We headed through Fern Gully which was really cool. It was a deep washed out river bed in the middle of the rainforest that they had turned into a road. It was dark because the forest was so lush with plants and it was also a good 15 degrees cooler than anywhere else on the island. I still haven't forgotten they way it smelled. I bet it was the cleanest and purest air I have ever breathed!
After a pretty long time, we finally pulled over at this random "bar" to stop and get drinks before roadtripping it the rest of the way to Bob Marley's house. It was super creepy. Seriously, it was like some jeri-rigged tile bar in someone's backyard. There were chickens and random scary local people. One really dirty dude had a machette. I just wanted to get back on the bus and hide under my seat. I wasn't prepared. Brent was fine though and even ordered Jamaican beer. Drink up, dude - you're on your own.
After what seemed pretty much forever, we got back on the bus and after another eternity, we finally got to Bob Marley's house. Inside the gates of his estate, there were dudes with guns. Big ones. There was also a window where you could place your order for marijuana. The Jamaican government legalized marijuana inside the property. Outside of the gates, weed is illegal.
Anyway, we were escorted into a bar that was packed full of people smoking weed. Some of the couples on our tour couldn't have been more offended! I kinda felt a little bit bad for them because they were so uncomfortable, but they needed to chill out too. For one, it was a Bob Marley tour - what were they expecting?! (That's like going deep sea fishing and hating all the people that fish!) Plus, it was legal on the property; nobody was doing anything wrong. For three, you know Bob would have wanted it that way!
Then, we met our tour guide who was also high as a kite!
His name was Captain Crazy and he had funniest laugh on the planet. Next, we toured Bob's grandmother's home which is now a museum of all his platinum and gold records. We saw his mother's tomb, walked through the tiny home where Bob grew up, saw his meditation rock, and Bob's actual tomb.
I was so overwhelmed just from the entire day that I just wanted to go back to the boat. When we finally rounded everyone up and got back on the bus, I was so relieved. It seemed like all the couples were angry for one reason or another - they were pissed about the weed, they were fighting with each other, or they were so far gone on the sticky icky that they probably didn't even know where they were.
It was so uncomfortable and I just kept praying that the bus driver would haul tail and get us back quickly! Bad luck for me though because the tour guide decided to stop at that same nasty random "bar" again for us to try some local jerk food. I didn't want to eat H1N1 or whatever scurvied crap they were serving with these 8 other really pissed off people. Everyone ate in total silence! Can you believe that?! Well, except for Brent who fell into a fit of giggles when he realized his jerk was nothing but chicken bones and chunks of back fat.
Eventually, we got back to the boat. I was on third-world overload and just wanted to suck my thumb. We couldn't even get our brains around what had just happened and it took me a few days to fully digest it. Brent and I both look back on that day as the highlight AND lowlight of our cruise. That night, we went to an ice show which felt like an American cleansing. I love the United States!
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