Dive or Bust... Days 7 and 8

Our last full day was packed with activity… after another early start I had an extremely long swim in the ocean along the shore. Though I did sort of underestimated the current and on the way back, I admit I did have a bit of the panic when I realized I was out in the middle of the ocean, with no one around me, no real shore to swim to and lot and lots of chances to get eaten by a shark… luckily I made it back to my finish without harm. But spent the rest of the morning sunning myself in the pool.

After lunch we headed out to Negril for a little shopping and Ricks. Ricks Café was my one must do on the island. It’s a huge bar that is known for their cliff diving. I was envisioning a very Traveling Pants type moment with all of us jumping off the cliff together. But by the time we got there everyone else seemed to manage to injure themselves and thought that a jump of the cliff was not in their best interest. But once again I trekked through and did the jump! Mind you I wasn’t able to do the very high one but did manage the lower and middle ones, and I have to say 30 feet was enough for me! A little disappointed in myself that I didn’t have the nerve to do the highest one, but knew I was probably pushing my luck if I tried that one. And going home in a cast was not what was on my to do list for this trip! But after doing my 3 jumps I was able to sit back, have a beer and listen to the reggae music while watching the sun set… and I have to say I was in heaven!!!

Now I’m just sitting outside on our last day (day 8!) and enjoying a little of the sun before we leave. I’m sad to be leaving what I can only describe as Paradise. I had an amazing time on this island! I’ve had lots of girl time but I’ve also had plenty of time to myself to kind of think and figure out things in my life. Lots and lots of revelations, some good…. Some not so good. And I think I might finally be brave enough to make a few changes in my life when I get back. I’m nervous, scared and excited at the same time. I’m started a new chapter in my life, and luckily I’m going to be able to start it with a nice tan!

XXOO,
Hardt

Yo ho ho and a bottle of Rum... Day 6

This morning was one of our “free” mornings… so after breakfast we separated into two groups. One stayed at the Villa for some sun, and then the other decided on a snorkel trip out to one of the reefs. I’m sure you can guess which one I ended up on! Once again we got into a very rickety fishing boat, but this time we were use to the look and feel of it. It also helped that on this side of the Island the water is like glass, so luckily there weren’t any waves to make us going into a panic attack. Though the cooler of beer that Aldean had packed for us helped too! But our two guides took us out to a reef in the middle of the ocean and let us off to snorkel our hearts away… Now after going to the Aquarium in San Diego a couple of weeks ago I was ready to swim with the fish! And I have to say it was just like being at Steven Birch except for the fact that I was in the tank and the only “glass” that separated them from me was my plastic face mask!

After snorkeling we headed back to the Villa for once again another amazing meal and then we were off to the Appleton Rum Factory… and after 2 hours of driving through the mountains and the most amazing rainforest, with the most amazing rain storm we learned how rum was made and then tasted about 15 of the best rums I’ve ever had. Personally was a fan of this Coffee Rum Cream that tasted a bit like Baileys but oh so much better!
After we had our fill of rum we were back into the rainforest… I have to say it was really amazing watching it rain with the mist coming in off the mountains. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything as beautiful as that! On the way back we stopped at a bunch of roadside fruit stands and picked up nuts, avocados, bananas and mangos… you can see we were a little snacky after all the rum drinking!

Am now just sitting outside enjoying one of our last nights here… listening to the locust and the ocean and wondering how I am ever going to leave this place! I’m tan, relaxed, exhausted… but am missing everyone from back home today.

Sending my love from the Islands!!!

XXOO,
Hardt

PS… And the Animals continue: A school of Jellyfish that I swam through, a barracuda, lots and lots of fish and an Orange Feathered Pheasant.

Bar... The Jamaican way! Day 5

Last night was the first night that I literally came home, ate dinner and passed out! Sorry no blog, but here is the recap from yesterday.

Shock of all shocks I got up at 7 to have coffee… I love having an hour to myself just staring at the ocean without all the other girls. As much as I love everyone on the trip, it’s nice to be alone for a bit of the day. After breakfast Janice, I and our guard dogs went for a swim. I kid you not but I have been adopted by 2 of the dogs, they sleep outside my room, follow me around all day if I’m at home and even walk me down to the beach, wait for me to finish my swims, bark at anyone that comes near me and if I am in there to long they swim in to make sure I’m doing ok! It’s insane, but makes me feel very safe. Wish I could take them back to LA with me!

After the swim it was off to the Black River to take a boat tour. The Black River is the longest river in Jamaica and very similar to the Everglades. Needless to say there were lots of Alligators swimming around! And being the crazy woman that I am I jumped in with the guides and had a nice Alligator swim. Luckily I wasn’t eaten, but Janice did have a run in with the Boat and managed to scrape the entire front of her leg and arm. So after a nice discussion of hospital of no hospital, yes she was bleeding quite a bit and was about to pass out, we decided no hospital and it was off to the falls for us. And boy was YS falls amazing!!! Since I’m usually up for anything and everything I was volunteered to be the one who swung from a rope swing over a ragging waterfall and then just dropped through midair! Though the hardest part was that when you popped up you were dragged through an extremely fast current, almost over another waterfall. And one that you most definitely were not allowed to go over. But I survived, and it was one of the greatest rushes of my life… though I was the only one brave enough to try it out!

After swimming in the smaller falls with our guide for awhile we decided to head out to The Pelican Bar. Now this is not just a normal bar, it’s in the middle of a sand bar 20 minutes into the ocean! And we were envisioning this speed boat taking us there in luxury, instead our driver dropped us off at this remote fishing village. And behind these wooden shacks was the most rickety dock I have ever seen and at the end of the dock there was this tiny fishing vessel… after getting on we had 20 minutes in the open ocean with some crazy waves that were a mix of the ocean and Black River coming… but the Bar at the end of it was so worth it! It was this little shack up on stilts in the middle of the ocean!!! We met Floydee the owner and enjoyed a red stripe (or two) while diving into the ocean! Have to say, it was one of the best places I have been to in my entire life… only in Jamaica, mon!!!!

Sending my love from the Islands!!!

XXOO,
Hardt

PS… And the additions to my daily animal count: Our pet sting ray that we almost stepped on today, Alligators, Cranes, the bull frog that we caught and unfortunately my guard dogs fleas that decided I was going to be dinner!

Pearls before swine… Day 4

4 days in Paradise really have started to give me perspective on my life…. Maybe because it’s given me time to think, living without TV, phone, and bad internet connection will do that to you. Maybe because I’ve seen how much of my life I take for granted and how many things are really unnecessary… or maybe it’s because I was bitten by my prince charming- Literally since my horse named Prince bit me in the leg today. I realized many things on my journey so far, the first being I need to start to look at things more half full than half empty. Since breaking up with Mr. NakedBartender I’ve fallen into this depression of sorts about being “single and without kids”… but the fact of the matter is I have my entire life ahead of me. I realized this week how exciting it is to know that I have my best moments ahead of me. That moment when I meet the man I’m going to marry, the look my father will give me as he give me away on my wedding day, seeing my children for the first time, meeting my grandchildren… All those great moments, are ahead of me. It’s not depressing or sad not having had those yet, it’s exhilarating knowing that those are just around the corner or even just around a lifetime!

Except for my revelations, today has been pretty chill… I once again woke up around 5 to watch the sunset, had a cup of coffee and then decided to head back to bed until around 8. We were off at 10 to go Horseback riding on the Paradise Plantation. And I have to say there is something to be said for riding a horse through the beach looking up at the mountains of Jamaica. After our ride through the plantation we headed back to the house for what was the best Jerk Chicken Lunch I have ever experienced! Seriously trying to figure out how to sneak the chef back into the country in my suitcase!!!!

After lunch we tried to venture out into the water, but due to a crazy current, a high tide due to an incoming storm and a little accident that happened to Stitz (her second fall of the trip but at least her legs match on bruises and scrapes!) we decided to scratch the swim and instead just headed into our own pool, where multiple “fruity rum drinks” we brought to us on a silver tray… tonight will be another low key night of playing cards and listening to reggae because tomorrow will be another jam packed day- A trip down the Dune River, hiking up YS falls, and then a boat ride to Pelican Bar which is located 20 minutes off shore on a sand bar!

Despite all the fun… really missing everyone back home! So once again sending my love from the Islands… wish everyone was here with me today!

XXOO,
Hardt

PS Animal Count as of Day 4: A cow without a tail, a black hawk and these crazy crabs that were swarming the beach!

Aruba, Jamaica, ooohhh I wanna take you…

After an exhausting weekend, I returned from San Diego physically and emotionally drained, and then proceded to worked like crazy all week only to rev myself up last night for drinks with Mr. C&O, which unfortunately didn’t give me anything much to write home about. First of all you will notice it was “drinks” and not a date…Although he is a super nice guy, cute, turns out we know a lot of the same people since he use to work on Scrubs, we were able to swap bartending stories since that’s his current occupation when he isn’t acting, had lots of wine and at the end of the evening I gave him a hug and a promise to call him when I get back from Jamaica so he can take me out to dinner. Under normal circumstances I would say that over all it was a great evening… but of course at the end of the night when I went home a tad tipsy it really was someone else who I wanted in my bed with me. Someone who unfortunately is far away and just out of my reach- both physically and emotionally.

But luckily instead of being stuck at home in Los Angeles thinking too hard on all of it, I leave tomorrow night for 7 glorious nights in Paradise… otherwise known as Jamaica! Bluefields Bay to be precise. In a fantastic 4 bedroom villa- The Hermitage. A trip that has been months in the planning (luckily most of the planning was done by an Angel named Janice!), in fact for me it’s been exactly 4 months of planning. I only know the exact date because yesterday my airplane ticket stub fell out of my guide book. I bought the book when I was recovering at home from my breakup with Mr. NakedBartender… but on May 4th turns out I was heading on a plane home, with high hopes for a trip to cure the broken heart (though oddly enough who knew that I would get off that plane and go straight into drinks with an old friend and meet Mr. Green who might just have been the “physical” cure to that broken heart).. and now the trip is finally here, no longer broken, no longer confused, although also no longer as skinny (The broken heart diet really is the best thing out there!) but needless to say I just can’t wait- I’m packed, have a shinny new passport, some sunscreen, lots of bug spray and anticipate a week of pleasure and relaxation. All in all, the perfect end to a perfect summer! So you may not hear from me for awhile… but I will be thinking of all my friends while I am down there playing in the crystal blue water-kayaking, swimming, surfing, snorkeling and scuba diving… In fact I’ll even do a shot of Rum in your honor just before I dive off those cliffs!