Jamaica, Mon!

Ahhhh, the beach.

I've spent the past five dasy lounging on a sunbed by beautiful turquoise water, under blue skies, sipping on fruity rum concoctions, and enjoying the sun. Except when it was raining!

The vacation was courtesy of good friend Mark, who invited me to join him at Firefly Cottages when his wife wasn't able to travel. That conversation went somthing like this:

M: Hey, I'm still going to Jamaica in a couple weeks. Want to come. The room's already paid for, you just have to get the flight.

J: Hmmm. Don't know. I'm supposed to be hiking along a long roadwalk stretch in the cold wind and rain that week.

M: OK. Just thought I'd ask.

J: OK. Give me 10 minutes to get some flights booked. I'll be there.

After the cold weather last week, and the drudgery of the roadwalk, I was ready for a week of just lounging in the sunshine. Mark had all these plans for active stuff like snorkelling and long beach walks. As if a hiker on a break from hiking really wants to walk ANYWHERE? I would have done it though. The walking at least.

Unfortunately I am a klutz. Having walked about a thousand miles of the FL Trail over roots, through mud, etc., without injury, I managed to bust that trend by tripping over a wheelchair in the airport when they called my boarding group for the flight. I didn't think it ws serious at teh time, just a couple of bloody grazed knees and rug burns. I even managed to get an ultra last minute upgrade to first class when I asked the flight attendant for some ice and it was obvious that I needed to sit with my legs up. (Might have to try that on again some time!) So I arrived in Montego Bay and hobbled out to the arrivals area to meet Mark all swollen and blooded! Sure he appreciated that.

So, I'm not sure what exactly I did to my right knee. The left is OK, but the right is still swollen and tender and doesn't really like having my weight on it. I did everything I could for it to rest it, which basically involved laying flat on my back with my legs up, resting and relaxing, for the entire vacation. I had to. My hike depends on it! Mark did his snorkelling and walking, and we did managed a day trip to Hedonism II for a change of scenery for me to sit in for a day. We both had a great vacation.

Tomorrow I'll drive back to north Florida and we'll see if the knee wants to hike.