Took a flight from Fresno to Jamaica, changed planes in Miami and met my retired Dad at Montego Bay airport. I´ve only been to Jamaica once before when I was little, I wondered just how much it had changed.

Driving the 60 miles to Runaway Bay, my dad and I caught up on the all the family gossip but things came to ahead as he has now got all religious and insists I believe his opinions!!

Entered his house that he spent five years building before he retired. We all wondered why he just doesn´t take a cruise about the world or something instead of all the stress and hassle of building but its some cultural thing. i.e. returning back to Jamaica after many decades, one needs to show substantial progress to the neighborhood. This he has done by building the only huge two storey house next door to his old house!

Anyway, bags deposited and rested for the night, I got up the next day and out the door before you could say Runaway Bay!! As I walked down the street, I wondered if I had exposed a part of my body in the hurry to get dressed as cars and mini vans kept honking as they sped past. But no, I soon realised as I reached the corner where people were standing about with no apparent intention, that they were the public transport.

I got a mini van to the nearest absolutely luxourious hotels,(one of many)that line the North Coast. I signed up for three tours, Bob Marley Jungle Tour, Blue Mountain Cycling and Horseriding on the Beach.

The curry goat sign made me laugh. Curried goat is a favourite dish amongst many Jamaicans along with ackee and saltfish, the national dish. It´s delicious!

The Bob Marley Nine Miles Tour was absolutely fantastic, so atmospheric! We drove high up into the mountains to his place of birth all the while, pulsating reggae vibes, free rum, excellent commentary, videos of concerts and fantastic mountain scenery abound. The actually tour again was made great by the Jamaican Tour Guide who had been doing this for about 20 years and their insistence that smoking ´herbs´ was illegal but you could buy a joint from the many hustlers sticking their hands out of windows!

Cycling down the Blue Mountains where the world famous expensive coffee is grown, was great but unfortunately I couldn't cycle properly or, rather, at all. I tried. I thought it would be easy but it wasn't. So the guides told me to walk whilst the others cycled down the mountain! There and then I vowed to learn to ride a bicycle.

Hundreds of miles away near Port Antonio, I saw a sign that said ´Gayle¨. This was my surname and I was so excited that a whole town is named Gayle. I told my dad but he was as disinterested and uninterested as ever. He hadn´t even been to that part of Jamaica. Anyway he couldn´t dampen my enthuisasm.

I felt I had to visit Rose Hall in Montego Bay 60 miles away. Took a taxi from the corner but he got stopped by Police half way to Montego Bay and ticketed. It seems as though he wasn´t supposed to be picking up people. He had to pay $200 fine. Everyone felt sorry for him and chipped in extra to help out!

The journey was very long and I was getting tired. Decided not to do it again! Dropped outside Rose Hall, another long walk actually to the Mansion itself. I should have realised all these old houses, castles, mansions etc are surrounded by loads of land which means up hill leg work or car! Anyway I didn´t feel or see a Rose´s ghost despite the numerous tourist sightings. However I felt an affinity with her as she killed all three husbands and countless slave lovers!


Ahh...Jamaica, Jamaica.. full of life, atmosphere, character, music, birds and crickets making noise all night to rival that of any blaring reggae music everywhere. Hundreds of voyeristic tourists and luxurious hotels in direct contrast to that of the locality rival that of any capital city. I had a fantastic time amongst the tropical heat and streetlife.

I went to Downtown Kingston, the capital and wouldn't go back in a hurry. It's absolutely jammed packed with people,higglers, hustlers, dust and cars, industrialisation, worst than traffic jam in London and New York combined.

Nearer was Ocho Rios, a 20 mile trip done in 15 mins in small mini vans blaring reggae music with maniac testosterone-fuelled drivers forgetting that public transport was not akin to their own private car. Tailgating every vehicle, overtaking at 120 miles per hour and overtaking the overtakee as well as forgetting that the roads were two way and not one way were normal practice! It was crazy! But still it was exciting and unforgettable!