Mr. Happy was the first real Rastafarian I ever encountered. Dreads down his back, slow cadence, and the most laid-back individual I had ever come across. He was the quintessential Jamaican and our tour guide at botanical gardens in Ochos Rios when we visited many years ago. The name of that park eludes me now, but the memory of him does not.
A favorite travel quote of mine comes from the late Anthony Bourdain, “Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life – and -travel – leaves marks on you.”
I feel travel is a gift to open our eyes, change our perception and prejudices, and allow us to be part of a bigger community, whether that’s locally or throughout the world. It’s easy to stay perpetually in the same state of being if we never expose ourselves to the amazing experiences that are there for the taking.
This leads me back to Mr. Happy. He aided in my admiration for the people and places of Jamaica, while making me want to learn more, see more, and experience more than what I had in my small section of Earth. It took me a few years to recognize who my true self was meant to be, but now I’m here to embrace and seek adventure, and share it with those who have the desire to travel this road with me.
Let’s go on a journey.
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