Jamaica

Jamaica Hurricane Aftermath
Jamaica Hurricane Aftermath 768 513 Greg Ellifritz

Most of you are aware of the devastating hurricane that hit Cuba and Jamaica last month.  It was the most powerful storm ever to make landfall on the islands and it wrecked a considerable amount of infrastructure.

What should those of you with Jamaican travel plans do?

 

Check out the valuable link below.  It provides the estimated opening dates for many of the larger resorts on the island.

 

Jamaica Reopening For Tourism: Here Are All The Dates For Each Resort

 

Jamaica “State of Emergency”
Jamaica “State of Emergency” 1200 800 Greg Ellifritz

Jamaica recently announced a “State of Emergency” and announced “no-go” zones in both Kingston and Montego Bay.  Read about it here.

Planning To Vacation In Jamaica? New State Of Emergency Has Been Declared

 

You wouldn’t have gone to any of those areas on your trip to Jamaica anyway.

 

I promise you are not going to get killed in Jamaica.  That island was my very first foreign destination before I started traveling for real.  I’ve been there five more times since that initial trip and have a pretty clear understanding of the dangers..

 

I was once chased around a parking lot by an angry local restaurant owner armed with a butcher knife when she realized she failed to charge me $2.00 for the Red Stripe beer I drank with the meal.  I stayed out of her reach and gave her the $2.00 she was demanding.  Problem solved.  That’s the only issue I’ve had in Jamaica.

 

The shop/booth owners in the markets are more aggressive than in most places.  They may step in front of you to stop your movement or gently grab your arm to steer you to their stall.  Just smile, say “Your merchandise looks great, but I’m not looking for any of that.  Thank you for inviting me into your stall.  I hope you have a great day.”

 

The shop owners will smile and you will be free to move on.  It grows tiresome saying the same thing to every shop owner, but it’s the best way to handle things.  You smile.  You compliment them on their wares.  They smile.  You walk away.  Rinse and repeat.

 

This warning doesn’t really affect tourists.  Enjoy your trip to this unique island.