2 days of travelling and 1 missed day.

So everyone got up at sparrow fart for the people who don't speak Australian we got up at 05:30. Even though Aunty Donna and Nan didn't fly out til 13:55, Aunty Donna wouldn't have us catch the shuttle bus so she drove us about two minutes to the airport where we got out and said our good-byes. Aunty Donna and Nan jumped back into the car and went back to the hotel. Dad and I check our bags in with American Airlines. We then change our remaining Jamaican money into American. We then go get a coffee and some breakfast. We go to this place similar to Subway. Dad has a steak one and I have a breakfast one with ham, cheese and eggs. The eggs resembled what high desity foam would look like and it tasted quite disgusting.

We finished our breakfast and headed to the gate. We flew from Sangster International Airport Montego Bay, Jamaica to Miami International Airport Miami, Usa. Not having alot of time we jumped off the plane and followed the endless signs to customs. Did all the custom things finger prints and photos. We went round collected our bags and dropped them off at the drop off point and went round to the gate and boarded the plane. This flight SUCKED. We start to taxi to the runway when the WHOLE plane looses power. The pilot informs us that we have just lost auxilliary power and they will try to start the plane again. It start and I fell like yelling "We just lost power and your still gonna fly us there is this?!" We get to the runway but this is a bit of nasty weather so we wait 45 minutes and then when that is over we have to wait an extra 30 minutes to have clearance to leave. So when do finally fly off out route has been extended so we are flying even more. Every time the pilotgs dimmed the lights or the tv's went off I clung on for dear life expecting us to plumet to the ground.

So now being delayed for so long we really need to leg it to the next flight as we have arrived on a domestic flight in the domestic terminal and need to get to another terminal for international. When we landed we had 1 HOUR to change terminals check in and everything. It took us 20 minutes to walk/run to the baggage carrosel. While Dad waited for the bags I got a trolley and asked for directions to the international terminal. We have to take the airtrain. Then we have to wait an extra 20 minutes for American Airline staff to get their fingers out of their arses and put the bags on the carrosel. Once we finally got the bags we have 20 minutes so we run to the elevator the train arrives as we get to the platform jump on the train wait the five minute trip and go down the ramps and across the roads to the internaional terminal. We finailly get to the Qantas desk. The customer service agent asks if we are on the Qantas fight to Sydney and she said check in is closed and they are just about to finish boarding. We tell her we were delyed by the Miami flight. So she said she will ring and check. For people wh don't know it is the captain who decides if latge passengers can board. We had our itinerary out ready and the lovely man said yes. So she printed our boarding passes from New York to Sydney via Los Angeles and our Sydney to Brisbane flight. She tells us to give our bags to her and run. She points us to the lady who will bump us to the front of the line to be let into the airport. The people who were in the front and now behind us gave a big sigh and a nasty comment. So now the scanning. I take off my shoes and bag. Dad removes vest, laptop from laptop bag, everything out of pockets, belt and shoes. We go through and as I am through first I start to pack the laptop up. I gab my shoes and put them on, swing my bag on my back, the laptop bag in one hand and Dad's vest in the other. Dad grabs his shoes, belt and the smaller things and we run to the gate while Dad is holding his pants up for dear life. We get to gate nine and there are about six poeple left we join the line and dad starts to dress and we have our boarding passes scanned and we board the plane. OMFG what a rush I still can't believe we made it. That was just like one of those plane shows that Mum likes to watch. So the pilot was an Aussie and a really top bloke.

We are in seats 70D and 70E. Once again in the middle four seat and the aisle and middle seat. We want to see what movies are playing so we grab the remotes. Mine isn't working. So we attract the next flight attendant to walk past and it is Phil. We explaned to him and he reset it. The remote worked but not the screen so he reset it again and the screen came on but flicking. So hw did it again and no change so we moved us to the seats infront of s which were vacant 69D and 69E. Phil was a cheeky man with a great sence of humour. Dad and i look at each other and Dad tells me it's lovely to hear the Aussie humour. We missed it so much. They start to hand out the menu. We look at it and realise that we have not eaten since 06:00 so we are starving. So both Dad and I get the Braised Beef short ribs with Cilantro Rice and Summer Vegetables. Along with it came a tomato and cucumber salad with Balsamic dressing, marble pound cake, cheese and crackers and drinks so our hunger was defeated. The movies I watched was TinTin and Get the Gringo. We landed in Los Angeles. What I forgot to tell you Dad lost his glasses at the Jamaican Airport and they couldn't be bothered to look for them. Uncle Michael had given Dad his old magnifiers but they were in his suitcase. I got for on the Miama to New York flight so I ripped off my fake nails and oh it feels so good to have real ones back. So when we got to Los Angeles we found Dad some magnifiers and a nail files for me. We thought that maybe the flight wouldn't be so full coming home. Well the gate was so full we couldn't find a seat for 45 minutes we had to stand.

We board the plane again and we take our original seats and the seats infornt of us are taken by two annoying Americans who the whole flight keep their seats all the way back for the whole flight. So Dad and I are extremal uncomfortable. We grab the flight attendant and explain about the entertainment system so they go through the process again as their were no available spare parts id LA. So I another meal comes around and both Dad and I have Roast Chicken in a tomato and onion sauce with mash potato and vegetables. It came with a Apple crumble, mints, bread roll coleslaw. Then we get a goodies bag to see us through the night. I contained water, chips, chocolate cookie and a fig bar. After that Dad gets a coffee and I get a lovely Cadbruy hit chocolate with the biggest marshmallow I have ever seen. SO after that I put on an album of music Adel which I decide I actually like her and fall asleep. Dad tells me I slept for a lot of the flight. I wake up and up on a movie. Inception. Although the screen is flickering you don't notice it after too long. Once the movie is finished I go back to sleep and unawares to me constantly dropping a=my arm from the pillow and hitting Dad. After a while he nudges me asleep where he tells me to stop it and I go straight back to sleep. I wake up and put on We Bought A Zoo and breakfast comes. Both Dad and I have the hot breakfast of scrambled eggs on a toasted muffin, sausage (Dad had mine as I don't like sausages), mushrooms, cooked tomato and wilted spinach. Served with Yogurt, orange juice, fruit and tea and coffee.

We finally land after what feels like forever. We go through customs and border protection in Sydney and it is a lot faster as we are Australians. While Dad waits for the bags I change our American money into Australian. We get our bags and go through the lines at customs where we declare our goodies. We loose the seed necklaces as they have seeds. We get to keep everything else though. We drop off our bags at the drop off point and take the free bus to the domestic terminal. For the first time in days we have time to kill so we go and get a REAL coffee from Gloria Jeans. I have a apple pastries as well and Dad has two scones with jam and cream. We then go for a walk and go to a book store where I buy some mini games we could play and some scrabble magnets for Mum. Just because. We then go to the gate and no seat again so we stand and board the plane. We are on a Boeing 767 and we have seats 47J and 47K the far right two seats. I sit at the window and Dad gets his aisle. It was lovely to see Australia from the air again.

We land in Brisbane and we are so happy but a little sad as we are not home yet. With no rushing needed what so ever so wait for our bags with our saying come one, come on under our breath for the first time since Monday. We grab our bags and buy a air train ticket to Roma Street. We get there and Dad can finally go outside and have a real smoke since Monday so I buy a puzzle book for me and a puzzle book for Dad as we have a five hour wait. Oh before that we book our luggage on the train and who would have guessed that my bag was overweight so I rearranged some stuff into my back pack and took out my New York bag to have on the train and book both suitcase and back pack onto the train. After waiting for what seemed forever the tilt train arrives late as the sun lander was late coming in and leaving. So we finally board and just after leaving Brisbane Dad and I fall asleep. I wake up, the train has not long left Gympie and we are running late. Seems like the story of my like at the moment. Dad is trying to ring Mum with some difficulty as he has no reception and his phone is about to die. Funny little story. In my sleepy stupor I thought I heard Aunty Donna and Nan talking in front of us and I thought oh they have decided to surprise Mum by coming to visit. They must have jumped on from Sydney. So I stand up to make sure and yes I was completely wrong. The train doesn't go past Sydney. So after realising that I wait and we finally pull into Maryborough West Train Station. We grab out bags and Mum is waiting in the car. So Dad and I pile into the car out of the cold air and head home.

We sit down to slow cooked lamb, potatoes and vegetable. Yes finally I have had some red meat and NOT chicken. We then show Mum what we bought and we end up with Genevieve's Jamaican Shop in Australia. We didn't buy a lot I sware. So now we are back and we can finally say: "WE ARE HOME!!!!". So after my journey I have realised how luck we are and not to take things for granted. I love Australia, Jamaica is lovely, but I will never go through that much of travelling to get to one tiny island so that is my first and last trip to Jamaica. American Airlines you love to have your fingers up your arse and take forever to do one thing. Finally Qantas no matter what anyone says your the best and will always fly with you. Thank-you for letting us on the plane.

Well folks thanks for reading I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. I hope I took you on a journey as much as I was taken. See ya later.

One last drive

After being quite bugged last night I slept like a log. Woke at 08:30 got dressed and ready. We went next door to find Nan dress and ready with bells on and Aunty Donna was just about to jump in the shower. So I will fast forward to when everyone is ready. So we all leave the rooms an pile into the car. So we set off with out having breakfast, deciding to get something on the way. As we leave Montego Bay or as the locals call it MoBay heading towards Negril. We ended behind a police car who had their lights on and driving about 30kms in an 80km zone. Aunty Donna wanted to overtake, but as being a police car she felt a little nervous. So we stayed behind them and after a while they pulled off the road and Aunty Donna let it go.

So we go a bit further and we find this little lookout totally out if the way and if you weren't looking you would miss it. The water here is SO blue. The water is Ocho Rios is beautiful didn't get me wrong but it was more of a green than a blue. Here it is so blue and so clear. So after some water shots I take my first ever timed photo on my camera and I am quite surprised that it worked great and everyone was in the photo. We go a bit further to see if we can stop anywhere to have a look. We pass one place and decide to keep going and come back to it. So we drive a little further and the scenery has changed to banjo playing country. So we chuck a u-turn and head back the car park with a fence made out of wood and barbwire. I wanted to get a photo but the smell of decay and uria was gagging so we head down to the water and it is gone (thank god). So we go down and it isn't a beach with water it is water and HUGE pieces or coral and in them are fossils. It is quite amazing to look at them and there were many.

After looking at all the fossils with Aunty Donna we went down the the water. It was amazing with the water crashing at the rocks and spraying everywhere. We see these canoe's that aren't made out if modern materials. They are made out of wood and hand carved like they would have done back in the day. Quite amazing again. So after a while down at the water and my skin burning again we head back to the car while at the same time holding our breathes trying our hardest not to suffocate or to breathe in the disgusting smell. We're still nit quite sure what would be worse.

We jumped back into the car and set off again. We originally went to Negril to go to Bloody Bay where the pirate 'Calico Jack' Rackham made his last stand in 1720. To much disappointment we find out that it is now a private beach. So we can't get to it. Bummer. One of the things I want to see and we can't get to it. So we keep driving. We pass windmills and a fort so we decide to go pass and come back on the way through to MoBay. We pass the ever Popular Rick's Cafe. Carline went in about this place so we decide to go there for lunch but it wasn't open yet and this was 11:30. So we decide to see if anything was ahead and see what is there. We go ahead but there really isn't much. We thought we were on the major road as we had not left it. However the road keeps getting rustic. So I get the map out and see on the road it ends at Rick's. So we continue and it becomes more civilised and we are greeted by huge houses and the road ends up dead ending. So yep you guessed it another u-turn. We go back the way we came and see that now at 12:15 that Rick's is opened and is just setting up. It is more of a night business. Apparently the sunset views are amazing.

At Rick's there are three levels where you can jump off the rock's into the water. We look around and take photo's for about 10 mins then we head up to where the tables are and have a seat and after looking at their menu (which Aunty Donna and I kept) we finally order. For appetisers Nan and I have Buffalo Wings (Nan only had that as she doesn't eat much) and Aunty Donna and Dad have the Conch Soup. For people who don't know Conch is a shell fish the texture is very similar to lobster.

The flag that they put up is frigging huge. Bugger than any flag I have seen before. So for lunch Dad gets the Fillet Mignon finally getting some steak. Aunty Donna and I shared the Poached Snapper and Shrimp. We get sides of seasoned chips and veggies. I load Nan's plate up with chips and veggies. When we finish our meal and pay we leave and start to head back as it's 14:00. On the way we go pass Fort Charlotte and have a stop for Dad. I have to say it is lovely to see a fort that isn't restored and over done by tourism. In this photo is the front gate and the dog house looking thing is called the sweat box as we might know it as a sin bin or the naughty corner. The cannon's are all rusted and the fence was so rickety you wouldn't wanna touch it or you might meet Davey Jones in the drink.

Oh by the way we couldn't find it first so we asked the groundsman at the school just outside of the Fort. The kids are out on summer break so I can imagine his job would get quite boring. So he gave us a private tour of Fort Charlotte and the surrounding area. So when we leave we gave him a tip of J$3,000. We then get back onto the road and stop by the windmill which look like early Dutch. The Dutch settled on Jamaica before the English and it was the English who booted them out. Across the road was another ruin and we think that the windmill could belong to a the ruin which looks like it could be a house.

http://grandiosahotel.com/

So we finally get back to the Hotel and get inside when Dad and I realised that we haven't got the grog for Mum so Dad and I go out again. We go to what is called the Hip strip which is where all the tourist shops are. We see the same guy we saw yesterday and we saw him further down the road from his shop and it turns out he owns three stores along that way. He has everything we need. Grog, a map to show where we have been, and another gift we forgot. While there they give us free drinks and are really quite lovely. It is nice to see a store owner that doesn't want to hustle you or take your wallets from your hands. When we are finished we decide that Aunty Donna has done so much for everyone this trip us included so we decide we need to get her a gift and end up getting her a turquoise and silver bracelet.

After buying the bracelet we go back to the Hotel. I have a few drinks with Aunty Donna and we eat junk for dinner. Yum junk. After a while Dad and I come back to our room where we skype with Mum and I drag Aunty Donna and Nan in to have a chat. Then we proceed to empty our bags when I get distracted by a shower and the blog. So I better get back to my bag as we have an early flight tomorrow and we almost be travelling for 40 hours. Pray that we get some sleep this time. Well nighty night all. Happy reading and I will update you in a couple of days about our return journey. I hope that all you readers from all over the world have enjoyed this journey as have I. Thank you for reading.

On the road to Montego Bay and many tears

Today was day when we started our LONG trip back. We only had Villa Caribbean Dawn booked til today 28/07/12 as there is another family coming into the Villa today. So I set the alarm on my ipod for 08:30 for a 10:30 departure. However I was waking every hour to check the time to make sure I didn't sleep in. So I get up at 08:00 and helped Nan make a cooked breakfast of toast, poached eggs and bacon. So there is WAY too much luggage to to make one trip so Aunty Donna takes Nan and her one bag and Uncle Michael and Carline and their three bags down to the bus depot/Jerk Hut. Then she comes back and collects us and our luggage. One bag each. We go inside and say good-bye to Suzanne and Nellie. Nellie was a bit teary when we left. She is such a lovely person and I will miss her.

I took one look back at the table where all the good stuff happened.......The Blog!!!!!!
So once we say good-bye we're about to set off when we realised that the presents we left for Nellie have some how made there way back into the car so Dad jumps out and runs them back to Nellie. So we are now on our way to the bus depot to join Nan, Uncle Michael and Carline. We get there at 10:45, not bad timing. We sit around the table and talk get a few drinks and closer to 11:30 Uncle Michael gets some lunch of yes you guessed it. Jerk Pork and Jerk Chicken. Not only am I chickened out I am now officially Jerked out. So we have our lunch and as 12:00 is nearing people start to realise that this is good-bye for a while. So a bus pulled up for a pit stop, so Aunty Donna said as soon as it leaves so will we. There is no point prolonging something that is painful.
So we get up and say good-bye which is painful as we won't see each other for a long time. So we drive off in the other direction towards Montego Bay. We can't book in til 14:00 so we don't wanna get there too early so we make a few pit stops along the way. There was a sign that just says scenic View so we pull in there too find this little plaque and yes a little part of history. I take a photo and jump straight back into the car or I swear I would have burst into flames. So while Nan, Aunty Donna and Dad go down a path that isn't quite finished they jump back in and get back on the way and crack out the biscuits. We go further along the road and see a sign that says Cinnamon Hill. You guessed it we took the turn and came to a fork so we turned right and went on for a bit. But when we started to hit hill billy territory we decided to turn around and head back. So we head left and no luck there. So we chuck another u-turn and head back down to the highway.

We get to Montego Bay and follow the directions to the hotel. We get there and there are three so we eliminate them. One is too rundown, one is empty so must the the last one with no name or sign out the front. We head inside and it is the right one. We go through the check in process at the same time we are interrupted by not one but two Americans who are checking out. I can't stand that shit!!! So we finally get checked in and the lovely gentlemen who took out bags up the stairs two at a time. Those bags are not light but I guess if you do it for a while you get use to it. Dad and I are in room 101 and Nan and Aunty Donna are in room 103.

The room isn't bad. So we get settled in the rooms for a while then we go and check out the pool and restaurant. We then jump in the car to explore a little where Dad tells us he wants to check out a fort near by. I am thinking another bloody fort. You've already seen one. However we go down and and it's not there. So we head into town where we get a couple of things that we had forgotten. I was thinking that the hustling wouldn't be bad. I was SO wrong. We try to ignore them but they just follow you and that is the store owners. So we finish and we head back. awe hang around in the rooms for about 30 mins where we skype with Mum and we are able to have a good talk with her without the connection dropping out.

Dad's

Mine

After we have a chat we go next door and go down to dinner around 19:30. At the hotel today there is a wedding and the bride was actually coming out of her room going to the church as we pulled up. So we were able to congratulate her. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get a photo, but it was a pretty amazing reception. Definitely her daddy paying. She has seven bridesmaids and all colours if the rainbow and extremely bright. We go into the restaurant and order. Nan didn't have an entree but Dad, Aunty Donna and I all had a citrus rainbow salad. Talk about yummy. After that we waited about a while before we got the mains (the wedding was finished). They finally came out. They were delicious BUT cold. By this time we are too tired to complain. Dad had Shrimp Pasta, Aunty Donna had Garlic Shrimp and I had Curry Shrimp.

Aunty Donna's

After dinner we went up to our rooms and decided to call it a night and get some sleep as tomorrow is going to be busy. When we got back to the room I started the blog and Dad sat on the bed and started to snore the roof down. So now I am gonna get some shut eye. Nighty, night. Happy reading.

Burnt outside, inside and everywhere in between

I surprisingly slept well last night. I did wake when I moved in bed but went straight back to sleep. That might have something to do with the panadol ultra I took. The worst part of my sunburn has been my shoulders. So I groggily woke uo and looked at my shoulders and I was shot awake and the words NO,NO,NO,NO came out of my lips. Yes ladies and gentlemen you have guessed it right. Blisters.

So I walked out into the living room where as per usual everyone was awake and the response I got was "Your up early" from Aunty Donna. It was 08:30. I broke the bad news to them that I was blistering. However thank god everything is starting to die down. The colour isn't so red and my back is not as sore but my shoulders are still killing me. Don't think I will be spending too much time in the sun for quite a while.

So today we decided that we would go to the spice markets and run a few errands before going to the beach. So we were out of the Villa by 10:30 heading into town where we thought the spice markets were held, from what we saw on the sign. How ever we were very wrong. It is a party that is held is held at the Jerk Centre on the last Friday of each month. So we go round and ask a few people where they are held and when they are on. So they are held once a month as we thought but this month they have been cancelled due to the Jamaican 50th jubilee celebrations. So we were a little disappointed, but new Mum would be crushed even more. While we were waiting I spotted this banana tree and it had a flower. Who would have thought a banana tree has a flower. I have to say it does look like something from The Day of the Triffids. Quite freaky.

So with that done we went to the local Cambio so Aunty Donna could change a bucket load of US money to local Jamaican currency. After that we went to the Scotiabank so Dad could get some money out of the wall. When we were done with that we went to a supermarket so we could get Mum her precious spices and some local coffee which hopefully we will be allowed to bake back into Australia. After that we drove about 15-20 mins out of town to Beaches Resort where Joe and Greg and their families where staying so Uncle Michael and Carline could get the sim cards they lent to him back and to say good-bye for now and hopefully not for good.

Yes you may notice that Dad and I aren't in the picture. Dad is taking the photo and since getting sunburned I have turned into a vampire. As soon as the sun touches my skin I scream and run for the shade, so there was no hope in Hades of me getting out of the car which was in the shade and the air con was in. However I did wind the window down and say my good-byes.

So once that was over and done with we headed back to the Villa without getting stuck in traffic. Although over the 2 weeks we have been here Aunty Donna has learnt how to drive like a local. Using the horn, pushing into traffic and having the Jamaican foot all while being a careful and sensible driver. On the way home I took a couple of photo's of a couple of buildings I got totally wrong by appearance. The treasure Hunt which I thought was a restaurant is actually similar to a casino, a gambling house. We didn't go in we were told by a passing local who then asked is we wanted some ganja when we said no he then asked if we wanted some coke. It wasn't the drink he was selling. The Joint I thought was exactly that. A place to get high is actually a restaurant. Who would have known.

So we get back to the Villa Aunty Donna, Uncle Michael and Carline put on their swimmers to go to the beach swimming of course. Carline has not been in the water since we have been here and she did today. Well I did tell her that I would drag her in if she didn't go in any time we were here. Nan and I went down to the water but we sat in the shade on the chairs talking. Carline wasn't in the water for long but at lease she got in. Hehehe. So Carline, Nan and I had a lovely chat while Aunty Donna and Uncle Michael went into the water and then layed down to fry. Back and forth, back and forth they went.

Aunty Donna and Nan hadn't tried Jerk Chicken. The Jerk Hut on the beach was open today so Uncle Michael ordered a serve of Jerk Chicken along with virgin Pina Coladas for lunch. After lunch Aunty Donna and Uncle Michael repeated the process one more time and then we all packed up and went to the souvenir store on the beach and bought some more stuff. This time I actually bought some stuff for myself. So after more spending we went to the car and I walked as fast as I could on sand as I didn't have the towel around me. We got back to the Villa and the showers started. Then we did the normal thing of sitting around the large round table reading, on the computers and doing puzzles all the while talking. We remembered that there was wedding cake still in the fridge so we tucked into that as well as a packet of chips.

After a while Aunty Donna got up to start to get dinner ready. We bought a bottle of Jerk marinade that we hadn't used. So Aunty Donna did her own spin on it. We had 1.5 kgs of chicken so naturally Aunty Donna used half the bottle as you would normally. As well as the marinade Aunty Donna put flour, mayo and milk in it. This was the finished product. It was SO HOT!!! We actually found it too hot to eat. I ate all the chicken and the vegetables except the rice. Oh it burned. So being burnt on the outside is the sunburn. Being burnt on the inside is the dinner because it was so bloody hot. Yummy but hot. And everywhere in between well I'll let you use your imagination.

Well that is all today now I have to go have a shower and pack as we leave the Villa tomorrow and go to Montego Bay to stay at a Hotel which is close to the airport. So nighty, night I have stuff to do and have to try to get some sleep as well. So I will be talking to you from a new location tomorrow night. Happy reading.

Sunburn and Bamboo Blu

Today was another relaxing day. Aunty Donna wanted to spend most of the day at the beach. So everyone was awake before me as oer usual. I finally dragged myself out of bed and emerged to join everyone else. Dad made pancake batter last night, so this morning he slaved over a hot stove top cooking pancakes. Mmmm pancakes. We all had our fill and there was still one and half left. Dad asked if Nelly would like them. So she came into the Villa sat down at the table and enjoyed Dad's pancakes with butter and maple syrup.

After breakfast Aunty Donna, Uncle Michael, Carline and myself went into Ocho Rios to buy their bus tickets back to Kingston for Saturday. I only went because their might have been a spending opportunity (which there wasn't). All since we have been here we have been trying to get a photo of the Ocho Rios sign and finally this morning I did and then my battery went flat. Starting to wonder if my camera battery is a little bit crap.

So after going to the bank an then to the bus depot we got back to the Villa and the sun was still shining so we raced inside and all got in our swimmers. Before we left I lathered sunscreen in my arms, chest and face while Dad lathered sunscreen on my back and on the back of my arms. All of us except Carline went to the beach.  We drove down to the beach piled out and went over to the usual sun chairs dump our stuff. We looked at the clock and it was 11:30. Dad took the first watch over the bag while he finished his smoke. He waited til Nan had finished getting her feet wet then came into the water.

I spent most of the time in the water, but got out twice. The first time I was out i had a towel draped over my head and shoulders to keep them out of the sun. The second time I got out was t have a cocktail, but still had the towel over my face and shoulders. Mind you when Aunty Donna and I went to the bar to get the drinks the life guard who couldn't guard shit apart from his drink started to chat to me and asked me to take him back to Australia. Once I again I had to repeat NO! After the cocktail we went back into the water for a while. i started to feel my face stinging so I got out of the water and sat under the shade with Nan. All of this time Aunty Donna and Uncle Michael have been laying on the chairs trying to get some colour. Mind you with NO sunscreen. They did get a little burnt and will have a little colour tomorrow. I told the others that I was stinging. So as soon as I got back to the Villa I jumped in and had a cold shower to stop what little sunburn I had. Well I certainly got a shock when I looked in the mirror.

I went out to the living room with a towel wrapped around me and when everyone saw me their mouths fell wide open. Aunty Donna couldn't believe that this happened in just two hours with heaps of sunscreen on. Carline jumped up and said she was going to find a Aloe Vera plant. She found one and came back for a knife. She disappeared for a few minutes while I went and got changed. She then came out with a bowl and aloe vera skins and asked me to come to her bathroom I followed her through. I took off my shirt and pulled my arms back through my bra straps so I was still wearing them. I stood in the bath/shower while she rubbed in all the aloe vera juicy gooyness flesh over my face, chest, arms and back. So I stood in the bath/shower for 30 mins while I let all this goo absorb into my skin. While I pull all the chunks off my arms, chest and in my bra. After what seems like forever Carline, Aunty Donna and Nan come in to see how I'm going. Everything is fine but I'm itchy as all hell. So Aunty Donna goes and gets a tomato out of the fridge. Aunty Donna and Carline start to cut the tomato into round chunks and rub it into my skin.

I have to say that it is the first time I have ever had tomato rubbed into my skin. So after waiting another couple of minutes I go and have another cold shower to rinse it off it all. The combination has worked. It isn't as toned down the redness. However it is still VERY, VERY HOT!!!! So I have held off rubbing in moisturiser til this evening as I don't want to blister.

So after my shower I come out and have the tuna sandwich that Nan has made for me. Aunty Donna and Carline go into their rooms for a nana nap. Uncle Michael is asleep on the couch, Dad is on the laptop and Nan is reading. So I sit on the couch and watch episode after episode after episode of The Mentalist.

So everyone wakes up and we decide to go out to dinner to the restaurant at the beach. So I'm getting changed and I really didn't want to wear a bra to dinner, however I didn't think that would be wise. So I struggled to put on my bra and might I say I almost gave up because of the pain. So I finally got dressed and at 19:30 we headed out to dinner. We got to the restaurant Bamboo Blu and no-one is there we are the only diners which is great. The only annoying thing was the lighting was very poor but we managed. The night was lovely. We were sitting close to the water. There was a light breeze, no humidity and the beautiful sound of the music and the waves. Perfect.

We got lovely glasses of cold water and some candles to look at the menu. So everyone who has a phone pulled it out and used it as a source of light. We ordered the first round of drink. Nan and Carline sticked to water, Uncle Michael had as light beer, Dad had a virgin Pina Colada and Aunty Donna and I had Sex on the Beach.

So the waitress comes back over and we order our dinner. Nan, Uncle Michael, Carline and I had chicken wings in a sweet and sour barbecue sauce. Dad and Aunty Donna have crab wontons with a dipping sauce.

We get our starters and we are blown away by how delicious they are. So we are swapping pieces of our starters to try them all. Noe main meal. Uncle Michael and Carline had Jerk Chicken, Nan had Fi Wi which is fish and chips. Aunty Donna, Dad and I have .................. These are before and after shots of our main meal. That's right Mum Fresh Grilled Lobster. Are you jealous yet?? So when our mains come we order another round if drinks. Nan sticks with water, Carline and Dad have Virgin Pina Colada, Uncle Michael has another light beer and Aunty Donna and I have real Pina Coladas.

Jerk Chicken

After we finish our mains and are stuffed beyond belief we pay and head back to the Villa where I get changed into my pj's so there is less pain. Then I sit down to start the blog. Nan is reading, Uncle Michael is doing something on the computer then goes to reading. Aunty Donna and Carline discuss music and listen to some songs and Dad starts to watch TV then falls asleep as per usual.

So now that I have updated you with everything I'm gonna go to bed and try to get some sleep. Night night all. Happy reading. Talk to you from another journey tomorrow.


Fi Wi - Fish and Chips

Craft Markets

After the early start and the full day yesterday I had a lovely sleep in getting up at 09:30. We had decided to go to the craft markets at Ocho Rios today as we haven't been. So after taking our time this morning getting ready we head out to the markets. First stop is the bank so Dad and I can get some money out. Then we park in the parking lot of Silver Seas Hotel and walk back as it is extremely busy. We reach the markets and for a Wednesday it is quite busy. We start at one stall and work our way back.

We have been looking for saris for a while and finally find some decent ones that are full of colour. So between three of us we get seven saris. Along with an arrange of other things. We pretty much get all we need at the one stall much to the annoyance from the other stall owners. I had been looking for a bag that said Jamaica since we got here. I finally found some, however she was asking for too much as I tried my hand at haggling for the first time which was not successful. She wouldn't lower her price so we just left and found the same bags just around the corner cheaper. Bargain.

As we had already got what we needed we left the markets with lots of people trying their hardest to make a sale. Before we left Nelly said that she would like ti cook us dinner. We were rather taken aback as we had not asked her to, but we were extremely happy non the less. So we asked what she needed and we would get it while we were in town. So after the markets we went to Soew's Supacenta where we got what Nelly needed plus more. Just as we are about to head to the checkouts I see the thing I had given up hope of seeing. Chocolate. You can't buy chocolate like we can here as it just melts. So I was naturally over the moon about it.

We were going to walk with the shopping to the car. As we walked out it started to spit and lightly shower. We decided to brave it and press on. As we got to the other side of the road it started to bucket down. Nan had brought the trusty umbrella with her so Aunty Donna and Carline went to the car under the protection of the umbrella while Nan, Dad and I waited under the protection of the building awning. So while waiting we had people try to to sell us anything and everything. I have to say I got sick and tired of saying NO!. After about 30 mins we see the car. Bundle up the bags and walk over. It took us a little while to get out of the rat race that is traffic and get back to Villa Caribbean Dawn where we give Nelly the food and put everything away.

Nan and Aunty Donna make cheese, onion and tomato sandwiches for lunch. We consume them and there for get rid of out hunger. After waisting time fir a while Aunty Donna, Nan and I decide to go down to the beach. Aunty Donna is desperate to get some colour before we leave. As I forgot to put on sunscreen yesterday and today I have had my fair share of colour.

We spend a some time in the water so we get out and decide to get a cocktail. We have PinasColada today. We drink that one and go get another because they are just too good. As we are waiting for a second one, a Mammee Bay Estate Police officer asked if we were driving. Just from habit I say no and he walks off when I realise that Aunty Donna is driving. So we go back to the chairs and drink our lovely refreshing drink. We go back into the water for a little bit. When we get back out we wait til we are dried a little then headed back to the car and drive back to the Villa.

Where I go and have a shower and Aunty Donna shows Carline the joys of Google Earth. I start to do the blog and listen to music while at the same time we try to convince Uncle Michael and Carline to come to Australia. We don't need to convince Carline, but we are unsure how successful we were with Uncle Michael. We start to talk about whale watching when Aunty Donna remembers that she still has the video of the whale watching cruise we went when Aunty Donna and Nan came to visit us in Maryborough. Remember that Mum.

So we decide to have the dinner that Nelly made for us. Carline said it was called round-up. We had fried breadfruit, with salted Mackerel in a coconut sauce and rice. I have to say it was very delicious. By the way the whole Mackerel was there cut up into chunks. In case you are wondering I did eat the head which was quite bigger than the fish that we had yesterday and it was juicy and soft. So I have to say that it was a experience that I don't really want to experience again.

So ever since dinner I have been finishing the blog as well as the usual talking and watching TV for a tad. Sorry that there are no photo's of today as my camera went flat yesterday and I forgot to charge it up. I know how careless of me. Well ladies and gents this is where I leave you to get my beauty sleep. Happy reading and look forward to sending you on another journey.

Kingston

So we decided to leave early this morning as we are told that is takes a while to get up the mountains. Aunty Donna wanted to leave between 07:00 - 08:00. Aunty Donna came knocking on my door at 06:00 as I had asked her to come and wake me as I don't have an alarm. However as it is in my nature I went back to sleep. I woke up all blurry eyed and got up and looked at my watch. I read 07:30. I jolt awake throw my clothes on and go out into the kitchen where I see Aunty Donna and start to apologise for sleeping in. She then tells me it's only 06:30 where I laugh and get something for breakfast.

We grab the water bottle out of the freezer and chuck them into the bag and leave. We all pile into the car and just before we get off we look at the clock. 07:38. No bad almost leave exactly between 07:00 and 08:00. We set off driving down and realising that we only have a little fuel. So as the attendant is topping up the car Aunty Donna and I go into the shop and get some tick-tacks and some gum. Essential travelling food. Uncle Michael and Carline tell us that the was through Fern Gully is beautiful but unfortunately it is closed so we go the other way which is not so comfortable. The road is about as wide as a single lane but it was a two way road and is full of pot-holes. So it was very bumpy.

After we wound our way up and down the mountains we finally reached flat ground of Spanish Town. After a while we reach Trench Town within Kingston. This is where Gloria lives. We are greeted by the barking of Carline's dog Kenya a Shit zu X Terrier. Surprisingly big dog. Kenya doesn't like visitors so much, so Carline up Kenya behind the gate for our safety, then we entered the house. Gloria's house is beautiful. Love the outside the colour. Gloria has great taste. We went first to drop off  a few things of Uncle Michael and Carline's and so they could pick a few things up. Also at the house was the VERY energetic Davnick who is two. He decided that he liked Dad's hat and so he took it from Dad. He decided to climb up on the couch and on me because he liked my sunnies and tried to take them from me. However I am rather protective of my sunnies so he was a little disappointed.

After a short chat we piled back into the car and head round to Liberty Hall. Liberty Hall still practises the teaching and the beliefs of Marcus Garvey. Marcus Garvey was a man who was born in the wrong era. He was one of the first people to fight for black people's rights. He formed the UNIA - United Negro Improvement Association. Where Liberty Hall is situated is the same sight where the UNIA headquarters was. The headquarters was only one of thousands around the world, including Australia. Not only did he fight for black people's rights, he also tried to get people to know where they come from and to try to put an end to skin bleaching which is still a huge problem today. There is a museum dedicated to Marcus Garvey. What we did learn is that people like Martin Luther King and Bob Marley used Marcus Garvey works and words.

Not only does Liberty Hall have a museum dedicated to Marcus Garvey they also help unprivileged children and adults basic skills. Each time they come they pay J$20 which is equivalent to 21c Australian. They learn how to read, write, maths, computer skills plus more. This is such an amazing organisation. I strong recommend you look up Marcus Garvey and look up the Liberty Hall. www.instituteofjamaica.org.jm. So after having a private tour of the museum and the building itself by Carline's friend Andrew who works there.

We shoot off to the other side of Kingston to Port Royal where there is old Port Charles which survived the destructive earthquake of 1692 which destroyed the city. We got a tour and we went into two original buildings. The first had tools and general objects from before the earthquake and after. The next building had only things from the hospitals and from the docks again from before and after the earthquake. The fort was very interesting, HOWEVER there is only so many canons I can take before I get sick of them. Dad however was in heaven. So after touring the fort we went to the Giddy House. If you can't read the sign the Giddy House was built in 1888 by the Royal Engineers as an ammuntion storage facility. In 1907 there was another earthquake and the Giddy house was only partly swallowed five feet. It is still sinking at approximately 15 degrees on the vertical axies. when you step into the building you have a sence of unbalance and feel giddy. Hence the name. Giddy House. We are inside taking  a photo of our guide  Kimberly outside.

After having our fill of the Giddy House which was actually quite fun we leave to go back to Gloria's where she is making us lunch. Not far from the Charles Fort Dad spots a Naval Cematry. Aunty Donna pulls over so Dad can get out and have a look while we all stay in the car and wait. After Dad finally gets back we start to head back. It takes us a while to get back to Trench Town. When we get there, there is an aroma of fish. We are served a traditional meal of breadfruit, ackee with salt fish and fried salted fish. The fried fish are whole and YES Mum I ate all including the head. The ackee is the thing looking like scrambled eggs. That is quite delicious. So us normal people were full after one helping, but being a wee bit differant Dad had four helpings. Much to the delight of Gloria. After lunch we had some Jamaican apples which are very similar to a Nashi Pear. With lunch we got some homemade ginger beer. Mum Aunty Donna said it's pretty much the same as Pa use to make. When I got the ginger beer I took a great big gulp only to feel the burn all down my throat.

With this morning pretty much dedicated to Dad we decided to dedicate this afternoon to us ladies. Thats right ladies and gentleman finally time to spend money.....shopping. After lunch and chatting and saying good-bye to Gloria. We told Carline that we wanted to go down town. Carline was a little worried as she was going to take us up town. Up town is calmer and not to sound racist but where the white people go and Down town is completly opposite to be bluntly honest filthy and stinky. It was a good experience though. We managed to get some Jamaican shirts and get some other little souviners. Sorry their are no photo's Carline told me it was better i didn't take any. She said people would steal the camera right out if my hands or want money from me because I was taking photo. I didn't want to risk it.

All the while Dad is looking bored and I have to say payback. So after a couple of hours we head back to the carpark. Just before the carpark we walked past some people trying to sell some dresses and let me say that there was a very strong and destinctive smell of wacky-weed. You wouldn't wanna buy the dresses and try to get them through customs.

Once we got out of the rat race of the Kingston city we went to Carline's friends place to get the key for their flat. Then we went to their house to drop off all the wedding things. Around 19:15 we headed off home. I have to say top driving to Aunty Donna who conquored the mountains last night like a pro.

So we arrived back at the Villa last night around 21:20. Once we got all bags inside we proceeded to do something about dinner. I chopped cheese and tomatoes for cheese and crackers while Aunty Donna made her fabulous and famous scones with the limited ingredients. So instead of white chocolate she used malted milk powder. They turned out just as good.

So now that I have had my feast I am going to have a shower and crash in bed. Tomorrow will be a more relaxing day. So nighty, night speak to you tomorrow. Happy reading.