Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Jamaica - Horseback Riding

We (Richard) decided on horseback riding for another activity.  Once again I was a little nervous.  I've ridden a horse before, but that was over 10 years ago and all I could think about was my horse having its own agenda and me flying of the back!  My mom, who hates (complete understatement) water did this on their last cruise and I couldn't let her show me up so I did it.  Here are a few pics...
 We did the private horseback ride, which I was so grateful for.  I like that the guide was right there to help because I was certain this horse was going to go crazy!  Our guide sang us songs, told us stories, and told us dirty jokes that I'm glad I've forgotten!  He kept telling us his name was Richard, but everyone called him Donny.  Not so sure about that!
 This shelter was built a few years earlier, but was destroyed by the hurricane last year.

 Riding through the ocean was fun!  Richard had a bit of a slow horse so our guide gave him a "third gear" (a stick) to keep his moving.  Richard thought it was funny to use it on the back of my horse instead!
 

 
  One of our butlers brought us coconut water after she found out Richard had decided not to use sunscreen!  This was supposed to help rehydrate him, but we both found it kind of gross!  Needless to say he spent the rest of the trip in the shade with his shirt on, while I spent the rest of the trip making fun of him for it!
 Richard ate a few ice cream cones.  One of his big complaints was that he didn't get enough.  
 
 One of our butlers.  Curtis was an interesting guy.  I'm sad we didn't get a picture with our other butler.  She was so great!
On our way back to the airport to go home we saw this guy riding on the back of a truck.  Being in a car in Jamaica is quite an adventure.  Lots of honking, cutting people off, speeding, and the list goes on and on.  There were a couple of close calls!

We had such a great time.  I am so lucky to have such a great husband to spend my life with.  I appreciate all he does to give our family all the things we need and then some.  Who knows what the next 10 years will bring??

Jamaica - The Falls

For our 10 year anniversary we (more like Richard) decided that Jamaica sounded like fun!  Water and sand are not two of my favorite things, but getting away and having some time with just Richard and I made me want to go anywhere.  We stayed at the Sandals Resort in Ocho Rios and had a great time.  Here are a few of the highlights...
 Our room was on the top floor.  We had a private pool for the 4 rooms in our building 
and we had our own butler.
 The sunsets were beautiful!
 Hiking Dunns River Falls.  I was a little nervous about this.  
Again it was involving water and that water was pretty cold at times!
 Our guide told Richard to go up the hard way. There was another lady who wanted to go up the hard way also and our guide looked at her and said "No way you gonna make it. Go the easy way."  
I couldn't help but laugh.
 He made it.  I'm not sure how I managed to catch him in this pose, but it was too funny.
 They had us fall backwards into one of the pools.  I didn't want to do it and had I not had Richard pulling me down I probably would not have.  And yes, I don't like water getting in my nose!
The water under this fall was SO cold.  They kept telling me to lean back into it, but there was no way that was happening!  Once again, I HATE WATER!

The falls were beautiful and in the end I was so glad we did it.  We were told by many people that it was a must do when going to Jamaica and they were right.