1. Identify a great location and resort for your vacation.
2. Realize that they have water sports that includes kayaking.
3. Completely miss the fact that the beach is calm only because of an underwater reef a hundred feet out in the water.
4. Absolutely underestimate the power of a windy day even though the weather advisory flag on the beach is flying red that particular day.
5. Rent the kayak, paddle out to the sea with ease since you have a tail wind.
6. After some time try to turn around.
7. Now let all the facts add up and let it slowly dawn on you that you are in trouble because of the windy day and you need to paddle back on to the head wind.
8. Let the wind take you to wherever it pleases. This means taking you to the other end of the beach which ofcourse is half a mile away from where you wanted to land!
What do you end up with? Yes, a new sport that you just invented! What sport, you ask? The sport is called the "Walk the Kayak". Or if you want the elaborate full name, its called, "Walk the Kayak on the beach under a mountain of humiliation while a ton of people sun bathing in the beach are smirking at you!" Yes, we had to lug our kayaks for more than half a mile along the beach back to our launch point. The wind kept pushing us into the beach where people were swimming and we just decided to walk it instead. Here is the kicker. On the walk back, IK decided it was too funny, abandoned the new sport, sat down on the beach and started laughing her butt off. But hey, it was a great conversation starter with strangers!
Since I don't have a picture of my humiliation, AB generously offered to share his!
So all this happened in the "Yeah Mon" land of Jamaica. The location and the beach were gorgeous. We are now officially spoiled for resort style winter vacation! It was great to spend 4 days with long lost school friends. Ahh, more importantly, being outside the US, we were able to splurge on real Cuban cigars. Another one of my bucket list items ticked off. The $20 cigar took me two days to huff and puff through. Not that I liked it or enjoyed it but hey, a bucket list is a bucket list that should be treated seriously.
Jamaica is known for its easy going, Weed smoking style. And we got a great first hand experience of it. The resort does a good job of keeping hawkers off the beach during the day. Once the sun sets and the beach empties, you will notice one or two enterprising hawkers paddling up to the beach in their kayak with their wares to sell. AB and I were very impressed with their enterprising style and AB decided that he was going to like whatever crappy, hand made item the guy showed us. He even discovered after all these years that sea shells make a ocean noise when you hold it near your ears. And he insists that he never knew that sea shells can do that and he thought it was special and unique to Jamaican sea shells. So I decided to go up to the room to get some cash. On my way out, IK came over to help AB with her formidable bargaining skills. That's when disaster struck. At least in IK's mind it was a disaster and she reacted appropriately! AB swears that I missed IK's sprint of her life back into the resort like she had seen a ghost. All this happened because the guy tried to sell some Weed to AB and pulled out a packet of Weed to show AB! IK saw the packet of Weed, realized what the guy was trying to sell them and apparently took off like a rocket! So, yes, it was indeed a fun trip.
2. Realize that they have water sports that includes kayaking.
3. Completely miss the fact that the beach is calm only because of an underwater reef a hundred feet out in the water.
4. Absolutely underestimate the power of a windy day even though the weather advisory flag on the beach is flying red that particular day.
5. Rent the kayak, paddle out to the sea with ease since you have a tail wind.
6. After some time try to turn around.
7. Now let all the facts add up and let it slowly dawn on you that you are in trouble because of the windy day and you need to paddle back on to the head wind.
8. Let the wind take you to wherever it pleases. This means taking you to the other end of the beach which ofcourse is half a mile away from where you wanted to land!
What do you end up with? Yes, a new sport that you just invented! What sport, you ask? The sport is called the "Walk the Kayak". Or if you want the elaborate full name, its called, "Walk the Kayak on the beach under a mountain of humiliation while a ton of people sun bathing in the beach are smirking at you!" Yes, we had to lug our kayaks for more than half a mile along the beach back to our launch point. The wind kept pushing us into the beach where people were swimming and we just decided to walk it instead. Here is the kicker. On the walk back, IK decided it was too funny, abandoned the new sport, sat down on the beach and started laughing her butt off. But hey, it was a great conversation starter with strangers!
Since I don't have a picture of my humiliation, AB generously offered to share his!
So all this happened in the "Yeah Mon" land of Jamaica. The location and the beach were gorgeous. We are now officially spoiled for resort style winter vacation! It was great to spend 4 days with long lost school friends. Ahh, more importantly, being outside the US, we were able to splurge on real Cuban cigars. Another one of my bucket list items ticked off. The $20 cigar took me two days to huff and puff through. Not that I liked it or enjoyed it but hey, a bucket list is a bucket list that should be treated seriously.
Jamaica is known for its easy going, Weed smoking style. And we got a great first hand experience of it. The resort does a good job of keeping hawkers off the beach during the day. Once the sun sets and the beach empties, you will notice one or two enterprising hawkers paddling up to the beach in their kayak with their wares to sell. AB and I were very impressed with their enterprising style and AB decided that he was going to like whatever crappy, hand made item the guy showed us. He even discovered after all these years that sea shells make a ocean noise when you hold it near your ears. And he insists that he never knew that sea shells can do that and he thought it was special and unique to Jamaican sea shells. So I decided to go up to the room to get some cash. On my way out, IK came over to help AB with her formidable bargaining skills. That's when disaster struck. At least in IK's mind it was a disaster and she reacted appropriately! AB swears that I missed IK's sprint of her life back into the resort like she had seen a ghost. All this happened because the guy tried to sell some Weed to AB and pulled out a packet of Weed to show AB! IK saw the packet of Weed, realized what the guy was trying to sell them and apparently took off like a rocket! So, yes, it was indeed a fun trip.
