JAMAICA
Montego Bay and Negril
Daily Mirror
ISLE OF SMILES
The view over Montego Bay was beautiful. A clear blue horizon of sea and sky arcing on to the verdant slopes of headland, all framed by ruffled banks of tropical cloud.
It would’ve been extremely pleasant if it wasn’t for two things. Firstly, the lack of way back down from the hill I’d just marched up. And secondly, the searing early afternoon sun rapidly reddening my previously pasty skin.
Down below, I could see small pristine beaches. That’s where I should’ve been, relaxing in the shade with the sensible people, but instead I’d decided on being active. Yes, here in Jamaica, probably the most chilled-out country in the world.
SAINT LUCIA
Caribbean fun with my son
Daily Mirror
A FLY-DIVE TO ST LUCIA
My son’s shrieks startled me and I immediately looked up out of the water.
Everything until then had been going, quite literally, swimmingly. But now he splashed his way over to me, the horror in his eyes partially concealed by a misty face mask.
“What’s wrong?” I asked frantically.
“The sharks,” he blurted, “are going to bite me!”
Sharks? Then I relaxed, realising what he meant. “Oh, you mean those trumpet fish? No, they’re perfectly safe,” I reassured him.
But they did look quite freaky... long and skinny and just dangling there above the coral, occasionally gnashing their spiky teeth like a pack of zombie eels.