Jamaica... "Love is All You Need..."

Chris and I just returned from our first visit to Jamaica... ya mon! All I can say is.... wow.

It was a fantastic trip with our dear friends Susie and Ford. Taking a trip with other couples is the way to go because we often separated boys and girls. The guys played volleyball, water basketball, and sat at the bar. The girls enjoyed baking in the sun, reading and taking poolside naps. EVERYONE was happy!

The two hour drive to the resort showed me a side of Jamaica that I wasn't expecting to see... such a poor country. Once at the resort though, it was like a different world! Lush greenery, flowers, and gardens.... white-sand beaches, clear ocean waters, (mostly) happy people walking around singing reggae tunes... and not ONE person cared what time it was. Chris and I asked a few people for the time the first day, but after we realized that there is no time in Jamaica - we just went with the flow. If we were thirsty, we drank (and drank, and drank some more). If we were hungry, we ate. If we were hot, we took a quick dip in the pool or ocean. Life was easy going and carefree for five days.

Chris and I went scuba diving TWICE! He had to convince me it would be worth it... and it was. I felt like I was swimming in a fish tank! The fish were not scared of us because we were in their environment. We held a puffer fish (think "Nemo" - the big one that blows up when he's upset).
We saw an eel, held a spider crab, saw hundreds of types of fish and the reef. It was absolutely amazing and worth the 2-hour course to learn how to scuba. Chris and I agreed to scuba dive every chance we get. To describe the experience is impossible.... it was simply amazing. Being able to "breathe" 40 feet underwater was something I'll never forget.
Susie and Ford went to the Dolphin Cove and swam with dolphins. They loved their experience!

To warm up for our fish experiences - we all went snorkeling. That was such an adventure! We didn't swim with life jackets because with massive flippers, you can keep yourself afloat by "flipping" like a fish! (Underwater pictures from snorkeling to come at a later time. I need to get those developed!)

We all ate dinner together each night, never eating at the same restaurant twice for dinner. With an all inclusive stay, we ate and drank as much as we wanted. Chris and I eat turkey bacon, turkey pepperoni, turkey lunch meat, etc. But on vacation - we ate the REAL thing! I think I gained a few pounds, but I'm hoping that all the walking and stair climbing we did helped burn it off! We walked along the beach during the day and night... We danced in the street party. (notice the Jamaicans making fun of themselves... ha!)We took naps everyday. We left the patio doors and windows open and let the fresh air in. We ate fresh fruit and drank amazing Jamaica-made rum. We left our iPhone and Blackberrys OFF and enjoyed being away from any technology.... what a nice life it must be to have no worries about e-mails, deadlines, paperwork, etc.

While I enjoyed being away from the busy life I have, I must say I was glad to come home to my sweet children and busy household (TV blaring, kids playing, phones ringing, dog barking, dinner cooking on the stove). It's comforting to me to close my eyes at night in a comfortable bed with a roof over my head. I work hard so that I can play hard... and life may be hard sometimes, but that's just the way I like it. Ya mon!