Archive for October 2002

I went to Oktoberfest last night and had a great time. The event was put on by the Jamaican-German Society and had both German and local bands playing. $750 got you in the door and as much beer and you could handle (again local and German).

It was not long after we arrived that I had downed two beers with thoughts of scotchtober fest from the simpsons running through my head. It was then that the MC said that there would be a beer drinking contest. One person was quickly volunteered by a woman and then another, both rather small Jamaicans. The announcer asked a few times? (in a German accent) ?we need one more. We can start when we get one more.?

I waited for a fairly long time expecting someone else to get up. I was thinking back to days gone by, boat races with Evan ,Cameron and the crew. Funneling with Kelsey. So I decided to go up and represent the Maritimes.

When I got up on stage I noticed that the other two Jamaicans were rather small fellows and that steins of beer were rather large (about 1L?) and filled to different levels. The competition was as follows, the DJ played music as we walked around the small table holding the three steins. When the music stopped we each grabbed which ever stein was closest and started to drink.

When the music stopped I grabbed the closest stein and started chugging with ?just drink like Evan? going through my mind. What I didn?t realize was a hell of a lot of very carbonated strong beer. I got about 3/4?s done when I had to stop to let out a belch to relieve my bulging stomach. I think the MC got nervous because he said ?eazy now.. enjoy ze beer.? But after my belch I felt good enough to finish the stein and win the contest with the stein proudly upside down over my head.

I guess I?m used to being in drinking competitions with other Maratimers because neither of the other Jamaicans had gotten half way through their steins.

As a result of the contest I won a flat of the beer of my choice (I chose Holsten) and a recruitment attempt from a group of guys putting together a boat race team (which never happened).

This past weekend was hero’s weekend. Jamaica celebrates people who have contributed to the island both past and present. It?s also a long weekend so everyone heads out of Kingston to somewhere a little more exotic. It was Paul’s birthday (and Andrew’s) so Jen and Lisha (sp.) planned a trip to Negril. Jen gets good rates on rental cars and a small hotel in Negril.

We picked up the cars on Friday night. I signed for a Toyota Camry and Jen signed for another car. I drove the car home Friday night and around town a bit, putting gas in the car and visiting with Debbie. It was late Friday night when I parked the car at home in preparation for the drive the next day.

Saturday was a sunny perfect day for traveling. I was up at eight for an 8:50 meeting at Jen’s. It was 9:00am before left the house and about 80% of the way to Jens when I got in a big accident. The accident happened at a ‘T’ intersection where the top of the ‘T’ was curved, making it a bad corner to be pulling out in. This combined with tall grass all along the curve making it even harder to see made me pull out farther than I should have to see if I could pull out, the oncoming car was moving very fast.

The other car, also a Camry smoked the front of my car spinning it around so we were both facing down the street. I quickly checked to see if Marcy was ok and then ran to the other car to see if they were ok. Everyone was alright, the driver of the other car went to the hospital to have his arm checked out as it was sore (I suspect from hitting the steering wheel).

The other car didn’t have insurance, mine did. The whole incident was very surreal. I obviously knew the dangers of driving in another country with a rental car from a private owner, and the second to worst thing that could happen did. The car is apparently a write off due to the body being bent badly. A witness to the accident drove us to Jens where I told them what had happened and then to the police station to report the accident.

The owner of the car showed up at the police station to check in/up on me. He was exceptionally kind and helpful given the situation.

Needless to say I didn’t feel like traveling. I wanted to curl up in my bed and disappear. Its one of those things that you just can’t take back. After a lot of other junk happening we arranged another car and headed off to Negril.

Negril was a blast. Sun, fun and white beaches. Tons of good music and most other things that make men feel good. I am glad that people got me to go for the weekend as I’m not sure that staying home would have made me feel any better.

About 2 hours on the ride home I started to feel sick. Vomiting was at the time what I though would make me feel better. The trip ended up being a very unpleasant ride home with frequent stops to purge myself from either end.

The other major event of the trip home was that the other rental car was rear ended on the highway. (Actually the car behind Jens car was hit which caused it to roll forward and hit her car). Again surreal.

Just as the topic title says. It was a really good weekend toped with a really really shitty beginning and end.

This week I will have to look into filing the insurance forms and finding how much the deductible is. I suspect that it will be around 40-60,000 JAD or about $1500.

I am really glad no one was more seriously hurt. I don’t know what I would have done had that been the case. Having my first car accident ever away from home isn’t fun at all.