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After arriving at Miami....... We tried to hire a car, but our stolen bag had our drivers licences in it, and the temporary documents we had been sent for a driver licence wasn't enough to hire a car, so we got our personal assistant Jillian our wonderful daughter to post Glens driver licence to us in Miami. We were told 6 days in the post, so we thought we would travel to Jamaica until they arrived.
After spending a couple of days looking around Miami we flew to Jamaica. Arriving at Montego Bay we were picked up from the airport by our host family Lenroy and Fiona who ran a small hotel. Lenroy is our age and Fiona is about twenty years younger who had a young baby six months old. We instantly got on with these lovely people, and settled into the lay back lifestyle of Jamaica. The town of Montego Bay bustling with people, taxi and busses and the busy shops and the day today life. Large resorts surround Montego Bay and a lot of the coast of Jamaica is high class resorts were you can be pampered to your every whim. Tourists ushered to and fro, to tourist
attractions, not what we were looking for though. We explained to Lenroy about our bag being stolen along with drivers licences and that we would really like to hire a car while in Jamaica, in which he told us no problem with our passports and temporary documents that was fine. Amazing! We were thrilled, honestly sometimes common sense prevails. However we do understand that Jamaica is little more laid back, which we are very grateful for because we now had the opportunity to head out each day to explore the Island. It was so lovely to be driving again and stopping wherever and whenever we wanted. Lenroy asked us each day were we had been, he was so thrilled that we were enjoying the island, and amazed at all the places we were getting too. Some places that he hadn't been too, he used to laugh with his Jamaican accent and say " Oh Mon I can't believe it, you've seem more of Jamaica than me" Fiona too saying "Lenroy you haven't even taken me there". We followed the locals advise on where to eat and drink, the Pork Pit where you could eat the most delicious Jerk Pork, and
Jerk Chicken it was to die for and topped with the gravy. A spicy sweet gravy which was delicious, accompanied with biscuits (like a savoury scone) Pulled pork is rubbed with spices and then cooked on a wood bbq and cooked very slowly. I suggested that the chef come and live in Australia where he would be loved so much for his Jerk.Each night we would sit with our hosts and chat about Jamaica and ask so many questions, I think they were so taken back because Lenroy said so many of their guests just keep to themselves. And remarking that we were very inquisitive I think maybe it was all the time in South America not being able to speak Spanish we felt very frustrated, we wanted so much to chat to people.We were invited to Lenroy and Fiona's church on Sunday, along with their beautiful baby boy Ravelle, who was just so cute. I was so excited as we entered the gospel church and knew just what to expect........ and was so excited for Glen as I knew just how loud it could get when you had choirs of gospel singers. And today was a extra special day,
it was Father's Day in Jamaica, so all the Father were asked to come to the front of the church, while me and Fiona and Ravelle stayed put, the boys went and sat at the front, and Glen in the front pew. When the preacher found his focal point Glen.......... He then proceeded to save his flock from damnation and in decibels that would burst any ear drum. We then spent the next two hours in praise, in song and rejoicing, we had our souls saved and raised them up in wonderful gospel music. What a wonderful experience, one that we shall never ever forget. Glens face said it all, I didn't know if he was in shock or just filled with the love of Jesus. All I know it was amazing experience, after church the lady's of the church had cooked breakfast for all the fathers, actually everyone was fed. We ate the most delicious soul food. Biscuits, Plantain, spicy chicken liver, dumplings, collagreens and where introduced to everyone, all very curious of us and we of them. The choir was fabulous, it was like listening to Etta James, it was amazing. I will never ever forget being welcomed
Montego Bay, Jamaica
Pork Pitt, Jerk Pork by these wonderful warm hearted people.Growing up as teenager in the north west England I remember lots of Jamaican family's emigrating, I remember I had quite a few Jamaican friends. Loved going to discos with them, enjoying the reggae beat and soul music which I grow up on, learned how to dance and had great times with these girls. I have always wanted to see were their family came from.Ravelle just loved us, his white Grandma and Grandad particular Grandad. Fiona and Glen went to the supermarket.....Fiona laughed so much as she told us about the reactions at the supermarket, she told us that they turned so many heads. We made so many friends in Montego Bay, a favourite haunt of ours was the Mobay Proper which was a bar and restaurant, were we frequented for our sundowner and evening meal, we just about tried every meal on the menu such as Spicy Pork and Mash served with coleslaw. Oxtail, Cow foot and Curried goat, this food was just was amazing. And our girls Kay and Sofia who looked after us and who we asked so many questions, also "great gals" thank you for looking after us.Driving along dirt country
roads saying hi to everyone, kids remarking "they are white", jokingly I used to say "no I was black this morning" to their smiling faces. Nobody taking offence to my humour, everyone was just lovely, everyone from people who we stopped to ask directions from to shop owners were curious to know where we were from and what we thought of their island. We visited Nine Mile a town where Bob Marley was born and raised, and visited the school his daughter had built in his memory. Visited Kingston town and the Bob Marley museum. And Sabina Park that's were the Australians go to win the West Indies at cricket, I told that one to Lenroy he just laughed his wonderful Jamaican laugh. Sang Kingston town a UB40 song at the port. In the eight days we were in Jamaica we drove around it, Criss crossed it and saw it all. 1680 klm we drove, we walked the Nigra beach, watched the sun set on Montego Bay and enjoyed our time so much. Thank-you Jamaica we found our sense of adventure again and you've restored our curiosity of travel again.On ward again, back to Miami and Florida and hopefully Glens
drivers licence will have arrived by FedX so we can hire a car for our American experience.
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