We left the cold, winter (2023) weather in Virginia departing from various airports to meet up in Miami where we took a short, direct flight to Montego Bay. A driver picked us up and delivered us to our home for the week — Portside Villa at Discovery Bay (VRBO). The 5-bedroom house comes with a pool, dock, kayaks, standup paddle board, chef, butler and housekeeper. In addition to the 7 young adults pictured above, there was a 3-year old and me, the matriarch of this delightful clan.
This was our first experience having a private chef and we are totally spoiled now! Our singing chef, Tony, took us to the nearby market where we selected fresh food for each meal that he expertly prepared, catering to every taste including gluten-free and pescatarian diets. Among dishes Tony suggested that were a big hit were ox tail, fish curry, grilled lobster and fried plantains.
A lot of time was spent in the pool …
on the wooden dock or floating dock…
on the nearby beach …
or on the water. Both water and air temperatures were pretty much perfect every day.
At the end of each day we enjoyed a delicious dinner complete with a beautiful sunset.
After dinner, we played pool …
played cards, and generally enjoyed being together without the pressures and distractions of home and work.
One day a group went to Dunne’s Falls and stayed out for lunch.
Another day a group went to the Blue Hole with rope swings.
Both Dunne’s Falls and The Blue Hole were fun enough but they were crowded with tourists and didn’t rise to our standard of adventure. We preferred to hang near the house where there was always something entertaining going on — like my frequent explorations for lizards with my grandson or when Patrick surprised his brothers with Speedos for better suntanning and a photo op 🙂
Staying at a house allowed a lot of personal freedom to swim, nap, study, explore or spend the time however one desired. So, it worked well given the different ages and personalities. While it didn’t offer great adventure, being in Jamaica exposed us to a different culture, language, cuisine, and people which is always welcomed. My primary goal was to provide an environment where we could be together in beautiful surroundings; enjoying each other and making memories. Jamaica in February was nearly perfect.
“Having kids is a reason to travel, never a reason to stop.” Anonymous
“Travel is rich with learning opportunities and the ultimate souvenir is a broader perspective.” Rick Steves
“Travel is not reward for working; it’s education for living.” Anthony Bourdain
Kathryn Byler, blog 