Real Honeymoon: Sasha + Larry in Jamaica

Deciding on the travel destination … “Deciding on Jamaica was easy: this was also the location for our wedding.  My (Sasha’s) maternal family is  from Jamaica; so, it only seemed fitting to continue our union celebration in the lovely island.”

Staying in Secrets Wild Orchild  … “After saying our “I Do’s,” we headed to Secrets Wild Orchid to kick off our honeymoon.  The resort is a couples-only retreat filled with a collection of international cultures with a Jamaican twist. As soon as we arrived, we were greeted with incomparable hospitality that lasted throughout our stay.  So we settled in and explored the resort edge to edge.  Everyday, the resort has a newsletter filled with daily activities and nightlife shows.  No two days were identical, which is great because it made you have a sense of urgency and once-in-a-lifetime feeling that made you feel the need to explore everything that was offered.”

A Spooky Tale & A Taste of Bob Marley … “Our first day was all about relaxing and lounging on the beach.  It didn’t take long for us to get the itch to go off the beaten path. Our friend, Patrick, was so gracious to take us deeper into Jamaica without the shine of the tourist attractions.  So, the next day we headed to the White Witch of Rose Hall Mansion. This house is a historical attraction that many do not get a chance to see.  As a child, I had been to the house, but wanted Larry to experience it as well.  A tour guide takes you through the home and gives you details about every square inch of it.  There was also a lovely gift shop that had great souvenirs to always remember the trip.

After touring the mansion, we headed to Nine Mile to visit the Bob Marley Mausoleum, the home of Marley’s resting place. It is also home to his mother’s and brother’s resting place.  This attraction was also his first childhood home.  Although it was over an hour drive, the ride to Saint James was priceless.  On the way, we made several stops to taste the fruit and homemade food.  It was also great to see lots of  handcrafted artwork. The Mausoleum is a place we have always wanted to visit and experience.  Those that greeted us thanked us for traveling so far from the tourist attractions to visit.   There were only 4 of us there.  We were also about to visit Cedella Booker Basic School which is also in Nine Mile in St. Ann. The school was named after Bob Marley’s mother.”

New Discoveries & Cliff Diving ….. “On Wednesday, we decided to stay on the resort after the full day of trekking through the island.  We went bike riding and Larry did some snorkeling.  Snorkeling introduced Larry to some alluring creatures at the bottom of the crystal blue sea.  He experienced once-in-a-lifetime sightings of such creatures: as coral, eel,  and schools of fish only found in these remote waters.

Thursday was another day we spent off of the resort.  It was our last offical day, so we wanted it to be great.  We headed up to the hills to go to Roaring River, a remote natural cave dwelling with fresh water springs.  It was a very impromptu experience.  Although it can be considered a tourist attraction, there were only 2 people there when we arrived.  Our tour guides, Robert and Collins, were great at sharing what they call home to us.  That evening, we went over to Negril to check out Rick’s Cafe at Rock Cliff.  There was plenty of dinner, dancing and attractions such as local residents jumping off the cliffs that were 30 to 40 above the ocean.”

The Best Thing … “Of course, the BEST thing about our trip was getting married. :) Another important element we wanted to have before stepping off the plane was a cultured real-life experience. While the resort is great, we wanted an authentic experience filled with local food, conversation and learning experiences. We loved that we were able to be untraditional tourists and go off the beaten paths.”

What You Would Do Differently … “This one is simple.  STAYED LONGER! :)”

Future travel plans? … “We have tons of future plans.  One thing that this honeymoon sparked in us is a traveling bug.  Although this is something we have always discussed, going to Jamaica and experiencing what we experienced has reminded us of the incredible amount of things we want to see.  Africa is on our list in addition to visiting London.  There are also many places in the United States we would like to visit, such as the Grand Canyon, The Rocky Mountains and Yellow Stone National Park. We definitely have to check out L.A. and Vegas too :)”

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