Right now I'm looking out at a gray sky and the trees outside my window swaying in the wind, a far cry from the palm trees that I was watching swaying in the warm breeze last week. The weather is so bad, it might as well be October. The trees swaying are putting me into a trance and I'm being transported back to this time last week...
...I'm lying on the beautiful beach at Fort Clarence, Kingston, Jamaica. And it's hot. Hot, hot, hot. I'm lying on the beach, on a sunbed, factor 30 on and the sun beating down on me, listening to the sound of the ocean, watching a very busy man with a huge big rake removing all the seaweed, discarded by the sea, from the shore line. He's working very hard, I am amazed at how he can work in the heat. It's 10am and its 35 degrees...The best I can do is muster up the strength to walk as far as the water...
(My beach hut)
I'm not a great swimmer, and usually shy away from the water, but it was so hot I could hear the water calling me to get in. I walked down to the edge and put my toe in, expecting the 'shock factor' that you get when you're so hot and the water is so cold...well, there was none of that, it was like stepping into a warm bath, it was glorious. I didn't have to ease myself in holding my breath, I just walked right in to the bright blue Caribbean sea, sat down and felt the water swirling all around me. Bliss. I didn't want to get out, ever. But then lunch was mentioned and I didn't want to be rude....I walked back across the newly raked litter free sand and thought how peaceful it was and far removed from the litter strewn noisy and ramshackle streets of Kingston that we drove through the first day that we arrived. But I won't think about that now...
It's strange, because for a not-so-great swimmer, my holiday seemed to include loads of water based stuff...
...Now I'm on the other side of the island to Kingston, the north of the Island, at a place called Ocho Rios. I'm in a cove sitting on a pontoon with my legs dangling in the clear blue warm water, and a very large, huge in fact, Sting Ray is swimming underneath my feet. Didn't your man Steve Whats-his-name die by being stung by one of these...yikes....but I won't think about that now. Some people have braved the water and let the gigantic ray come right up to their chests while they rub the fishes belly, but I'm not that brave, the one swimming under my feet is just enough for me. Next stop, the beach, where a glass bottomed kayak waits for me. More deep water. (I saw a great poster while driving across the Island. It said "When you are in deep water, talk to 'The One' that walked on it...I must try that!) I'm not good out of my depth but, I'm straight in and paddling like mad. Although it's a calm day, the sea is quite choppy but it's easy enough to paddle and we go all the way out to where the coral reef is, which we can see through the bottom of the boat. It's very pretty, but endangered apparently.
(Me, in a kayak!!)
I was a bit endangered my self on this holiday!! Everywhere I went there were warning signs....Beware of falling Mango's! Beware of falling coconuts!! Beware of falling almonds!! I have the photos to prove it. While we were having lunch one day, under a mango tree, one did fall on my friend. Thankfully no damage was done, to either the Mango or my friend, and the very kind waiter gave us the offending article to have for breakfast the next day!! How sweet...the Mango and the waiter!! :-)
(Told you I had the photos to prove it!!)
Anyway....back to the water sports, and back to the cove. It was actually called Dolphin Cove. So guess what?? Yes, I did!! I, who can't swim out of my dept, and am terrified of deep water, swam with a Dolphin!! I know, I know, it was all very staged and the animal was well trained, but still, it was a fascinating exhilarating experience. I was able to hold on to his fins while he swam on his back through the water pulling me along with ease, he moved very swiftly, and then he gave me a big kiss when it was all over. They have the strangest feeling skin. It was like silk and stone rolled together, solid but soft and very smooth. He was a lovely animal. I was running on adrenalin, I was concentrating so hard on staying afloat that I nearly missed out on the experience of it all. A very kind American girl saw that I was struggling and offered me her arm for support. But I did manage to stay afloat and got out of the water with a pounding heart and a huge smile, feeling very proud of myself. I have the photos to prove that too!!!
I really should learn to swim....but I won't think about that now.
...Next stop Montego Bay, where the singing waiter, the palm trees and the pool were awaiting. I also braved the water one more time here. In (on?) a catamaran!! What a thrill, those things move so fast and you are so near the water with no protection, just sitting on the side (hull - I got a run down of all the sailing terms) holding on to a very thin line that's attached to the sail. The waves were huge. In one photo, taken from the shore, we have gone down so far between the waves that it looks like we have no boat underneath us!! We were so far out at one stage that I began to get nervous, was I ever going to see the shore again....but I won't think about that now. When we did eventually turn around the boat picked up speed and it was a great feeling whizzing back in to land with the sea splashing in my face and the water gushing up around my feet where it was coming in under the canvas. All this and the sun beating down on me too, what more could you want. I did enjoy the ride, but I was happy to be back on the warm sand again.
(The singing waiter!!)
There's so much more to write about.
The food...so much choice, some new things for me to try, like plantains, bammys, snapper fish, jerk chicken cooked in a barrel at the side of the road, and as much fruit as you could eat. There are so many fruit trees growing on the sides of the roads that you could literally eat your way around the Island...
The crazy signs at every road junction, for example. "Breaking the lights, could put out your lights" or "Use your head, or loose your head. Wear a helmet" or "Be polite on the road"...
The trip through the bustling market in the centre of Kingston, where you take your life in your hands just crossing the road, (apparently there are three sides to the roads in Jamaica, the right side, the left side and the suicide - hence the road signs!!) and where the market vender's, when they have no customers, sit and read their bibles...
The visit to the coffee plantation., where we were eventually 2,600 feet above sea level (having climbed up the side of the hill on a very narrow path in the blistering heat), surrounded by coffee, banana and bamboo plants, drinking coffee and listening to tales of the plantation and how the coffee is roasted and ground. Where the sound of the crickets 'singing' in the trees was so loud that at times we couldn't hear the guide speak...
The visit to the Bob Marley Museum, where we did the tour of his house, listened to tales of his achievements, admired his gold silver and platinum discs, and then admired the 'herbs' growing in his garden!!...
(Bob's 'herbs'!!)
The amazing breakfast at Strawberry Hills, Spa, Hotel and home to the owner of Island Records (Chris Blackwell), where U2 stay on their trips to this lovely Island. I don't know how they ever leave....
(The view from breakfast at Strawberry Hills)
But I won't think about that now.
Did I mention the food...
Did I mention the heat...
But no, I won't think about any of that now...
I'll just think about the rain that's now falling outside my window, and wonder for the 150 million-th time, why I wasn't born in a warm country....
Oh yeah, and I better think about all this work that I am neglecting too!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment