Tapaigh an Dies

No one but ourselves can free our mind

On our last full day in Jamaica, the girls wanted some more sun time on the beach, but since I A) burn in a matter of 5 seconds and B) had already speed through 4 of my 5 books, I decided on something a little more adventurous. I took advantage of the club shuttle to the nearby famous Dunn’s River Falls in Ocho Rios. Getting off the shuttle and walking into the park was a little daunting, as I was alone, but I quickly just flashed a lot of nervous smiles and a tour guide quickly came to take me under his wing. He set me up with a group of English students and we marched down to the beach to begin the forty minute trek up the waterfall (literally, up the actual waterfall). 

It was so much fun! The water was freezing, but I got used to it pretty quick as my guide (who nicknamed me Lonely Girl, gee thanks) pushed me into the first pool we came to. The twenty or so people in my group joined hands as we moved in a winding fashion up the falls, stopping to slide down some parts, jump in the pools, and pose for pictures in the falls. We all let out a loud scream of “YEAH MON” at the top, and then I quickly realized that I still had an hour and a half before the shuttle was going to come get me. 

I wandered back down to the beach, sat down, and just admired the beauty of the ocean. My tour guide sat with me for a while, and soon we had attracted the attention of the guys who were working the jet-ski stand as well. Aside from the fact that they ALL called me Lonely Girl, it was a really nice conversation. They teased me for how stressed out I got when I talked about how I have NO CLUE what I’m doing with my life next year. In order to stress their point that I needed to just live in the moment and have fun, they gave me a free jet-ski ride! 

While the entire afternoon certainly would have been more fun with friends (especially friends who are idiots and would have fallen into, down, and over the falls a hundred times) I’m really, really glad I went. It was nice to overcome the nervousness I felt from being on my own. I’ll also be the first to admit that I often rely on how outgoing my friends are - rather than remembering I have just as much personality and “out-going-ness”, I’m just not as loud about it. 

Jamaica was an amazing vacation. I can’t wait to go back.