Wowed by Wild Jamaica
Published in The Straits Times, 13 September 2015:
https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/travel/wowed-by-wild-jamaica
We grip the sides of the rickety fishing boat as it slams against the crests of the Caribbean waves. My husband and I try to ignore the fact that we are not wearing life jackets.
The dreadlocked boatman is perched perilously at the bow. This is a feat, given that the ride is bumpier than Jamaica's potholed roads.
He notices our apprehension. Pointing vaguely into the distance, he says breezily: "Twenty more minutes, mon."
Just as we begin to seriously worry, we spot a wooden hut in the sea and we climb up a ladder onto the main circular platform.
We arrive at Floyd's Pelican Bar, situated 1km off Treasure Beach on the south coast of Jamaica.
It is not your usual bar and eatery. Cobbled together with driftwood and palm, the ramshackle hut is built on stilts driven into a sandbank in the middle of the sea.
In one corner, the bar comprises piled-up crates of the ubiquitous local Red Stripe beer. In another, a cook whips up meals on a simple gas ring, jiving to the beat of Bob Marley's One Love.
Pelicans circle overhead and rest on wooden stakes near the hut. In the distance, dolphins are swimming playfully. A young couple are snorkelling at a nearby reef and a worker casts his line for more catch.
Despite our adrenaline-filled journey there, it is difficult not to relax in such a setting. "All fruits ripe," the boatman says before disappearing to his vessel. This phrase is Jamaican patois - or local creole - for "everything is well".
Throughout, our trip to Jamaica evokes an interesting mix of vigilance and tranquillity.
Initially, it is tough to shake off the mental image of a dangerous Jamaica, which has one of the highest murder rates in the world. Yet, there is something beguiling about the island that is difficult to pinpoint.
It is more than the sun-drenched beaches and gorgeous landscapes.
In Jamaica, where the African vibe is predominant, it is an intriguing world of contrasts: flashy resorts and slums; lively beaches and quiet mountains; locals who are extremely feisty, yet the most easygoing.
My husband chats with a pair of locals who invite him to their game of dominoes. They tell him the carefree setting at Pelican Bar epitomises "Jamaica soul".
I tuck into freshly caught spiny lobster and fried kingfish escovitch- style (cooked with a peppery vinaigrette), thinking that beach bars do not get more laidback than this.
We choose not to be holed up in an all-inclusive resort and decide the best way to explore the country is to hire a driver who knows the intricacies of local road networks.
This frees us from the stress of driving in challenging road conditions, while allowing us to explore the west and south coasts of Jamaica at our own pace over five days.
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