Hire a taxi driver for an untourist tour of montego bay!

HI,

WE WERE ON THE 10-DAY NORWEGIAN SUN EMBARKING 12-29-05. I WAS A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT GOING OUT ON OUR OWN IN MONTEGO BAY, BUT DID NOT CARE FOR THE HIGH PRICED EXCURSIONS OFFERED, AS SOME RESEARCH SHOWED VERY MANY PEOPLE UNHAPPY ( SLIPPERY FALLS, MONEY TRAPS, PUSHY SALESMEN ECT.) AS MY HUSBAND AND I ARE A LITTLE MORE ECO ORIENTED, AND WANTED TO SEE THE LANDSCAPE/ PEOPLE/ AND THE "UNFAMOUS " "ROCKLAND BIRD SANCTUARY", WE WERE HIGHLY DISAPPOINTED THAT THE CRUISELINE(S) PACK YOU INTO A BUS (WHILE NOT SIGNED UP FOR ANYTHING!) I WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND ANY TOURIST OFFICE ( WHERE I HAD HOPED TO FIND A MAP AND A CAB) AS WE WERE NOT DOCKED AT THE MAIN PIER. AS SOON AS YOU GET OF THE SHIP. tHE DRIVER WILL THEN TELL YOU IT IS ALL FOR YOUR SAFETY, AND YOUR OPTIONS ARE TO GET OF AT THE " SHOPPING CITY CENTER" (ENDORSED BY YOUR CRUISELINE), WHICH WAS A PRETTY SHABBY LOOKING PLACE,

OR PAY EXTRA, AND STAY ON BOARD FOR HIS TOUR $15.00! NOT WANTING ANY OF IT, WE GOT OF AT ANOTHER TOURIST TRAP CALLED " MARGARITAVILLE,WHERE YOU ARE BORED, UNLESS YOU WERE WITH A TOUR LETTING YOU PLAY ON THEIR SMALL SECTION OF NON-BEACH (=ROCKS).

FORTUNATELY WE MET "GRANT", A LICENCED (RED LICENCE PLATE, CHECK FOR THE EXPIRATION DATE ON THE FRONT WINDOW) JUST WALKING OUT OF THIS TOURIST DUMP! WE ASKED HIM IF HE KNEW WHERE THE BIRD SANCTUARY WAS ("NOT REALLY, BUT WE WILL FIND IT, MON") WHICH I HAD READ ON THE INTERNET WAS HARD TO FIND FOR ANYONE (THAT IS WHY IT IS NOT ON THE EXCURSION LIST,THANK GOD!, THE PLACE WOULD BE RUN OVER AND LOOSE IT'S CHARM!)

AFTER SHOWING US A FEW SITES AND GATHERING OUR INTERESTS, GRANT PUT TOGETHER A WONDERFULL DRIVE (+- 2 1/2 HOURS) IN WHICH WE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THE PEOPLE, WAY OF LIVING, REG. BELIEFS, WEALTH VS POVERTY, AND ISSUES OCCUPYING THE JAMAICANS.

YOU CAN FEEDTHE HUMMINGBIRDS WHILE THEY SIT ON YOUR FINGERS IN THIS BEAUTIFULL, QUIET MOUNTAIN GARDEN, WHERE "FRITZ'S BROTHER" (CARETAKER, AND FAMILY) IN HIS RASTA CALM WAYS, SHOWS YOU THE GARDEN AND TELLS YOU ABOUT THE BIRDS ECT. ( $10.00 PP PLUS TIP OF COURSE!) CONSIDERING THE 12.000 PEOPLE THAT GOT OF SHIPS THAT MORNING, WE HAD THE MOST WONDERFUL AND QUIET PARADISE EXPERIENCE ONE COULD ASK FOR. SINCE GRANT NOW KNOWS HOW TO FIND IT, (NOT MANY NATIVE TAXIDRIVERS DO), AND BECAUSE OF HIS WONDERFULL NARRATIVES, ATTITUDE, AND HIS ABILLITY TO SHOW YOU SOME "UNTOURISTIC " JAMAICA WONDERS I CAN HIGHLY RECOMMEND HIM!

YOU CAN CONTACT GRANT ON HIS CELLPHONE AT (876) 406-7857.

CALL FROM THE US OR ELSEWHERE( I DON'T KNOW THE COUNTRY CODE FOR JAMAICA!) OR IN PORT!

I KNOW HE WILL BE HAPPY TO GIVE YOU THE 'GRAND UNTOUR-TOUR".

YOU CAN CONTACT ME IF YOU WANT TO SEE PICTURES 9THEY WERE TO LARGE TO POST).

SPEEDSCALIEN