Jamaica

Pre trip

Snow-apocalypse predicted to hit Monday.  Airline allows us to switch Monday flight to Sunday 10:30a.  Tracy secures the extra night reservation at our resort, Secrets Wild Orchid...

Flight 

Wake, workout then off to airport for 10:30 flight.  Arrive Jamaica 2:00ish.  Our private transportation was waiting for is (thanks again T)

Check in

For $100 extra, we can upgrade our entire stay from a junior suite to their Master Suite, um, WITH BUTLER SERVICE.  Yes, Michael the Butler has been taking very good care of us.  We even have our own Butler cell phone so that we can reach him directly at any time.  Um...freaking spoiled honeymooners. Awesome!

A panoramic pic of our Suite:

Day 1 Highlights Monday 3/3

- exploring late afternoon, we walk all over the resort

- massage appointments booked

- Butler booked us dinner at Bordeaux restaurant when we arrived. He picked us up from our room at 7:15 and walked us down to the restaurant.  Our table was outside overlooking the water & under a clear sky of brightly shining stars.  Our table had rose petals scattered all over it. Um yeah, no other tables had petals...or a Butler escort.  Wow!

Sunset from our balcony:

Day 2 Monday 

Back home it's icing and snowing... Meanwhile...in paradise, we wake to morning coffee delivery and a gorgeous sunny day.  Now we'll spend our day sitting by our own private beach lagoon with the gentlest little waves breaking and a blue sky filled with sunshine.  It feels so wonderful.

Sitting on the beach, I decided to check BWI flights to see if our original flight was cancelled...  Oh wise Wifey of mine...so smart to move all our plans Saturday morning...our original flight was cancelled.

We spent all day relaxing at the beach...sipping cocktails, eating jerk chicken with a real deal rocking jerk sauce, and sipping on coconuts and cocktails...

Coffee before dinner at the outdoor cafe:

Our Butler escorted us to dinner again tonight.  A line of 20 or so people were waiting to see the hostess.  He told us to wait outside.  He returned a few minutes later and promptly sat us at a table outside.  All I can say is wow - butler service is awesome.

Day 3 - Tuesday

- coffee and fresh baked goods delivered at 7

- we jogged over to the fitness center to get a quick MetCon workout in (thrusters, abs)

- jogged back to room.  I wanted to get more cardio in.  T wanted to get down to "our spot" on the beach.

- ran 2.5 miles to sweat some Jamaica out of me...meanwhile T was witnessing the jellyfish removal in the lagoon.  Apparently there were a lot of jellyfish in there...

- we chilled most of day.  Great breakfast, wading/socializing in the water w new friends, more jerk chicken...

(Cried hard at the end of my book: The Art of Racing in the Rain <great book btw>)

- we had spa appointments at 3:30.  Our personal Butler drove us over in the golf cart since it had started to drizzle... Oh how wonderful to have these men at our beckon call to take care of us.

The Spa:

- shower

- sauna

- shower 

- hot tub

- freezing cold bath dip

- diversity pool with various jets (swans), jets and in pool beds to massage the muscles

- foot bath walk. Hot hot hot walk into freezing cold cold cold back to hot hot hot --- feet felt like they were on FIRE

- water bucket shower with T except she leapt out at the last minute and left me to experience the cold water solo.

- chill

- 80 min couples massage

- that was freaking awesome

- call the Butler Patrick on our butler cell phone...he's there to pick us up.  Awesome.

Got back to room after 5 and had this waiting for us.... This Honeymoon rocks!

Champagne, drawn hot tub bath...

And the Love Swans!

Aw!

Day 4 Wednesday

- Snorkeling 9-10

- Breakfast and beach time.  I loved the star fruit

- afternoon rain showers passed then Hobie Sail w Barclay.  (Reminded me of our Tillman Hobie days growing up)

- starfish and shallow water adventuring with our Tennessee friends David and nicki.

- surprise from Dad and family

Thanks Dad!

And a Love Bunny from the resort...

Day 5 Thursday

Today was the day when I started to feel really relaxed.  Maybe it was the booze...

- Champagne breakfast w Mimosas 7A

- T hit beach while I ran 35 min.  Jog, push-ups and 5x100M sprints fueled by Mimosas!  Lots of sweating.

- Snorkeling again at 10A.  Puffers, sea cucumbers, starfish, conch, lion fish & many other cool sightings.

- cocktails.  More cocktails.

- afternoon snorkeling w David from TN...

- chit chat w Brazilians, Bostonians, and the folks from WisCONsin... They thought I had an accent - ha.

- cocktails.

- shower, aloe for the sunburn, and lunch 3P.  Must stop eating!...I'll start when I get home.

Our Towel "Chick" Rowers!

Our last dinner in Jamaica by the pools and overlooking the ocean:

Picture w Patrick the butler

Day 6 - Friday Morning, our last morning

We woke early to ensure we had one last full morning of Jamaican sun. 

Our spot