The Montero Sport at Negril Point. - Photo by Mario James

WHEN LAST we met our intrepid motley crew, they were wearily thundering down the Pihl-constructed St Ann back stretch in the wee hours, with matchsticks holding their eyes open - motoring on at naughty speeds. Destination - Negril.

One thing I will say about this truck. It weighs a lot, but one can really appreciate its long-legged nature on trips like this. It has an appetite for pavement that will not be denied. Whereas a lot of other SUVs struggle to do the magic ton, this is where the Montero is most efficient. Its chassis comes together as well; the steering stops feeling sluggish, her balance is better and the ride is not as firm.

In all, it was quite a lively-entertaining drive - we mowed down the distance between Lawrence Tavern and Montego Bay in a little under two and a half hours. Not bad for a 2.5-tonne SUV with passengers and cargo. But this hotshoe's exuberant right foot took its toll on the full tank of diesel we got the Montero with. Half tank already gone and still a quarter of the journey left to go!

Missed the sunrise

Miles of open highway and a fresh mount - that situation conjures images of straight, unending blacktop and grunty, powerful engines enveloped in svelte, wind-cheating bodies governed by a heavy right foot. We had everything but the sexy body - we were in an SUV! We made the most of it, though. And because of our sad timing and the need not to waste anymore time of our dream weekend, we missed driving off into the sunrise. No problem ... we had all weekend.

The jaunt between MoBay and Negril was just as quick - and we warn the public here - there are a few bridges on this leg that are paved with what seemed to be steel-finished concrete, and are really slippery. The transition from road to bridge isn't smooth, and in the right conditions will contribute to spinning the vehicle at the very least, even at slower speeds. This condition will be exacerbated in the wet. But we reached our sleepy hollow in three hours and twenty minutes, without incident.

Couples Swept Away is what one could term a hideaway. Its entrance, especially at night, is not in your face. Its sister hotel, Couples Negril, a few chains up the road is designed along the same premise. This was infuriating at first, as we couldn't find it. We had to ask for directions - at 1:30 in the morning! But when we saw where it was, we could have kicked ourselves for passing it so many times.

Picturesque landscaping

There it was, and suddenly here we were in the thatch-roof lobby, surrounded by some of the most picturesque landscaping this side of Oprah Winfrey. Fan palms rustled while night noises chirped to the tune of the waves.

Our battle with sleep was instantly over - our eyelids had won. After parking, unloading and checking in, I vaguely remember seeing a full grown sea crab sidestepping across the path to my room. My eight-legged friend and the very vocal magpies seem to be a fixture at this place.

I swiped the card they gave me in the slot provided, gained entry into what was to be my abode for the next day and a half, had the bus boy drop the bags and wished my other half goodnight. I was asleep before I hit the pillow. Not even the spread turn down.

The comparisons

I awoke with the birds, and eager to explore the surroundings, got ready and tromped downstairs. I made for the car - great minds think alike, for there I met Brian Carless, snapping away. He was as surprised to see me as I was to see him. In the lot were a Pajero and Fortuner, both parked cheek by jowl to us. The comparisons were inevitable. The Pajero was taller than both, but not as wide the Montero Sport, which was just as wide as the Toyota.

While both the Sport and the Fortuner were seven-seaters, it seemed as if (and we were only looking at the Toyota from the outside) the Sport had more headroom for the third row. The Mitsubishi offering has the bigger engine (3.2-litre turbo diesel) but the Fortuner is not available in diesel anymore, that option proving too expensive to sell here. They make do with their gas 2.7 VVT, which is also a strong engine. Future tests will tell all, just hold on, we coming!

During our snapping and mind measuring, pangs of hunger started to make themselves felt. Couples Swept Away is first and foremost an all inclusive, so off we went in search of food - fully intending on clueing in our wives on the results of the reconnaissance mission, of course.

The complex, although huge, had intuitive signage and the first eatery was reached in a matter of minutes. But this restaurant was all about eggs, and we weren't feeling that too much, so we asked the staff there about our options.

More expansive menu

Though they really didn't want to see us leave, they directed us to a dining room with a more expansive menu. What we found, after six - count 'em-six minutes of walking - was a sight that would warm the cockles of any stevedore's heart.

An island buffet set in one end of a huge dining room supported fully five different kinds of cheese, bottomless stainless steel wells of bacon, real knockwurst, liver, ackee and salt fish, omelette and waffles made while you wait, French toast, steamed callaloo and more - an eclectic mix of Jamaican, American and European cuisine throwing off a medley of crisp, sharp, wonderfully savoury smells that tore into our stomachs and doubled them up. And then there was the pastry bar.

We grabbed china and silverware and, like the scribe said, that was that.

Next Week - The Lighthouse

mario.james@gleanerjm.com