INS doesn’t dampen Jamaican vacation
I never went on spring break with my friends before.
The wild trips to Cancun, Mexico or Miami never came to fruition.
So when I decided to go to Jamaica with four of my friends, it was kind of a big deal.
I left March 4 from Detroit and I was nervous from the get-go.
See, a few years back someone stole my identity and somehow I ended up on the Transportation Security Administration’s “No Fly List.”
Basically what that means is a giant headache every time I fly.
Extra security checks, hassles about my identification and extra bag checks are just a few of my travel-induced migraines.
So I said “screw it.” I procrastinated and didn’t get a passport and relied only on my birth certificate and driver’s license.
As soon as I landed in Montego Bay I was detained by Immigration and Naturalization for about two hours – because I didn’t know the address of where I was staying.
The first couple of days were sort of a shock and we were all forced to adapt a little.
The refrigerator wasn’t very cold, the stove didn’t get very hot and we could only buy cases of beer during the day.
And the local gas station doesn’t like it when a bunch of American tourists role up at 11 p.m. and buy beer and munchies, trying to use U.S. currency.
Needless to say, we went and exchanged some money at Cambio King the next day.
I felt sort of like a high roller. For every American dollar, I got $64 Jamaican. After changing $180 U.S., I rolled out with $11,520 Jamaican.
After getting situated, we were ready to experience our Jamaican spring break.
Sunday night it was a St. Patty’s party at Margaritaville in Montego Bay. It cost $30 U.S. to drink for free until 1 a.m. I think I blacked out around 12:30 a.m. after I had professed my love to a gorgeous Penn State field hockey player.
Monday we went fishing in the Caribbean. It was great, but I wish I could have hooked a big barracuda.
But I settled for the most comedic moment of the trip when two of my buddies were tossed out of the boat by a rolling wave.
Note to self: Don’t stand up in small aluminum boats.
Then it was off to a Jamaican strip club where the saying “whatever happens in Jamaica, stays in Jamaica,” is very appropriate.
All day Tuesday we walked the beaches of Negril and found Red Stripe for $100 Jamaican – that’s about $1.50 U.S.
After we got back to Montego Bay, it was back to Margaritaville where we ran into a whole crew from CMU and the Mount Pleasant area.
Thursday was our last real party night, so we went to Negril again for some “Playboy Get Wet Beach Party.”
Talk about false advertising.
There were no Playboy Bunnies and the only people who got wet were those who had a hotel nearby and could go change their clothes.
Oh, and girls from the east coast are stuck up – (fill in expletive here).
It was a great trip that I’ll never forget and I can’t wait to get back.
Dominic Adams can be reached at editor@cm-life.com.
