Flying into Montego Bay 
Commuting, Jamaican style
Mangroves and crocodiles
Crocodile awaiting lunch
Crocodile crunching lunch
jamaica
° Kingston ° Montego Bay ° Negril ° Ocho Rios
° Jamaican Coffee and Rum ° Sports
° Real Estate
After 40 years of world travel, Jamaica remains one of the most beautiful places we have ever seen. It it right alongside Tahiti and Hawaii, but we still prefer the waters around Jamaica to any in the world . . . we haven't been to the Maldives yet. They're on the list.
Like many tropical islands around the world, Jamaica's dramatic landscape is breathtaking, as are its forests, poinsetta trees and waterfalls flowing into warm turquoise water. Many of Jamaica's people consider themselves "poor" because they do not have the "conveniences" of countries such as America. They do not realize that our "conveniences" are useless at come at high price . . . and neither do we unless we travel.
The Carribean has some of the finest water in the world for color, clarity, swimming and diving and its Waterfalls
Jamaica is the third largest Island in the Caribbean behind Cuba and Hispaniola, and it is the largest English-speaking island. It is approximately 4243 square miles in size and approximately 51 miles wide by 146 miles long.
Singing!
You will hear everyone singing: street vendors, hotel staff, tour bus drivers, bartenders, people wandering down the street. We know of no other place in the world where people routinely sing as they go about their business. It is wonderful.
Street Vendors
Jamaica's steet vendors and small shopowners are persistent, putting it mildly. Some travelers like bargaining with vendors; we don't. But Jamaicans are nice people working hard to make a living in a stressed economy. Just be firm and polite and go on your way. By all means, if you see something you like, please do purchase it from a Jamaican. They work hard for their money and the Island is filled with friendly and helpful people eager to help make your trip the best it can be.
Jamaica's Crime Rate
Jamaica travel advisories come with warnings about its crime rate; however, it's important to weigh that against crime rates in U.S. cities so that you have a correct perspective and don't stay home to avoid crime. The Jamaican Tourist Board stresses that you are more likely to be mugged in New York than in Montego Bay, for example. And we agree. We live near Oakland, California, which has one of the highest crime rates in the United States; Oakland and neighboring Richmond are nighmares, actually. Then there's the seeming placid suburb of Santa Rosa, also in Northern California: After traveling backroads and dark streets around the world wihtout issue, I was mugged outside of a discount shopping store on Christmas Eve by a couple of white guys from Novato, California who were driving a stolen Cadillac Escalade. The point is to just be aware no matter where you travel, whether it's close to home or half-way around the world. Also, if you are concerned for your safety, stay in the better hotels and travel on tours. Simply use common sense and always be aware of your surroundings. You wouldn't leave your bags on a bench in Chicago or Los Angeles, so don't do it in Jamaica. Also, we never wear flashy jewelry or carry designer handbags during our travel. It all draws too much unwanted attention.
Bypass the Ganga
We were offered "ganja" (marijuana) by a street vendor. However, although it is extremely common, it is still illegal. Being caught with it is a crime that incurs harsh penalties, but not nearly as harsh as if you get caught trying to take it out of the country. Drug sniffing dogs at airports and harbors will seek you out; if you get imprisoned in Jamaica, you're generally out of reach of assistance from your home country.
Heart of a Pirate: A Novel of Anne Bonny
This is a great story . . . my daughter found it for me prior to a recent return trip to the Caribbean. Before going anywhere it is family "policy" to read at least a well-written historical novel about the area . . . along with our guidebooks.
This novel is based on the legendary figure of Anne Bonny and Heart of a Pirate is historical fiction at its best with excellent attention to detail, romance, adventure, and questions of social justice. Jamaica, October, 1720. The pirate ship of Calico Jack Rackham is captured off the western coast of Jamaica. (Calico Jack was a real English pirate captain operating throughout the Bahamas during the early 18th Century.)
While most of the crew is too drunk to defend against the onslaught of the King's navy, two of the crewmembers stand to fight against overwhelming odds. When finally forced to surrender, the commander of the governor's ship is amazed to discover that the two who defend are women disguised as men . . . Anne Bonny and Mary Read. Tracing Anne's upbringing among the society people of Charles Town and the circumstances that bring her to piracy, the story follows Anne as she makes her way among taverns, notorious pirate captains, and life aboard ship disguised as a man. As she matures from the girl who leaves Charles Town, Anne faces the moral questions of emerging slavery in the South and the Caribbean, and the poverty, prejudice, and war that define the men who are pirates, all the while fighting to take control of her destiny among those who will "knock a woman down for her sex," the drama set against governments determined to rid the oceans of the sea robbers who threaten to cripple the world's emerging new capitalism. It is a quick and wonderful read whether or not you are heading for Caribbean waters.
Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude