The next decade....what's in store?
Musings of a yamfooted traveller still trying to shake off those last 20 pounds as she treks across the Caribbean
You've got to be kidding me body! Why di hell have you chosen now to start feeling effects of a cold coming on???
Benedryl in yuh tail and 2000 mg of Vitamin C. Maybe have to get some Vitamin S too to ensure wellness. Can you imagine being sick for carnival?
While waiting intransit in Barbados last evening, I spotted a fellow across the way and I thought to myself that his face looked familiar. I didn't go over and investigate further. Fortunately though, he got up and as he was walking past me, I looked at him and recognized it was indeed somebody who I know...
I've been taking Caribbean holidays for a long time now. Must get to know my region better. So on this particular Caribbean holiday, either back in 1995 or 1997, I visited one of the Eastern Caribbean islands. When I was at the airport ready to leave on LIAT, the LIAT guy asked me if I was in any particular rush and would I like to give up my seat and go on a later flight that day. I asked him what I was going to do while waiting and he said to leave it to him.
Well, that was certainly very memorable. We drove down the coast, and stopped at the botanical gardens. Man, they were so peaceful and serene. Totally awesome and it made an impression on me.
Back at the airport now, because my later flight was going to depart, the LIAT guy made me come in the back office and I was observing what happens behind the scenes. Very interesting stuff for me as I am curious as to how things happen; what are the processes that make it happen. Of course, because I am curious, I asked a lot of questions and he was very good about answering them all.
During one of our conversations, he mentioned all the things he would do were he station manager. The guy who was in that position was old and had been in the system for donkeys years so there was no innovation.
i rememeber after I reached back to jamaica, penning a letter to the LIAT guy encouraging him to do the necessary things that would qualify him for the senior position.
Fast forward to Tuesday evening now. I called him by name. He was puzzled as to how I knew it. I reminded him about that day and it slowly dawned on him who I was. I had also seen him on a LIAT flight within the last 4 years or so but didnt get to go through all the details of how we met. The first question I asked him Tuesday was "are you Station Manager yet?" and when he said yes, I was so pleased that somebody had actually followed through and pursued their goals and got to where they wanted to get.
This world is very small, and you just never know where you are going to buck up people.
Oh, one thing I also remembered about that botanical gardens encounter was that the LIAT guy was never suggestive in an improper way. That's how it is down this side. The guys are not so forward as they are in Jamaica!
I cut it close for my flight out of Jamaica Tuesday. Got to the airport 1hr and 5 mins before departure. Had upgraded to first class so I could get heavier weight allowance. Took many requests for Things Jamaican so luggage was full, also remember that I decided to buy house stuff in Jamaica where it is cheaper, so that took up lots of space.
I know the Station Manager at the airport. Like a good employee, that didn't prevent me from being asked to re-arrange my luggage!
I had as carry on, my laptop (damn bag is very heavy), a knapsack, and a small suitcase. After all, I travelled from Grenada with all of that, so why shouldn't it be a problem here? It was. Mr station manager said the stations are getting written up by the flight attendants for allowing excess baggage in the cabin. He very kindly took me behind the counter so my draws (panties!) would not be in full view of other passengers.
He also assisted me in repacking (not the draws!). I thought he was quite good in the way he was forceful without being forceful, while I was protesting. It'a all about following procedure. When I told him I had come up with all that, he said I shouldn't have been allowed with it, plus, first class was full yesterday so he knew there wouldn't be any spare room. Right he was. My laptop had to go where the flight attendants have there stuff, and my small suitcase travelled in Economy class!
While I was calling in my favour today, I was in my friend's office when my cell phone rang.
"Hi, Yamfoot, are you in the bank?"
"Yes"
"Are you wearing black and just went into an office?"
"Yup, that's me"
"Wow! You've lost a lot of weight!"
I'm trying to remember when was the last time I saw him, and if that comment was justified because between then and now I really did lose a lot. Anyway, I still weigh bloody 206 and that is not good enough.
40 by 40 means that I need to be at at least 180 by 22 October 2006. And don't ask me what is happening on that date, or else I will ban you!
I am one of those persons who don't like to ask people to do favours for me, especially when it will negatively affect other people. I know the Operations Manager for one of the NCB branches. I have been in the bank many times, chatted to her and not asked her for a "skip".....and the lines have been long in that branch on most of the occasions that I have been.
But true as how Monday was the day before my departure and mi did have nuff tings fi deal wid, I went into the bank, saw that the line was long, and immediately asked for her. I was out of there within 7 minutes....about 38 minutes less time than if I had had to wait in the line.
Now this friend of mine, we go way way back.....
....all di way back to primary school in fact, on Duke Street, in front of the Ministry of Home Affairs...as it was called back then. After primary school, she went to Wolmers and I went to St Hughs so we lost track, and then I bucked her up while I still lived in Jamaica and I went into the bank one day. Now my Dad works at that company so we keep in touch through him.
One incident in particular I will always remember about her. My mother used to be so caught up in her work that she sometimes came for me late, that was on the days that I didn't walk down to East Queen Street and take the number 22 bus from in front of Coke Methodist Church.....ah.....the good old days of being able to take the bus without worry.
So it was late this particular afternoon. I would say close to 5pm. Everybody else had left the compound. But she stayed with me, waiting on Mummy. She was then going to take the bus to where she lived near Cross Roads at the time. Well, while we were there, a man stopped by the back gate of the school, which is on John's Lane, and said "hey girl, come here". Well of course nervous me start to panic. My friend said very bravely "don't go to him Yamfoot, don't go". He evetually walked off and I ran off across the road to the Ministry to wait at the house of the caretaker. Oh, I forgot to say that at one time, my mother worked at the ministry so we knew the caretaker well.
So these are the incidents that stick in my mind. And that was in about 1976 or 1977. Is long time dat you know. Nearly 30 years and it is as fresh in my mind as if it happened yesterday.
Sometimes, my encounters on The Rock lead me to think that many Jamaicans are nice people. Take today for instance.....
Went to BNS Liguanea. Line was short, unusually so. I was the last person in line and was waiting on somebody to come after me so I could ask them to hold my space because I needed to talk to one of the Customer Service reps. No one was coming in, so said to the young chappie in front of me "please hold my space. If anybody comes, let them know I am in front of them." He acknowledged me.
When I came back, a lady had joined the line after him. So I should have been in front of her. I therefore go to take my rightful place, when lo and behold, chappie gestures to me to come in front of he! Well I was chuffed, really I was. So gracious and generous of him to give up his place for me.
(Mi still a leave out today though!)
Went by a friend to play Mad Bull's favourite game, Kalooki, last night (they allowed me to win since I'm the "foreigner"), and left there after midnight. Home was a short 7 or so minutes away. For the duration of the ride, I drove as quickly as I could and also kept looking in the rear view mirror to ensure that no car was following me. At the moment that I saw a set of lights too close, I turned on my indicator and hoped that the driver would turn the other way, which they did.
I considered driving on Charlemont, but I thought that having to slow down for the sleeping bumps would give a preying criminal opportunity to pounce, so I drove up Widcombe Road instead. This is how I think whenever I drive in Jamaica.
I never have these thoughts in Grenada.
Another note about looking back through the rear view mirror....
You can live your life that way, always looking behind you, in the past, to cry over spilt milk, lament over choices gone bad, or see if your past or your fears are catching up to you.
Or..
You can look forward, at the road ahead, carefully thinking about the different twists and turns you can take to get where you want to go (of course, one must have a destination in mind!), then choose one and enjoy the ride. If it doesn't lead you to where you thought you wanted to go, maybe you didn't really know where you were going and need to re-think that, or maybe it was just the wrong road. Choose another and again, enjoy the ride and don't look back.
This cricketer last played for the West Indies in 1999. Lo and behold he is playing again. That must have been the longest ever wait in the wilderness.
Cricinfo, the kind of mother of all cricket sites, picked up the interview on their blog on 8 February, referring to it as "excellent".
I've known the cricketer for about 11 years now and it's nice to see how he has matured.
I have tons of photos on my computer, taken from travels in the region. Today, I am posting some of the animals I have snapped over the last three or so years......
Brown Verandah Dog, taken in Lucea, Hanover, Western Jamaica
Pooch in Barbados, next door to where Princess P lived
Dog on Grand Anse Beach, Grenada
Dead Manicou, about to be stewed, Grenada
A feathered friend, Grenada (Belmont Estate)
My relative? Grenada (Belmont Estate)
Because I train people in Customer Service, I am always noticing what kind of service I get. I was quite pleased today. First in the bank (Scotiabank), the teller was very pleasant and before she closed off, asked if I needed anything else. That's something that can make a big difference to the service encounter, because you might have forgotten to ask for something and that quesiton will jog your memory. She wished me a nice day when I was done.
Then in Azan's, Mr Azan himself was at the parking gate entrance to explain the system to me. You give the attendant J$100, he gives you a ticket, and when you shop in Azan, the cashier will give you back the J$100. Neat. Then inside, as I was browsing, several people came to ask if I needed help. How many times have you gone into a store, only to be ignored? Not today. When the lady rang the credit card slip (a different location from the cashier), when she handed it back to me, she told me which slips of paper to give to the cashier, and then she wished me a nice day.
In both clothing stores...now these are very small, very tightly packed cubicles....attendants came up to ask if I needed help. In the one where I ended up buying the red sandals, I asked for the big size for my yamfeet in a gold sandals. (Size 11). She said "dem done". Later, when I was paying her, she said I could give her my number and I take hers, so that when more Size 11 comes, she could call me.
What service! Don't ya think? And from stores mid town where one might expect them not to be of the same standard as "up town".
I was encouraged by the experiences today. Jamaica not so bad afterall.
The time is slipping away quite quickly. Already a week has gone. I'm not a last minute person, so the day after I arrived, I bought some stuff that my colleagues at work ordered. All Things Jamaican - jerk sauce, festival, run down sauce, escoveitch and so on.
Today, I decided that I would do some shopping for the abode which I am yet to find! But anyway, when I find it, I must have tings....nuh true?
Got up at 8:20, fed and cleaned up after dogs (bwoy they are lucky to have me), left house at 9:30, dropped mother at the cricket office (she's working on World Cup), went to my beloved Pilates class where the instructor talked about the nerves she is feeling for her wedding #2 next month ("a lot has changed since you left Michelle" she said), then did some cardio (treadmill).
Spoke on the phone for a long time to a cricket person, while deciding what my next move would be. Mother wouldn't be finished until 2pm or thereabouts. I had to go to the bank to lodge two cheques I had been walking around with for several days. Do I drive up to Liguanea - up town - or do I drive down to the branch on Slipe Road - down town?
Down town it was. Well, maybe I should call it Midtown, like in Manhattan. Anyway, the bank has parking so that was convenient. Did the transactions then decided to hit the stores on my way back up to closer to where Ma was. First it was Azan Supercentre.
You see, "dem small islands dere" sometimes don't have all the things one requires, at the price that one wants to buy it at. A tad more expensive in the household goods department. So I budgeted J$2,000 to spend on some light items to take back. Rug, shower curtain, laundry bag, shoe holder, mattress cover, 2 glasses, baking tin, metal bowl, collander, 2 small plates, salt & pepper shaker and one or two other things. The bill came up to $2,100. Aren't I good with estimating or what!
Next, it was to two clothes stores in the same plaza where Azan is. I was looking for nothing in particular but anything particular. Found a pair of red sandals (to find a size 11 is really quite a 'feat') for J$1,500. Didn't find the white tank I had in the back of my mind to buy.
Next was The Pegasus to piddle and to say hi to LMT and CCMB. As it turned out, it was also to arrange to do some outstanding work I had to do for them. So going in tomorrow.
Picked up Ma at 3:30-ish, stopped at Super Plus to buy LaSoy Lite milk powder (I am trying not to use cow's milk in my cereal) but they didn't have any. Actually, I haven't been able to find that item lately. Must call LASCO. In Super Plus, bought a cutting board, a closet organizer and two trays, along with several plantains (a staple in our house!) and a pack of chewing gum. All for J$900 and little dollars.
So all in all, it was a good shopping day. Now I just have to find space to fit everything!
So said my god sister to me at the gym last week. She said she had seen my sister who told her I was in Grenada. I told her I was going back for a longer time this time. She commented how "those islands slow....not as aggressive as Jamaica".
Well I guess if it's aggressive you want, you stay in Jamaica, but as I told her it's very calm and serene and peaceful in Grenada. She has been, because she used to be a travel agent so she knows "dem small islands deh" well. I was encouraging her to check some of them out when she made that comment.
The thing is, a lot of Jamaicans don't know how life is in "dem small islands". I really hope CSME changes perceptions about what I consider some of the jewels in this region.
2005 will mark 14 years since my last carnival in 1991. I thought it was huge then, but I know that more and more people caught on to the enjoyment factor, and so I can't imagine how huge it will be.
Like last time, I will skip J'ouvert because I just don't like not being able to see, and then to have nasty greasy stuff on you. Enjoyment stops at a certain point for me.
Panorama Finals is my most favourite part. I wonder if they still have the "North Stand" where less of the action is? We sat in the other section so we could stomp our feet when di music lick yu. But I kinda felt unsafe. In fact, I recall the authorities coming on the microphone and saying too many people were in that stand. Can't remember the name of the stand.
But anyway, after a week of up and down, I am sure to drop about two pounds. That's why I'm really going! (joke)
You think these spammers will get the message? Don't send no damn junk about penis enlargement!
In the film Last Holiday, Queen Latifah had a book she called Book of Possibilities. This was a book where she placed information or pictures about all the things in life she would like to experience.
There was a holiday in Prague where some famous Chef worked; several pictures of meals she had created - she wanted to own her own restaurant/bistro; and a picture of her and a guy at work she liked, getting married. She worked at a retail store and didnt like the way she was treated, but she stuck wtih it anyway.
She had all these dreams, but instead lived in a box. It was only until she was diagnosed with a terminal disease that she started to pursue them.
Now this is what I am trying to get people to do...live your dreams NOW.
Why?
Cause you never know how much time you will be given. Heck....some people don't get any notice.
I remember in a training session in Summer 2004 I asked the groups this question...
"If you found out you had six months to live, how would you spend your life?" and then "Why aren't you doing those things now?" Kelly's sister looked at me with the look as if a light bulb had gone off in her head, and later that day she told me that I had stirred up some serious questions in her head.
So that's what I want to do here - ask all of you why are you waiting on a death sentence to do the things that you have always dreamed of?
Went to see this this afternoon at Carib. Very funny. Not as drop down funny as Hitch, but still funny enough to keep me laughing.
Now as a diagnosed hypochondriac, I could relate to Queen Latifah's news that she had a terminal illness. I could also relate to what she decided to do to spend her last days. Cash out all the money she had saved, and blow it on a mega holiday of her dreams....
Only thing is, I aint got no money to cash out, but I still coulda sell some stuff and get money to go to Anguilla and Turks and Caicos. Those are the next two islands to visit on my list, also Guadeloupe.
Now, if you found out you had little time to live, what would you do?
...Jamaica wouldn't be able to handle all the people who would want to come here. It is such a vibrant country, featuring a little bit of everything for everyone. If you want to do it all, or nothing at all, Jamaica could be the spot.
Having said that though, it is mind boggling that the rate of crime against tourists is minimal, despite us having the highest per capita murder rate in the world!
I thought about this as I was driving from the Carib Cinema downtown. In my parents' day, they used to have live shows there. My father told of a time when his mother took him to see some act or the other. People would dress up in their finery and dress to the nines.
Anyway, the point that I am making is that this blasted crime is just a darn nuisance resulting in tourists staying away from Kingston mostly and therefore not seeing all of Jamaica, and in me not wanting to live here! Whichever of the PNP candidates seeking to replace PJ Patterson can get rid of crime, they will be like God.
I landed yesterday and went to the gym today. Of course, the first thing I did was went on the scale. It said that I now weigh 206 pounds. I find that rather strange because for the three months I was in Grenada, I did exactly three days of exercise.
I was careful sometimes about what I ate. Many nights, all I had was a salad and fruits. But some nights I also had dessert. So it's weird. But I am thankful none the less, because I am closer to being under 200 pounds. Therefore, when the exercise machine said "enter weight", I gleefully put in 206 pounds.
When I lived in Grenada, everytime I was driving north, I would look at this old house along the Grand Anse main roag going towards town. It was dilapidated and run down, the land around it unkempt, but something about it was attractive.
A friend of mine came to visit and without me saying anything to him, he thought the same thing. I was therefore very happy to see that somebody has started to renovate it. They've changed the external colour and I was trying to peek inside but the glass distorted the picture.
I did take some pictures of the house from the outside though.....
And these are a pictures of the chairs they are restoring.
I'm off to the airport in a few minutes. I have tried to pack light because LIAT and BWIA have divorced.
Before, I would check my luggage in Grenada all the way to Kingston. Now, because of the new system that LIAT has of a discount carrier, and other reasons which I know not of, I am going to have to clear luggage in Barbados, go to the BWIA counter and check in!
Consequently I have tried to travel light and only carry the bare essentials. Lemme see if they will allow me to carry all that on board!
I've finished work way too late tonight. Consequently, I will have not enough sleep tonight since I have to be up at 3:45am to get to the airport by 5:10am. One must have breakfast, and go through all the morning routines that there are you know.
See you in Jamaica.
I am going to be spending the greater part of 2006 in Grenada and have therefore started the search for somewhere to live.
The american university might be good for the island generally but bad for renters like me. Everybody who building in this Grand Anse area is targetting the students. They put in air conditioning because the students will not rent without AC, but then the prices are exhorbitant. The students will pay US$500 for a one bedroom unit!
When I was living here before, I was paying EC$1,400 per month....about US$600 for a two bedroom in Lance Aux Expines which is like a Beverly Hills, Upper Hope Pastures type area (those areas are in Jamaica) and it had two bedrooms, AC in both, washing machine and dryer, fully furnished etc. True....that was since 2001 but still. Things haven't gone up that much! Well, nothing but the ST George's University's student population!
I am going to rent a car tomorrow and drive around, looking for any house that has two electricity metres and knock on the gate and say "room for rent?" I won't buy a car, so it will have to be near the bus route. I will be yamming it...me and the yamfeet.