jamaican dancers.   We checked in and met our Butler who showed us to our room and gave us a tour of the resort.   We are hopefully changing rooms tomorrow as this one - while having a balcony looks over a tree.   You can kinda see the water if you hang your head just right, but mainly when you sit down you see a tree...  The sounds of the ocean are amazing though and just being outside is nice.

I hate this blog is a little negative and I am confident that today and the rest of our trip is going to be fantastic, but I must say the service at Sandals Negril is better.  Here everyone has a butler so it doesn't really feel like you have one at all.   The beach spots are first come first serve, only one restaurant takes reservations, it just feels different.  The restaurant we wanted to eat at tonight in the resort next door reservations is full already, it's just not the same.  Of course, nothing ever is.   It's ok, but at Negril, you felt like royalty.   It's an entirely different experience.   Also, they don't have us in their rewards program, despite me knowing I've signed up for it before... so we lost out on some points and apparently some type of returning guest package? 

Anyway enough with the pity party!  I'm at an amazing island with sun, waves, and relaxation at every turn.   We had dinner last night out on the terrace with music playing in the background.   Breakfast this morning was also outside overlooking the ocean.   Nothing really to complain about and hopefully, in a bit, we will get to change rooms to one with a better view!   Now to go oil this irritation away.   Have a blessed day.