My jammin` trip to Jamaica!

My jammin’ trip to
Jamaica!
By Sasha Bulimo, Aug 26 2009
On the evening of Friday, August 8th
2009, my family and I made our way to
the airport. I was so excited and thrilled
that we were “actually” going to
Jamaica, the land of relaxation and
music! Well, that’s just my opinion, if you
ask anybody who hasn’t been to Jamaica,
I guarantee you that they would say the
same thing!
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There is much more to Jamaica than
that. We had a long wait in the airport,
because the flight was slightly delayed. I
was so annoyed; I just wanted to be in
Jamaica already! When we finally
boarded the plane, I was surprised,
because everyone in the plane was singing
and laughing, just very cheerful.
It turned out that most of the people on
board were Jamaicans! From then on, I
was so happy I was going to surround
myself with these types of people for a
week!
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The moment we landed in Jamaica, we
were sweating like pigs - it was so hot
and humid, I couldn’t believe it! Coming
from Canada, I was wearing thick,
layered clothing! I had to remove all of
that as soon as we arrived in Jamaica.
My first impression of Jamaica was very
disappointing; I expected the palm trees,
the beach, and the hotels. Basically, just
everything you would expect Jamaica to
be like: PARADISE! On the way to our
hotel in Ocho Rios (Sunset Jamaica
Grande), I was looking out of the tour bus
and I noticed that Jamaica has plenty of
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land and is very mountainous. When we
arrived at the hotel, we were greeted
with a glass of chilled Pina Colada (nonalcoholic of course). I thoroughly enjoyed
it as I was very thirsty.
What apprehensions I had about Jamaica,
were quickly thrown out of the window,
as I soon realised everyone is so friendly
and supportive.
The beautiful beach at the hotel!
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We had no time to waste because one
week flies quickly in Jamaica. So we had
to quickly organise our priorities. As you
probably know, Bob Marley is a legend in
Jamaica and come rain or thunder, we
had to pay homage to the legendary king
Bob Marley
of reggae. After lazying on the resort the
first day, we boarded a local public bus
(in Kenya they call it matatu) the next
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morning to head to Kingston, the capital
city of Jamaica.
It was a long tedious drive through the
mountains, but I didn’t mind because the
scenery was breathtaking. It is very green
in the dense forest. It was like being in
the rainforest of the Amazon.
Once we reached Kingston, we hired a
taxi to take us to the Bob Marley
Museum but on our way, the taxi driver
suggested we should go to Trench Town.
This is where Bob Marley lived and began
his career. Trench Town is in a poor
neighborhood of Kingston and Bob Marley
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has sung about it in his songs. His old
house in Trench Town wasn’t very
different from any other houses there; I
could see before all his fame, he didn’t
have much. We saw some of his
memorabilia including his first guitar and
vehicle.
Marley's old house, with his first car!
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When we reached the Bob Marley
Museum, I was surprised, because the
museum wasn’t very big like the British
Museum or anything. I later found out
that the museum was Bob Marley’s home.
The Bob Marley Museum
He bought this house when his career
kicked off, with all the money and fame
rolling in. The museum was decorated
very well, with many pictures of him in
concerts around the world or relaxing
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with a game of football outside his house.
Pictures of Marley's life at different stages.
Among other things, the tour guide
showed us where he grew his herbs
including marijuana, which he used to
smoke to the annoyance of neighbors and
the police. Then she showed us all his
accomplishments, records and pictures of
his family. The first picture she showed us
was of Bob’s beloved mother, Cedella
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Booker. She raised him as a single
mother. He didn’t really know his father,
Norval Sinclair Marley, a British Naval
Officer. The museum had a recording
studio and guest rooms where he hosted
famous guests such as the Jackson 5.
The Jackson 5
Then we went to the Shot Room. This
was where Marley and band mates got
shot, in a failed assassination attempt.
On the walls, you could see the bullets. It
was very scary. Tragically, after the
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shootings, Bob Marley developed cancer,
and later died in Miami, Florida at the
young age of 36.
A legend remembered.
We returned to Ochi (as the locals call
Ocho Rios) at night, tired but with a
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certain sense of déjà vu and thankful
that we had made the journey to
Kingston.
The following day, we had to switch from
Ocho Rios to Montego Bay, Jamaica’s
second largest city. Here we stayed at the
Sunset Hotel and Spa Resort which was
full of Jamaican, American and British
tourists. The hotel had plenty of food,
drinks and organised activities
throughout the day and night. I tried to
swim in the sea; however, it was rocky
and full of seaweed which I found scary. I
much preferred the cosiness of the
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swimming pool and the waterslides were
my absolute favourite! Me and daddy
enjoyed water sports, while my mom and
sister lazied by the sun beds on the beach.
A day before we left, my mom decided
that we go to town to have our hairs
done. We hired a taxi to downtown and
we told the driver we wanted to go
where the locals go. It turned out that
downtown Montego Bay is separated into
two parts – the tourist side (Sun Strip)
and the local side. After our hairs were
beautifully done, we took a stroll through
the busy streets and saw hawkers selling
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local fruits like ackee, pineapples,
mangoes, sugarcane and herbs. We passed
through the Sam Sharpe Square which is
the centre of town and my dad showed
me and Lynda the heroes square. Here
Jamaica heroes like Marcus Garvey and
Nanny are honoured.
I left Jamaica with mixed feelings. It’s like
Africa in several respects. Most people
seemed poor and hustling for survival.
But I thought it is a very peaceful and
beautiful island. I love Jamaica and I
definitely will be going again. I thank my
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parents for letting this experience
happen, I love them so much!
Posing at the Beach in Montego Bay
Some Jamaican phrases:
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Ounu ready fi dinna? – are you ready for
dinner?
Keip di change – keep the change
Jamaican national motto is One Love;
Out of many one people.
BY: Sasha Atemo Bulimo
AGE: 12
August 26, 2009
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