Out Of My Comfort Zone - part 1

We have all heard that phrase...but how many of us actually DO it? When visiting another country and culture, aren't we doing just that? Not necessarily.  Everyone has a different "travel style", and comfort zone when they travel. Some people like the comfort and perceived security of a big, self-contained all-inclusive resort, with it's high walled property, perfectly groomed paths, strategically placed oases, and Americanized dining. Others wouldn't be caught dead in an all-inclusive, choose the path less taken, and dine casually on local fare.  Neither is better than the other, it's all a matter of personal preference and comfort.  

What about the excursions, or other activities that you can take part in while vacationing? Here seems to be the common ground, regardless of travel style.  Most people, at least, like to try new things and be more adventurous...the degree of adventure varies from person to person though.

For me, I made a promise to myself that I would push my own comfort boundaries...that included taking part in one of the longest and highest zip lines in the world....Miss Sky Canopy Tour in Nosara, Costa Rica.

This is something that truly scared the wits out of me, just thinking about it!!  I have always been deathly afraid of heights ... Nothing like starting at the top! Go big or go home I say!! 

Our day started with gearing up and an orientation at the base of the mountain, where Miss Sky's office is.  We would be accompanied by our handsome, energetic, fearless guides.  When they had us all in our harnesses and helmets and had briefed us on what would be happening for the next few hours, we all piled into the back of a pick up truck and made our way up the long road to the top.

I was sitting across from my young daughters, who were getting increasingly nervous, not knowing what to expect....I had to present a brave, optimistic face to reassure them...even though inside, I was completely freaking out. Seriously. Freaking. Out. 

We finally reach the top...breathtaking views of the Pacific and the valleys .... I perhaps would have enjoyed it more if I wasn't preparing for what i was sure was going to be the most terrifying experience of my life. 

We lined up at our first zip line of the day...the longest and highest of them all...over 750 meters long and several hundred feet high...no big deal, right? Piece of cake, right? 

 I had decided that I would be the first of my family to go across...rip off that band aid nice and fast...I was trying to remain outwardly calm, but inside, I was preparing for at the worst, certain death, at the best, certain humiliation of some sort...cuz that's just how I roll.

"Mamacita!! You ready??" Oh Lord, he's talking to me..."haha...I guess!"...*click!* *snap!* "Ok!! Want a big push or a little one??" ... "None thanks..." (This is actually happening...I am clipped to a cable strung between two mountain tops in the Costa Rican jungle...if I don't fall, I'm sure my heart will stop before I make it to the other side...)

...and away I went...

First thought...'holy cow this goes way faster than I thought'....second thought...'I haven't fallen'...third thought...'I am actually doing this!! I am flying across the jungle!!'....promptly followed by tears and laughter...seriously..there I was, zooming across this zip line, crying and laughing because I had stepped out of my comfort zone - AND LIVED TO TELL ABOUT IT!!!

As I was the first of my family across, and the one holding the camera, I have no photos of me actually on the zip line...but I have witnesses!! I was able to take some photos of my daughters coming across...they, by the way, LOVED it and had a blast!

My youngest daughter often had her own escort across to help her stop and give her some more weight to get across the large spans...all of the Miss Sky guides are amazing. They love their job, are reassuring, fun, crazy, great with kids, and very knowledgable about the area.

My oldest went by herself most times...she is our daredevil and she LOVED this day!

Just before our last run we were taken down a jungle path and to a swimming hole in a river in the middle of the jungle. Wait a minute...you are taking us swimming in a river in the jungle??? Every single creepy jungle river creature that I have ever seen on the Discovery Channel came into my mind...I had already conquered one major fear and stepped wayyy out of my comfort zone...now you want me to do what?!?!? *sigh* Alright. It's 1000 degrees Celsius in the sun, it was a good hike down here, and boy oh boy does that water look refreshing....yep, I did it!! It was so liberating! We all laughed and splashed while the Howler monkeys watched from the canopy overhead. Our guides scaled the shear rock faces across the river in their bare feet as though it was nothing and did flips into the water. It was the perfect end to the perfect adventure. 

 We completed our final zip line of the day, drove back down the mountain, exhausted, exhilarated, and talking about our morning together. I have to say, by the end of our tour, our guides had me going tandem with them - backwards, upside down, no hands!! It was fantastic and a true testament to how great they all are. 

We all said our thank yous and good byes and my family jumped on our quads and headed back to our "home".

My life was completely changed. I knew from that day on that I would make a point of stepping outside of my comfort zone whenever I had the opportunity.

I'd love to hear about YOUR adventures in travel!! What did you do to push your own limits? Leave your stories in the comments below!!

If you'd like more information about the canopy tour, or to book your own Costa Rican adventure, please message me... jodi@somebeach.ca

How are they doing that??? Sleeping on airplanes....

....ok, I've got my pillow...I'm using my hoodie as a blanket....ear buds in....eyes closed....WHY AM I NOT SLEEPING!?!?

I KNOW I'm not the only one who goes through this, but sheesh, I sure feel like it when I'm on that plane, and am surrounded by people sleeping like little babies.  It makes me want to just poke them.  If I'm not sleeping, nobody is, dammit....

This got me thinking...why is it that they are sleeping???  What do they know that I don't??  I have a friend....let's call her Deb (haha!!), and that woman falls asleep before the freakin' plane even takes off!!  And she sleeps HARD.  Then she wakes up, all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, and is genuinely surprised that I didn't sleep as well as she did.  She is so lucky that I love her....or she would be on the receiving end of that aforementioned poke.

So, here is what I have learned to do for myself...I'm not sleeping like the dead, mind you, but on my last flight I did manage to catch at least a couple of hours of dream time.....

1. Limit your caffeine intake pre-flight....some people can drink a cup of coffee then go right to bed and have no problems.  I am not like that.  At all.  So, if I am wanting to sleep on the flight, no caffeine for me at all!  My mind is already busy enough about whatever trip I'm taking!

2. Bring a pillow.  I have two of those horseshoe-shaped neck pillows that we all see in the airports and I LOVE them.  My advice?  Get one!  Heck, get two, they are always on a 2-fer sale anyways.

3. Pick a window seat.  For me, this is a must.  I'm not one to get up to the loo a dozen times during a flight, so I don't need an aisle seat...however, I NEED to lean my head against something when I'm trying to sleep.

4. Pack a thin blanket in your carry-on if possible.  This is something that I now have tattooed on my brain.  My last flight was from Montego Bay to Calgary.  I'm not one of those "always cold" people, but let me tell you - I was FROZEN on that dang flight!!  I would have given my left arm (which is a big deal, as I'm left handed) for a Snuggie!!!  Yes, there are usually blankets for purchase on flights, but I have a ton of little, thin, blankies that I can roll up and stuff in my backpack...and I'm totally doing that next time!

5. Stow your carry-on up top....ok, I'm of two minds on this one.  If I'm on a full flight, I do NOT like to stow my bag up above in the compartment.  I don't know why...maybe it's because people seem to lose all rationality when the plane lands and everyone is standing and scrambling for their bags before the door of the plane is even open...and, I'm usually at the window, so I need to wait to grab my bag anyways...I don't know, it's a little thing I have.  That being said, if the flight is not full, I do occasionally stow my bag up top.  That way I can stretch out my legs and be a little more comfortable.

6.  Wear noise-cancelling ear buds/headphones....are they still called headphones??  Anyways, I recently purchased some of these noise-cancelling ear buds from a certain Alberta-based airline and I honestly can't believe the difference they make.  Sometimes I don't even play my music, I'll just put them in instead of earplugs. 

So, that is what I have learned thus far on my travels.  Like I said, I'm not sleeping like a baby yet, but I'm getting there!!  I'd love to hear some of YOUR tips for sleeping on the plane....share them in the comments so we can all see!!

What The....

During my trip to Mega Mart, the Costco-esque mega-store in Montego Bay, we decided to buy our lunch from the cafeteria there.  First of all, it was so cheap!  Second, it was soooooooooo good!!
I had the fried chicken, rice and peas, and veggies...I think it came to around $400J, which is about $4 Canadian.

...sorry, I ate that delicious hunk of skin before I took the pic...it was worth every calorie too!!
So, with this delicious meal I got the craziest fork I have ever seen...at first I thought it was a Jamaican thing, but even my Jamaican friends had no idea what the deal was with it!  You will see the the picture, below, that the tines are all different lengths and angles - it was not  broken, it was made like that, I kid you not!  So, if anyone can enlighten me regarding the meaning of this crazy-ass fork, please leave the info in the comments below!!

Say What?!?!

Patois is, in my opinion, a fun, unique, colorful language.  For those of you who don't know, English is the "official" language of Jamaica, but Patois is spoken very widely on the island...there are so many dialects and accents just within Patois...plus you add in the speed with which it is spoken, it can be very difficult to catch even a single word!  Well, for me, at least.  I am getting better at understanding written Patois, but spoken still makes me giggle because I am absolutely clueless.

My first day on my solo adventure, I was taken in a taxi by a friend to Mega Mart (more on that later), and I think my taxi ride was one of my most favorite parts of my trip.  Devon was a great driver compared to some stories I've heard (he even delivered me supper one night!), but it was still a trip (in the groovy sense of the word) and I just sat in the back seat and giggled the entire time.  If you're in Montego Bay and need a taxi, I highly recommend Devon and can hook you up - just drop me a line!

Here is a video clip I just had to take of Devon chatting it up ... I literally sat and giggled because I had no idea what the conversation was about.... Sorry about the weird angle - yes, I am aware that it starts out sideways! - I'm still getting used to my iphone video camera!! haha!!

Palm View Guest House

The majority of my stay in Montego Bay was at a lovely guesthouse only a couple of minutes from the airport.  The Palm View Guesthouse is owned by Doris Morgan, who lives right on property.  She has owned the house for around 20 years.  It is a grand house that has been separated into approximately 15 fully furnished suites - some with and some without kitchenette.
The grounds of the house are covered in gorgeous flowers and plants and a multitude of fruit trees - breadfruit, lime, banana, coconut, almond...and Corey, the grounds keeper, takes immaculate care of everything.
The house has security posted at the road and each suite is very secure...you are given a key ring upon check-in that resembles a jailers ring! haha!  If you make arrangements the evening before, Doris will make you an amazing home-cooked breakfast along with the fabulous Blue Mountain coffee that Jamaica is famous for.
You are a short 10 minute walk to the Hip Strip, but be warned, the hill that the house is on top of is crazy steep!! 
I put together a few photos of my suite that I stayed in the first night before being moved to a different room....enjoy!!!  Get in touch with me if you are interested in staying here!  jodi@somebeach.ca


http://youtu.be/n_3m7fKMxsU

My Adventure Begins

At 3:20 am on January 21, 2013, I got out of my bed and set my feet upon the cold floor of my bedroom.  Although it was the middle of the night, and the middle of a cold January in Alberta, I was wide awake and full of anticipation.  I was about to embark on a long journey...both literally and figurtively.  I was taking my very first solo trip to anywhere.  Once upon a time, it wouldn't have been a big deal for me to do such a thing - I was an idependant, free spirit...however, as I have approached my 40's, and become more dependant on those around me, I also have become more cautious and fearful....which is really not a good thing to always be!
Not that I'm old, by any stretch....but you get caught up in the whole having babies, raising children routine and forget what it feels like to just "do"...So...I suddenly found myself in the midst of a huge life change...I could either stick with the status quo, or I could start listening to that adventurous voice that still whispered inside of me from time to time....
Now something that I should make known about myself is that I am a planner...which goes along quite nicely with me being a travel agent, I might add....I need to know when, where, for how long, how much will that cost, what should I/will I be seeing...when I took my family to Walt Disney World, I literally had a huge manilla envelope full of print-outs, schedules, and lists of must-sees.  OCD much??
So now here I was planning this solo trip to a place I had only been to briefly three months before.  I didn't book my flight until 4 days prior to me leaving.  I didn't book my accommodation until the day before I left - and even then I only booked it for my first night.  Seriously.  Who was this crazy, no plans, see what happens person?  I was nervous, excited, exhilirated, and totally shocked at my own non-OCD actions.
So, back to the wee hours of January 21...my two daughters were fast asleep in their beds as I showered, wrote them a note telling them I'd call them later, and quietly left the house.  I was doing it!  Here would be a perfect place to also let you all know that I am a big believer in "signs"...not the No Parking, or speed limit type (although if there are any RCMP reading this, I TOTALLY believe in those too...), but the "ok, if I'm meant to do this, give me a sign" types.  I had been practically beaten over the head with signs telling me to go on this trip - crazy, make you laugh out loud, obvious signs.  So I just knew I was on the right track.  Fast forward to my 2 hour drive up to my friend's house where I would be leaving my car while I was gone....I get to her place and we sit and have a coffee while we wait until it's time to deliver me to the airport. All the while I still can't believe I'm doing this.  Just 4 months prior I had to go to Calgary to a trade show by myself and I nearly had a panic attack...now, I was literally minutes away from boarding a plane and heading to another country...ALONE!!  We hugged at the departures gate and she wished me luck and I was on my way.
Now I guess it would be a good time to let you all know where I was off to...if you recall I mentioned that I had visited this place for the very first time three months prior on a brief, 4 day, travel agent familiarization trip.  From the moment I stepped off the plane I felt like I was on familiar ground.  I felt more alive than I had felt in a very long time.  What was this magical place?  It was Jamaica, my friends....some place that I had wanted to go to for as long as I could remember.  During our whirlwind trip I fell head over heels with this place, it's food, it's music, and the people who lived there.  So much so that I was now stepping so far out of my comfort zone just to have the opportunity to visit it again.
My morning flight from Calgary to Toronto was smooth and uneventful.  Oh and we had not one, but TWO priests on our flight!!  How's THAT for a good sign!! haha!  As I sat at the gate in Toronto, waiting to board, I was looking around at all of the other people waiting with me...and I was the ONLY one who was alone.  Was I imagining them giving me strange looks?  What the heck am I doing?  Are they thinking I'm insane?  Be cool, Jodi....breathe...it's too late to turn back now...thankfully, it was then time to board my second flight of the day and the one that would take me to Montego Bay.  I was one of the last to board and I made my way to my seat and discovered that I was sitting with a couple on their way to Jamaica for the first time.  Becca and Mark.  Becca has no idea but she was a Godsend for me on that flight.  We hit it off immediately and literally talked the entire 3.5 hour flight...I know that you will be reading this Becca and I want to say thank you to you!!  I believe that everything happens for a reason, and people come into our lives for a reason as well...our easy conversation on that flight calmed me, reassured me, and pumped me up for the trip I was taking.  PLUS, she's a really cool chick and I think we have some good laughs in store for our futures!!  Mystery Trip, right Becca!! ;0)
One of the great things about when you land in Montego Bay is seeing the GORGEOUS Caribbean water that is literally right beside the runway...well, we were arriving in the dark, so that was a no-go.  My nerves and excitement were building...I did not even have a ride waiting for me to take me to my guesthouse for the night.  Another great/fun thing about MBJ airport is the trio of musicians that are playing happy, infectious music to welcome travellers as they come through security...well, as we were the second last flight to arrive of the day, the airport was all but quiet and deserted....not helping...however, I did receive one last - I think quite major - sign before I passed through customs.  I was waiting in line to get my passport stamped along with everyone else.  A window cleared and I was told to head to that agent...she greeted me and asked my purpose for my visit.  Then, as she stamped my passport, she said to me "Well today is your lucky day."..."oh really?  Why?"..."Because it was me who stamped your passport and welcomed you here for the first time 12 weeks ago...".  I'm literally crying right now as I think back on this.  Are you kidding me?  What are the chances of that?  There cannot be a clearer sign telling me that I was exactly where I was supposed to be.  It was then that I knew that everything was going to be great and that I was embarking on something that was going to change my life.
I hope that the blog posts that are to follow make you laugh, make you want to travel, and mostly, make you want to step out of that comfort zone!!