Hi. We’re home. What a fantastic trip. It was, admittedly, a very poignant learning experience for Dave and me. Our days of traipsing around the globe with the Lonely Planet tucked under one arm and an itinerary of whimsy in our heads are over for now…a baby changes things a little! It was nice to have this last trip-on-a-shoestring to teach us that.
Here are some highlights, and a few of the things we learned along the way:
The most important thing about a family vacation is FAMILY.
You can’t put a price on waking up to hot scrambled eggs, bacon and toast every morning on vacation…and luckily, at the Knightwick Guesthouse bed and breakfast there isn’t a price on it.
Although it appears to be Arctic Ice Gatorade, the water is, in fact, salty and not fit for consumption.
It doesn’t matter how many virgin Piña Coladas you have, a beach vacation with a baby will NEVER be relaxing. However, it is very fun!
Pay the $5 a piece for the chairs. They are worth every penny.
Sunglasses for children are useless and don’t stay on for more than one second… but they are adorable.
When looking both ways to cross the street, remember that the cars are driving on the other side of the road.
The Pork Pit, south of the Hip Strip, serves up REAL Jamaican Jerk. You may just eat here every day. But, make sure to pay with Jamaican dollars, or you might will get ripped off.
Save your $$ and bring home a nice photo of the STUFF. It’d end up being flung in a year or two anyway.
The Twisted Kilt on the Hip Strip in the perfect balcony for watching the sunset, and enjoying a scoop of delicious ice cream.
If Bob Marley had not become famous, there would be nothing to paint on the walls or sell to tourists in Jamaica.
The Rose Hall Great House is a good way to spend a Sunday off of the beach because you can’t locate the Mo Bay branch, but may not be worth the $20 admission on a different day.
There is a free beach just a few blocks south of Margaritaville. The water is nicer but the beach is not as clean. It’s a great place to spend an hour or two. Note: children will not suffer serious consequences from consuming a handful or two of sand.
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.
Your baby may like Jamaica so much he’ll not want to miss one second of it…night or day. Which means you might not sleep. At all. Except during rare moments of spontaneous napping.
A few other thoughts:
*I want to kiss on the cheek the man who invented SPROUT baby food pouches. They are the perfect travel solution.
*Jelly Bellies are a great travel snack. They don’t melt, hold up in humidity, and are a wonderful bit of sweet after a spicy meal.
*It is possible to visit Jamaica on $100 per day including lodging, food, ground transportation and entertainment. And, if it rains the last day and you don’t go to the private beach you may even return with $20 in your wallet (which you’ll be tempted to spend on self- tanner to make up for that day not on the beach.)
*If you plan and pack for 5 days and then realize your trip is actually 6, you will run out of diapers and formula. Good luck with that.
