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Jamaica |
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Climate & Weather
The climate is warm - all the time, but the northeast trade winds and mountain breezes
keep the temperature pleasant. The average year round temperature is 89 degrees F and the
water temperature is approximately 78 degrees F (25 C); much warmer in the summer. Jamaica
is north of the equator and therefore our seasons are the same as in the U.S., but
Jamaican winters never get very cold. The dry season is January, February & March. May
and June is the rainy season. In the months in between, there are occasional showers,
usually in the late afternoon that will last from a few minutes to a few hours. Although
this is the norm, Jamaica is tropical and anything can happen.
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Alcohol
-There is no drinking age and liquor is sold at all hours. It is legal to walk down the
street or beach with an open container of alcohol.
Other info that may come in handy.
Time Zone is Eastern Standard Time. Jamaica does not observe Daylight
Savings Time. During Daylight Savings Time in the U.S. (summer), Jamaica is one hour
behind New York; two hours ahead of Los Angeles.
Tipping- Most hotels have a service charge from 10%-15%. The same amount,
although not added to most bills, is generally accepted at restaurants.
Water- It is safe to drink the water in Jamaica. All drinking water in
Jamaica is purified and filtered by modern methods. Drink a lot of it! Its easy to get
dehydrated in the tropics. (note: Beer does not keep you hydrated.)
Health - No vaccinations are required unless, in the last 6 weeks, you
have visited: Asia, Africa, Central & South America, Dominican Republic, Haiti,
Trinidad or Tobago.
There are no rabies in Jamaica
Electrical System - 110 volts/50 cycles is standard. Some hotels use 220
volts. (It means your boom box will work but a digital clock wont.)
Jamaica is a developing country and you
may experience disruptions in service such as power, telephones and water. Relax.
It wont last long. Its
a small price to pay for paradise. |
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GENERAL INFORMATION about JAMAICA
Jamaica is located in the Western Caribbean, 540 miles south of Miami, Florida. It is 146
miles long and up to 51 miles wide, with 120 rivers, 150 miles of beaches and six mountain
ranges, the tallest peak reaching 7,402 feet in the Blue Mountains. Jamaica is an island
nation, part of the West Indies, given their independence from Great Britain in 1962.
British influence, such as driving on the left side of the road, is still prevalent. Most
of Jamaica is very laid back. The pace moves a little slower than youre probably used to,
so set your watch on Jamaican time, relax, slow down and be patient, soon come.
Language-The official language is English, and most Jamaicans also speak
patois. (Patois is a term for any nonstandard regional dialect.) Its sometimes a challenge
to understand, but communication with the locals is no problem.
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Jamaica
Tourist Board
Rustys X-cellent Adventures is licensed and approved by the Jamaica Tourist Board For more
information about Jamaica, call the Jamaica Tourist Board at any of these offices:
Western U.S. Regional Office- Los Angeles: (213) 384-1123
Mid-Western U.S. Regional Office - Chicago: (312)527-1296
Northeast U.S. Regional Office - New York: (212)856-9727
Canada Regional Office - Toronto: (416)482-7850
From anywhere in the U.S. you can call (800) 233-4JTB and you will
automatically be connected to the JTB office nearest you. You can also check out their web
site, The Official Web Site of the Jamaica Tourist Board where youll find plenty of
information.
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THE FIRST ANNUAL NEGRIL FAT TIRE & MUSIC FESTIVAL
February 8 - 14, 1999
A week of mountain biking , racing, international music & fun in the sun, presented by
Jamaica Mountain Bike Association and Rustys X-cellent Adventures.
The week long celebration will consist of down hill and cross country mountain bike racing
including Jamaica's first ever National Championship Series. The National Championship
race will be held on Saturday the 13 of February.
A night ride to a giant cave where we have a cave rave, a scavenger hunt by bicycle, and a
Jamaican style street party are all part of the planned events.
A celebration with live entertainment will wrap up the weeks activities.
Activities are open to anyone, you don't need to be a mountain bike racer to come enjoy
the fun.
Sponsors, prizes and talent to be announced. |
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Customs- Incoming duty-free items: one half pound of tobacco, one quart of
spirits, six fluid ounces of perfume and twelve fluid ounces of toilet water.
Incoming restricted items - Fresh
flowers, plants, honey, fruits, meats and vegetables (except canned), coffee (in any
form), firearms, explosives, and dangerous drugs, including marijuana.
Money & Banking
The local currency is Jamaican dollars, JA or J (jay). The official rate of exchange
fluctuates daily depending on foreign exchange markets. The rate (as of May 1998) is
US$1.00 - JA$40.50; CA$1.00 - JA$22.00. What does that mean?
You get $35.00 Jamaican dollars for one American dollar and you can buy one Red Stripe
(local beer) for any where from 35J to... well, I wouldn't spend more than 100J. Foreign
currency may be exchanged for Jamaican dollars at banks, licensed exchange bureaus,
airports and hotels. Purchases may be made in any currency recognized by the Jamaican
government. (Its easiest to deal with $JA and $U.S.)
Jamaican dollars may be reconverted to foreign currency at the Airport Bureau of Exchange
upon departure with your foreign exchange receipt. Foreign currency or Jamaican dollars
may be taken into or out of Jamaica. Amounts exceeding US$10,000 (or its equivalent in any
other foreign currency) or JA$150,000 must be declared to Jamaican Customs.
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 Immigration
To enter the island you need a passport or a birth certificate with a drivers
license - and a ticket home. You wont be able to enter the country without a
round trip ticket or a ticket for an onward destination. Proof of citizenship is required.
Some countries require visas (the U.S. does not); If you are unsure, check with the
Jamaican Consulate near you.
Proof of Citizenship:
U.S.A. - You need a valid passport or passport, expired not
longer than one year; or an original birth certificate with raised seal, along with photo
I.D. (both bearing the same name). Those visiting as tourists may remain for a period not
exceeding six months.
Canada - Same documentation as above. Naturalized citizens may
use certificate
of citizenship along with photo I.D. (both bearing the same name).
Departure Tax- Like most countries, Jamaica has a departure tax, payable
at
the airport on your departure. It's JA$1000 or
US$25 -- cash only. |
Jamaica Mountain Bike Assc.:
JAMBA is dedicated to promoting mountain biking in Jamaica and supporting the Jamaica
Mountain Bike Team. |
JAMBA is dedicated to promoting mountain
biking in Jamaica and to the support of the Jamaican Mountain Bike Team.
Rusty and Linda have recently formed the Jamaica Mountain Bike Association Limited
(JAMBA). We are recognized by Jamaica's Ministry of Sports and Labor and by the Jamaica
Olympic Association.
In June of 1998, after 2 years of hard training, Zerial Hayles, a 16 year old Jamaican
mountain biker, traveled with Rusty to the USA to compete in cross country and down hill
races in preparation for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. Zerial is the first
mountain biker ever to compete for Jamaica.
Zerial had never even seen a mountain bike race of any
kind, and on his first weekend out of Jamaica, he participated in an all age, all class
down hill race. Zerial took third place and Rusty (also his first mountain race, although
had seen one before) took first place.
Rusty and Zerial have placed in the top 5 of all all
races in which they have participated. As it is a first time for of them on the race
circuit, they are racing sport class and next year will be eligible to race in expert.
So far this race season the Jamaica Mountain Bike Team has 4 first place finishes, 1
second place, 1 third place, 1 fifth and 1 sixth (mechanical difficulties).
In 1999 we hope to take both Zerial and another Jamaican
youth, who has now been training with Rusty for a year, to the USA to race and to qualify
for the Olympics.
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