Some men are funny creatures when it comes to what they are looking for in a longterm partner.  They seem to be quite happy to have ‘slept around’ themselves, yet they don’t like the idea of their girlfriend/life partner/wife having an extensive sexual history.  The thing is, if these men have been sleeping with many different women, then from which pool of women, who have not had an extensive sexual history, are they choosing said longterm relationships?  Men, you need to get a grip!  If it’s acceptable for you to have had many sexual partners, then it’s absolutely fine for us women to have had the same.  Provided it has not been through force.

Well, of course I’m bringing this conversation back to what’s been on everyone’s minds, televisions, smartphones, tablets, etcetera, over the last couple months.  What do you expect?  Talk about something different, because you are all getting bored with the topic?

Oh, welcome to our world……the one in which we have been living for centuries.  You don’t think women are flipping out over the boredom we feel?  Boredom over the fact that we have been fighting this issue for decades.  Who would have thought that, in 2017, this would still be a battle we are faced with on a daily basis?  It’s a bit different now, however, because, while we have been courageous enough to reveal the truth, we are now threatened with the backlash of actually standing up and speaking up for ourselves.  So I have some questions…..

We are now having to justify our anger to some of you?  We are now being accused of putting men in a position whereby they don’t know how to act around women anymore?  Our cause is up for criticism because there are some women who might lie and make stories up about men, for the sole purpose of ruining their lives?  Men are so nervous around us that they are going to stop including us in business opportunities, for fear of us accusing them of sexual assault? (An actual discussion on BBC World Service, BTW!)

Oh, and just to really bring the attention back to men, some are saying, “Men get sexually abused by women also!”  As if to imply that women don’t care about every single person who is abused.  Of course we do!  Advocating one huge cause such as ours in no way implies that we are therefore excluding all other problems!  That said, the number of girls and women who have been sexually abused far outweighs the number of men.  The misogyny towards girls and women all over the world, throughout history and in present times, is second to none.  So, we fight for girls and women.  We fight against sexual harassment, molestation, abuse and assault.  We fight for our freedom because men simply will not stop.  Not only are you not stopping, you are pissed that we are demanding that you stop.  You are flinging insults about us deserving the abuse because of the way we dress.  You are flinging insults about us deserving to be raped because we like sex (CONSENSUAL SEX is what we like!).

The sad truth is, some women don’t even like consensual sex.  When you grow up getting raped, repeatedly, you get to the point whereby you might feel numb to sex.  You’ve been raped so many times that you’ve blocked off any emotion inside of you.  Possibly, you roll with a sexual situation, because that might be the only way to save yourself from getting physically hurt.

When women are called promiscuous, it is hurtful to us.  No one really knows another person’s situation and what’s happened to them.  If it is because we have been sexually assaulted countless times, who are you to judge?  If it because we willingly choose to be sexually active, why are you even concerned?  Surely it’s a better situation when women are in a position whereby we have freely and happily chosen to have sex rather than to have been raped and forced into feeling like damaged goods?  #StandUpSpeakUp #MeToo

So I did it!  I finally made the decision to self-publish my first novel, “Ignorance Is Bliss”, on Amazon.  It took me 3 years from when I wrote the first line of the book until I published it.

Truth be known, the book only took me 3 months to write – the first draft, that is.  Being new at novel-writing, the editing process has been laborious, to say the least.  Upon reading that first draft, my mother told me that there was too much sex in the book for her tastes, so I should probably get some friends to read it instead – this made me laugh!

So, I turned to two of my dearest friends in the world: Rachel, my Bajan friend who, like me, went to boarding school in England, university in London and then worked in London.  She returned to Barbados a few years ago; and Trisha, my Jamaican friend, who has lived in Germany for over a decade, but returns to Jamaica every year.  These two ladies read countless drafts, spent hours and hours, without any complaints to me, and have proven to be the most amazing friends.  Their input and advice were so valuable and if I ever become famous, it’ll be because of them!

There were others who read various drafts and gave me sound advice – Abby, Gayle, Sarah and Denise.  One of the biggest changes I made was the first name of my main character – Skyler Philipps was changed from Angela, because it was too old-fashioned, my niece, Sabrina, told me.

The excessive and unnecessary characters, who I had included in the beginning, as well as boring scenery details, were ex-ed, thanks to one of Writer’s Workshop’s editors, Philip Womack.  He also gave me some other excellent pointers: when starting a novel, throw the reader ‘in media res’ – into the middle of the matter, and he advised that I leave each chapter with unanswered questions, building up to climaxes, basically.

I, of course, read my book well over a hundred times, editing each time, not just storyline, but copy-editing.  Once I was satisfied, I went through the task of finding an agent.  Luckily, agents are very clear about whom they will represent, the genre, etc, and what they require.  Alas, I was unable to get an agent, even though all rejections came with positive feedback and encouragement.  I decided to lay this novel to rest and start on my second novel, taking into account all the advice I got the first time round.  I am now almost halfway through my second novel and I am editing as I write, both content and copy.

A few weeks ago, however, it dawned on me that I should, perhaps, take the advice of those who have been telling me to self-publish “Ignorance Is Bliss”.  What did I have to lose? I was unsuccessful in obtaining a publisher in the traditional way, so why not?  That’s when I went on Amazon and began the process of self-publishing.  It’s actually very easy, but I did make a few mistakes.  Firstly, I missed the part whereby you can check the exact format of an electronic copy before it is actually published.  I have subsequently made the changes and anyone who did buy the electronic copy beforehand can actually update their copy on Amazon by managing their devices and content, ensuring that the update icon is switched on.  I then decided to make a paperback copy available.  Amazon will print on demand.  Again, I missed the checking of what the inside would look like, because I was so concerned about the cover.  I was using my own acrylic on canvas painting as my artwork and I was worried about how it would come out on the paperback cover itself.  I ordered two copies of the book and I was thrilled with the outcome of the artwork.  That said, I had made the book too big (9 inches x 6 inches) and I had failed to change the double line spacing to single line spacing.  To be honest, this did make it easy for another needed copy-edit, but not the most ideal for carrying a novel in your purse.  I have subsequently made the necessary changes – the book is now 8 inches x 5 inches and has 381 pages.

I do hope that you will go on Amazon and buy “Ignorance Is Bliss” by Emma Dalton-Brown.  The electronic copy is US$4.95 and the paperback copy, ISBN 1973309246 is US$12.95.

*please note that you will see two paperback copies as the larger size (9×6 inches), which  I did create in the beginning, cannot be removed, though it does say that it is unavailable.

Everyone’s been talking about it, everyone’s been writing about it, everyone’s been posting #MeToo all over social media.  It’s about time…..

The other day, a friend informed me that she got a complaint about me and my ranting – this was ten days before the #MeToo posts went viral.  Apparently, I’ve upset some people with my persistent posts about sexual abuse.  It’s causing mayhem.  It’s upsetting people.  It’s bringing attention to myself.  It’s appalling.

AHEM!  Do these people think I give two hoots?  It is supposed to do all those things –  I want to cause mayhem.  I want to upset people.  I want to bring attention to the topic. And yes, sexual abuse is appalling.  Imagine my delight when I woke to see that everyone is now talking about it too?  I am thrilled.  It is about time the entire world get with the programme.  Force this topic into conversations.  Social media, I love you more than ever!

Seven weeks ago, I was told by a ‘friend’ (I use this term lightly, here, because she is no longer a friend) that she had been avoiding me for months because she was waiting for me to quieten down with the whole abuse issue and what had happened to me back in April.  She hadn’t wanted me to go on and on about it in any conversation I might have with her, so she had avoided me until I was back to normal.

I literally laughed in disbelief.  Still laughing, actually.

The mere thought of a female friend dismissing my feelings, dismissing what had happened to me, was and still is unbelievable.  I called her out on it, which was clearly not something she had anticipated.  She had honestly thought that I would say ‘I understand’ and that we could carry on with regular conversations, continue our friendship.

However, doing so would have made me complicit in the crime.  Pushing the issue under the carpet, for the sake of keeping the peace between us, would have been hypocritical of me, not to mention hurtful to myself and other women who have been sexually harassed, abused and assaulted.

The negative side of calling her out was this:  she told me that I was exaggerating, had made up the story to seek attention and material for a book.  She said that it wasn’t as if I’d been shoved in a bathroom, had all my clothes ripped off and been raped.  She told me that what had happened to me was ‘normal’ behaviour of Jamaican men.  Surely I knew what they were like?  I was accused of ruining this man’s marriage, making is family look bad.  Did I not know his position at work and in society?  How dare I speak out against a man like that?!  When I pointed out that I had never mentioned anyone’s name, she said that it was obvious whom I was talking about, as it’s typical behaviour of said man when he drinks.

Oh, so now it’s alcohol’s fault?  Alcohol made the man scream to me, ‘Come here woman, come yah so!  Yuh husband can’t afford material for a swimsuit?!’  It’s alcohol’s fault that, despite the fact I ignored this man, he continued to follow me and continued to shout, ‘Me say come here!  What kind of swimsuit is that? Yuh husband don’t have enough money for a proper swimsuit?’  The alcohol is also at fault for, despite me ignoring the man again, the man continuing to follow me, then said, ‘Seriously, what is this?’ as he stuck his hand inside the back of my bikini bottom, right on and inside my bottom?  I smacked his hand away and told him, ‘Get your dirty hands off me!’  At which point, the man said, ‘Why should I?  You deserve it if you’re going to wear a swimsuit like that!’

So, are we to say that alcohol was at fault for all of this?  I think it’s a little unfair to blame alcohol, who couldn’t actually defend itself at the time, and still can’t!!! Just saying…..

Let me tell you what the behaviour of this man was….PREDATORY.  An “alcoholic excuse” could have been used with blurting something stupid out, but then realizing you’re an idiot and immediately saying how sorry you are.  This was not the case.  Despite me persistently ignoring him, he still followed me and kept blurting out insults towards me, then sexually molested me and told me I deserved it.  THIS IS PREDATORY BEHAVIOUR.  Do you understand that?  Are you seriously going to say otherwise?  And yes, I will keep going on about it for as long as I keep hearing that someone doesn’t quite comprehend what the man did!  For as long as I keep hearing that someone thinks I ruined this man’s life.  For as long as you think that  I ruined his marriage and his family.  Do you really believe that I did that?  PUUURLEEEEZE!  The man managed to do that all on his own.

So, yes, this is just one #MeToo story that I revealed more than 6 months ago, but it seems that I must retell it countless times, because you’re not quite getting it, are you?!

You know what transpired.  You are certain about how the conversation and events went.  Yet the second party to said discussion or event denies any of it ever occurred, says you are crazy and a liar.  This has happened in the past, several times.  It’s taking place yet again.  The proverbial penny begins to drop.  This is not right.  I know that this is so wrong on every level.  I am not a liar.  I am not going crazy.  This same person is putting me down, repeatedly, saying that I’m an awful person, saying that others think I’m terrible.  Oh, wait, now this person is praising me, telling me they never spewed the horrid insults.  Wait, what?  Okay, now I’m confused.   What’s going on?  I’m so exhausted.  I can’t fight this.  I give in.

If you relate to this, there is a strong possibility that you have been subjected to ‘gaslighting’, my friend.  Gaslighting is a form of manipulation whereby the manipulator will do the above and then have you, and others, convinced that it’s all in your head.  It happens within intimate relationships, usually spousal, but also within long-standing friendships.  ‘Victims’ of gaslighting might never really understand what is happening to them, though they will have many moments when they do feel as if something is off.  Gaslighters will ensure, however, that they give their victims something positive to hold on to, so that they don’t catch on to the underhanded behaviour.  The movie and book ‘Girl on the Train’, while it is not really about gaslighting, demonstrates gaslighting behaviour at the end of the story.

Why do people gaslight?  What sort of person does this?  Is it an insecurity whereby the gaslighter needs to have control, as is the case in some romantic relationships?  What a nasty way to get the upper hand. Do gaslighters even realize what they are doing?  Were these people bullied as kids, so now as adults they are simply re-enacting what happened to them?  Let’s face it, gaslighting is a form of bullying.

So, if you do find yourself faced with gaslighting, what should you do?  Don’t try and reason with the person, there is little point.  You have one option, in my opinion – WALK AWAY.  Any other scenario, which you might believe are possibilities, will not transpire the way you imagine.  These people come in various degrees of sociopaths and narcissists.  You cannot reason with them.  Don’t even try to have the ‘last word’ – your efforts will be futile.  Get satisfaction from the fact that walking away will light their gaslighting ego on fire.  By that simple action, you will have the last word.

Having heard about this quaint and quiet river destination I had not yet been to, I knew that it had to jump the queue within my bucket list because I’d be damned if there was going to be even more people who got there before I did!  I won’t get jealous of friends feting without me, but I will be real green if I can’t experience a part of my island while others do.

Amidst a busy summer, Trish, my partner in ‘adventure crime’, and I had to find a time when the bigger part of our family could make it to Quao’s Village.  With Jamaica’s Independence looming ahead and, realistically, nothing to do because we are too old for those kind of parties and our kids are far too young, we decided to hit the road on the holiday Monday.

Thanks to my friend who lives up in the hills of Irish Town, we took the ‘shorter’ (her words!) scenic route up to Newcastle and down towards Buff Bay.  Now, while this was certainly not the shorter journey from Kingston, it was absolutely stunning.  Many people I know have been as far as Holywell, but few have been beyond and here is what awaits you……Imagine your granny’s gorgeous garden from when you were growing up, only this one is sprawled along for miles, entwined with green mountains all around and laced with a pristine river that anyone would wish to have at the bottom of their own garden?  Imagine not seeing one other vehicle, aside from a large truck that’s adorned with bicycles from the Blue Mountain Bicycle Tour?  Then, the faded sign ‘Quao’s Village’ suddenly appears on the left – so suddenly, in fact, that you could easily miss it and end up in Buff Bay.  This was not us, however, as my beady country eyes are well seasoned for these mistakes.  Not that it would have mattered much, as Buff Bay is only a couple miles away.

No photos I had seen previously did justice to what awaited us.  In fact, I am torn between promoting this place and the hospitality of the lovely man who runs it and wishing to keep it a secret from those who might decide to regularly visit this haven and bring countless friends along with them.  As I said, friends going to a session without me will not phase me, but if you go to a beautiful and secluded part of Jamaica and I am not included, I might lose it!

All I can say is this, bring your deck chairs, food, libations and music, set yourself up for the day and don’t budge, because from one spot you can wallow in the water or laze on the river bank, while you watch your kids swim and play amongst the rocks.  We literally did not move from this eternal bliss for the entire day, until it was almost sundown, when we opted to take the actual shorter route home, via junction.  This was, hands down and feet up, one of the best days we had this summer!

It’s not often that my husband gets to join in our summer adventures, as most are planned during the week.  Boohoo for him!  Okay, I’m not that mean.  Honestly, it’s just the way it seems to fall and sacrifices must be made for the visiting foreign family.

So, when I broke the news to him that we were going to Dolphin Cove on a weekend, he had that hopeful look, the one where he’s fairly certain that he is expected to join us, but there is a slight doubt that he will once again be left out!  Truth be known, my husband is a team player and more than a good sport.  If he has to sit on the bench, allowing others to play, he will do so.  Equally, he will be the first to offer to take everyone’s kids and ensure they have a whale of a time.  In this case, our time was spent with a dolphin named Secret.

Sunday, it seems, is an ideal day to visit Dolphin Cove, mainly due to the fact that there tends to be no cruise ships in Ocho Rios.  It allows for a quiet and peaceful experience, heightened by the absolute serenity of swimming with dolphins.  Dante, one of the dolphin trainers, took us out into the water and smoothly orchestrated Secret and his tricks for each one of us.  As soon as one person surfed in on the board, pushed by Secret, Dante had another one of us lined up for hugs and kisses from Secret, while he asked yet another to swim out on the board, and so on.  The whole operation and interaction was executed efficiently and lovingly.  It is quite clear that these trainers adore the dolphins and, equally, they want their visitors to experience this feeling, as they patiently appeased those who were rather nervous about being touched by them.  In between, Secret was rewarded with fish, of course!

Dolphin Cove has much to offer visitors, as it’s also possible to swim with sharks (no thank you, for me, however!), handle the stingrays and go on a nature walk to pet bunnies, feed birds and whatever it is one is supposed to do with an iguana!!  At least the kids enjoyed holding the reptile!  There are ample areas in which to sit, or lounge, on the beach or deck, and there’s a few refreshing stream-water showers where you can rinse off the salt from the sea or simply cool down from the summer heat.  If you must get a really cold relief, go upstairs to the restaurant, which has AC, and absorb the breathtaking view of the ocean through the glass wall.

The most special moment for me was seeing the sheer delight on all four children’s faces, even the two who had had some trepidation, after they each rode on the boogie board that was pushed by the dolphin.  Their glee didn’t stop there, as there was much chatter among them about Secret slapping noses and toes, as if the dolphin could really have known what he was doing.  But then again, aren’t these cetaceans (mammals who live in water) supposed to be super smart?  The kids clearly know this!  #DolphinCove #TREMbleinFlipFlops

View of Bloody Bay from Royalton

The very same afternoon that we left Royalton White Sands in Falmouth, the six of us piled into my pick-up truck, once again, and drove 2 hours to Negril.  Anyone who tells you that it takes 1 1/2 hours must be driving at two in the morning!

Being from Clarendon and currently living in Kingston, I rarely find myself in Montego Bay.  Okay, I lie.  I never find myself there!  Not that I have anything against this city, I promise!!  It’s just far.  We reached the roundabout by the airport in the height of traffic, so we took the top road.  Upon coming down the hill to a busy set of lights, I had zero clue which way I was to go.  Inevitably, I took the wrong turn – left, and had to do a u-turn so that we didn’t end up in the heart of downtown Mobay.  Success.  I had managed to maneuver us in the right direction…….well sort of, as I realized that I was in the wrong lane…..I was trying to drive against oncoming traffic!  Nightmare.  I just needed to turn left and all would be well in the world again.  You can imagine the honks and road-rage shouts, as my not-so-small vehicle was causing more confusion in a mayhem of impatient drivers.  There was nothing I could do, except safely and apologetically make my way to where I was supposed to be.  We all lived to tell the tale, but I can only imagine what the Montegonians’ side of the story would be!

Needless to say, it was a relief when we reached Negril at 8 o’clock that night to stay at Royalton.  Greeted by extremely helpful staff, assisted with our bags, smoothly checked in and upgraded to two adjoining swim-out suites, which were more than perfect for us, we walked over to Zen Japanese restaurant for a late dinner.   The floor-show was in full soca swing, which added to the good mood our rooms had brought out of us!  Although the restaurant was close to empty by the time we got there, our server Andrean and Chef Ricardo were so obliging and gracious, as they took care of my deathly sesame allergy, my distaste for garlic and, most importantly, our need for some Sake!!!  Trish and I finally let the kids have their electronic tablets, as everyone was exhausted, but they gladly put them down for Ricardo’s culinary tricks, which kept us all entertained and then well fed!

Waking up in the comfort of a Royalton bed, with the ability to brew my own coffee right there in our suite, simply added to the heaven I was in.  I was even able to write one of my blogs at the desk in the room, before the children awoke.  I have to say, I would have thought that stepping out onto one’s patio and straight into a plunge-pool was a bit of a gimmick, but the reality of being able to do so is glorious!

Finally, we headed across the front of the hotel, which looks onto the serenity of Bloody Bay, and helped ourselves to what could only be described as a sumptuous spread of every breakfast variation.  So much so, I had to tell my 8 year old son, ‘Don’t overdo it,’ to which he replied, ‘Why not?’  Indeed.

Sadly, we were only there for one night, but with a few hours left before check-out time, we did not waste a second – lounging on the beach, swimming in the ocean and playing in the splash-park.  Had we known all what Royalton Negril has to offer for children and adults alike, we certainly would have booked to stay at least one more night.  I am certainly going to have to return, sooner rather than later.

All I can say now is Thank You, GO! Jamaica Travel, who had suggested and booked us in to Royalton Negril a few days previously.  This company’s reputation for being the Caribbean’s Leading Tour Operator is no joke.  Knowing that two mummies, along with their four children, were on an island tour in our own car, CEO Dave Chin Tung insisted that we stay in this lovely all-inclusive hotel, so that we wouldn’t have to worry about carrying food to feed the kids and ourselves.  To be honest, we had been quite prepared to lug a cooler of provisions and stay in a simple apartment, but the foresight of GO! Jamaica Travel actually saved us from much stress and what would have been a real headache, had we stuck to our original plan.  As it turns out, they could have organized every single step of our adventures this summer.  Alas, I don’t know much about tour operators in general because I am the quintessential organizer myself.  That said, now that I am aware of the excellent and personal service provided by GO! Jamaica Travel, I might relinquish some of my control next time!

Cheers from Zen!

Morning wake-up call

Breakfast time!

Fresh Local Fruit for Breakfast – Sweet Sop, Passion Fruit, Paw Paw & Pineapple

Smoked Marlin, Smoked Salmon, Omelette, Ackee & Salt Fish, Callaloo & Bammy

Playing on the Beach

No words necessary……

My friends and family will tell you that I do not like hotels.  I dislike all-inclusive hotels more.  Seriously.  Here’s why.  I do not wish to be on holiday with hundreds of other people sleeping in the same place as I am.  I like to have my own kitchen, so that I can brew a pot of fresh Jamaican coffee as soon as I wake in the morning, even if it’s 4:30am! I want to be able to leave the room and still have privacy away from the hundreds of people.  Buffets for hundreds of people tend to serve pretty unpalatable food and bad food really rubs me the wrong way.  Hearing entertainment coordinators on their microphones all day long, getting tourists to participate in some activity or other, is unbearable for me (I worked as one back in summer 1995!).  Even sunbathing next to hundreds of people annoys me.  I sound like a miserable bitch, right?  Precisely why I do not stay at hotels.  I always opt for a private beach house.

That said, I have been hearing about Royalton White Sands in Falmouth, for the past year, from several people, all praising the place and their waterpark.  I even forwent a weekend away with a tight group of friends last September, citing that it just wasn’t my scene.  My husband and sons agreed with me!  My friends returned to Kingston gleeful from the great time had by all.  I was still unmoved.

Less than a month ago, I was asked to write a piece for a magazine about Family Fun Day Out in Jamaica and it was suggested that I try Royalton White Sands’ waterpark.  I got in touch with them, everything was arranged and off we drove earlier this week for the day.

To say that I was pleasantly surprised would be an understatement.  From the moment we were guided to a private cabana overlooking the ‘Lazy River’, I knew something was special about this place.  I’ve been in private cabanas before, but have always been painfully aware that I was spending the day with hundreds of other people.  This was different.  This was actually private, away from the crowd.  Trish and I could sit and drink our lime daiquiris and Red Stripe beers in peace, with the four kids looking out  for one another and being watched by attentive lifeguards dotted around said lazy river and both the big waterslides and baby waterpark area.  When we decided to join them, I still never felt crowded.

It turns out there are numerous hangout spots at Royalton, giving every guest the personal space and individual attention one wants when on holiday.  Speaking of attention, the staff are the best I have ever come across.  Truly.  From the bartenders and butlers to the servers in the restaurant and the head gym instructor (yes, we took a peak in there and were quite jealous of the yoga class we’d be missing later that afternoon!), every single staff member whom we encountered was friendly and helpful.

Did I mention the Kids’ Club?  After a superb lunch of burgers and fries, served in our cabana by a butler, and ice cream, the kids were safely signed in and left with the lovely caregivers in the rather swish lounge.  When I went inside later, I was green with envy that I couldn’t join the club too!  Meanwhile, Trish and I enjoyed a ridiculous amount of good food from the buffet, which, frankly, is set up more like food stations at some elaborate wedding.  When we finally went to collect the kids, we discovered that they had been taken to watch the circus out by the main pool.  Well, excuse me!  There they were, seated and gripped by the talent of acrobats, magicians and hula-hoopers.  This couldn’t get any better – I could come on holiday here with my husband and kids, but not actually have to entertain them myself all day long??  The Kids’ Club, btw, is open 9am-9pm!  I wonder if I could leave my husband there as well?  I believe I have been converted.  I have seen the light.  I like all-inclusive, I do.  Well, Royalton, at least!

A day trip to the north coast is not complete without feeling the sand on my feet, breathing in the sea breeze and going into the ocean for what we Jamaicans like to call a ‘Sea Bath’.  Imagine all your dreams, of what the perfect beach day should be, actually coming true.  Well, for the six of us, our dreams were realized in Royalton’s private island that overlooks blue waters and is only a short walk across white sands. #RoyaltonWhiteSands #TREMbleinFlipFlops

Lazy River & 1 of the pools!

Royalton to di worl’

Loving up some burgers & fries in the private cabana

Kids’ Club Crew

Swish Kids’ Club

Watching the Circus show

Swim-Out Suites

Learning gym rules

Private Island overlooking Blue Waters, only a short walk away on White Sands

TREMble in Flip-Flops in WHITE SANDS

When you’ve been around the block in Jamaica for forty-odd years, you think you’ve seen and done it all.  From the day I was born, my parents dragged my brothers and I across the island on numerous camping excursions and day trips.  Okay, dragged is a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the gist!  I’ve even been to Good Hope Great House for several weddings and one New Year’s Eve party.

It turns out, I have not seen it all at all!  To boot, there are people who are capable of changing up the lay of the land, while NOT ruining the land I love.  I cannot tell you how I have worried about the interference of large companies and their disregard at destroying Jamaica’s natural beauty.  However, there is one such vast enterprise I’d like to mention, one that has managed to bring out the best in our paradise, taken what we naturally have in Jamaica and worked in a plethora of outstanding activities for tourists and Jamaicans, alike, to explore and enjoy.  That is Chukka Caribbean.

The welcome we received upon arriving at Chukka Good Hope, the sound advice over which activities to do when and the swift efficiency to execute every aspect of our tour was beyond notable.  Not to mention the quality of the activities themselves and the quality of your staff members – from the front office to the gift shop’s cashier, from the information desk to the bus drivers, from the guy who helped us with our bags to the bartenders at the pool, and the guides on the river-tubing, at the Great House and particularly on the zip line – thank you.  If I left anyone out, this is an oversight.  We were blown away by you all.  Your dedication to keeping us and the other visitors safe, especially on the zip line, did not go unnoticed.  The fact that my 8 year old son was happy to go whizzing away, way ahead of me, without a moment’s hesitation, is a testament to your comforting professionalism and personal  care of each customer.

The Good Hope property itself is the epitome of what Jamaica’s inland has to offer – rolling, green hills that are adorned with tropical fruit and spice trees, glistening rivers in which you can cool off and swim, and sometimes, as in this case, a Great House that was built in the 18th Century.  We learned, on a guided tour, the history of Good Hope Estate and interesting stories about the Great House itself, the most amusing being that the master and the mistress of the house had single beds in their room as “show” and they pushed the beds together when they were ready for “bedroom activities”.  Well, we didn’t get to see any of that, thank goodness, but there are quite enough fabulous activities arranged by Chukka Caribbean!  It was a good day out and we certainly hope to go back soon.  #TREMbleinFlipFlops #GoodHopeChukka

The view from the zip line!

No caption necessary

Adventure falls

Lunch – jerk chicken, rice n peas, sautéed vegetables

Bar staff looked after us well

Good Hope Great House

View from Great House

By now, you may have realized that, while I am up for any adventure, there’s a niggling fear within me that I need to release.  Bit by bit, this fear leaves me and I take the plunge into whatever challenge I might be facing.  What exactly gives one person a phobia to the exact thing another might find exhilarating is not within my expert knowledge, but I could take some an educated guess what the factors might be.

However, I don’t believe in always looking for the why of a situation, as often that doesn’t help you in the moment.  So, I take the cliche deep breath and dig for the “how”.  How am I going to handle this leg of the zip line?  This is precisely what happened to me yesterday at JamWest Motorsports & Adventure Park, when my family and I hurled ourselves off the second tower of the zip line tour.  The first line was easy, as the excellent guide was there to push, relinquishing each of us from having to force ourselves off the ledge.  Number 2 was different and, as we were told after, the hardest.  As my boys, niece, husband and the other visitors giggled at my several attempts to just jump and zip on down the line to the third tower, my fear increased.  The longer you take to do something you fear, the more fear there will be.  I had no choice in the matter, as there was no alternate way down to the ground.  My increasing phobia was also affecting my 8 year old, not to mention the 4 year old, who four days previously went into a state of frightful shock as he dangled from a cable like this one.  I had to do it.  I had to jump.  The beauty about this activity is that once you’re zipping along, you feel amazing and you know that you will be fine.  I must admit that it does help to see the second guide always awaiting your landing, pulling you safely onto the platform of the next tower.  The professionalism and fun of the zip line crew at JamWest is most comforting.

JamWest is made for thrill-seekers, especially with its locally famous racetrack, where you are able to arrange driving a real race car, but it’s also for those who want to experience something not too scary, like the Safari Tour.  It’s perfect for small children and the grandparents, as an open air van drives you through the property to see the tortoise, snakes, iguanas and their feathered friends.  The very knowledgeable guide might even gently provoke the crocodiles into a friendly tussle!

Meanwhile, the more agile adults in your group may opt to do a most unique activity – horseback riding in the Caribbean Sea.  Guides will lead you down on horses to the beautiful beach of Salmon Point fishing village, where the horses will wallow in the water with you on their backs, taking you deep enough to cool you down and bring about a deep sense of serenity.  It’s difficult to describe exactly how this made me feel, but having taken six leaps of faith off the zip line towers, this is the moment I discovered my peaceful landing. #JamWest #TREMbleinFlipFlops

The excellent guide, Joker, doesn’t joke around when it comes to safety!

Slowly, slowly on Safari

Kids love it here!

Feathered Friends

Grampie enjoying the Safari

Very knowledgeable Safari guide