Travelling is an education, which can be sometimes very expensive but it's a means to an end result which will last through a lifetime of memory, particular if you travel to the Caribbean, and visit the idyllic paradise festivities which unveils a distant world beyond the centuries of plantation ownership to modern merchandising, where the Isles are surrounded with praise singers, and happy go lucky cultural roots followers.
The revelation becomes more extraordinary, to see how irrelevant national pride and free spirit of democracy is immerse totally in the climate of absolute relaxation, in some parts of the island conditions has not changed over the centuries. The food and spicy dishes remained very distinct, everything on the island tastes different from other countries, included the island most celebrated sugar cane, syrup, ice cream, cheese, tea and coffee and of course rum punch.
In the Caribbean, there is a vast difference between speeds measured by time, and what is actually the time, the importance of time rarely takes any precedence over a conversation, and depending upon the importance of what is taking place during that day, there might only be two kinds of urgency, slow and slower, the difference is easily spotted by the locals who are porters of exquisite conversation as well as their ingeniousness to prize money out form travellers.
Holiday reading becomes easier as you engage in a conversation with local people, who have prior mindset of holiday makers, and will seduce you to an adrenalin flow, with no shortage of dry humour and beaten entertainment, especially in the Caribbean where you will find young hopefuls looking for any avenue to experience western civilization fever.
Given the opportunity, people will invite themselves to make your ideal travelling companion, for a small payment of course, and should you need to go anywhere in a hurry, they will be at your beckoning call on the island. The only downside to this engagement is getting rid of your driver whenever you want a moment's peace and quiet to yourself, and this could prove to be just another extensive tour, and the question they will be asking could be where to next?
The Caribbean past glory of cultivating sugar cane have long gone replace by another kind of merchandise. An extravagant off limit investment which simply has become too big to dismiss and the islands have now swallowed up in profit becoming a haven retreat for millionaires
The whole of the Caribbean is Warm and sunny fifty weeks of the year, mixed with African and European origin, there are also Chinese and Indian minorities, Jamaican Creole is the easy pick up language spoken by everyone. Exporting the usual agricultural goods, sugar, banana , bauxite, cocoa , coconuts, not forgetting the rum, Jamaica pride itself on tourism and offers accommodation cascading steeply down to the waterfront where buccaneer gold were once loaded, therefore premium suntan is guarantee, but now money from tourism helping to rebuild the country.
The Caribbean races to the mind with breadfruit and mango trees, citrus, nutmeg and the interesting sight of Rastafarian's peacefully accomplishing their faith. The odd crater of extinct volcano is a vivid reminder reminiscent of life in another bygone age showing no lively signs of reactivating.
However if you spend long enough in the parish of St Elizabeth, drivers know how to reach their destination with time enough to spare, they drive fast sometimes without due care and attention, when at last you have arrived at journeys end through sunshine and dust, its always with a great sigh of relief.
Drivers are aware of every twist and turn in the road, they cross mountain streams and waterfalls with mountain pools and aromatic valleys, the views of this fabulous island becomes even more spectacular and panoramic. I sat back a little ill at ease, and prayed in my heart for journeying mercies.
As my hired driver pretty shirt, in his accustomed mood and short sleeve Hawaiian shirt step on the gas, his motivated spirit is an inspiration, with not a care in the world he blasted off to the summit of spur tree hill. On my way to Clarendon, through picturesque Allan bamboo, my heart had not really stop beating, but it may do coming back down the hill.
