Archive for the ‘Jamaica Travel’ Category

Driving along in the mini bus on Jamaican roads

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I love driving my van around Jamaica. It’s been about 10 months now I’ve had it and we have covered many many 1000’s of kilometers and nearly the entire country thus far. We have actually circled the island and spent time in most major cities. I can drive around Mobay, Ocho Rios, Negril and Kingston with no problem mon.

We have driven the South Coast route from Negril to Kingston a few dozen times now and I feel super comfortable taking this route. We have stopped at all the major attractions as well as most of the smaller ones in the last year and visited much of the South Coast Jamaica. I especially love the Bluefields and Treasure Beach areas. Mandeville seems like a nice place to chill with some of the coolest weather on the island.

The van has been a great asset and well worth the investment. I have had to put a few bucks into it to keep it running but besides my van insurance its been pretty cheap. The van insurance policy we started with was weak and basically it covers the legal crap we need. I’m looking for some new van insurance quotes online using a new service that I found at QuoteZone.com but I will most likely be forced to stick with the crap policy I have. I say its crap because it does not cover anything more than the other person and it costs a fortune.

I’ve been lost in the van at least once on every trip we take and to be honest I’m glad it happens. Most often we end up in some rather unique and interesting situations that could only be found by getting lost in Jamaica. From 100 head of goats taking up the road or an impromptu street festival that erupts around a sound system in the town square I have been in some places and seen some things that only only me and Jah seem to truly appreciate.

I love Jamaica and my van has been a great part of the experience. If you plan on spending any more than 6 days in Jamaica bring enough money to buy a car and just sell it before you leave. You’ll appreciate having one while you’re here and it may just change your life.


In Jamaica the gun man is in control

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I read this article below about guns in Jamaica after a weekend where I came to see just how deep the love for guns and violence goes. I have noticed for quite some time the morbid fascination with guns and violence amongst many of the men and young boys here in Jamaica and its correlation to the music they listen to. Jamaican youth are consumed with violence and guns of any fashion and the music they listen to is loaded with the most violent lyrics. I’ve met many children in this country and many of them are good kids but they all have this weird love of guns, murder and death thats very unhealthy.

Most Jamaican youth greet each other or celebrate bravado with gun shot hand motions and verbal blasts such as “Pop, pop, pop” or “Blast him” and almost every musician in country promotes it at every music festival and concert on the island. I was shocked to see the Marley brothers so fast to cut loose some pops of their own. I don’t believe we should be glorifying guns or death and I especially think those of us in influential positions should lead by example. I think the Marley brothers owe it to Jamaica to point out the horrible reality of guns and violence and the pain and anguish it leads to.

The Jamaican gun man is a cultural icon both feared and celebrated by locals. Many “dons” or local crime bosses began as gunmen for hire and recent murders attest to the fact that Jamaicans never forget your past. Revenge murders and retribution take up a larger percentage of Jamaican crime statistics than most know about. Just two weeks back a local don was murdered in as hail of gunfire and the rumors are it was revenge for a past murder he committed as a youth. Jamaicans don’t seem to forget and I can attest to the fact they don’t let people get away with murder here. I think it’s a biblical to be honest. Eye for an eye is the rule of the streets in Jamaica so be careful what you do unto others or it shall be done unto you in return.

I had an experience with some younger kids here in Jamaica. One of them is 3 and he pretty much says or does what he hears his older brothers say. At 3 he knows more about guns, violence and murder than I did when I was 15. I asked him what he did in school one afternoon and his answer was “play gun games on Xbox” and I asked him why and he said “to kill de man dem” and I asked how he killed them and he said “with my AK dummy” and I asked him why he killed people and his answer was “cuz every man scare da gun man”.

The UN and Jamaica could try their best and they can never stop the guns from reaching those who really want them. if Jamaica is to come out of this violent trend then they must start by making the gun man a less glorious figure and point out the reality of the situation. The gun man is no friend and no one to be admired. Guns and violence are tools of the oppressors and its time for Jamaica to stand up against this oppression.

THE United Nations wants the Jamaican government to institute strict gun control regulations as a means of stemming the heavy inflow of guns and ammunition into the island.

In a joint press release issued by UNICEF and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)for the Global Week of Action against Gun Violence, the UN urged all stakeholders to increase their efforts to tackle the arms flow, and embark on a social intervention drive in order to curb the high rate of armed violence that has taken over the island.

UN tells Jamaica to ‘control’ the guns - JAMAICAOBSERVER.COM


Smile Jamaica Concert Video : Damian and Stephen Marley

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Damian Marley and brother Stephen Marley on stage at Smile Jamaica Africa Unite 2008 in Oracabessa jamaica on February 23, 2008

2:06 Minutes


Miss High Times 2008 winner announced here on Negril Beach

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Ok, this is actually old news. I went to the Miss High Times 2008 contest on Negril Beach about two weeks back and I swore I posted the pictures the next day but after looking for them on the site it appears that blog post was lost somewhere in the deep dark internet. I can’t find it so I’m going to repost the pictures her with links to our Miss High Times photo gallery for you.

The contest was fun and it seems everyone enjoyed themselves. There were about a half dozen guys there with the High Times Staff on the official ganja tour of Negril that I met with and they all claimed to be having the times of their lives. Everyone was burning big fat spliffs and laughing it up at the bar for awhile after they crowned the 2008 winner and they all seemed to be having a great time. I did not hang out for much beyond meeting last years winner and conversing with her about how being the first winner was. They went to a ganja mountain and saw some small fields in production but it was a bit of a disappointment to some. I think some still have the idea that ganja grows in huge tall trees in large plantations here in Jamaica and many tourists do not even realize ganja is in fact illegal although tolerated to the point of it being decriminalized to a certain extent.

You can feel safe here in Negril with a small quantity in your pocket and know you wont be getting into any serious trouble if you get stopped with it. We have seen cops here in Jamaica ask tourists to put spliffs out who were caught blatantly smoking in public and I have also seen them stand with a group of rastas who were puffing like kings at a reggae show and never say a word to them. I was not even surprised that the event was held in the open at a bar on the beach and everyone was burning lovely with no cops or anyone around. You’re looking at a fine mos often and you might even be able to pay that directly to your arresting police officer and avoid a trip to the jail if don’t use the wrong words like bribe or payoff. Simply suggest you won’t be here long enough to deal with this thought he courts and if you could settle it beforehand you would be willing to do so. Let the officer take it from there and you may be asked for a small cash donation to the local police department. $20 or less will often do the trick but thats all based on how you handle yourself and you’re attitude towards the police who stop you. Do not be arrogant, do not act scared. Be sure and confident that you’re ok and you will be.

They did not advertise the Miss High Times event locally that I am aware of and I never saw any signs or notice anywhere. I found out about it online but much of the contest coincided with the Smile Jamaica concert so I missed most of the events including the talent show and swimsuit competition. I did get the chance to tell a buddy from the States about the show. My friend was here taking care of business for a few days and I told him High Times would be at For Real Beach for the Miss High Times contest. I told him the luck I have had here in Jamaica with people assuming I am a part of the event staff when I show up places with my camera and he went to the bar one night. He asked where so and so from High Times was and the bartender took him straight in. He hooked up with the crew and by the end of it all had himself a spot as a judge in the contests. He said it appeared to him that High Times was run by a handful of stoners who have been there for quite some time and its not as cool a job as it may seem. They do travel quite a lot and smoke the good buds but its still a job and they work pretty hard at it. Who wants to work hard even for High Times? Not me I prefer to work smart and for myself!

Official Miss High Times Online

Miss High Times 2008 MySpace

Miss High Times 2007 MySpace