Arlene’s Guidebook

Sometimes it is not always the popular things that we recommend, we like to take our travelers to the places are about experiences rather than the everyday. So I am just sharing a little of what we recommend to our visitors while they are staying with us. CEDAR RIDGE LODGE-INN, is our: Connecting Arts & Culture Space We have put together the following information – which we hope will be really useful to you. If you have any other questions, please call or contact us by email and we will certainly try to respond with the correct information. ARRIVAL AT AIRPORT: When you arrive (or when you are on the plane), please fill out your Jamaica address on the Immigration Form as: #2 Bogue Hill. Montego Bay, St. James If you have arranged for us to collect you: We need your exact time of arrival, flight number and distinguishing description if you will have any...As soon as possible please. When you come out of the customs hall, proceed to your right of the exit and wait – by the GROOVY GROUPER Bar – wait to the far right, where there is less harassment from the taxi operators and its much quieter. Further you, will be easier to see. PICK-UP: Please call any of my numbers on arrival. We offer an Airport pick-up at US$35.00 (one to four persons). This rate may change (increase) during the ‘high’ tourist season or after hours or if the driver has a long wait without prior notification. This is a flat fee, based on the amount of persons - it covers our petrol and ensures that you get here, it also gives us an opportunity to get to know your needs, take you to the supermarket, to get something local to eat and any money exchanged - if needed. However, you can choose to get an airport CHARTER (meaning a booked taxi this will be more expensive, unless you are part of a large group) Taxi from the airport is usually about US$40:00/50.00. Please ensure you give them the correct address: 2 CEDAR RIDGE, BOGUE HILL off Bogue Road & up the hill. There is no advantage with the airport taxi except that it may be luxurious and may be air conditioned. Please keep in mind that airport taxis all over the world are extremely expensive, possibly USD$35-40. Should you choose to go with any of the drivers offering their services: Please inform us of your plans; If you do not have a phone on you - please ask the Airport Information desk to call on your behalf or ask the driver to call to notify that you will be making your own way to the hostel. This should not cost you anything. A third alternative is to get “ROUTE” taxi from the airport (for seasoned Jamaica travelers only). This is a shared car, usually with RED license plates. However, we do NOT recommend this on your first visit to the island – we prefer that you wait to orient yourself first. The route taxi is a lot more hassle particularly if you have luggage. You would need to take two Route cars, to get to Cedar Ridge: You will have to go into town and change at the Transport Centre/ Bus Park for a “BOGUE HILL” Taxi. It is however a very cheap way of getting to us, ONLY, if you know your way around. You may also opt to hire a car and drive. Very important - We drive on the LEFT. If this is the case, please see the directions at the end of this letter. Again we would like you to advise us, when you arrive so we are aware that you are on your way, and if needs be, we can assist you with getting to Cedar Ridge. If you need the AIRPORT PICK-UP, we will need to have your flight and arrival details as soon as possible. We anticipate a 45 minute – 1 hour, depending on arrival time for clearance through customs so please do not leave with other drivers - who will be there, offering you their service in a very persuasive / insistent way. Tell them you are expecting someone to collect you. Occasionally, bags go missing by the airline, or arrive damaged, which may cause extra delays in customs. In these cases, please ask the information desk/baggage clerk, at the airport, to call any of my numbers, so that we are aware of your presence and the delay. MONEY EXCHANGE The airport has an exchange for money; however, their rates are the lowest. We suggest that you wait and use the CAMBIO’s associated with a bank or independent. The rates can be very different. ORIENTATION Once here, we will assist with any other information you may need, e.g. travel guides, maps, onward bookings, etc. It is advisable to bring an old unlocked cellie phone and buy a 'SIM' for your phone (please check with your home mobile service to find out if your phone contains a SIM CARD and can be unlocked to function in Jamaica). SIM cards are fairly cheap (US$5.00), and useful to have on the road if you are traveling around the island. Call Credit for long distance calls is also fairly cheap. Please note: at this time, we are a cash-only facility (we do not take credit/debit cards or travelers’ checks). We would also suggest that you consider bringing the following items which may be very cheap at home but are very expensive here: Dried cereals, nuts and snacks, granola bars etc. that you may find fairly expensive in Jamaica, but cheap at home. These are good to have as you travel around the island. Also IMPORTANT: Personal care items: toiletries. Medications: Mosquito repellant, soothing cream, medications – anti histamine, burn cream, pain and fever reducer, and other first aid stuff and specific personal prescription medications are very important to travel with. Keep these in your hand luggage - where possible. TOURS Cedar Ridge has recently introduced Tours: we will coordinate them for you – usually environmentally centred: We have listed our favourites based on visitor satisfaction but not in order.  Glistening Waters  Cockpit Country Hikes  Reef Diving  Sunset Sailing  Snorkling  Negril day Trip  Blue Mountain adventures  Events: Jan: Rebel Salute Reggae Concert; Jazz Festival, Rastafari Events Feb: Blue Mountain Festival, Fi-Wi-Sinting – Cultural Festival, Reggae month and Bob Marley Events Mar: Carnival – Kingston, Spring Break Events April: Carnival – Kingston, Flower Shows, Spring Break events May: Flower Shows. Food Festivals, Literature Festival, June: Ocho Rios Jazz, July: Reggae Summfest August: National events for Emancipation and Independence September: Food Festivals October: Heritage Festivals November: December: Party-month in Jamaica For more information on events and dates please look at The Jamaica Tourist Board site. We are excited about this business we are involved in and really look forward to meeting with you and introducing you to our home and our island. One Love: Arlene McKenzie, Owner and Manager, Cedar Ridge Lodge-Inn-Hostel INSTRUCTIONS & DIRECTIONS FOR DRIVING Should you decide to hire a car and drive: We drive on the LEFT  When you exit the airport you will find yourself at a large ROUNDABOUT/ROTARY.  Take the THIRD EXIT (all the way around, almost at the airport again) for Sunset Boulevard (the sign is easy to miss).  At the junction, turn LEFT. You will find yourself driving along the waterfront, with the sea on your right and hotels on your left.  Continue to the traffic lights and KEEP RIGHT. You will see a large KFC on your left. The main road alongside it (to the right) is the Howard Cooke Blvd.  You will go through 4 TRAFFIC LIGHTS. At the FIFTH one, veer to the left. You will be turning onto Alice Eldemire Drive.  At the SECOND traffic light you will be at a junction (a cemetery will be in front of you). Keep in the right lane and turn RIGHT.  At the second traffic light, turn LEFT into Bogue (the sign will say Gordons Crossing). You will see the Palm Bay Guest House/Boston Jerk Centre at the corner to the first right turn.  Take the SECOND RIGHT, coming up the hill. It goes into a funny, little, tight corner at first and the road becomes bumpy, continue up - and it straightens out - steep and narrow, and very beautiful. The road goes over a railway bridge, and then over three small water-gully bumps.  On your right, you will see a sign - CEDAR RIDGE.  Drive straight into the road, and the house is in the heart of the cul-de-sac – a green roof and peach walls, barely visible from the road.  Traveling time is about 20 minutes; however, with traffic at certain points of the day, it could take you a bit longer.  People tend to be very friendly, so don’t be afraid to stop and ask (however, do remain aware and cautious). Additional Information: Cedar Ridge, is a part of a community tourism network and as such we have a development programme. Our programme focuses on volunteer working in the community – please ask if this interests you. We also have a programme of “giving” much needed equipment for enterprise development. Most of the persons we support work with renewable resources, seeds, beads, leaves, herbs etc, They are artisans, who find the purchase of materials and tools to be very expensive and sometimes even impossible to obtain. We have therefore created a list of items which you may be able to bring as donations to the communities. Customs officers will not need you to declare small items but the larger tools - although highly desirable may be problematic let us know and we will help: Paints – of all kinds, acrylics, oils etc. Brushes ► Canvas on rolls ► Chalk, crayons, markers, paper Art Materials: knitting/crochet wool, needles, etc. Jewellery making items. Shell art Fabric Dyes Sewing materials and tools Carving tools Glass cutting, glass art etc. Ropes/yarn for macramé Fermenting equipment for processing fruit into wine / extraction of oils Kitchen, cookery, cuisine items/tools Containers of all kinds – jars, bags etc. Please allow your imagination- to allow you to invest in Training / Sharing a community with a new skill, to enable them to become strong and grow to be self-sufficient.