Jamaican Fun In The Sun

It's hard to believe that today was our last full day in Jamaica. After a great week of service and activities, we departed early for our cultural/free day in Ocho Rios. The main highway runs parallel to the Caribbean Sea so it was a beautiful drive. About halfway, we stopped at Columbus Park in Discovery Bay. This is the location where Christopher Columbus made landfall in 1494. We also viewed the monument commemorating the opening of the Queen's Highway...named after Queen Elizabeth I of England. There were numerous artifacts, an old ship, and a killer view.

Once we arrived in Ocho, we headed to the Straw Market. This is where tons of Jamaican vendors sell touristy goods and our students can work on their haggling/bargaining skills. They did a great job for the most part! Our 5 boys found a lady who made them hand-woven bracelets that say "Maica 5". We then headed to Mystic Mountain for the Sky Explorer and Jamaican bobsledding experience. The Sky Explorer was a 15 minute scenic ride up the side of the mountain in a chair lift. We had an amazing view of the Ocho Rios port where a Carnival cruise ship was docked. Upon reaching the top, we then did the bobsledding course. This was a THRILLING ride for sure. We took the Sky Explorer back down the mountain and headed back into town for a healthy Burger King lunch. 

Our final stop was the famous Dunn's River Falls. We had unlimited access to the falls and a private beach area. There are over 600 feet of rock and falls to traverse. This was a great way to end our time in Jamaica. The team REALLY enjoyed our time in Ocho Rios, and it is hard to believe our time in Jamaica is coming to a close. 

Thank you for following the blog over the week, and I'll be updating over time and hopefully for more trips to come. Thank you for allowing your son/daughter to be apart of the JAMAICA 2012 family...See everyone at the airport on Friday evening...yeah mon!