Jamaica

I have been to Jamaica many times over the years, the first time in 1985 as a college student. I organized the air, hotel and transfers to the Blue Harbor hotel and this was the beginning of my travel business. Below is a photo of my friends and me on the beach in Negril (I’m the furthest on the right in second row, getting my flex on, lol).

Afterwards, my company began selling trips to Montego Bay and Negril … and I loved going to Negril back in the 1980s-90s because it was a small fishing village and mostly unspoiled by tourists. I have fond memories of watching sunsets at Rick’s Café and jumping off the rocks into the water below. I have not-so-fond memories of getting very, extremely, mind-numbingly sick from eating street food in Negril … curried goat from a Rastafarian. I should’ve known better, and this experience soured me on street food for the rest of my life.

In 2018, I again traveled to Jamaica, this time with some good friends. Is there a country on the planet (besides Switzerland) that has so much natural beauty?!) Taking a rest between rounds to just chill out under a spectacularly beautiful tree.

This Steinbeck saying (in the airport) pretty much sums up any trip to Jamaica:

Bhutan

Legendary Tiger’s Nest Monastery, 2016 Jim's Perspectives: Bhutan is guided by their Gross National Happiness predicated on these four pillars: The preservation of the environment, which by law 60% of the country must remain forest for future generations The...

Niger

Zarma kids and community Country Information:  Niger, also known as the Republic of Niger is named after the Niger river. About 24 million people live here and the capital is Niamey. Over ninety percent of the population is Sunni Islam. The official language is...

Dominican Republic

6 summers of volunteering at Outreach 360 in Monte Cristi, near the Haitian border Outreach360 has been working in Latin America since 1994, and our family began volunteering in 2013 through 2018 in the Dominican Republic.  Outreach is such a wonderful program that...