By Kristi Keller
Jamaica My Way

She’s been there this whole time …

AS IF I haven’t discovered enough magical moments in Jamaica, I have now found my lost inner girl because of this motorbike tour of the south coast.

Everything I do on the island seems to be a fortuitous random happening and had I not jumped into this guy’s taxi on a day when I didn’t even need a taxi I never would have had this opportunity.  After meeting the taxi driver Shelley, we became fast friends due to his fun and lively personality so I didn’t even have to think twice when he suggested a motorbike ride to Treasure Beach.  I DEFINITELY wanted to do it!

I drove to his house in the countryside and was greeted by him and his mother sitting on their veranda, their dog and their pig.  So awesome.  After a short meet and greet with his sweet mom he pulled out his motorbike and within minutes we were on the open road!

What I thought would be a casual, scenic bike ride from one spot to another turned into a day that set my soul free.  Aside from all the laughing and fun in the video below I had a lot of quiet moments with my eyes closed behind my sunglasses, just taking in all the awesomeness of this day.  Once we came out of the countryside and hit the coast line the scenery was absolutely breathtaking.  Watch the video below and then keep reading.

Shelley is not a tour guide and had zero agenda this day except to ride, have some fun and let me stop where ever I wanted to stop and take pictures.  We rode onto a gorgeous deserted beach, off-road into a ball field, a lookout point somewhere midway between point A and B, and into Treasure Beach.  Throughout the entire ride he was honking and waving at people he seemed to know and I just did the same thing – waved at the people too!

We were gone for a couple hours in total and I wish I could have rode all day across the entire island.  Once we arrived back at his house I sat on the veranda with his mom for a while chatting before I decided I was starving to death and should go find food.  But I had such an amazing day I asked Shelley if he could round up a couple more bikes if I brought friends back the next week.  His brother and cousin also have bikes and he said most definitely they would be happy to take the three of us on the same ride.

The next week two of my friends flew into Jamaica and we were supposed to spend their week in Ocho Rios but when I mentioned this bike ride and all the amazing things I discovered on the south coast they were happy to divert their plans and go south for a couple of days.  The three of us drove back down the following week and we all went on this magical bike tour.  After the ride and spending the afternoon at this bar watching crocodiles and cows, and drinking rum the girls both agreed that indeed it was as magical and freeing as I said it was.

Shelley, his brother and cousin told me they would be more than happy to take anyone on this ride any time!  So if you’re heading to the south coast and want to try something other than a boring old tour bus CALL HIM!!! You will not regret it.  His number is 1-876-402-9806 and tell him Kristi sent you!

Kristi Keller is a full-time addict of Jamaica’s culture, people, and adventure opportunities.  Since 2003, her allegiance slowly shifted from “Canadian office worker” to “random Jamaica thrill seeker,” and she’s been blogging about it for years.  Kristi’s philosophy is that anything less than spontaneous adventure can be booked as a generic package through a travel agency, so she urges people to GET OFF THE TOUR BUS and truly experience what the island has to offer. Check out her blog at jamaicamyway.com.

Follow her on Twitter @jamaicamyway