My favorite places share three things: most of the people are Black, the sun radiates, and water is on all sides. The combination equals comfort and joy. Travel fulfills me and I am eternally grateful. Grateful for adventure, sunshine, turquoise water, time to rest, and dressing freely. I am as much a creature of habit as I desire newness and adventure. Balance, I suppose. Jamaica, the land of wood and water, brought relief and exploration.
Sit down, that was my main goal for my first vacation in years. Exhaustion from the toilet debacle, chairing a committee for the sixth year, pole classes and work demands consumed me. Sitting in front of a screen in that weird corporate HVAC dealing with the same “issues” every day is bleak. Time away from the revolving door reminds me that life offers much more. I wanted to live and stretch myself a bit.
This first visit to Jamaica mixed excitement with anxiousness. I feared rushing it. Have you ever looked forward to something and it passes in a blur? I wanted to savor every moment and truly rest. My desire was to be and observe. To feel the warmth, touch the water, and listen to Patois. Jamaica made me feel good. Every day surrounded by people who look like me, it felt superb.
Settling In
Di Lime Tree Restaurant satisfied my need for local food before heading to the resort. Per ritual, I greeted the water upon arrival. The same water I didn’t see on arrival. A window seat with no window? How dreadful. American Airlines owes me money. I sat out eating jerk pork with rice and peas, listening to music, and waited for my family’s arrival. A trip sponsored by Parents Inc. I pay my way by coordinating activities. Once settled, The Retirees, my parents and aunt, and I spent the evening exploring our resort, the Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall in Montego Bay.
Resort life is dual sided. It’s tranquil in the mornings, the only sounds are birds and water rolling in and out, crashing against the rocks. A cute mewing for attention. It’s also what Hallmark movies are made of. Saturday evening Top 40 Jams boomed from the stage directly across from my aunt and I’s balcony. Even inside the fun found me. Tuesday activated the guests. The humidity and probably the drinks made everyone a performer. Sing/holler into the mic, yes! Shimmy across the stage, absolutely! Break out Michael Jackson’s signature choreography, you damn right!
The lead vocalist went too far telling some lady she danced like a Jamaican woman. I can affirm for you that she absolutely did not. Now we’ve jumped the shark. Even my mother was on the mic for ‘We Are Family’ and did her two-step on stage with other guests. Who is this lady? As an introvert for whom attention is normally not wanted, I avoided eye contact with the performers. I will watch the show but don’t need to be a part. Later, sitting on the veranda two women walked by and I heard them lambasting some man and his weak appendage. Felt like a moment from Insecure. The joyful looseness of folks on holiday would make for great people watching.
Live a Little
Like any good tourist, excursions were on the agenda. The first day the family split, my parents and aunt went to cavort with dolphins, my father’s favorite animal. I headed out for horseback riding. Midday I boarded the Chukka coach bus accompanied by early 2000s grooves including “Ice Box”, “Put You to Bed”, “Missin’ You”, and “Sorry 2004” while city, lush fields, and green hills slipped by. I haven’t been on a horse in over a decade but gladly saddled up with the help of my guide, Kamani. The woman next to me felt differently. She playfully bickered with her guide throughout the back country and along the seaside. After an equine swap, we circled off the beach a couple times. I held tight, laughing as my horse galloped through the waves.
Another horse decided that leaving the water wasn’t in his plans and stopped a few feet from shore. Riders tried to urge him out, but he was quite happy in the warm water. I need to find a place to ride at home. Return trip entertainment came via a group of friends who full enjoyed their catamaran’s liquor offering. Two were extremely ill, one took care of them until he succumbed, and the fourth’s only contribution was apologizing and giggling. Color commentary provided by two New Orleans ladies and a couple from Miami ensured no boredom on the 90-minute ride. Last I saw was the group of friends strewn across the sidewalk outside of their hotel.
Tuesday brought the adventure I came for. The Retirees and I boarded a catamaran sailing to Dunn’s River Falls over the perfectly blue waves. Being on the water is just as good as being in it. The color and expanse are serene. I could rock on a boat for hours and watch. The falls themselves were one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life. It was challenging and beautiful. Multiple things I enjoy collided: water, climbing, and big rocks (hello Joshua Tree). A trifecta. As anticipated and purposefully positioned, I spent the first three-quarters pulling up my aunt with one hand and pushing my mother with the other.
Did the climb start rougher than I expected? Yes. Was I determined to propel them with my optimism and excitement? Yes, again. For weeks I said everything would be fine whenever they questioned the “human chain”. No bailing allowed. A few prayers, Bible verses, and a tree kept auntie and mommy going. They made it 75% of the way before exiting stage left at the first set of steps. Dad and I went all the way up (which he declared in DJ Khaled cadence, a surprise to me) navigating the steeper and more slippery section. A divine experience. Wading in the pools at each level, pictures in the sun peeking through the canopy, marveling at creation and wondering who traversed the falls first. A must for every visit. Food and drinks flowed as we sailed back. This is when my mother started dancing, clearly reenergized from her harrowing trek.
Beach Bum
Two days were reserved for rest, Mother’s Day and a serene Wednesday. For Mother’s Day, we lounged in a gazebo facing the water. We made a friend, talked, drank, ate, and listened to my dad play self-appointed DJ. We were happy to simply sit on our first full day, dodging the sun’s blaze under an umbrella. I amused myself by adorning my mother with Fenty Beauty Body Lava. In true fashion, she pretended to complain but I know she enjoyed the shimmer. Later in the day we took pictures and went for a walk on the beach. This is exactly what my mom wanted, to go with the flow. Even the persistent worker bee took time off.
Wednesday, the last full day, provided another perfect fit. With a workout and breakfast checked off, I perched under a palm tree on the adults only beach. The tree took the sun’s might while a constant breeze kept me cool. I indulged in my vacation read, Yellowface by R.F. Kuang, a mojito, and two trips to the pizza spot. Filled a few journal pages with summer plans, plotting to maintain my good feeling. Time away from the day-to-day always gives me the space to be radically honest with myself. My job is beach. A life of writing and traveling is for me. Read, write, beach; it’s perfect. The day fulfilled me, I hated that it was the last.
I’m grateful for this first visit. Grateful for the sun and sand replenishing my spirit and my will, it’s essential to my wellbeing. Grateful for the warmth, beauty, and kindness. For time spent with family. I wanted to be a good guest, enjoying everything I could without being a nuisance. Naturally, I didn’t want to go. But to return, one must leave. I’ll be back, sooner than later. There’s so much more to learn, see, and eat. When the year ends, this will be one of my most cherished memories.
