Jamaica
There are a lot of stories around Jamaica including the Jamaican Bob Sled team. There is some truth around all of those stories.
We arrived via Princess Love Boat cruise ship to Falmouth and from there we caught a bus to Ocho Rios where there are quite a number of attractions.
Dunn’s River Falls and Blue Hole proved challenging for someone who had just gotten rid of the crutches. At this waterfall, guides will help you climb the waterfall from bottom to top. The group forms a chain and climbs the waterfall together. Water shoes are recommended along with a bathing suit that is suitable for climbing. Skimpy bikinis and open shorts are not recommended! It may suit you, but your fellow climbers will thank you later. You will be climbing up big rocks. This is not handicap accessible. The company records the climb and you can purchase a copy for your own proof that you made it to the top, or not! I made it.
Sky Explorer is a sky lift to the top of Mystic Mountain. If you’re a photographer, take your camera as the view has some amazing shots including overhead shots of Dunn’s River Falls. This can get a bit pricy but is worth it. At the top of the sky lift you will find the Mystic Pavilion. This includes a museum with Jamaica’s famous athletes including Usain Bolt and the Jamaican Bob Sled team. You can take a ride on a bobsled through the rainforest or a Raggamuffin ride from top to bottom.
Another option is the zipline. We brought the sky lift back down. As we were nearing the end of the ride, a young woman came down the zipline screaming. The operators yelled ‘She’s coming in hot”, and grabbed her as she zipped by. They all landed against mattresses about 10 feet from us on the sky lift. She had failed to pull the brakes. No one was injured, and it confirmed our decision to ride down on the sky lift was probably the best one. The full package for Mystic Mountain is currently $169 USD for adults and $139 for children aged 4-10. Three and younger enter free.
One big eye opener was the difference between the touristy areas and the rest of Jamaica. One bar we saw consisted of a shack with 4 barstools set up under a board propped on 2 sawhorses. This is not a wealthy country. The average salary is under $20k USD. Lifestyles are not glamourous, and many local’s homes are not what you see on the internet. The bus ride was quite an eye-opening experience. Once you get outside the touristy areas, things change dramatically.