BY: SIMONE JENNIFER SMITH
Okay, so where did I leave off? Hmmmm… Oh yes! Trish and I have just had an amazing night in Kingston; ate some extravagant food, and I think we did something else. You should probably check out my article in A Better Tomorrow this week; some perspective on colourism in Jamaica. All right, let’s get back to this Jamaican adventure. I woke up too early again (SMH); this time I decided to make good use of the morning. I took a breath of fresh air; a soothing breeze led me to the window and I was looking directly at Emancipation Park. “Time to get some work done.” I took a shower and got dressed quickly. I had about an hour until we had to meet for breakfast, just enough time to take a walk and explore.
The park was buzzing with activity: people jogging, people walking, work out sessions; it was awesome to take in. I walked around and took in some history; they have beautiful bronze looking busts, showcasing some of Jamaica’s historical heroes and heroines: I stood in front of the Sam Sharpe bust, and felt a swell of pride. I completed my walk by taking in the emancipation statues; the rising sun hit the side of the water and glimmered of the statues. I couldn’t help but feel grateful for the experience. With a sigh, I began a walk back to the hotel.
After a wonderfully prepared authentic Jamaican breakfast, we were given the opportunity to meet with the team leads again. Trish had been begging for some coconut water, and we were pleasantly surprised when we were presented with whole coconuts, straws included. With satisfied stomachs and smiles on our faces, we jumped on our tour bus. The other journalists had begun to load, and we were all anxious to get on to the next part of this journey.
“Ocho Rios, here we come. We should be there in about 45 minutes to an hour.”
“45 minutes to an hour!” I said in shock. I remembered that when I was younger, the trip from Kingston to Ocho Rios would take about three hours. “Oh Yes! Things have changed. Jamaica has a highway now. The highway that they are talking about is called the North Coast Highway. Nicknamed the “Beijing Highway.” The North Coast Highway Development Project is a government-initiated project to improve the stretch of north coast road from Negril in the West, to Port Antonio in the East. This $600 million dollar highway is 225 km long, and winds throughout the mountainside. It is truly a beautiful sight equipped with ramps that are used to slow down vehicles that are going to fast. I sat in amazement as we began to wind through the mountains. I actually fell asleep because the ride was so smooth.
*Cool Fact; Usain Bolt reportedly turned down a chance for the highway to carry his name. *
After a very quick drive, we were in Ocho Rios and headed to our first stop Yaaman Adventure Park. Yaaman Adventure Park is located on an 18th Century Estate agricultural property full of rich history and cultural scenery. If you are a person who loves adventure, I would definitely suggest this as a vacation destination. The activities offered include:
- “Wet N’Dirty” Dune Buggy Rides
- Camel Trek Adventure (We had a chance to ride a camel, Yeah!)
- A visit to the Sea View Kitchen which sits at 1100 feet above sea level
- Eco-friendly personal transporter on road and off road
- Tractor-drawn open-air carriage ride that explores a 1,000-acre property. We got a chance to see bananas, cassava, sugar cane, and coffee. We even got a chance to see Farmer Brown climb a 30-foot coconut tree.
- Exploration of the Bird Aviary – a bird watchers dream – where you have an opportunity to see exotic and local birds in a rustic and tropical paradise
We had worked up quite an appetite at the end of our Yaaman adventure, so we were taken to Miss T’s Kitchen, located in a quiet cul-de-sac of Main Street in the heart of Ocho Rios bustling town center. This stop was well worth it and was probably one of the best meals that I had in Jamaica up to that point. Hmmmm: Oxtail, rice and peas, plantain, steamed vegetables, and some of the best lemonade on the island. Yummy! It also gave me an opportunity to have a great conversation with some of the other journalists. It was such a homey atmosphere, that we all relaxed quickly and began to open up with each other.
Finally, it was time to head to our home away from home for the night, Moon Palace. What I did not know was that this would end up being a night that neither Trish nor I would ever forget.
