Jamaican Me Crazy

Last night I reminisced with a friend about a the semester that we spent in Spain.

It was the time of my life.

And we concluded that, as they say, "youth is wasted on the young".

Looking back on this trip, it was the most amazing time ever. But If I had the chance to go back today at the age I am now and where I am in life now I would do things a little different:

I would complain about the heat and lack of comforts and amenities a little less.

I would take a 1000 more pictures

I would see more cultural sights rather than worrying about my bar hoping plans for the evening.

Oh, and I would really actually work on my Spanish.

Since I am a little under the weather and have nothing to really blog about till I kick this cold. And since I took a tour down memory lane last night, I thought I would post some pics the rest of the week of some of my most memorable adventures from years past.

First up:
Jamaica.

My Junior year of college me and a group of friends went on a cruise. I think I already knew deep down that a cruise just wasn't my thing but actually taking on the experience solidified the gut feeling I already had.

after being stuck in a cooped up room and being harassed with bad entertainment and weird dinner arrangements on the boat I was ecstatic for out first stop along our route.

I awoke to rain on the day we landed in Jaimaca.
But that wasnt going to stop me from getting off that damn boat.
We headed straight to margaritaville in the pouring rain.
There Me and my roomie Alicia tried in desperation to convince the group to travel to mecca: Bob Marley's Mosoleum.
(if you dont know already, I LOVE Bob Marley).
The group, as a whole, was not down.
"it's too dangerous"
"its raining"
"who is Bob Marley"
SO
it ended up being me, Alicia, Kerra and Rachel.
We had no idea what we were doing.
We convinced a taxi driver to take us the 2 hour trek to the gravesite on what little money we all had in cash that we could throw together.

here is what commenced:
(captions provided by the wonderful Alicia)

Junior, our cab driver and fearless leader, takes us into the great unknown.. the belly.. of Jamaica.Emotions take over. Excitement. Apprehension. Terror.

No need for rafts in this country. The van conquers these rapids with unparalleled agility

we find whatever we can to brace ourselves against the current

Tension rises and so does the temperature. Carol starts her daily strip tease.. but could Junior be looking on?

The strip tease sent the driver's mind into a whirlwind. We round the corner and BAM. The bus appears, falling a few inches short of a collision. (Please notice the smile still on his face)

All of the near deaths and all of the tequila have sped up the filtering of the glomeruli in everyone's kidneys. A stop must be made.

our parents would be so very proud

House shopping for Kerra and Chris we stumbled upon this diamond in the rough...

what was thought to be the neverending journey finally ended at our destination

Crazy, our tour guide

bob's thinking rock

Following the thinking rock, we headed into the mausoleum, where I was informed that no pictures were allowed. I took some. But then my camera 'mysteriously' got janked up and all my pcitures were erased. Coincidense? or Bob Marley upholding the sacredness of his grave?

I left him a bobby pin (it was the only thing I had on me) and a note that said 'One Love'.

I would like to note that we barely made it back to the boat before it left port. You all saw those rapids the taxi van had to wade through!