ON THE ROAD TO PARADISE

Black River, Jamaica

Greetings!

I awoke this morning with devout Thanksgiving for all my friends. Ralph Waldo Emerson

I have really been blessed with some amazing friends, the people I have met and the places I have seen. It never seizes to amaze me, that all I have to do is leave my bedroom, with all it's creature comforts and go outside the door.

One such departure from my AC, TV and other creature comforts, was an experience so beautiful that it resulted in gaining an unexpected friend. It was Christmas 19_ _, and the posse were gathering for our usual non stop party's our childhood mates and an assortment of characters whoever was visiting from abroad, usually film or music people. This was a ritual that was practised for many years and it became a tradition to journey across the country and the globe to meet up just in time for the never planned, always spontaneous (yeah right) New Years Eve celebrations or maybe for me it was just an excuse to get away from more family gatherings, and endless FOOD. Not to mention the nauseating Christmas carols that was the background soundtrack at all these family parties. I despise Jingle Bells and all the silent nights. Christmas has just become a pagan ritual, full of gluttony and expensive gifts bestowed on already overindulged children.

Nevertheless we celebrate for their sakes and keep the tradition and fables in tack for the sake of my dear mother and her adorable grandchildren. Santa Clause is coming to our house, entering through the key hole, his sledge and reindeer's park outside and he brings a sack of gifts and places them neatly under the Christmas tree, which we paid a huge amount of money to decorate. The trees are imported from Canada or some country with the cool climate to grow them, and sold in stores for a fortune. This is the preferred tree, in all the nice uptown homes, as the Jamaican grown tress have few branches to hang your assortment of jingle bells.

Ooo humbug!!

So I escape each year, once the gifts are opened, and the eggnog served, I jump into my car, and drive across the Island into the arms of awaiting friends, usually perched on a beach or a veranda like birds. Ocho Rios is a tourist town, about 60 miles from Kingston, over a traitorous hill called Mount Diablo, the devils mountain. It is located on the North Eastern Coast of Jamaica, where we have many friends who often join us to bring in the New Year. This has also become a tradition, but one that I truly enjoy. The background soundtrack is often ska, rock steady, or reggae music, sponsored by the music connoisseurs, DJ Brian or Native Wayne.

This escape was particularly memorable. There was a larger than usual group of friends most from big cities, New York, London and L.A. Many of them, have been coming to Jamaica for years, they bring their friends, we bring ours and the group expands like a beautiful balloon at a kids birthday party. This group was now a CARNIVAL. Each day was like a production on the set of a major blockbuster movie, with buses, drivers, cars arriving every morning just to go to the beach. We caused traffic jams in parking lots as our carnival hit the road for dinner each night. The characters of a big production were all there, the director, the producers, the assistants, location managers, wardrobe, hair and makeup and of course the actors. The roles changed daily depending on how much rum ( and other unmentionables) were consumed the night before. The first person to wake up was the producer who made the call sheet, the second became the locations manager and the last person to surface was usually the director. A motley crew.

The crew was so large, it took days to meet everyone. I noticed a girl many days later, who was obviously a friend of a friend of a friend. She was silent, hardly spoke, never tried to be funny or intelligent, she just laid in the sun all day...tanning. The men in the parade were extra frisky, donning their best T shirts and shorts and rushing to the pool to casually sit beside her. The women pretended not to notice. She completely ignored them which made her even more interesting. Did I mention she was stunningly gorgeous! A Blond haired, blue eyed beauty from London. She looked like a young Ursula Andress on the set of Dr No. We will call her The Bond Girl (TBG)

It turns out she was in Jamaica to find her ROOTS. Her great grandfather once lived here and she was in search of her heritage. She was NOT a friend of a friend of a friend, she just stumbled upon us and joined the circus. To cut a long story short, she told us she was renting a car and driving to Black River after the new year... alone. Well as I told you I have the best friends, and we would not allow a woman to drive by herself, in a car on a Jamaican road. The roads are not as friendly as we are. One could easily end their vacation tragically on our "highways". I was elected care taker of the beauty since I was the only person who frequented Black River and was familiar with the deep country roads.

We embarked on a Thelma and Louise style road trip around the island, hunting for clues to TBG's deceased Jamaican family. Graveyards, churches, old houses were searched for clues that led us from one amazing place to another. Along the way we met the sweetest people who were happy to lead us to the next clue. This was like a real life treasure hunt. We ended up in a place called Treasure Beach. Treasure Beach is an off the beaten track haven, I call heaven. One of the best cottages are a cluster of gems called JAKES.

The treasure hunt finally ended in pleasure, as TBG found love in a sweet chubby country boy, with shaggy hair and a shy smile, who swept her off her cute little manicured toes. Off she ran into the moonlight one night and I had to drag her out by her long blond hair back to London or I swear she would still be here today.

TBG eventually got married, not to the country boy, thank GOD, and now lives with her husband and beautiful children in America. She is today still one of my dearest friends and I will treasure our friendship forever. Thelma if your out their holla!

LOVE

Louise

BLESSINGS, ONE LOVE & WALK GOOD