Five Reasons to Travel

Nash and I just returned from a two week vacation in Jamaica. We had an awesome time and I look forward to sharing some of our experiences on our trip with you. My Anguilla Experience is about Anguilla but sharing other travel experiences periodically will not detract from Anguilla but will rather allow us to learn from, grow and of course embrace other people, cultures and experiences which are all reasons to travel.  While we all love to share banter about which Caribbean Island is superior or which culture or climate is better, at the end of the day each island, country, culture or people has something which makes them unique and special.

I love being a native Anguillian but I am also a Caribbean woman and world citizen. I love to travel and really who doesn’t love vacations? However, no matter where I roam, the land of my birth, lovely Anguilla is always the place I look forward to returning to. Click here to read the reasons why I love Anguilla.

So here are five reasons to travel.

A change of scenery literally and figuratively

Jamaica is a land of mountains, rivers and streams. While I will not deny that few things rival gorgeous beach views like the ones we have in Anguilla, I did find a wonderful sense of peace, escape and awe while enjoying the beautiful view of the mountains.

Our view from Forres Park

 The Food

We all know I love to eat and I am having a great time eating my way across Anguilla. I did not eat my way across Jamaica but from home cooked Jamaican meals to resort meals, I certainly did eat….A lot!! Festivals, bammy, ackee and salt fish, stewed veggies, yams, sweet potatoes…….I ate it all :).

 The People and the Interactions

Persons who come to Anguilla often note that the reason they return to the island time and time again is the people. The first part of our trip, we stayed at a tiny guest house. It was much easier get to know the staff and guests there as compared to our second accommodation which had almost 400 staff and loads of guests. Nevertheless as we journeyed across Jamaica connections were made. Other than Nash’s family, most other connections were fleeting but they helped me to decide where I would stay, eat or which services and activities I would engage in again.

Family!

 The Disconnect from Technology

While it is extremely difficult for most of us to disconnect completely from technology, the ability and the will to do so even for a few hours while on vacation is worth it. While I did not intend to disconnect for the majority of my vacation, I am glad it worked out the way it did. During the first week, we had no television or phone in our room, the wifi dropped in and out and most days we went further up in the mountains where there was no wifi at all! I enjoyed real conversations where persons were not constantly distracted by phones, leisurely walks and hours spent looking at the mountains…not the ideal vacation for many who cannot disconnect but I loved it!

Relaxing in a hammock

 The Experiences

I think many persons return to Anguilla time and time again because there is always something new to discover. Each season new restaurants pop up or menus change, more activities are introduced and new nooks and crannies on this island are discovered by the discerning traveler.

Further up in the hills

This trip was my fifth visit to Jamaica. Do I feel like I have seen all that Jamaica has to offer? Of course not! It is a big island rich in culture, history, sports, arts and craft, entertainment and so much more. The experiences I gained on this trip will be added to my previous adventures in this country but there are so much more experiences to be gained.

Will I go back to Jamaica? Definitely. One of the reasons is that so much of Nash’s family live there but other than that, despite the high crime rate, it has so much to offer the discerning traveler both inside and outside of the ‘touristy’ areas.

So I could probably name 100 reasons why I love to travel and why I love vacations but I will stop there for now.

Please share why you love to travel and especially why you love to travel to Anguilla. I would love to hear your thoughts.

As the boat docked in Anguilla last night I smiled.  Even though it meant my vacation was drawing to a close I know how fortunate I am to call Anguilla home. Most of the Canadians and Americans we met on the trip were dreading going back home because of the freezing temperatures and numerous layers which are of course reasons to travel but here I was docking at a destination which for many is the perfect escape….I realized my vacation was not ending. In fact My Anguilla Experience continues……

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Have a great day and I hope your next vacation to Anguilla is right around the corner!