My 24th and the 2018 Annual Lovin’ Life Group Trip Report

February 24 – March 3, 2018

Waiting for a trip to happen is sometimes the most painful process of all and this year’s group trip was no exception. You would think that after so many trips that it becomes easier – nope! Total addict and now that I have a group it is even more so. Couldn’t wait to meet all the awesome peeps who booked for our week of fun (about half the rooms were singles and half were couples). Unlike other resort/trips H2 peeps want to know someone or know the vibe before going – luckily resort staff and other peeps gave me good references! ☺ Another lesson learned - my need to surf Amazon and other sites for group goodies exceeded by ability to take them in the 2 (under 50 lb.) suitcases given free by Southwest. Huge thanks go out to the amazing members who were willing to take an extra bag each to make sure everything I bought got to our home away from home!

My non-stop flight from Baltimore was uneventful and while I don’t usually get Mobay Club for arrival, Castaways does provide this for group hosts, and this time I was met at the exit ramp with more than a sign. Somehow friends of mine had gotten a welcome note slipped into my escorts hands as they were leaving. Such a great surprise! I then was escorted through immigration and, because of the short line, had to wait for my luggage. While doing so I found out that while curious, she really didn’t know about H2 after hinting about what my luggage contained... ☺ When we finally got to the Sun Holiday shuttle desk (free transfers are provided for all 5+ night group peeps) the coordinator didn’t even need my name before she wrote out the shuttle vouchers. I found out that they had held a shuttle (sorry peeps) for me and I had just enough time to grab a sipper cup full of diet pepsi and hit the restroom before getting on board. Another fun surprise happened when I heard some peeps inside the shuttle, as my luggage was loaded, yelling my name. I found out that 3 of my group peeps were already on board which made the ride entertaining for us and the 2 non-H2 ladies on it (who later wanted to go where we were going). ☺

After a happy welcome by the H2 staff, I met the other group peeps who also arrived early and some of my friends from the week before. Found out that it had been rainy all week and that there was a flu bug going around. Luckily the flu bug and the rain seemed to leave as they did and after a couple days, we had the great temps and sun that winter trips are infamous for – Yeah!

Most of our peeps arrived on Saturday, so I had our meet and greet setup for Sunday at noon, since I never like to get out of the pool early to go to later ones and group peeps agreed. Since I usually recommend a Monday-Saturday trip for those who can only afford 5 nights, we still had some coming in Sunday and Monday. Everyone (singles, couples, newbies and repeat offenders) really added to the mix and I was def a lucky gal to have such awesome peeps all week and so many decide on-site to return next year! ☺

Cheers to the amazing memories (no names mentioned to protect the not-so-innocent):

• Going to the Japanese restaurant and, after being hugged by a long-time H2 staff friend, hearing a group peep say that she was allergic to something starting with a ‘p’ and ending with a ‘s’……yeah, you said ‘peanuts’…sure wasn’t what we heard! LOL!

• Seeing Steph and Deon back in action all week. Their combined talents really do make for a fun time in the piano bar and the courtyard on Fridays. Friday night, I was relieved when he remembered me and stopped playing for a little bit to give me a welcome back hug. Recovery after such a large hit like that is a miracle and now they can each move forward and away from it.

• Having multi-purpose goodies – who knew that nip clamps could be used as ‘paper clips’ back at work and of course guys wore the glow rings a little lower down on Tuesday’s pool party as directional lighting... 😉

• Monday morning had several of us experiencing the ATV tour (https://chukka.com/book-now/details/16374/jmsby-atv-safari-active-adventure/) for the first time and recommended for others as a fun side tour. We sat in the back of the ‘bus’ both ways on purpose. At one point on the way back one of the peeps was saying how he was trying to “come up slowly behind another guy peep and that he wouldn’t let him in”….really he was talking about the ATV ride, really…. LOL! Being a newbie to ATVs (only rode a 4-wheeler and lawn mower before), my a-- was sliding all over the seat and had a group peep saying how “that must have been one happy seat!”. ☺ Needless to say, we had a few non-H2 peeps interested in joining us and quite a few others who were giving those naughty looks for being interested. Hehe!

• Tuesday, we did the One Love Pub Crawl (2 buses this time) that everyone really enjoys. Lenbert’s wife makes the best rum punch and who knew red stripe came in lemon flavor – yum! At the end, I was kinda tired (needed my 2nd wind for the day) and he asked how someone as unassuming/quiet ended up going to H2. I smiled and said, ‘I am very open-minded, mi fren’. 😉

• Many of us gathered down at the grill for yummy snacks after midnight each night. Earlier in the week, we had a couple days of sporadic rain that had some of the umbrella’s dripping on a peep. We told her it was tree-frog pee and she didn’t seem to mind as much. ☺

• Then one night I walked past a corner where a certain peep usually hung out and then right through a fart zone. I saw him sitting down ‘wind’ of it and of course he denied letting it. “It wasn’t me” he said over and over (just like the shaggy song) while we both cracked up laughing. Thus, the adding of new group peep nickname necklaces began (the rest were more about other things… ☺ ).

• One of our fun peeps was an instigator of shot challenges, trading off who picks the next one. That is until he was tested to the max when handed a shot of Fernet-Branca aka ‘may kill ya before it fixes ya’ or at a minimum have you doing an instant old-time ‘yuck’ face digestive liqueur that tastes like liquid iodine/chemicals. Yet another lesson learned that night.

• Chilling in the pool listening to peeps laugh and talk so much that they weren’t aware of what was bobbing on the top of the water or beneath it. Hehe! Repeated “Oh yeah” or “F’ing Mon” will not prevent contact with a ‘snorkel’ without multiple interventions! LOL! Sidenote - one Canadian peep said “Mon” more than any Jamaican I know. You know who you are!!

• Looking around the hot tub one night and noticing that all the activity involved group peeps. Should I be proud?? LOL!

• Laughing outside of the piano bar to the extent that I sat down on the floor while a couple came outside and said, ‘I want whatever they are on’ and as we continued uncontrollably they walked around the corner saying something about not being sure they would make it through the week (thinking we were on drugs, which none of us were). Then we made it down to our nightly spot at the grill and continued doing so for a couple more hours – one peep even laughed between sleeping in his chair and another did the infamous laugh/snort combo. He told us the next day that he didn’t feel the need to go to the gym that morning because he got enough of an ab workout the night before. Hehehe! (snort) :D

• Seeing peeps moving out of the ocean because of a shark being next to the swimming area (truth, some said it might have been a hammerhead) and then an unbelievable in-pool ‘dive’ for parts previously unknown for longer than any of us thought possible – welcome group newbies!!

• Witnessing someone come up to Harry with a hand full of H2 $ asking if it was enough to buy a prostitute. LOL! Gotta wonder if he ended up finding one that would take it as payment. SMH!!

• Being fed gummy bears that were soaked in vodka a week before arriving at H2 and then another kind that were soaked in fireball. Holy heaven – delish!!

• Walking around the resort with a co-conspirator wearing a fake muscle shirts and party peckers until we got to the pool and played ring toss while ‘me so horny’ was played. So easy to make peeps smile (including staff and some who had previously been trying to nap on the beach). Love it! This was followed by a game of nylon bowling and mini stress ‘parts’ given away that had several peeps coming up to us saying how they liked how we brought games they hadn’t seen before to our week. Kudos and thanks to group peeps for helping everyone there ‘Walk on the Wild Side’.

• Being a true framily all week, including spankings, next door neighbor group peeps who knocked on the door asking for a cup of sugar (well, perhaps more like a tweezers) not caring if anything was being worn and even inviting others to say hi to his gal taking a shower while sitting his nekkid self on my bed (not bad lookin’ if I do say so myself wink wink!) and of course watching out for each other like good framily members do. ☺ ☺

• Last couple notes, being told my laugh ‘is hedo’ for some, that pickle juice (yes the stuff out of the jar – not sure what you were thinkin’! LOL!) cures everything and that a couple peeps who had not been planning on coming back next year (work reasons) now must because they had so much fun. Cheers to next year!

Until next time peeps! I would salute you, if I had the part…. 😉