Sunday, March 26 – St. Maarten

Not a whole lot to write about today unfortunately. I worked on a journal entry, prepped for my Jamaica visit, and went for a swim at Simpson Bay. Tomorrow should be more interesting…

Monday, March 27 – St. Maarten

I’m traveling to France today! It’ll be a short trip. The walk to Marigot, the capital of St. Martin, will take about 45 minutes.

For my return, I planned on making a counterclockwise loop around Simpson Bay Lagoon. It seemed like it had the potential for some great views of both the lagoon and Nettle Bay. That sadly wasn’t the case though. Access to both of those bodies of water was pretty much blocked by resorts or private residences.

And it turned out to be a long walk! I ended the day with just under 34k steps, so there is that! (the 2nd highest daily output so far on the trip, exceeded only by my slightly longer trek in Barbados).

Tuesday, March 28 – transit from St. Maarten to Kingston, Jamaica

I have a mid-morning flight today. As with my arrival here, I’m traveling to the airport on foot (a 20 minute walk). Avoiding taxis makes me happy!

My non-stop Caribbean Airlines flight to Kingston took about 2 hours and cost 316 USD. The 737 originated in Barbados; after we boarded in St. Maarten, the plane was three-quarters full.

Travel Note: I was not asked about onward or return travel by the Caribbean Airlines ticket agent in St. Maarten.

St. Maarten Information

• Currency: It’s interesting, both the Netherlands Antillean Guilder and the U.S. Dollar are accepted here. In fact, in the grocery store for example, both prices are indicated for items.
• Language: English
• Vehicle Traffic: Drive on the right
• Weather: High in the mid 80s, Low in the mid 70s, moderate humidity
• Covid Entry Requirements: None
• Mask Wearing: Rare
• Electrical Outlets: U.S. Type
• Drinkable Tap Water: Yes
• Timezone: Same as U.S. Eastern

Prior to my arrival I had arranged a ride from the airport with my Kingston Bed & Breakfast; that trip took 30 minutes and cost 40 USD.

Travel Note: The lock on my door wasn’t working, so they gave me 4 USD off per night. Gee thanks! I could lock the door from the inside, but I couldn’t lock it when I left. I was assured that it would be no problem, only staff would have access to the area. Whatever, I still took my important stuff with me whenever I left. Kind of a hassle, but it turned out not to be an issue. I’m still trying to figure out though why it’s so difficult to fix a door knob?

It was late afternoon by the time I reached the B&B; I was content to rest up for tomorrow.

Wednesday, March 29 – Kingston

I have a few places within walking distance that I plan on visiting today. Let’s do this!

Unfortunately, the taking of pictures was not allowed within the house. Most of the rooms have been converted to display various memorabilia, with the exception of the bedroom and recording studio, both of which remain relatively intact. Entry to the museum was timed via a tour guide, who was very good. Including a 15 minute documentary at the end, the tour lasted an hour and forty-five minutes and cost 25 USD. And it was popular! There were around 20 people in our group.

Side Note: One the wall in one of the rooms I noticed a citation presented to Bob in 1978 by the Wisconsin State Assembly! I didn’t have the time to read what it was for. I did a little research online, but couldn’t find any additional details.

Next on my journey was a visit to the grounds of Devon House. The home was built in 1881, and is the former residence of George Stiebel, Jamaica’s first black millionaire. The name comes from the property previously being called Devon Penn before Stiebel made his fortune in Venezuela and returned to purchase it.

Thursday, March 30 – Kingston

With the help of the B&B staff, I’ve hired a driver today to take me up to the nearby Blue Mountains. You may have heard of this area due to their famous brand of coffee. I could have chosen to go on a coffee tour, but since I’m not a drinker, I decided to go on a hike instead.

Our destination is Holywell Park, a nature preserve that is part of the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park. There are many trails throughout the park, and I’ve chosen a couple that I think will fit into my allotted hiking time of 90 minutes as my driver stands by (I don’t like having to be on the clock while I hike, but don’t really have an option in this case).

The drive from Kingston to the park took around 90 minutes and was mainly on a slow and winding narrow road. It was a pretty route, but because of the road conditions, we were unable to stop and take any pictures.

Side Note: The main road to the park cuts through a Jamaican Defense Force (JDF) base. On both our ascent and descent from the park, our vehicle was stopped while we waited for army drills taking place nearby to be completed.

I ended up spending 2 hours on the trails. We then had another 90 minute drive back to the B&B. Total duration: 5 hours, at a cost of 87 USD for the driver. Not terrible, I guess. There was a 10 USD entry fee for the park. In hindsight, I’d say the excursion probably wasn’t worth it. The hiking wasn’t all that spectacular. Oh well, I had to give it a shot while I was here.

Later in the afternoon I returned to the Devon House shops to try another Jamaican favorite – Jerk meats (the island barbecue). The meat is covered with a sauce and herbs and then slow-cooked over a coal fire.

Following my jerk meal I walked around the corner to the ice cream shop, but it was packed with customers. Sadly, I passed…

Kind of a disappointing day: the uninspiring hike, the uninspiring jerk, and no ice cream. But I need to stay positive – a couple new experiences that I’m fortunate to be able to undertake. (And regarding the ice cream, that’s my own fault (lack of patience!)!)