Al2getherFIT: Jamaica Part 2: Venturing Outside the Resort

Morning! How did you like Part 1 of our Jamaican adventures?

On to the rest of the adventures...

We ventured outside the resort only two times this trip. I wanted the girl's to be able to get in as much pool and beach time as they wanted, but also wanted them to experience some of Jamaica's natural offerings.

Thursday afternoon we traveled outside the resort to a place called Lobster Daves, which is located by MargaritaVille in Ocho Rios. It's $20 per person and all you can eat lobster, fish, and sides. We brought all the beverages from our hotel room fridge, so we walked up to Lobster Daves with backpacks full of Red Stripe.

I was told these are called Chicken lobsters. They are smaller in size to what I'm used to seeing, but taste delicious! The sauce they put on top was also amazing.

Fried fish. I didn't eat this but everyone else did and raved about it.

Sides included rice and peas, cucumber and tomato salad, and this platter of fried goodness. Sweet bead, plantains, and fried bammy (Jamaican bread)

There was enough food for everyone to eat plus probably 10 more people. We ate until we couldn't possibly fit another thing in our mouth.

All around Lobster Dave's are small shop vendors. This had pros and cons. The pro was that they entertained the kids. The con was that entertainment had a price. We walked away with full tummies, 5 necklaces, and 2 bracelets. After our cash ran out, one guy wanted us to trade Angelo's Oakley sunglasses for a $2 necklace...fair?

After stuffing ourselves (that was a reoccurring situation on this trip) we started the journey to the Blue Hole. We had a tour guide/friend in the van with us to take the ride. If we didn't, we probably would of never made it.

If you ask for directions in Jamaica expect for it to sound something like this:

Things heard during the car ride to the Blue Hole:

"There's a pot hole, just go to the right."

"Take a left after this bush"

"Go up the hill, down, then back up"

"Don't worry, that dog/goat will move...keep going"

"Don't stop here, this isn't the blue hole, they just want to you think it is.." - What does that even mean?!

*TIP* Take a tour guide (or someone who knows anything about Jamaica) with you every time you leave the resort area.

After an anxiety attack and reviving myself to life, we made it to the Island Gully Falls which is a less touristy part of the Blue Holes. We had our guides, Julian and Tony, who colored me beyond impressed! They were SO amazing with all the kids, and fearless climbing trees, WALKING up and down the waterfall, bouncing around the falls like basketballs. We were all wide eyed just watching them do their thing. Along with that entertainment, we all got to jump and swing off the falls too. The water and scenery was beautiful. Highly recommend this excursion!

Our group! Can you picture us all shoved in a van rolling up a mountain? That happened...

Girl power

The falls

Beautiful tropical plants surrounding us

The last of the "blue holes" where we swam around.

That's all the outside excursions we did as a family, besides going to a local grocery store to get jerk seasoning and Appleton Rum. #Essentials

Others in the group went to Duns River Falls on Saturday. Duns River Falls is another excursion were you climb up a waterfall. We did Duns River five years ago and I highly recommend it if you've never been.

Picture from the website