We were all revved up for our all-inclusive, week-long journey to Runaway Bay in Jamaica. It all began at the airport in Toronto, where we witnessed a middle-aged couple quarrelling and making a spectacle of themselves in front of the loading gate across from ours. They were quite obviously under the influence of drugs and uttering profane and inappropriate words to one another. Needless to say, they were not permitted on their flight and were escorted out of the airport by the authorities. Way to begin a vacation!
Now, on to more relevant news about our trip, which was filled with great gems that we'll remember for a lifetime. The resort we stayed at, the view from our room, the excursion we took to Bob Marley's mausoleum and stopping in Ocho Rios, were all spectacular. But, the food was atrocious in every way. I think we had one decent dinner for the entire week of our stay. I never expected the buffet selections at the resort to be of high quality, but you'd think the Jamaican people would know a thing or two about spices and flavours!
Thank goodness for our wonderful driver, Tyrone Neil, who was instrumental in showing us the local places to eat, where to buy authentic 'Blue Mountain' coffee and the premium shopping spots to buy souvenirs. It was smartest thing we did--hiring a trustworthy, former police officer to take us around the mountains, back alleys and areas of interest we might not have seen otherwise.
The best part of our week was the glorious pool at our resort. It was just massive and it was a wonderful spot to chill out, drink 'Red Stripe' beer and watch the world go by. That's where we camped out for the majority of our days. I had never seen my husband so relaxed and that made me very content.
The downsides of our trip? There were a few: The first room we stayed in was beside an area of new construction, and there was constant noise day and night. We changed rooms on the fourth day of our trip when the ceiling started to leak at 4:30am due to the air conditioning unit. Oh, joy.
On the fifth night of our holiday, we decided to venture out to a place called, 'Luminous Lagoon'. We thought it would be a fun evening excursion, but we ended up paying 50 bucks total for a 25-minute boat ride to supposedly see some tropical fish glowing in the sea after dark. We didn't see sh**.
If you're a foodie like me, you know decent food when you taste it. Our breakfasts were horrific. Tons of selection, but the buffet featured nasty looking fruit, shitty tasting breads, greasy meats, vegetables soaked in oil and bland flavored items right across the board. Lunch was our saving grace. We ate fresh salads, jerk chicken and decent snacks. Dinner? Let's just say we were nutritionally deprived all week and that was not a good thing.
Overall, we were quite impressed with the grounds, the people, the beer. For the first time in quite awhile, both my husband and I enjoyed doing nothing. We didn't overload ourselves in any way and we came home feeling rested, thankful to be home and grateful beyond measure for our creature comforts.
Jamaica is a poor country and it was so evident when our driver took us for a ride into the mountains. Most of the homes were incomplete in their construction. I was so humbled to see how the locals lived, with very little. I can only imagine how they'd fare if they lived in a wealthy and affluent country like ours...
Would I go back? No. Would I recommend the 'Gran Bahia Principe' resort to others? Yes.
Frankly, I love travelling to tropical locales but, onward and upward.
Thanks for reading. Irie, mon.
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