My Jamaican journey...
Fly from a dank UK to Jamaica and it’s like sinking into a soft, freshly-laundered bed after a rainy marathon says Julie Baxter
T Tensing Pen boutique hotel
he unrelenting blue skies and the warm sun of Jamaica will soothe any
care-worn British brow in an instant. The island’s warmth will envelop them and the gentle tropical island breeze softly thaw their cold British bones.
If they arrive resolved to do nothing for a fortnight, the chances are that within half a day your client will in fact be ready to explore. I checked-in at The Half Moon Resort, Montego Bay, and my own explorations began within the 400-acre resort and its two-mile beach. Within this small stretch
of sandy shore you can swim with dolphins one day, horse-ride in the sea the next, take to the tennis courts or enjoy the beach or pool. Head out, and the north- west coast I explored is full of colour and character, magical moments and cool Caribbean insights. Visitors to Jamaica should defi nitely take time to explore the island.
Feel the local buzz Time in the buzzing local bars of the Mo’ Bay ‘Hip
streamer-tailed hummingbirds
Strip’, for example; or moments shared with a crowd which quickly gathered in Falmouth around the shoreline of fi shing nets. Here a hammerhead shark, pulled from the waters that very morning, had been set up as an impromptu attraction to raise donations for the family of a recently deceased friend. Or, the moment when we stopped at Scotchies for an authentic Jamaican lunch of jerk chicken or pork, bammy (a type of bread) roasted yams and the beautifully named festival – a deep-fried corn dough which brings the party to any meal. There are fi ve Scotchies restaurants on the island – genuine, unfussy
roadside stops where the famed jerk fl avourings are
applied and then cooked over a wood BBQ. We joined local diners beneath thatched huts, eating out of tin foil, and washed it all down with a local Red Stripe beer or a rum and Ting – the island’s homegrown liquor and favourite grapefruit-based mixer.
Explore with ease Jamaica is the size of Northern Ireland so it’s manageable
for those who want to explore. The infrastructure has improved dramatically in recent years, with more improvements in hand. The main routes are well maintained and uncongested. Current works will add fast
“It’s hard to imagine a time when these bright,
confident proud Jamaicans could have been slaves but
the historic legacies remain to explore”
links between the island’s northern and southern sections, for a predicted journey time of 45 minutes between Kingston, the capital, and Montego Bay, the resort at the heart of tourism on the island with a vast choice of accommodation options. Jamaican drivers can be a tad erratic but self-drive presents few real challenges and should be encouraged. Drive the route from Falmouth to Negril and the azure Caribbean Sea is your constant companion on one side with the lush green tropical hinterland on the other. Leave the coast road from time to time and, while the
roads may be rougher, the rewards are great. It’s one thing to tell clients that Jamaica is great for birdwatching (it has over 200 resident species) but how will they resist a repeat visit to the island after an hour hand-feeding hummingbirds at the Rockwell Bird Sanctuary? The north coast is well populated with luxury, purpose- built resorts as well as boutique-style, more intimate retreats like Tensing Pen or The Caves which nestle among rocky coves around Negril. En-route, unkempt little towns bustle with confi dent Jamaican women going about their business, and relaxed Rasta pensioners shooting the breeze in the shade of a tree.
48 July/August 2013
www.sellinglonghaul.com
My Magical Moments ROCKWELL BIRD SANCTUARY
Here we sat quietly on a verandah while a steady stream of birds came to feed and the national ‘doctor’ bird (the streamer-tailed hummingbird) and the mango hummingbird drank sugar water from tiny bottles we were given to hold. Breathtaking!
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