8 Ways to Beat the Heat this Summer in Jamaica

Every summer seems to get hotter and hotter in Jamaica, and you would be right! The hottest meteorological summer ever recorded in Jamaica was from June to August 2023 with an average daily temperature of 30.6 °C. The Caribbean region is one of the most vulnerable parts of the world to the effects of climate change. In Jamaica, like the wider Caribbean, we feel these effects in the form of heat waves, droughts, water scarcity, food insecurity and mountain wildfires. Hurricanes and flash floods may also become more intense. The heat can have deleterious effects on our health too, increasing our risk of heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Some persons are at greater risk of being affected by the sweltering heat, such as the elderly, bedridden persons, infants, children, overweight persons and those with pre-existing medical conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.  As the summer heat intensifies, staying cool has to be a top priority. Whether you’re a local or visitor, these eight practical tips will help you beat the heat and enjoy our vibrant island life to the fullest.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle13 Comments

A Beginner’s Guide to Booking Foreign Trips

This is a question I’ve been getting with increasing frequency over the past few months, so I thought it best to write an article in case anyone else would like some help. Jamaicans have grown increasingly more curious about the world around them in recent years, and that’s wonderful to see given our visa-free access to 90+ countries on a Jamaican passport. I plan all my trips myself because it adds to the excitement, and I get to learn about the country I’m visiting in the process. I don’t consider myself an expert because as it stands, I’ve only been to 5 countries, but read on for my advice on how to book a good trip from scratch.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle12 Comments

Cold Weather: A Caribbean Girl’s Perspective

Today’s WordPress prompt caught my eye and it’s been ages since I’ve replied to one. My simple answer is no, but nothing in life is ever black or white. I experienced my first taste of cold weather a few weeks ago– my first time seeing or walking through snow or having to check the temperature before heading outside so I could know how layered I needed to dress. I cheated a little by visiting Ontario in spring, so the weather wasn’t as miserably cold as it can get but I experienced mostly single digit and subzero weather– a shock to the senses for a Caribbean girl who has never left the tropics. I was happy to return to the warmth and familiarity of Jamaica where the weather is either wet or dry, but here are the things I appreciated about the cold.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle42 Comments

Embracing A Cottagecore Lifestyle in Jamaica

Cottagecore is a term I first heard late last year, and I instantly fell in love. I realize I was already living by and gravitating towards several of its principles for years; I just didn’t know about the terminology. For starters, cottagecore is an aesthetic and lifestyle movement of the 2010s which celebrates rural living and places an emphasis on nature, traditional skills, and a slower pace of life. In Jamaica, our version of cottagecore is ital– the lifestyle Rastas have been promoting since the 1930s which prompted them to move out the city, establish off-grid villages with their own schools and live off the land. Here’s what cottagecore is all about + how to embrace this lifestyle in Jamaica.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle12 Comments

What’s One Question You Hate to Be Asked?

Caribbean culture is quite intrusive and nosy so you’re bound to get uncomfortable questions and receive unsolicited comments and advice a lot. I suppose it’s the same in many other cultures too, but it’s a part of my culture which I can’t stand. For the most part, I’ve grown used to it but it still manages to catch me off guard sometimes. Relationships, marriage prospects, your fertility, weight, health, dress, hairstyle, skin, career, politics, religion, you name it– it’s not off limits in casual conversation at family get togethers or with coworkers, acquaintances or even complete strangers and my patients! In answer of today’s WordPress prompt, here’s why questions about career are the ones I hate to be asked about the most.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle42 Comments

2023 Year in Review

Where to start? What a year it has been! For starters, Adventures from Elle turned seven (7) years old yesterday, which means it’s been seven years of intentionally exploring Jamaica and recording it all in this public journal. When I started Adventures from Elle in 2016, I had no idea it’d bring me this much joy, or allow me to meet or e-meet so many persons, or even have paid opportunities and collaborations. My blog has brought a lot of meaning to my life, and I’ve seen growth in my audience, style of writing and more. I’ve also managed to keep my blog alive with new posts every Friday despite often having weeks or months on end with no new adventures. With that said, here’s a recap of my 2023.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle33 Comments
Girl jumping with Jamaican flag at Sacsayhuaman

Do You Have A Favourite Place Visited? Here’s Mine.

Today’s WordPress prompt asks: do you have a favourite place that you’ve visited? I love my island home of Kingston, Jamaica very much as it’s warm and vibrant and filled with lots of spots for great food, live reggae music, mountain views and even has nearby beaches, rivers and waterfalls: all of my favourite things! Kingston is fast becoming a melting pot of cultures too, with influences from China, India, Latin America, the Middle East and more. Tourism drives the physical development and entertainment options available in the city too, which is great. While Jamaica will always hold the spot in my heart, and I haven’t been outside the country a lot (yet), here’s why Peru is the favourite place I’ve visited (so far). Note: I visited in May 2022.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle34 Comments

Where to Use PayPal in Jamaica: Useful for Freelancers!

In an era of digital payments and online shopping, PayPal has emerged as a convenient and secure way to send and receive money worldwide. In fact, as a part-time freelance writer myself, PayPal is often the only method by which I can accept online payments in Jamaica. That being said, it can be difficult to access that income in Jamaica because we can’t simply withdraw to a local bank account (third world problems!). Sure, you can request a cheque but that will take weeks to arrive by mail and foreign cheques take up to six weeks to be cleared by local banks. There are third party businesses which cash out your PayPal dollars into Jamaican bank accounts, but they charge hefty fees and often use measly exchange rates (been there, no longer willing to do that!). Thus, how can Jamaicans benefit from PayPal? By figuring out which businesses will accept your hard-earned PayPal dollars in Jamaica! (Updated for 2025)

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle20 Comments

Why Chronology Is My Favourite Album

For a Jamaican, I have quintessential music taste. Sure, I do listen to lots of other things but reggae is my favourite music genre by far, as I’ve already written about with a previous WordPress prompt. In fact, I feel very happy to live in the birthplace of reggae and I’m very proud of the artistes who spread our music culture across the globe. We celebrate reggae music every week with numerous live music events across Jamaica’s capital city of Kingston, and each February is designated as Reggae Month in Jamaica.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle25 Comments

What Do You Love About Where You Live?

I live in Kingston, Jamaica. Considering I mostly write about my island home on here, it’s clear that I love many things about Jamaica. We have a lot of issues here too like every where else, but I’d say the good outweighs the bad for me. In answer of today’s prompt, here is the number one reason why I love living in Jamaica. In fact, my answer is one of the reasons why I say Kingston is worth visiting.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle16 Comments