In the tradition of Fleming's Thrilling Cities, I offer some observations and field intelligence to aid you in your own assignment in Fleming's Jamaica. Enriched by material from the internet, the following dossier should give you a Bond style background ordinary visitors to Jamaica lack.

Communication in the field is critical. Phone service in Jamaica all goes through TOJ, Telecommunications of Jamaica. The service back to the U.S. can be very spotty. Most small lodgings like those I have recommended do not have a house PBX and therefore no way to offer/track billing for long distance calls. Frequently your only choice is to use a calling card (which can be dicey -- Sprint's international card was of no use in Jamaica as late as the summer of 1997), call out of the island collect, use a phone card of lavish denomination, or receive international calls at your hotel at a pre-agreed time (Strangways would approve of this.)

Even when calling within the island, phone cards -- not coins -- are essential for reliability. They are readily had in most town centers, resorts and larger hotels.

Consult the brief at the Jamaica Tourist Board site.

Kingston is the city of the Caribbean and filled with layers of texture, but it is also one tough town. Maneuver accordingly and with purpose at all times. This is not a city in which to wander aimlessly. Know where you are going and enjoy the trip.

I believe some of the hardest ghettos in the world are those around Kingston Harbour and they are to be avoided: Jones Town, Trench Town, Denham Town, Passmore Town, Franklyn Town, etc. You are on your own there and coming in from the cold in such case may not be easy. Field rule offered by Station J: When in the old downtown section (Cross Roads and south), stay inside the parallel lines drawn by Orange St./Slipe Rd. to the west and S. Camp Rd/Camp Road to the east. (See tinted areas on map provided by Station J.)

Do not let the challenges of central Kingston deter your relaxation in the rest of Jamaica. Let the common tourist avoid the city; The Bond lover will find that much more unique about it.

Jamaicans drive on the left and very fast. Most are in a constant mode of "overtaking". Remain particularly aware of what is coming at you head on. The highway patrol does monitor things on the A class roads. I have no first hand knowledge of their personnel to relay.

The most common rental cars are small Toyota's, Daihatsu's and Nissans. It is very hard to find anything even as large as a Toyota Camry in rental fleets. Most cars are smaller models such as Tercel's and Nissan Sunnys. Don't strive for a larger class car. Roads and even highways in Jamaica are very tight and the smaller vehicle will save you minor impacts in many cases. Rental agencies do a thorough damage inspection when you pick up and return the car, so take care of it and allow time in your airport transitions for this.

I find that almost all cars let buy larger agencies have air conditioning. You will find it most useful. The heat is delightful in Jamaica because of the Doctor's Wind and the Undetrakers Wind. In a car it is seldom enjoyable.

The food in Jamaica is simple and addictive. Dining recommendations are far too broad a topic to address here (and MI5 scarcely has the expertise to address it), however, a basic overview can be offered:

"Jamaican" food runs the gamut from the island specialties you have no doubt heard of (jerk, saltfish, ackee, rice & peas, curried goat, tropical fruit of all description) to a large number of asian and continental restaurants, such is the nation's varied populace. The only bad meals I've yet had in country were at all-inclusive resorts and one of the high-rise hotels in New Kingston.

When under field pressure to dine and keep moving, you will have access to reliable fast food offerings. The most popular fast-food operation in the country seems to be Kentucky Fried Chicken or just "Kentucky" as many Jamaicans call it. After church on Sundays in the rural areas, buses will load up to capacity with locals looking for a change of pace via the Colonel's recipe! McDonald's is also common. With the exception of offering some local dishes on their menus, both are eerily indistuinguishable from U.S. counterparts.

Roadside dining is de rigeur. Dotting every highway and back road are vendors of fruit, jerk pork & chicken, jellies (tapped green coconut), soda and Red Stripe. In fact, Red Stripe is more common than soda, sold everywhere and very cheaply, even the price you'll be quoted. Jamaicans often drink it warm. (I was unable to determine if this is due to English influence or past paucity of refrigeration.) Most places that expect many travellers to drop by will offer it cold.

The national soft drink is Ting, a grapefruit soda, and it is delicious, particualry because it is made with Jamaica's fine sugar, not the cheaper corn sweeteners used in U.S.-bottled soft drinks.

• Jamaica Tourist Board site.
  
  Many offices around the world, all staffed with savvy Jamaican nationals. The one near you could be a good starting point for your explorations.
  
  
• JAMPRO: Jamaica Promotions Co.
  
  Solid information from a site intended for business people thinking of doing trade with Jamaica. Fine tool for the operative assembling a pre-assignment dossier.
  
  
• Film locations around Jamaica.
  
  This page is a nice sampler of some particularly beuatiful Jamaica locations, some Bond related. A good picture sampler with which to begin assembling a mental picture of the country.
  
  
• Falmouth. Trelawny, Jamaica.
  
  Background data from Caribbean Super Site.
  
  
• Accomodations at Good Hope.
  
  Excellent rate and data sheet on one of the best kept secrets in Jamaica.
  
  
• Photo of Good Hope Guest House, Trelawny, Jamaica.
  
  Additional intelligence photo of the property.
  
  
• About Ocho Rios.
  
  Background data from Caribbean Super Site.
  
  
• Carnival cruises to Ocho Rios.
  
  If you must.
  
  
• Negril.
  
  Good overall information about Negril. It could serve as a base area for a couple of days of 007 archaeology.
  
  
• Island Outpost's Caribbean properties.
  
  The master site for the Caribbean properties of Chris Blackwell's Island Outpost company. You will not find Goldeneye listed here. Bolt House is their most Bondish property made formally available. It was the home of Chris' mother Blanche, a long time confidant of Fleming's.
  
  
• James Bond Beach.
  
  Island Outpost also created James Bond Beach. You may already be familiar with this one, as several international James Bond promotions have been held here over the last few years.
  
  
• About Noel Coward.
  
  Good backgrounder on Coward and the North Coast social scene as it took place at Goldeneye, Firefly and Blue Harbour.
  
  
• The Ivor Guest House.
  
  Basic rate and reservation data for this delightful property appealing to the 007 traveller.
  
  
• Morgan's Harbour Hotel.
  
  Morgan's Harbour is a somewhat tired but serviceable little "resort" and harbour out on 007-heavy Palisadoes. Read The Man with the Golden Gun, Ch. 4 and you'll probably book immediately.
  
  
• Blue Mountain Inn.
  
  Glowing recent review from the Expedia site. " . . good excuse for women to air out a little black dress and men a jacket . . " Need we offer any further inducement, 007?
  
  
• Sans Souci Lido Resort.
  
  In my research, the bungalows that served as Miss Taro's home are either gone or heavily remodeled as this is now a typical (though high-end) All-Inclusive.
  
  
• The Wyndham Kingston.
  
  This was the address for government and international business in Kingston. It has since been relinquished by the Wyndham company. If find out what it has become please let us know. Wyndham now only have the Rose Hall property on the North Coast.
  
  
• Review by Valerie Facey.
  
  This review of "Modern Jamaican Art" is but one example of Facey's tireless involvement in preserving Jamaica culture and style. i would also refer you to her excellent "Jamaica Style" and other volumes published under her firm:
  The Mill Press - Kingston, Jamaica
  Telephone (809) 925-6886
  Facsimile (809) 931-1301
  
  
  
• The Daily Gleaner.
  
  "Good old Gleaner", exclaims 007 in The Man with the Golden Gun, Ch. 4. The Times he would read for concealment; The Gleaner he read for pleasure.
  
  
• Latest by Morris Cargill.
  
  Morris' latest book of columns is called "Public Disturbances". He is one of the last remaining writers beloved enough to be a nation's conscience.
  
  
• Jamaica's Airports.
  
  There are more to be mindful of than just Kingston (KIN) and Mo Bay (MBJ).
  
  
• Map of Air Jamaica's routes to the island.
  
  This is Jamaica's previously nationalised airline, spun off in 1994 as a private firm.
  
  
• Search American Airlines flights to Jamaica.
  
  American Airlines service in and out of Jamaica has always been excellent in my experience.
  
  
• London's Pinewood Studios.
  
  Not actually Jamaica, but the studios where so many "Jamaica" and other interiors were shot for the Bond films. This is an excellent tour by tenant Pioneer TV.
  
  
• Andrew Lycett's Ian Fleming (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1996)
  
  Lycett's book is the authoritative piece on Fleming's life. It is a standard reference in the Commanders Club library. Link to Amazon.Com, which will take orders for the title, though it is listed as OP.
  
  
• Steven Jay Rubin's The James Bond Films (Arlington House, 1983)
  
  Rubin's book is the only volume to catalog many of the dates and locations of James Bond film shoots. As such, it is a singular reference on our 007 bookshelf. Link to Amazon.Com, which will take orders for the title, though it is listed as OP.
  

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