Treasure Beach Boys

 
On the way from Gayle we stopped by Kingston again to check out what walls we can paint at Tuff Gong studio. We rushed off again now towards Treasure Beach, in the southwest coast of Jamaica. It wasn’t too bad trekking along with a couple of heavy bags on your shoulders, but when it comes to timing the journey you might have to pace yourself. Soon come, is the best way to explain their perspective on time, you just need to chill out and follow the flow.

We managed to arrive quite fast and easy to Spanish Town, but there we hit a stand still, stuck in a bus(van) in the heat. I guess since we were heading in a less used direction, it took hours before the bus was filled. Taking transport across the island the local way is quite an experience not to be missed. Stuck and squeezed tight as possible, probably to fill it up to reassure they meet their target for a days earning.

At first you almost get rundown on your way as they all want you in their bus. In Kingston, our bus and another had pretty much a race down towards the centre, they basically started fighting over people, which just ended up scaring them away. Quite hilarious seeing them battling out trying to catch the next person, but also can’t say it seemed too safe either.

 

 You got to know where you are going, what stops are inbetween, and roughly how much you’ll get charged.  Listening to what the locals pay do help, else you will “happily” pay double or more. An hour stuck with 4-5 people in a row, you’ll start feeling uncomfortable and loosing feelings in your legs. But you can easily forget this when you get caught up observing the beautiful landscape, the colourful and halfway built houses, a vide diversity of food stands by the road, the sellers running after the cars and some goats roaming around.

We were finally a full bus and on the move, but it was closer to five in the evening, and it would be dark soon. When we came to Mandeville, up in the higher plateaus, we found an easy and dirt cheap guesthouse up a hillside. I was blown away by the clear moonlight and stars shinning back at us, haven’t seen it as bright and present before, even in Norway. It didn’t take long before we figured the guesthouse might be a ‘drop in’ for young lovers and such. Very charming.

The next day we had an early start, it gave us perfect timing to enjoy the best of the funshine, and it resulted in a fine first sunburn. This little distant corner of Jamaica, with its steady flow of people arriving, and I guess a lot  of them stay on for longer periods there. It definitely has a more relaxed atmosphere than for example Port Antonio that's crowded with tourists.

Masai found at first this little orange dinner, but halfway got sent away by the owner of the whole shop complex. Eventhough he'd talked over the phone with the owner of the dinner saying it all be alright. After explaining this to one of the guys that provides boat trips, bike rides and such for tourist, he found us a spot pretty quick. It was on his friends little beach shop thats waiting to open. The younger people gave us a much more positive feedback to our work. Masai got the nice sunny side, where he painted a jumping/dancing lemur. It is chasing a jamaican kite, which my little beach boy with an attitude is holding.

Check Masais' Lemur

Next up is HELP Jamaica 

(Help Establish Library Projects)