Jamaican Me Crazy!

Tuesday
When we told the receptionist at the Rose Hall it was our third visit she upgraded our room to one with a seaview. Now I'm not sure the 'third time' swung it for us really, it was more likely that a) we'd booked through Virgin or b) they were not that busy but hey, we weren't complaining. We were back in our little piece of paradise, the sky was blue & it was baking hot, what more could anyone want!

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday
Reading, swimming, drinking, eating, playing, drinking, walking, sleeping, drinking, paddling, drinking, lazy rivering, drinking, snoozing, laughing, drinking, talking, relaxing oh & did I mention drinking? ... life doesn't get much better than this!

Tuesday
Now I wish I could write like other people. I'm good at Maths but English isn't my favourite subject at all. I really struggle writing how I feel or what I see, it all makes sense in my head but when I read it back to myself it just doesn't make as much sense as it did when I was writing it, does that make sense lol. To be honest it's Jamaican me crazy!!!

I've been reading Jeremy Clarksons book 'And Another Thing', I just love the way his mind works and his ability to put it down on paper. His sense of humour has me in stitches which can be a bit embarrassing when you're sat up to your chest in the swimming pool and someone floats past on a large yellow rubber ring holding a cocktail. You get some very strange looks lol. Thinking about it though it could be the hat I'm wearing to keep my head from getting burnt! OMG did I tell you how hot it is again tday? I have no idea in degrees but all I can say is the next time you have the oven on, stick your head in it & you'd be about there!!!!!

Harlan Coben very kindly published another book for me just before we came away, 'Hold Tight' thanks Harlan. It took 3 days to read & that was rationing myself. Anyone who knows me knows how much I LOVE his books.

Well today we went to Bracka Riding Stables (we thought we had better get off our blue 5" thick sun bed cushions before our outline stayed in them permanently) for a trek through the countryside to the white sand & turquoise water that the Caribbean's call a beach (they obviously haven't been to Sandown Bay!). If you've never experienced a Caribbean beach before you have to put it on your 'do before I die' list, trust me. The beaches in Britain are more like builders sand with a bucket of freezing cold water to dip your big toe in for good measure. The beaches in the Caribbean are unbelievable, gorgeous fine white sand with water warmer than you bath babies in!! Edged with palm trees that sway in the lovely cooling breeze ........... Oops sorry, lost myself there for a moment. Anyway it's a long time since I'd been on a horse & I had forgotten how uncomfortable the flippin' things were. I swear I found muscles I never knew I had. But when you're trekking through the countryside looking at exotic plants (which the Jamaicans probably call weeds) with all manner of fruit & nuts hanging from them you forget about the pain. After about 30 mins we came to a clearing where everyone dismounted and changed into their swim gear. Luckily we already had ours on underneath our clothes. We had to then remount the horse who was by now in it's birthday suit, honestly, it hadn't a stitch on!! No saddle, no reins, no nothing. So with a leg up from our Jamaican guide we were told to grip with our legs and hold on tight to a tuft of the horses mane! Now, I don't know about you, but when I've done nothing for a week and then sat for half an hour in a saddle my legs won't 'grip' anything. So with everything crossed (except for my legs) we were taken into the gorgeous Caribbean sea so we could experience riding on a "Sea Horse". The horse was actually swimming so the worst that could happen was you fell off and swam along side. Luckily I managed (as did Andrew & Elena) to stay upright. It was actually brilliant and a unique experience that I doubt I'd forget in a hurry. After the trek back we were treated to some fruit punch at the plantation house. Now although I actually hate the thought of white plantation owners keeping people as slaves I do admire their architecture. That house was no exeption, it was beautiful. It would definitely be in my top 10 places to live if I ever came in to a few million pounds.