As we proceed towards Negril, we pass the JPS(Jamaica Public Service) plant where all the electricity in Mobay is generated. Next to that is a large industrial park. On the other side of the street, where not too many years ago was a large sugar cane field, is now a water treatment plant.

A short distance away on the left side of the road is a large "housing scheme", called a housing development in the States, which is still under construction. When it is finished there will be more than five hundred homes.  While they are small and cute two bedroom homes, they can be expanded upwards and backwards and are quite affordable.

Our next stop is Reading. This is really one of those don't blink you'll miss it towns. The center of town is made up of a post office, a Roman Catholic Church, a private school and two small seaside resorts. The importance of Reading is, as a gateway to the south coast. By turning left you proceed up Long Hill to Anchovy and to Montpelier. From here you can go right to Savanna-La-Mar, shortened to Sav-La-Mar by locals. Turning left will take you to Black River or, at another fork, to Mandeville. The route through Mandeville is also one of the two ways to get to Kingston, although somewhat longer, is more scenic. At some later date, we will explore this part of the island.

The drive from Reading is quite beautiful. The road hugs the coast high enough to offer great views of the multi-colored water. In the distance behind you, is the cruise ship port, and Sunset Beach Resort which is two high rise buildings at the end of Freeport. Beyond that, one can see the city of Montego Bay. Numerous hills above the city are filled with several communities, densely packed with homes. To the left, on the edge of the ocean, is Sangster International Airport, Air Jamaica's hub.

Shortly past Reading is a distribution warehouse for Desnoes & Geddes Ltd, otherwise known as brewers of Red stripe beer. They also bottle and distribute Pepsi products plus their own line of flavored soft drinks. When you look at a bottle of Red Stripe you will notice the D&G logo. Jamaicans will tell you that really stands for "Damn Good."

The road from here to our next destination of the month, Hopewell, is sparsely populated. Along the coast can be seen small fishing boats in the early morning hours. Later in the day, these same fishermen stand on the side of the road selling their catch of the day. These fishermen are not alone in the water looking for fish. The coastline is dotted with herring type birds looking to fill their own stomach.
 

The next area we come to is Unity Hall. Much smaller than Reading, it consists of only a few houses built along the banks of Great River. About ten miles inland, this river is home to Mountain Valley Rafting. Not as exciting as other rafting tours but enjoyable just the same.

From Unity Hall we pass from St. James Parish into Hanover Parish. On the right is the world famous Round Hill Hotel & Villas considered to be one of the most expensive and exclusive in Jamaica. Some of the famous people who have stayed there include Paul McCartney, US Senator Edward Kennedy and fashion designer Ralph Lauren, according to "Insight Guides - Jamaica."

Highway 2000 has numerous small wooden structures containing bars, restaurants and souvenirs all along the road. The local name for these places are "shops." For instance, a restaurant is called a "cook shop" where they mainly serve jerk chicken, salt fish and ackee and other Jamaican specialties on a take out basis. The food is quite tasty and inexpensive. The health standards, however, are questionable.

As we approach Hopewell, the highway narrows to the original width and location of the existing town roads. This is true of every town the highway passes through. The integrity of the towns weren't compromised for the sake of modernization. While this does slow driving through towns dramatically, it does give one the opportunity to see life in a small town.

The road leading into town is narrow, steep and snakelike. At the bottom of the hill is Hopewell. This is a small but bustling town. Cars, trucks and pedestrians vie to get to their destination. It is a case of the boldest and most daring who succeed in getting to their destination as quickly as possible.

The town consists of several very old buildings, including a three story commercial structure with small shops above an independent supermarket. Near this complex is the town's open air market where local, as well as, imported produce can be purchased. Next door is the police station. The rest of the town, other than a few more shops, is lined with small houses. There are several side roads leading to residential areas. The length of this main street is only about two blocks but is extremely busy.

From Hopewell it is 43 miles to Negril. While not as thickly settled, most of what you see is beautiful scenery. As we leave Hopewell, the road hugs the coast displaying still more of the beautiful colors of the Caribbean Sea.  Today, the wind is quite gusty. One can see the spray of the waves as they crash along the rocky shore. Truly an awesome sight! As before, there are numerous wooden shacks or shops selling wood carvings, seashells and Jamaican fare along both sides of the road. The further we are from Mobay, the fewer there are.

The first small town is Flint River, named after the river that goes through it. This town is so small, the only way you would recognize it is because of a sign at the bridge which goes over the river. Once you cross the bridge, Tryall's golf course can be seen on both sides of the road. This golf course has been the sight of several major golf tournaments over the years and is considered one of the best on the island. The resort, itself, sits on a 2,200 acre former sugar plantation and boasts a 165 year old Georgian style Great House.

Sandy Bay is the next town. Most of the homes are simple small wooden structures set on blocks to protect them from the rainwater which runs down the mountain. Sandy Bay is also home to a Jockey factory. Just outside of Sandy Bay, is the home of Chukka Blue Adventure Tours, which includes horseback riding, white water tubing, and a Jeep safari tour. The next small town is Mosquito Cove which is located on a very picturesque cove by the same name. There are four more small towns before we reach Lucea. The closer we get to Lucea, the larger the towns are. They are Paradise, Elgin Town, Kew, and Johnson Town. The last three are on another larger cove called Lucea Harbour. 

Lucea is the center of government for Hanover Parish and is located on the west side of the harbour. The road through the center of town becomes a one way road or a very large roundabout(rotary). Lucea is a very bustling town with throngs of people happily going about their business on the very congested streets. The most prominent building is a nineteenth century courthouse with a clock tower over Corinthian style columns. There is also an old fort, named Fort Charlotte, which never fired a cannon shot in its defense, and sits on the edge of the harbour. 

As we leave Lucea, the land begins to flatten out. Gone now are the high rugged mountains, in their place we travel through gentle hills. From here to our destination is more beautiful country on one side and sea on the other. We pass through three more small towns, Lance's Bay, Cousin's Cove, and Davis Cove before we reach Green Island, which isn't an island. This is the last town before Negril.

A few miles from Green Island you see the first of, what seems like, countless tourist accommodations, beginning with two very large Riu Resorts. On the other side of the road is Negril's Aerodrome, which accepts prop driven airplanes only. This would be the fastest way of getting to Negril, driving takes an hour or more, depending on which end of town you are staying.

The water along the first section of the famous seven mile beach is famous in its own right. Back in 1720, this was where the pirates Calico Jack, and his girlfriend, Ann Bonney, were captured by a British Navy sloop. All of the pirates were hanged except for Ann Bonney who claimed to be pregnant. The law forbid hanging of pregnant women. The name of the bay is Bloody Bay, which didn't get its name from the pirates but from the whalers, who used to dump the unusable parts of the whales into the bay, thus turning the water red.

The closer we get to the center of town, the more inviting it looks. Shops that sell food, clothing, souvenirs, or almost anything you want are on both sides of the road mingled in between the big all-inclusive resorts, small hotels, night spots, and restaurants. This is called the "East End" of Negril. If you look at a map, however, the "East End" is actually due north of Negril.

The other end is called the "West End." I will admit it is further west than the "East End", hence the name. The only road in this section of town is very narrow and curvy. It is also quite picturesque. Instead of the seven miles of white sand beaches on the "East End", there are high cliffs with pounding surf spraying water high into the air. There are many accommodations, restaurants, and shops in this part of town, as well. There are several restaurants who offer cliff diving with their fare. The most famous of these, Rick's Cafe, is still closed because of damage from Hurricane Ivan.

Down the road a little further is the only local landmark of interest, Negril Lighthouse. It sits on top of the cliffs and is as majestic as any found along the New England coast. It was originally powered by oil lamps and then gas, but today, it is solar powered. One of my reference guides says you can climb the 100 steps to the top.  When I was there a few weeks ago, I was the only person there. More people must be interested in the sun, fun, and sand than in visiting the lighthouse.

So, our trip to Negril comes to an end. The ride, which is a little over an hour, is easy on Highway 2000. The new highway cuts about 15-20 minutes off the trip. As mentioned previously, the roads through all the towns remain unchanged, as they have been for centuries, and only adds to the beauty of the drive.

I hope you come to Jamaica and "feel alright." Explore, as I did, all the island has to offer. There's far more to Jamaica than sun, fun, and sand. Come and see for yourself! 

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