When I took off from Toronto, I was so happy to be travelling again. It is one of the things that I really want to do with my life. I want to be able to experience new things and meet new people. I always crave that feeling of stepping onto an airplane and then stepping off in a completely different place from where you started. It's what makes me want to travel, it is what makes me crave adventure.
When I landed in Jamaica, I didn't know what to expect really. I knew that it was going to be very hot and humid, and that I would want to strip out of my jeans right away. I stepped out of the airport into the night air and me and my dad were whisked away by a driver named Dave. He took us to our resort where there was a wonderful party going on. We got up to our room, got changed, and headed downstairs to have some fun with the rest of the people staying at the resort. After all the music and the dancing, sleep seemed like the best option after such a long flight.
Waking up the next day to the blue ocean and green mountains off our balcony made me think that life couldn't get any better than this. All I needed now was a tan, my camera and something to take pictures of and I was set for the rest of my life. Unfortunately, I only had a week, so I had to get busy. Downstairs I went, sunscreen, hat, towel and bathing suit. I found so many interesting flowers to take pictures of, but you know that feeling when people are watching you and judging you when you take photos in public? I'm still trying to get over that little fear, so I didn't take as many photos as I would have liked to.
I started with the thought that I wanted to make a video of my experience in Jamaica. I wanted to be able to show people the things that I was seeing for real, because video can translate motion and feelings better than just a still life sometimes. I took videos of the taking off from Toronto, the beach at my resort, the first night sunset, which was the most beautiful sunset that I have ever seen, the rain up in the mainland mountains, the hummingbirds up at Bob Marley's house in Nine Mile, the Jamaican singers at Bob's and finally the takeoff from Jamaica to go back home.
I also did so many cool things while I was there, because I'm not a total beach bum. The first thing that we did was take an hour and a half bus ride through the narrowest and most winding roads that I have ever been on to go to where Bob Marley was born and raised as a kid. The ride was fabulous through the mountains. We arrived to people smoking and celebrating the life of Bob Marley. We had a great time learning about Bob's life. The only thing that made me sad was seeing all the little kids that were begging for money, and I wish I could help them all so much. I really want to be able to go somewhere later in life where I can help people and give back to the human race in one way or another.
Second thing that we did while I was in Jamaica was go ziplining. Up into the gorges that overlooked the ocean and the beautiful canopy, we soared across the lines, and dropped down repel lines through a fabulous few hours that I will never forget. The tour guides were unbelievable good looking, and I couldn't help but smile when they caught me at the end of every zipline, ahha. We also met some very funny people that rode the bus to and from the zipline with us from the United States. They were so friendly and outgoing and I was so happy to have met them while we were there. It made the experience a huge amount more enjoyable.
Last notable thing that I did was I went parasailing out of our resort. There was a boat that sat at the shore every day and went in and out with people who got to fly alongside the birds. I knew that I wanted to do it, so off we went. As soon as I was up in the air, my heart just lifted up and away. I felt like I was floating on a cloud and I never wanted to come down. The airy lightness brought me to a place that I will probably seek to find again for the rest of my life. But it wasn't a rush, like dropping off a bridge and bungy jumping or skydiving. It was almost the feeling of complete nothingness, and it was incredible.
So all in all, my trip to Jamaica was the best. The food at the resory was fabulous, the people that we met were the nicest people ever, and I can't wait to travel there again. I wrote a poem while I was there, and it's about the ocean. I hope that you guys enjoyed hearing about my trip, and I will talk to you all again soon.
Love, Danielle
Jump Into Bliss, by Danielle van Werkhoven
A cool breeze tickles my skin,
smooth and soft like a feather.
A silence so light you could hear a pin,
the type of feeling that nothing could sever.
Clear blue waters are what lie ahead,
a mystery that begs to be solved.
Close your mind and clear your head
and every doubt will be resolved.
Over your shoulder you cast a sidelong glance,
the palm trees smiling in the midday sun.
Your eyes catch the leaves in dance,
and you know the adventure has already begun.
With no time to wonder what may have been,
you jump into the warm blue water, and embrace darkness within.
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| The plane ride going to Jamaica. |
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| My new friend Greg the Gecko. Best little friend ever. |
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| The sunset on after our first real day in Jamaica. Explored on Flickr. |
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| The palm trees on the beach had the perfect amount of shade to still get a tan under. |
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| The rain at Bob Marley's house was wonderful. |
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| Unreal plant life up in Nine Miles. Explored on Flickr. |
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| More wonderful flower in Nine Miles. |
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| My dad sitting on Bob Marley's thinking stone. (He really just smoked here...) |
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| The hummingbirds that sat in the trees for me at Bob's. |
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| My new Jamaican friend, Jeremy. We was hitting on me, completely. |
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| Bob is watching you. |
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| The slums in Nine Miles. I wish I could help all of these people. |
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| The sunset sinking into the water on the second night. |
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| One of my really hot ziplining guide.s |
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| Canopy Dreams. My favourite part of my trip. |
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| Parasailing on my last day in Jamaica. |
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