D is for Dunn's River Falls

Dunns River Falls, Jamaica

When Troy and I went to Jamaica a few years ago we only booked one excursion because we wanted to spend the majority of our vacation laying on the beach.  We had paid a lot of money to go to a nice resort where all we had to do was stick our blue flag in the sand to have a cold refreshing beverage brought right to our lounge chair.  That was the type of vacation we had dreamed of. 

Our one and only excursion was to visit Dunn's River Falls: a waterfall that you climb up.  Once we got there and saw the rushing water we would be fighting against I started to wonder if I could fake a stomach ache and sit this one out.  The closer we got the starting point the more knots I got in my stomach.  I am not an athletic girl and I was by far the most out of shape person in our group.  How did we end up in the group full of athletes?  I saw several groups of people who were more like me (slow and steady) taking an easy route up the side and I finally started to feel at ease that I could do this.

Our guide had other plans for us.  You are required to hold hands (forming a human chain) for the entire climb and our guide decided that the group could pull me along, and choose a hard course, straight up the center.  I focused my eyes on the finish line and told myself over and over that I would not hold my group back.  I could do this!  We zoomed past all those (slow and steady) people I had hoped to join and the strong man holding my hand in front of me got quite a workout pulling me along.  We finally reached the finish line and I looked back on my accomplishment with pride.  I had done it...or so I thought.  Turns out that was just the 1/2 way mark, and an early exit for those (slow and steady) people who couldn't finish the climb. 

I wanted to cry.  My foot was bleeding from a rock that had decided to make my big toe it's new home, and as I looked up at the rest of the waterfall I could not see the actual finish line.  I wanted to take the easy way out and quit at the half way point.  If our guide had asked if anyone wanted to use the halfway point, easy exit I would have said yes.  Thank goodness he did not give us that choice and instead just charged ahead. 

I finished that climb and with my legs shaking like jello I proudly paid the man too much money for a video tape of my journey, because I wasn't quite sure I would believe I had ever done this if I didn't have video proof. 

 

Troy and I part way up the waterfall

I am proud to say that I have climbed Dunn's River Falls.  I didn't quit!!!!  I also do not hesitate to tell you that for me, once was enough.  I hope to return to Jamaica, but I do not feel the need to climb those falls again!