I hated it.
The day we were to leave, we packed, got the shuttle to the little airport in Ocho Rios, and waited. And waited. And waited. Finally, they told us there was a big weather system moving across the island and the plane couldn't make it. They would put us in a cab. It didn't look promising that we would make the flight.
But not because the taxi driver wasn't intent on us doing so. He drove like a bat out of hell. Jane was nauseous and I had white knuckles the whole ride. It was raining and we were flying around blind curves the whole way. I wasn't sure if we'd make the flight or not, but I was pretty sure we were going to die.
We finally made it to the airport, and the only hope I had was that the flight had been delayed. It hadn't. I walked back to the taxi, where Jane was waiting with the driver. I got back in the cab, informed them that we'd missed our flight, and then I asked the driver the one thing I know to ask when I'm stranded somewhere.
"Is there a Ritz Carlton near here?"
In fact, there was. Less than 10 minutes back the way we'd come.
"Take us there."
We pulled up and I told the driver, and Jane, to wait. I wanted to make sure there was an available room, and also to make sure it wouldn't be $1500/night.
The hotel was everything I expect a Ritz to be, and nothing like the place where we'd just spent a week. I approached the desk, wet, frazzled, and irritated. The woman informed me that there were rooms available, and the rate was reasonable.
I went back to the cab, thanked the driver, grabbed Jane and our luggage, and entered the hotel. Since the airline had said it would take care of the taxi, I didn't feel compelled to pay anything. And I didn't.
We checked in and found our room. We all but flopped on the bed and sighed. After a bit, we went to dinner and had the first good meal we'd had in a week. We slept in 400 count sheets in blissfully chilly air. The next morning, we had breakfast, then lounged by the pool.
Meanwhile, the evening before, I'd called the airline to change our flight. They informed me, that because of the class of airfare we had, the earliest they could get us a flight, was Thursday. This was Sunday. I was expected back to work the next day. I told them I thought this was bullshit. This is when I found out that USAir Vacations has nothing to do with USAir, the airline. In the end, it cost me an additional $1200 to get home. The entire vacation probably only cost $3000.
A few years ago, we went back to Jamaica. It was wonderful. We were on the other side of the island in Negril at a wonderful place called The Rock House. It's actually the perfect mix of island culture and resort atmosphere. We had a good time and would definitely recommend it. But it's no Ritz.
So, we're going back to Jamaica, Mon.
Jane and I haven't gotten away anywhere this year. We usually do, but for some reason we just didn't. Business was a bit down. We had a wedding to pay for. Life.
Finally, I decided, we just needed to get away. Yesterday, I decided we needed just do it. I started looking online and realized I could pay for the airfare with miles, and the hotel with AMEX points.
So, we're flying First Class, direct from Philly to Montego Bay. It's only about a 3 1/2 hour flight. We're staying in an Ocean View room at the Rose Hall Ritz Carlton, which is only about ten minutes from the airport. And we'll be gone for seven days.
Julia is taking us to the airport and picking us up, so I don't have to worry about that, and Julia's friend Amanda is housesitting for us, so we don't have to worry about the animals.
I'm seriously thinking about just leaving the hotel number in case of emergency and locking my phone in the safe the whole time.
Wish us luck. Check back and I'll post how it's going.
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