Yardies, at home and a farrin' (Part 6)

[Islandwoman 0]

Oh I was going to say the Verney House Hotel is on Leader Ave. If you wanted to know exactly. This is where I stayed with my college for many years. Its a nice yardie place. Not many tourist stay there so its more of your local hotel.

Do you have a contact number for them? That price sounds right up my alley!

[shrewdgal 0]

For anybody renewing passports in the states. There is now this new passport card good for the Caribbean Mexico Canada and Bermuda. It is much cheaper than a passport book. I was think about getting this for my little girl. Have you gals heard about this? I might even get one myself than a passport book. Since the only place we will be traveling is Jamaica. I am going to ask the post office tomorrow about it. B)

I thought you couldnt use the card for air travel or something weird like that.. only for like cruises?

maybe I am wrong.

[Islandwoman 0]

Hey Roxie and all thanks for helping me out yesterday. I was able to play around with the dates and got a fare for $378.00 out of BWI (connect in Miami) which I DETEST! But what can I do. I've avoided that airport for 15 years. Has it changed any.

The Mami airport is just bigger, more congestived and you will have to walk a mile to connect to your JA flight. I hate it also, but to get this price it looks like the connections are all in Mami. I will be in Mami on Thursday, trying to get some R&R. I wanted to skip over to JA for the weekend, but they want 300.00 for a three day trip. I am losing it over the cost of these flights, I see the prices rising on a daily basis since I am looking for tickets everday for my Travel business.

Roxie I just noticed you're in MD/DC area. Yeah, as much I dislike it I'm going there. Now, I have to find a hotel. It was so DAMN HOT at his house my last visit I can't take it and my dad is adding another level to his house and I just don't want to be bothered with my moody family in June since everyone will be there for my aunt's and my cousin's weddings.

A hotel in what part of Jamaica? Maybe I can help you. I stay in the Kingston Area, uptown as they call it when I visit my husband. I say downtown.

Hey Roxie,

I'm looking for a hotel in Montego Bay that is not all inclusive. I can't deal with the hotel food. I don't know if it's because I'm a born Jamaica it's just plain nasty. I can eat at family and drink whatever and where ever I want. Besides when I'm at an all inclusive I never stay on the property I just find it boring. So, anywhere in the Montego Bay area. Thanks baby girl.

Hey Tre, give me a quess estimate as to what you might be willing to pay per night. Also what are the dates, and for how many nights. I prefer to look for travel deals, much better than trying to write this contract for this project for my 9 to 5 ( pays the mortage) job. Also I just keep day dreaming about the time that I will only be booking travel and traveling to my favorite islands. You know what was so funny I had never been to JA until I met my husband, and I met him here in the USA.

Thanks Roxie; 6/20-6/26 (nothing over $150) I know you can't get anything all inclusive, but that's a waste to me anyway. I just don't want to wake up in the hotel room the middle of the night and have to fight with a cockroach to get to the toilet. I'm not sure if you've seen a JAMAICAN cockroach, but on my last trip there his friends thought that someone was trying to kill me in the house. I ran out to the varenda screaming. That roach looked at me like WOMAN! TURN THAT DAMN LIGHT OFF and go the HELL BACK TO BED! So, anything decent.

Do you prefer being on the hip strip? Or would you prefer a mom and pap hotel? If you want something off the beaten path try the Verney House Hotel. Its up on a hill next to Cheat wood Elementary School and Mount Alvernia High School (all JA friends are welcome). The Sterlings are the nicest people if there is a problem all you have to do is let them know. I believe last time I checked rooms were 50 bucks a night. On the hip strip I prefer El Greco but its a little more pricey. We like the kitchen and living area and your friends can come over you just have to make sure the front desk knows.

Good morning everyone, it seems like everyone have had some good and not so good experiences with some of these hotels. Why don't we put together a link that list what hotels we have stayed at in JA, and list their: location, Price range, rating, special feactures, friendliness, JA friends and family welcome etc. I think this will help all of us when we have to make that trip back HOME, as it will and is now to us all.

Please remember if we have a centralized place for this information it will be easier to refer them to this location. You'll have some valuable information but it is all in past of private conversations. What do you'll think about this. The grocery store information was very vaulable.

Also , instead of westernunion for the mothers who are still in JA create a local Bank account in your Husband name and give the mother the ATM card, it cheaper to be charge 2.50, vs the 11.99 or more everytime you send $$$$$. Put her on a budget, it could be something like 50.00-100.00 a month, if that is what it is, she will learn to live with it, just like we are living within our budget paychecks. AS for the call for money, I refer all JA calls to him( he is still in JA), I remind him this is your future you will be spending. Number one rule, your family needs to call you, while my family should only call me when it is in refernce to money. Note, his JA family won't call him, so the call ends after I tell them they needs to speak to him. The money tree has dried up in the back yard. On a side note, I haven't had such a big problem with this yet, The only problem I felt uncomfortable with was a mutual friend of both of our who made such a request and I told him to take care of this.

Sorry for going off topic.

I think you have some great ideas here! My question re: setting up the bank account in JA, how do you get the money into that account from the US?

[shrewdgal 0]

Morning everyone!

First off, congrats Nannygirl!!! Your daughter is so beautiful!

Marlita - Its amazing what God has in store for us. Your case is SPEEEEDING through NVC!!!

Kimmy - Whats up? You finish your registry? lol

Roxcie - that's a great idea! We could just create a new thread and then bump it every once in a while so it doesn't get lost

JG - Let me know how the SuperPlus thing works out. I didn't know they had that kind of service. I agree in that I would rather send the food rather than the money. My aunt asked me for money to buy a microwave but instead of going to Western Union I went straight to Courts and bought one for her. Sometimes you just don't know what people do with it, even if they are close family/friends.

Jason/Marla - Sending prayers for your interview tomorrow.

Sus - Good luck on finals! I finished all of mine yesterday. So now I can spend more time on VJ (in between packing up all my stuff lol)

Hope all is well with everyone!

oh wow...how does the courts website work??? Im excited to see all these good resources!

[Marie876 0]

Has anyone else seen THIS ARTICLE about the cabinet members and their new SUVs? Instead of the government spending the money on buying them those high price vans they should give the money to the farmers to help them with production. While those minsters are driving around in style people in the country can't eat because of the RISING price of rice and bread. Besides, most of those government officials already have luxury personal cars. Cho I know Golding is trying his best but COME ON!!

Sorry...I had to vent

[Marie876 0]

Ok so I just read that they raised the amount for the pension/education and other grants...I feel a little better now

[Marie876 0]

Morning everyone!

First off, congrats Nannygirl!!! Your daughter is so beautiful!

Marlita - Its amazing what God has in store for us. Your case is SPEEEEDING through NVC!!!

Kimmy - Whats up? You finish your registry? lol

Roxcie - that's a great idea! We could just create a new thread and then bump it every once in a while so it doesn't get lost

JG - Let me know how the SuperPlus thing works out. I didn't know they had that kind of service. I agree in that I would rather send the food rather than the money. My aunt asked me for money to buy a microwave but instead of going to Western Union I went straight to Courts and bought one for her. Sometimes you just don't know what people do with it, even if they are close family/friends.

Jason/Marla - Sending prayers for your interview tomorrow.

Sus - Good luck on finals! I finished all of mine yesterday. So now I can spend more time on VJ (in between packing up all my stuff lol)

Hope all is well with everyone!

oh wow...how does the courts website work??? Im excited to see all these good resources!

Hey Shrewdgal! You basically can purchase things like any other online shopping website. They email you a couple days after you order to confirm everything and set up a delivery time. The best thing is that delivery is FREE!!!

Yeah, these resources are great! Courts for home items, Digicel for credit, and now SuperPlus for food!!

[sus 70]

Hey Shrewdgal! You basically can purchase things like any other online shopping website. They email you a couple days after you order to confirm everything and set up a delivery time. The best thing is that delivery is FREE!!!

Yeah, these resources are great! Courts for home items, Digicel for credit, and now SuperPlus for food!!

Now if Digicel would set it up so that you could buy phones as well, I would be good!

[*JG* 2]

There is now this new passport card good for the Caribbean Mexico Canada and Bermuda. It is much cheaper than a passport book.

I saw that and was actually thinking about it. But, I guess you never know what might happen in the next ten years so I went ahead and got another "real" one.

What if you win a trip to Fiji? Then you have to wait for a new passport to come

That's what I was thinking. We have big plans to travel one of these days and, hopefully, that will be in the next 10 years. I only want to do this passport thing once every 10 years.

[*JG* 2]

Hey Roxie and all thanks for helping me out yesterday. I was able to play around with the dates and got a fare for $378.00 out of BWI (connect in Miami) which I DETEST! But what can I do. I've avoided that airport for 15 years. Has it changed any.

The Mami airport is just bigger, more congestived and you will have to walk a mile to connect to your JA flight. I hate it also, but to get this price it looks like the connections are all in Mami. I will be in Mami on Thursday, trying to get some R&R. I wanted to skip over to JA for the weekend, but they want 300.00 for a three day trip. I am losing it over the cost of these flights, I see the prices rising on a daily basis since I am looking for tickets everday for my Travel business.

Roxie I just noticed you're in MD/DC area. Yeah, as much I dislike it I'm going there. Now, I have to find a hotel. It was so DAMN HOT at his house my last visit I can't take it and my dad is adding another level to his house and I just don't want to be bothered with my moody family in June since everyone will be there for my aunt's and my cousin's weddings.

A hotel in what part of Jamaica? Maybe I can help you. I stay in the Kingston Area, uptown as they call it when I visit my husband. I say downtown.

Hey Roxie,

I'm looking for a hotel in Montego Bay that is not all inclusive. I can't deal with the hotel food. I don't know if it's because I'm a born Jamaica it's just plain nasty. I can eat at family and drink whatever and where ever I want. Besides when I'm at an all inclusive I never stay on the property I just find it boring. So, anywhere in the Montego Bay area. Thanks baby girl.

Hey Tre, give me a quess estimate as to what you might be willing to pay per night. Also what are the dates, and for how many nights. I prefer to look for travel deals, much better than trying to write this contract for this project for my 9 to 5 ( pays the mortage) job. Also I just keep day dreaming about the time that I will only be booking travel and traveling to my favorite islands. You know what was so funny I had never been to JA until I met my husband, and I met him here in the USA.

Thanks Roxie; 6/20-6/26 (nothing over $150) I know you can't get anything all inclusive, but that's a waste to me anyway. I just don't want to wake up in the hotel room the middle of the night and have to fight with a cockroach to get to the toilet. I'm not sure if you've seen a JAMAICAN cockroach, but on my last trip there his friends thought that someone was trying to kill me in the house. I ran out to the varenda screaming. That roach looked at me like WOMAN! TURN THAT DAMN LIGHT OFF and go the HELL BACK TO BED! So, anything decent.

Do you prefer being on the hip strip? Or would you prefer a mom and pap hotel? If you want something off the beaten path try the Verney House Hotel. Its up on a hill next to Cheat wood Elementary School and Mount Alvernia High School (all JA friends are welcome). The Sterlings are the nicest people if there is a problem all you have to do is let them know. I believe last time I checked rooms were 50 bucks a night. On the hip strip I prefer El Greco but its a little more pricey. We like the kitchen and living area and your friends can come over you just have to make sure the front desk knows.

Good morning everyone, it seems like everyone have had some good and not so good experiences with some of these hotels. Why don't we put together a link that list what hotels we have stayed at in JA, and list their: location, Price range, rating, special feactures, friendliness, JA friends and family welcome etc. I think this will help all of us when we have to make that trip back HOME, as it will and is now to us all.

Please remember if we have a centralized place for this information it will be easier to refer them to this location. You'll have some valuable information but it is all in past of private conversations. What do you'll think about this. The grocery store information was very vaulable.

Also , instead of westernunion for the mothers who are still in JA create a local Bank account in your Husband name and give the mother the ATM card, it cheaper to be charge 2.50, vs the 11.99 or more everytime you send $$$$$. Put her on a budget, it could be something like 50.00-100.00 a month, if that is what it is, she will learn to live with it, just like we are living within our budget paychecks. AS for the call for money, I refer all JA calls to him( he is still in JA), I remind him this is your future you will be spending. Number one rule, your family needs to call you, while my family should only call me when it is in refernce to money. Note, his JA family won't call him, so the call ends after I tell them they needs to speak to him. The money tree has dried up in the back yard. On a side note, I haven't had such a big problem with this yet, The only problem I felt uncomfortable with was a mutual friend of both of our who made such a request and I told him to take care of this.

Sorry for going off topic.

Because of our situation, I am not comfortable sending money whatsoever. While the bank account is a great idea, it's not for us. My limit has been reached and it only includes food.

[Marie876 0]

Hey Shrewdgal! You basically can purchase things like any other online shopping website. They email you a couple days after you order to confirm everything and set up a delivery time. The best thing is that delivery is FREE!!!

Yeah, these resources are great! Courts for home items, Digicel for credit, and now SuperPlus for food!!

Now if Digicel would set it up so that you could buy phones as well, I would be good!

[LIFE'SJOURNEY 970]

Morning all! I have been at work for an hour and a half already today and fully intend to scam out early! I have my last postings due for one class, and 2nd to last for my other class. One of my teachers announced that our final would be optional - you can either take it and have it count for 1/3 of your grade, or skip it and have your grade based on the discussions and midterm - Since I have As on all of that, no final for me! So, three more essays and one final, then school is out for the summer!

Roxcie, I agree with you - but part of the problem with adding recommendations / suggestions into the yardie thread is that they eventually get lost - The yardies are a chattie crew, and are on Part 6 already!

I hope everyone has a good day!

We can add a separate thread or put it on wiki. On the Bank account, set it up here in the USA, whenever I am in JA, I use my ATM card to withdrawn money and it come out in JA dollars. So when I left the last tiome I gave him one of my bank card for one one my least use accounts(ladies we all know we have more than one Banking accounts) Ha Ha, and I just put funds there and they withdrawl from that account. The account was with one of my Credit UNion accounts, so I have no fees.

[*JG* 2]

Morning everyone!

First off, congrats Nannygirl!!! Your daughter is so beautiful!

Marlita - Its amazing what God has in store for us. Your case is SPEEEEDING through NVC!!!

Kimmy - Whats up? You finish your registry? lol

Roxcie - that's a great idea! We could just create a new thread and then bump it every once in a while so it doesn't get lost

JG - Let me know how the SuperPlus thing works out. I didn't know they had that kind of service. I agree in that I would rather send the food rather than the money. My aunt asked me for money to buy a microwave but instead of going to Western Union I went straight to Courts and bought one for her. Sometimes you just don't know what people do with it, even if they are close family/friends.

Jason/Marla - Sending prayers for your interview tomorrow.

Sus - Good luck on finals! I finished all of mine yesterday. So now I can spend more time on VJ (in between packing up all my stuff lol)

Hope all is well with everyone!

I will say that so far it has been incredibly easy. You can either buy a voucher for the entire store or just produce or pick out foods. I am uncomfortable with the vouchers because I fear they can sell them for $$$. And, the entire store includes alcohol and diapers, of which I am not paying for, the diapers especially. My SIL is back in NY without her kids and I'll be damned if I am paying for her diapers. Anyhow, I went and picked out all kinds of foods and then charged them. I thought I got a lot of items for the little $$$ I had to spend. And the $10 handling fee is no different then paying $11.99 to Western Union. They are supposed to call her within 3 days to pick a time and location for pick up. These stores are all over JA.....3 in MoBay alone. She needs a picture ID and to know the code question's answer to pick up. It was incredibly easy so I look forward to the outcome. I will definately let you know.

Has anyone else seen THIS ARTICLE about the cabinet members and their new SUVs? Instead of the government spending the money on buying them those high price vans they should give the money to the farmers to help them with production. While those minsters are driving around in style people in the country can't eat because of the RISING price of rice and bread. Besides, most of those government officials already have luxury personal cars. Cho I know Golding is trying his best but COME ON!!

Sorry...I had to vent

Yes. The Gleaner has really been doing a lot of investigative reporting lately. A lot of the things they uncover make me angry.

Ok so I just read that they raised the amount for the pension/education and other grants...I feel a little better now

What scares me the most about all of this is that they made healthcare free on April 1st. I do not see how the government is going to be able to support that as they currently run things. Soon I fear we will hear the hospitals and such are not getting paid.

Morning everyone!

First off, congrats Nannygirl!!! Your daughter is so beautiful!

Marlita - Its amazing what God has in store for us. Your case is SPEEEEDING through NVC!!!

Kimmy - Whats up? You finish your registry? lol

Roxcie - that's a great idea! We could just create a new thread and then bump it every once in a while so it doesn't get lost

JG - Let me know how the SuperPlus thing works out. I didn't know they had that kind of service. I agree in that I would rather send the food rather than the money. My aunt asked me for money to buy a microwave but instead of going to Western Union I went straight to Courts and bought one for her. Sometimes you just don't know what people do with it, even if they are close family/friends.

Jason/Marla - Sending prayers for your interview tomorrow.

Sus - Good luck on finals! I finished all of mine yesterday. So now I can spend more time on VJ (in between packing up all my stuff lol)

Hope all is well with everyone!

oh wow...how does the courts website work??? Im excited to see all these good resources!

Hey Shrewdgal! You basically can purchase things like any other online shopping website. They email you a couple days after you order to confirm everything and set up a delivery time. The best thing is that delivery is FREE!!!

Yeah, these resources are great! Courts for home items, Digicel for credit, and now SuperPlus for food!!

I won't set up Digicel for credit. I don't want more phone calls then we already get.

[LIFE'SJOURNEY 970]

Morning everyone!

First off, congrats Nannygirl!!! Your daughter is so beautiful!

Marlita - Its amazing what God has in store for us. Your case is SPEEEEDING through NVC!!!

Kimmy - Whats up? You finish your registry? lol

Roxcie - that's a great idea! We could just create a new thread and then bump it every once in a while so it doesn't get lost

JG - Let me know how the SuperPlus thing works out. I didn't know they had that kind of service. I agree in that I would rather send the food rather than the money. My aunt asked me for money to buy a microwave but instead of going to Western Union I went straight to Courts and bought one for her. Sometimes you just don't know what people do with it, even if they are close family/friends.

Jason/Marla - Sending prayers for your interview tomorrow.

Sus - Good luck on finals! I finished all of mine yesterday. So now I can spend more time on VJ (in between packing up all my stuff lol)

Hope all is well with everyone!

I will say that so far it has been incredibly easy. You can either buy a voucher for the entire store or just produce or pick out foods. I am uncomfortable with the vouchers because I fear they can sell them for $$$. And, the entire store includes alcohol and diapers, of which I am not paying for, the diapers especially. My SIL is back in NY without her kids and I'll be damned if I am paying for her diapers. Anyhow, I went and picked out all kinds of foods and then charged them. I thought I got a lot of items for the little $$$ I had to spend. And the $10 handling fee is no different then paying $11.99 to Western Union. They are supposed to call her within 3 days to pick a time and location for pick up. These stores are all over JA.....3 in MoBay alone. She needs a picture ID and to know the code question's answer to pick up. It was incredibly easy so I look forward to the outcome. I will definately let you know.

Has anyone else seen THIS ARTICLE about the cabinet members and their new SUVs? Instead of the government spending the money on buying them those high price vans they should give the money to the farmers to help them with production. While those minsters are driving around in style people in the country can't eat because of the RISING price of rice and bread. Besides, most of those government officials already have luxury personal cars. Cho I know Golding is trying his best but COME ON!!

Sorry...I had to vent

Yes. The Gleaner has really been doing a lot of investigative reporting lately. A lot of the things they uncover make me angry.

Ok so I just read that they raised the amount for the pension/education and other grants...I feel a little better now

What scares me the most about all of this is that they made healthcare free on April 1st. I do not see how the government is going to be able to support that as they currently run things. Soon I fear we will hear the hospitals and such are not getting paid.

Food

Packabarrel.com

SuperPlus

Furniture/applicances

COURT.com.jm

Phone

Digicel

Hotel

Toby- MBJ

Banking/Funds

Local Banks w/ATM

Western Union

Hardware/nails/boards/cemet

Packabarrel.com

Travel

Fareacompare.com

Priceline.com

etc

JA Passpost

JA Police Report

No visa to leave JA, meet in the Bahamas

Ladies look at how much information we have discussed in the last 24 hours that is helpful to us all.

Edited April 23, 2008 by RoxcieJoe

[sus 70]

I won't set up Digicel for credit. I don't want more phone calls then we already get.

LOL, Jomo, I don't blame you. For me, it works right now - I add credit to DJ's phone once a month so that he can re-enroll in the unlimited call plan - that plan gives us 1000 minutes and then any further calls over that are 8 cents a minute - a lot cheaper than the rates I can find from here.