Dear Editor,

I write to say a gigantic “thank you” to the Jamaica Observer for the Ultimate Fan prize trip to see Jamaica play Brazil in the Women’s World Cup 2019 in France.

While getting to France was a bit of a challenge, once I arrived and reconnected with my travelling partner Jeanette, all the experiences we packed into the short but sweet trip were first-rate and enjoyable.

The match day was thrilling and the emotion that emerged upon hearing our National Anthem playing in the Stade des Alpes is difficult to describe. It was an honour to be among so many Jamaicans and Jamaica supporters who were decked out in the national colours and bearing our flag.

Please allow me to use this space to extend special thanks to British Airways, the Observer‘s partner for this promotion. Karen French, airport manager, pulled out all the stops to ensure that I was able to get to Lyon via Paris in time to see the match, and ensure that our return to Kingston went smoothly. In fact, we were delightfully surprised on landing at NMIA to be greeted as we disembarked from the aircraft with an extended VIP treatment through immigration and customs. She exceeded our expectations and certainly showed us what it means to be a customer service superstar. The Jamaica Observer certainly has a first-class partner in British Airways.

Olive McNaughton of Trafalgar Sports Travel also ensured that we were well taken care of once we met at our hotel in Lyon and, in her own way, did all she could to make up from the travel woes experienced at the start of our trip, even though these had nothing to do with her. She extended special courtesies to us from the time we arrived in Lyon until the moment we said farewell to her on Tuesday morning when we had to return to Paris a day earlier than the planned departure date in order to catch a flight back to Kingston from Paris.

Our thanks are also extended to the other partners in this promotion — Supreme Ventures, WATA, Total, and the JFF. We may not have been football fans before this experience, but we will certainly be following the Reggae Girlz for the rest of their World Cup campaign and beyond.

Thank you.

Marilyn Allen

mpallen2005@hotmail.com