My Summer trip to Jamaica.

"Jodi, we're going to Jamaica in the summer for my bestfriend's 50th birthday." My mother had said.

"Wait...Wha-? Aunty Loris' birthday!?" I replied. I couldn't believe it, in a few weeks time, I would be in the most beautiful, sunny place in the world.

A few weeks later. It was about 3 in the morning, when she banged on my door.  "WAKEUP! We gotta go!"

Oh my God! Wakeup time already! I can't believe this. I shuffled out of bed and looked at myself in the mirror, this would be the first time since I was 8. I hadn't been to Jamaica in 9 years. I ran to the bathroom and got ready. After finishing getting ready, I ran my fingers through my hair, got my luggage and started putting it in the car. It was about 4:30 AM now and we really had to get going. We set off to JFK airport in New York. I glued my eyes to the window, watching the street lights stream by face. We got to the airport and started unloading the car. I pushed over a luggage trolley towards the car and began to place them on the cart. My mother kissed my stepdad goodbye and I hugged him, then we were on our way. We pushed through the doors, meeting with tons of other travelers. Little kids screaming as they ran in circles and elderly couples shuffling into the suitcase lines. We pushed over to the suitcase line and waited. I kept looking around, and couldn't help but smile. This was so exciting. We weighed out luggage, paid the fee and began walking through the airport. I walked over to McDonald's immediately, man was I hungry! A large coffee and a McGriddle. The meal of champions! My mother had a small tea, cream and splenda; her usual. Afterwards we went to the airplane. We were taking a double flight or a connector. From NewYork to North Carolina, then from North Carolina to Jamaica. We sat inside the plane and waited. My mother closed her eyes and I just stared out the window.

"ATTENTION! Please turn off all cellular devices and please put your seatbelts-" The speakers droned on with instructions.

I kept staring on the window, then we lifted off. I was weighting to pop my ears. I took out a piece of Orbit, closed my eyes, held my nose and blew. An old trick my mother had taught me when I was 8, to get your ears back from feeling funny. The flight felt like forever. It was about 9 or 10 AM now when we arrived to North Carolina. Snack Time! When we came to the airport, there were so many options, but all I chose was a salad. We sat and waited for them to call the passengers to the plan for Jamaica. When they made the announcement, I made sure we were first in line. We hustled on to the plane and waited again for the plane to take off. The speakers droned on once again then it was flying time. The moment we hit the clouds, I was overly excited. The clouds seemed so serene and beautiful, I just kept taking pictures. Then as we slowly reached the islands, I saw the clear blueish-green waters approach, I knew we were here.

When we landed and jumped up! Gathered my things and were off. We began walking through a maze of halls and I wondered if we ever make it to the exit. We finally made it to security. They checked our passports, then we were in Montego Bay. We got our rental car, placed our luggage in the car, then we were off. The first place I wanted to eat was Burger King, I had too! You could taste the difference, they grilled there food to order! Afterwards we went to our hotel in Runaway Bay, The Club Carribean. The white beaches being splashed by the clearest waters I had ever seen. We checked into out hut-like hotel. The tan huts with thatched roofs speckled along the beach. We had about 3 days before my aunt's birthday, so I couldn't pass this time up! My mother and I hopped into car and started visiting family. Aunts and uncles from different places all over the island. As soon as nightfall hit, we went to eat. The entertainment were dancers. Gliding, shaking, moving smoothly to the music. I clapped as they shimmied my way. As it began to close, I walked to my hotel. My mother was ahead of me, but I wanted to take everything in. The crabs scattering as I approached them, the warm island breeze and the salty waters filling my nose.

As the days passed, My mother and I stayed at the hotel or visited family. Finally, it was time for my aunt's birthday. We placed ourselves in the prettiest dresses we bought from New York City the previous week and our party smiles, it was time to party! We drove for about 2 hours before we reached her party venue. I sang for her, others danced for her, then we all ate. It had to be about 150 people in all. Family from all over the island and from the states. We danced and sang, then it was all over in a blink of an eye. We had another couple days before it would all be done. The next day we went to Dunn's River Falls. A waterfall that your allowed to climb. It was my mother and I slipping and sliding up this enormous waterfall. As we were walking up the last parts of the waterfall, I realized how I would only have one more year of highschool and that I would have to make the best of it. This was really my year to apply myself and I couldn't let it go. Either you let life slip down like the water going down the waterfall or you catch your opportunities. On the last day, we stayed at the hotel and on the night before we left, the hotel had a going away party. They do it everynight and the people leaving, go on stage. We sipped some sparkling cider and sang One Love by Bob Marley. This would be thr trip, I never forget.