Travelling to Great Huts

     Today we departed from our accommodations at the Holiday Inn Sunspree in Montego Bay at 9 am to travel approximately 200 km to Great Huts Resort in Port Antonio. 

      During our travels around 11 am, we entered Stewart Town and we came up to a road block. We were told that it is common for the locals to block the road by placing trees across the road way. This time the locals were blocking the road with their bodies to protest the fact that their roads need maintenance. They had been promised that road work would be started by February of 2014, and it still hasn't been started.  This caused them to interfere with the flow of traffic of another road way. They were demanding to see Member of Parliament to discuss their road conditions. They also allowed women and children to participate in the road block.

Protest on the Jamaican streets blocking the road

                                     

     

     Our driver strategically told the protesters we were on our way to the airport. Since we are tourists and they do not want to hurt the perception of Jamaican they were peaceful and let us through, after an hour of waiting in the traffic. This may be because their economy cannot take the risk of losing tourism or having a negative perception. This was a peaceful protest and we were in no danger while it was taking place.  After we were passed through the protest, we made our way to our Eco-tourism location where some of the team would be doing their consulting work. 

Lauren Westervelt and Team arriving at Great Huts

      After we arrived to Great Huts Resort in Port Antonio we settled into our rooms which are huts with sand floors and bamboo walls. We then sat down and ordered our lunch, we tried things from Jerk Chicken, chicken wraps and a stuffed chicken.  Before dinner we were able to enjoy a swim in Great Hut's cliff-side pool.

Great Hut's amazing cliff-side pool

We finished off our night with a nice dinner and a team meeting in preparation for our work at Great Huts Resort and Portland Rehabilitation Management center. 

Members of the Portland Rehabilitation Center team working with Professor Leslie Wardley.
From left to right: Jenny Bateman, Haleigh Ferguson, Lauren Westervelt, Leslie Wardley, and Brea-Anna Jacksic

     Our first day at Great Huts was an experience we won't forget, and we look forward to what our first full day here tomorrow will bring!

Kimberly Knobel