I have just arrived in Jamaica, and tomorrow I will be beginning my exploration of the island. It looks like it’s going to be a whole lot of fun, and that I appear to be joining very cool group of travel enthusiasts. The trip will be made up of 25 of North America’s most prestigious (myself aside) members of the online travel community. On the list of participants are travel writers like myself, as well as a number of destination wedding planners and a number of other travel website owners. It will be a mixed group, and one that I am sure I’ll be able to sway to partake in a couple barrels worth of rum with me.
The Plan
I have just arrived and have been whisked away to RIU Montego Bay where we will be spending the first couple of days. I am here a day earlier than everyone else, so I basically have a free day to spend in the pool with a swim up bar. I have attached a picture of the resort stolen from their website as well as a photo I took of my room upon arrival. As you can see it is a far cry from the hammock in Brazil, the room above a prison in Guyana or the usual dorm room with 16 people in it that I am used to while travelling. The itinerary in Montego Bay includes some excursions, fancy dinners, and some visits to some incredible sites.
Following Montego Bay, Hurricane Brendan will be taken to Negril where the festivities will continue based from another 5 star resort: the RIU Palace. On the 28th of August I will end my brief trip, which has been sponsored by the Jamaican Tourism Board. It all looks like a lot of fun and I am confident that by putting my backpacker slant on resort/luxury travel will make for some good articles.
How Will I Cope?
I know you’re all thinking to yourselves, “how will Brendan survive in the face of all that hardcore luxury and intense pampering? How will he be able to accept such lavish surroundings?” Have no fear though, I plan on defeating this challenge the same way I do with a dangerous city: dive into it head on. In order to overcome the dangerous beast that is luxury I will be sure to eat each and every course served, consume at least a barrel of rum, swim in every pool, and jump on every king-sized bed. In all seriousness, I can not promise I will behave myself, but I can promise to have a whole lot of fun. Hurricane Brendan vs. luxury Jamaica will certainly be a welcomed challenge, and one that I have accepted wholeheartedly.
How can you Follow Along?
I have decided to take a break from my Central America articles in order to fit in some articles from this trip that are fresh, and hopefully fun. Other than that, if you are on twitter you’ll be able to follow along with not only me but all the members of the online independent press by following the hashtag #visitjamaica. If you want only my personal antics you can follow the hastag #hurricanebrendan as well. Here’s to a fun trip, and when I get back the first glass of rum is on me.