Journal Entries Before And During The Excursion To Dunn's River Falls In Jamaica On Wednesday, January 11.

View from the balcony of our room in the early AM as we were approaching Jamaica on Jan. 11.

Journal Of Our Bus Ride With Rafael To Dunn's River Falls

Jan 11
5:45 When we got up  -- ship slowly approaching Jamaica.  Docked at 9:00.

7:45 up to Lido deck to meet others.

9:15- 9:20 --Found our bus -- Rafael driver -- Pat riding shot gun.

Tour booked from Island Marketing.-- 22 seater  counting shot gun where Pat sat.

9:30 Left for Dunn's Falls supposedly 1 hour 20min. trip

Those from our group -- Pat&Debbi -- Dan&Janet--Sheila&Bob--Mike&Lois

(Quotation Marks indicate quotes from our bus driver, Rafael.)

One of Rafael's favorite quotes which he repeated many times --

"DON'T WORRY  BE HAPPY!!!  Every ting gonna  be all right!!!"

Drove on left side of the road. Steering wheel on the right so no American made cars.

Drove along ocean -- saw several large resorts

10:05
Small hut type homes

Contrast in structure -- nice homes with a/c  next to a huts with windows open.

Gas around $5/gal -- sold by liter here. Diesel a little cheaper than gas.

10:15

Drive  became mountainous.
80 kilo/hour

Rafael answered our questions with "yeah, mon"

Talked on cell phone while driving.

10:17

Town of Duncan

Road sign -- Stealing electricity? You will be caught! 

Selling  water shoes for climbing Dunn's River Falls along road side.

10:30

Started raining

Rafael called rain "Liquid sunshine" 

Fish for red snapper -- fish with spears

Red clay dirt used to make aluminum.

Rafael kept saying -- "nobody move, nobody get hurt."

Very low tide.  Maybe 10 feet???

Rafael quotes "This driver don't tell lies!"
"On Kingston Mountain. Very close to the sun."
"Trying to beat others to falls so can get fresh part of the water."
"No deer on Jamaica -- just goats."

Club Ambiance Hotel
Runaway Bay community -- in news. -- not far from falls.

Rafael said that he doesn't know much history because he doesn't like to read -- likes to eat

Salem --
Public buildings stronger steal structure -- go there for shelter in hurricanes.

Sun came out didn't rain long.

Rafael: "Goat meat with gravy so good that if you lick off finger will eat the whole finger."

Saw statute of Christopher  Columbus.

"14 parishes in Jamaica -- each with capital."

Rafael led us in singing, "If You're Happy & You Know It"

"No problem" -- frequent quote from Rafael

Play lots of football in Jamaica.

Bus made a very loud squeaking noise all the way to the falls. 

On The Way Back --

After we left the falls we ate lunch at Jerk  Centre, a roadside "walk-up" to the window restaurant.

We ate at picnic tables outside.  I had 1/4 jerk  chicken & Mike had jerk pork with rice' n beans & slaw.  After Pat started feeding the birds food scraps, a lady came out from the restaurant and said to stop.

Stopped at a shopping center -- prices high -- would have had to bargain for price.

Rained most of the way back to ship.

Children wear uniforms to school.

Kids go to school in two shifts -- 7 to 11 -- 1 to 5.

When back in Montego Bay, vendors were selling hot peanuts in the middle of the intersection.
They had little grills in the middle of the road to cook the peanuts.

We saw a lot of crazy driving and what looked like near accidents.