The ship traveled all night from Grand Cayman Island and arrived at Ochos Rios, Jamaica, at 9:00a.m. Ochos Rios was built as a deep water port and The Destiny docked and put down the gang plank. We had purchased the Mystic Mountain excursion; the daughter's new friend, Nuvea, accompanied us with a video camera.
Carlton Hogarth, a.k.a. "No Problem Peter", is our van driver and introduces us to the Jamaican response to all questions: "No, problem!". We soon arrive at Mystic Mountain and ascend to the top in an open air chair lift, our feet dangling just above the tree tops. We video flowers, butterflies, a few birds, and the incredible view.
At the top is an open air, museum-like pavilion with descriptions of Jamaica's flora, fauna, and historic persons. There are crafts people painting, making baskets, or jewelry---all for sale at reasonable prices. There is an infinity pool and this blogger quickly strips down to his bathing suit while the two women ride the "bobsleds". (These are on a metal track and commemorate Jamaica's bobsled entry into the Olympics).
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Huge, anvil shaped clouds are rapidly developing. This looks like Midwestern weather and we high-tail it down the mountain by chair lift. Just as we reach the bottom, the skies open up to pouring rain! "No Problem Peter" shuttles us back to the ship, soaked but happy. As we head to our cabin, the whole hallway has a sweet ganja smell so we know which souvenirs our neighbors bought!
That night we have a wonderful steak and shrimp dinner. Everyone orders the "Chocolate Melting Cake" for dessert and we exchange Jamaican stories. One couple tells how they did the jungle excursion in red jeeps and were chased by two bulls. Another couple tells how they were "chased" by vendors hawking cheap souvenirs til they sought refuge in a bar where a "Shake Your Booty" contest was in full swing with local music and drinks. After dinner, we all go to the Las Vegas-style night club act with a cast of talented singers and dancers. There's Noonan, the Cruise Director, as emcee! We go to bed with another storm brewing.
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The next day is our last full day at sea. We are able to sunbathe and swim in the morning, but move indoors as it begins to rain. We do the monster lunch buffet (complete with fifty cakes for dessert), "Bean Bag Toss" and other deck games, another art auction, and then late afternoon naps. Dinner is again superb and then we attend a late-night and very raunchy, "Comedy Club".
The next morning we dock 2.5 hours late because of the high waves. Three thousand persons are anxious to get home and leave the ship in an orderly fashion. We say good-bye to 80 degree F weather and fly back to cold St Louis. The next day our wind chill is 25 degrees F and there are "icy glazes" on the bridges. This blogger walks like a drunk for the next three days until he loses his "sea legs", not sure if he will cruise again, but hating cold winter weather!