50 Photos: Jamaica through My Lens

I’ve been trying to count my blessings more this year, as comparison is the thief of joy and I really have a lot for which to be grateful. Living on a tropical island is one of those things, as Jamaica is warm and blessed with an astonishing range of lovely landscapes– rolling green hills, deep valleys, lazy rivers, majestic waterfalls, lush tropical plants, alluring limestone caves and grottos,  breathtaking cliffs and precipices and of course, postcard-perfect beaches.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle29 Comments

A Complete List of Jamaica’s Waterfalls

When I visited my first waterfall in January 2016, I didn’t realize this would become the start of a new hobby (some would say obsession based on my Instagram account and I learnt recently that ‘waterfall girl’ is the name I go by in a few of my colleagues’ minds). I fell in love with Jamaica that much more, finally seeing the side of the island only tourists or the very adventurous post about.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle53 Comments

Bucket List Jamaica 2019

I have a long ever-growing mental list of places to visit in Jamaica, ever since I came to the realization in 2016 that I barely know my island at all. In 2017 I was perhaps a tad bit too ambitious, setting out to see 17 places in ’17 and only accomplishing 8 of them. That being said, I saw a whole lot more than 8 places that year, 25 to be exact. This shows that life is fluid. While I create these lists for fun and to motivate you all (and myself) to go out & see interesting corners of Jamaica, I have and will likely veer far from it every year, all in good fun.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle17 Comments

21 Photos That’ll Make You Want to Book a Flight to Jamaica Right Now

Jamaica celebrates her 56th Year of Independence from Britain today. While unfortunately I won’t be out enjoying the islandwide festivities, I’m still very much patriotic and thought it fitting to compile my favourite 21 photos of the island I’ve taken or published since the start of this blog. My compilation of Jamaica’s best spots is still a work in progress so of course, some very beautiful iconic spots may be missing from this blog post. Nonetheless, let’s enjoy Jamaica through my lens as I’ve seen it these past 19 months and if you’ve never been to Jamaica or are living elsewhere as an ex-pat or student, I’m sure you’re bound to want to book your ticket now! (Sorry, not sorry)

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle13 Comments

Gut River, Manchester

When you grow up learning in school that the parish of Manchester has no rivers or beaches, this one means a lot. Relatively unknown even to my friends born and raised in this parish, Gut River runs mostly underground then emerges for a short 200m journey to the Caribbean Sea. It is found along a narrow remote coastal road and is one of the many places in Jamaica where fresh water can be enjoyed alongside saltwater. Gut River is said to get its name from the German word ‘gut’, meaning good. This is one of at least five rivers found in Manchester Jamaica, but some are seasonal.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle24 Comments

Bath Mineral Spring, Saint Thomas

The rural community of Bath in St. Thomas is teeming with history and beauty, home to Jamaica’s oldest botanical garden and a mineral spring by the same name. Legend has it that the bath was discovered in the 1600s by a runaway slave with leg ulcers. He stumbled across the spring, used it to wash his wounded limb then noticed the next day that his leg was rapidly healing. He shared the good news then stories of the fountain spread, soon attracting visitors from islandwide. 

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle25 Comments

Bath Botanical Gardens, Saint Thomas

Established in 1779, the rural community of Bath in Saint Thomas is home to the Caribbean’s oldest botanical garden after the botanical garden in Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Two and a half centuries later Bath Botanical Garden may not be as well-kept as it once was but it’s certainly a beautiful national treasure worth visiting. Many foreign plants which we have since made our own were first planted here. These include flowers like the croton, jacaranda and bougainvillea, and foodstuff like cinnamon, ackee, otaheite apples, jackfruit and breadfruit– the delicious Jamaican staple which I couldn’t imagine our cuisine without! Jamaica has four public botanical gardens. Last year I visited Hope Gardens’ newest addition of the Harmonious Enjoyment Garden and also explored Castleton Botanical Gardens, Jamaica’s second oldest botanical garden. Thus, Cinchona Botanical Gardens in the hills of St. Andrew is my only garden left to visit.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle6 Comments

What One Woman Spent Travelling in 2017

As a self-proclaimed budget traveler, it felt fitting to include a travel receipt of sorts in my 2017 roundup series. Travel is all fun and games until we have to face our wallets (…or purses or bank cards). Hopefully it sheds more light on my travel costs this year, helps to guide your own Jamaican adventures or merely serves as inspiration for your own travels. I include 8 universal tips for how to save on sightseeing at the end so feel free to skip ahead.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle7 Comments

Tacky Falls, Saint Mary

Life is quite unpredictable and I’m learning to roll with the punches more each day. Earlier this year I’d set out to visit this waterfall’s smaller cousin, Kwame Falls, but the public transport in Kingston decided against that plan. Thus, I was most excited when a high schoolmate of mine who is now studying abroad came out for Christmas and organized a few trips to discover more of Jamaica, perhaps inspired by his own overseas adventures or this blog 😅. Tacky Falls in Islington, St. Mary was on his itinerary and that’s how it came about that I visited the harder-to-find St. Mary waterfall first.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle12 Comments

Salem Beach, Saint Ann

Salem Beach near Runaway Bay is perhaps not much of a swimming beach but is worth a visit if you’re dining at the restaurant which has made it popular– Sharkies Seafood. Sharkies is located on Salem Beach and what they lack in speed, they make up in deliciousness by producing seafood that’s comparable to all the great seafood eateries in and around the corporate area with which I’m familiar. Besides, if you time your visit near to sunset, the setting is glorious. With that, let’s talk about:

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle11 Comments