In Ocho Rios, Jamaica, we did three activities, Zip Lining, River Rafting and Climbing Duns Falls. All the ship activities only had two of the activities that we wanted so we actually booked these three activites outside the cruise line and got a 40% discount and a Van to ourselves. We had a group of 10 people.
This was the first time I had done Zip Lining. The first Zip Lining was just a long zip line over the canopy of trees and was nice and enjoyable.
The second Zip Line was a telephone pole with a wooden platform. You had to first climb the wooden pole, then get onto the wooden platform and then jump off and there was a 8-12 feet of free fall before the zip line took over. It was a super windy day and it felt like it took for ever to climb the telephone pole and get on top. There were these hooks to climb the telephone pole. Then when I am sitting on top of the platform and the wind is just howling and you are so high up and the whole pole is just moving, but after gathering a lot of courage I jumped and the equipment took over and it was all over. Very Scary.
The third zip line was a Swing. 3 people have to get on and then the swing goes back 90 degrees and then you pull a release line and you are basically on this big swing, swinging back and forth over a big valley. I chickened out on this and did not do it. Everyone kept making fun that I was a chicken, but in Jamaica the term they used was Jungle Duck. So then everyone kept calling me a jungle duck. Quack, quack I say. The second zip line wore out my courage and I did not to prove anything. Quack, quack.
Then we went to the Duns Rivers Falls and you had to get to the bottom of the falls and then climb all the way to the top of the falls in the rushing water. I took one look at this and said to myself, weight plus fall equals helicopter ride to the hospital and I hung in the back of the pack of our group and then quietly stayed back. They get down below and I am missing, too late to look for me. There is a walkway all the way up and down and go down after awhile and look for them, they are still at the bottom.
At this point as I am walking down, there were some stairways to the right and there some beads on the stairs and there is a Jamaican at the top of stairs which has a gate that is locked, he calls over to me. He says can I get the beads, I get them and attempt to toss them to him, he says, "No, come and give them to me."
I go and give them to him and he says that these beads are good luck beads and I should really buy them and he will take whatever I have. I had a ten dollar bill and he gives 2 beads for 10 dollars. (Later I saw the same beads for $1 each, oh well).
Anyway I follow the progress of the gang and after a long time they make it to top. I think they only got one bloody knee. But about 1/2 way up there was an older lady that had fallen and had hurt her hip really bad and later I saw her in a wheelchair. She was at least 50 something and over 300 pounds for sure. What were you thinking, come on.
The last activity was a tube ride down a river and this was without a doubt the greatest tube ride ever. It was on a rushing river and the forest had completely overgrown the river so the river was surrounded by lush vegetation. About halfway down the river we came to a spot where there was a tree in the middle of the river and somebody had a swing on a branch of the tree. I am talking about a swing you see in the old Hindi Movies. The heroes car breaks down and and there is Saroji Devi Swinging in the middle of the river and then Love. Yes, it was that type of swing. So if you are ever in Ocho Rios, you have to do the tubing down the river activity. One of the best and most beautiful places I have ever seen.
Then we went to Grand Cayman islands and we were so worn out from Jamaica that we actually just hung out at 7 mile beach and did jet skiing and being lazy.
That was the cruise. In my opinion, it was great and really the cruise is what you make of it. You can be as busy as you want to be, or you can be as lazy as you want to be. Either way you will love it. I highly recommend that everyone take a cruise, a very affordable and fun vacation.
Final Total for Vacation Expenses:
Cruise: $1400
FontaineBleau: $2000 for 3 nights
Excursions: $1000
Outside Dinners: $1000
Airfare: $2000
Other Expenses: $1000
This was my expenses, but you can do this vacation, much cheaper than I did it. Right next to FountaineBleau was the Sheraton Four Points and that hotel was only $159 a night, or some people booked their flights so that they did not have to stay in a hotel.
When I do something I tend to do it very nice and luxurious, because you are older like me, you never know when you last day might me on this planet, so I tend to enjoy myself if I can afford it.
