Tips on travelling to Jamaica, please

[Steve66]

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Hi Guys,

 

I am fortunate in being able to spend some time travelling Jamaica shortly. Being UK based my charger is the three pin type. Is it sufficient to buy a two way [english mother/us male adapter ] to recharge the m8 batteries ?

Also if their are any shooting tips, re tropical light that might be useful that I might need I would be grateful .

 

cool runnings,

 

Steve.

[SJP]

The original charger with my M8 came with a whole collection of AC connectors that can be exchanged to fit the wall socket in range of countries (mainland european, USA and UK three prong and a few more if I recall correctly) did you not get them in the UK delivery of the M8?

[earleygallery]

I had a holiday there some years ago, I remember everone applauding as the plane took off for home.

 

It's got worse since then for tourists which is why the all inclusive places are popular -fine as long as you stay within the confines of the hotel!

 

You will get a lot of hassle wherever you go in public and you are best advised to take a minimal amount of money and no valuables!

 

Such a shame that the Jamaicans have ruined their reputation as a holiday destination because they so badly need the income.

[SJP]

"don't" would be my immediate reaction but this is on hearsay etc. only.

 

We live in what is considered to be a "bad" part of The Hague.... Big mistake, it is by a considerable margin the best place to live that I can recall. This is good for my (our) sanity and the house pices are reasonable as well. What more do you want. Reputations are not always correct.

 

Maybe treat Jamaica with an open mind, and with your eyes wide open.

[Big T]

When shooting in tropical conditions the light can be a bit harsh. So shoot bracketed pics. You will be surprised how some of your "under / over exposed" pics turn out.

 

I know the M8 doesn't have bracketing but I usually have the aperture set to f5.6 or f8.0 and then just take a pics one full stop either side.

 

This can also provide pics for some HDR processing which can allow you balance the heavy dynamic ranges. Note my HDR pics are about the more natural colours not the heavily processed stuff you see.

 

And enjoy your trip.

Usual beware stuff:

~ Talk and be friendly to the locals (Talk to them about their country not yours.... )

~ Leave the Rolex home

~ Only take what you need for that day (Leave the rest in the Hotel safe)

~ Dress down

~ If it feels unsafe it probably is

~ If it feels safe it probably is

~ And take lots of pics....

[gwelland]

I was in Jamaica for a week last May and decided after the first day that I had to get out of the gilded cage of the resort I was at. I rented a small SUV type vehicle to explore the interior of the country off the beaten path.

 

What I can tell you is that generally people are pretty friendly so long as you are out of town. I found driving through Montego Bay and most of the smaller towns inland that you need to keep your wits about you. On a couple of occasions I had folks knocking on the passenger window trying to grab my attention but with the intent to grab whatever was on the seat. You will find that town centers are a mass of people at times milling around which can be a little intimidating.

 

When I stopped by the roadside the folks were quite the opposite to in town. Friendly and approachable and as previously mentioned, show some interest and dress down to avoid attention. I had no problems at all one-one with roadside sellers.

 

The biggest issue you might have on the roads pretty much anywhere is that driving standards are atrocious and there's a reason why folks run fast there! taxis are the worst and have two speeds - stopped or full speed & overtaking you ANYWHERE. Road signs are generally terrible, especially once you leave the main ring road.

 

For photography the biggest issue I had was handling humidity. If you are in an air conditioned car or hotel you'll need to be conscious of this because it is a significant problem. Be prepared also for tropical weather in general too (duh).

 

Be wary of candid shooting too. Ask for permission to shoot folks because stealth shooting isn't appreciated.

[Steve66]

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Thanks for the replies, we have been to jamaica previously and hired cars, travelled on public transport, booked our own accommodation [not the all deluded] with no problem at all. I agree the driving is a bit scary.

Please elaborate as to how the air con/humidity can effect the m8 and what steps I can take .

Bought my m8 from a uk dealer who wasn't sure as to whether a US adapter came with the charger apparently it does. Any info as to locate an adapter from, have tried ebay.

 

Thanks, Steve.* *

[gwelland]

The humidity issue is with moving in & out of air con conditions where condensation on the lens/filter is a problem. For example driving around & stopping & shooting is a problem unless you prepare for it. With the rangefinder it is exacerbated because you don't see it via the VF but the lens/filter may be misted up for a while and you won't tell until later (assuming you didn't check).

 

I'd avoid changing lenses much under those conditions also unless you want the same thing to happen inside the camera as opposed to just on the glass.

 

Nothing unique about jamaica or Leica in this respect.

[Double Negative]

I spent a day in Ocho Rios. You can have it... I'm not going back, let alone stuck in an all-inclusive compound. There are so many nicer places to visit in the Caribbean without all the hassle. Totally NOT irie, mon.

[gwelland]

Definitely 3rd world pretty quickly there. I drove through ocho rios myself too - like much of the island it felt like everything fell apart after we british left. I didn't make it to kingston but montego bay definitely wasn't a cultural hotspot (there was one touristy area but I'm not convinced that's better ... Altough the food & drink was decent :-) ).

 

If you like half finished concrete block buildings then Jamaica is a mecca :-)

[Rick]

Was there a couple years ago and our friend left before the 10-days were up. I kissed the ground when we landed back in the US. I'd have to agree with everything that has been said here. And, my wife and I are no prima donna travelers either. Steve66, I'd say be careful and I'd leave the M8 home and just bring a PAS.

[cheewai_m6]

it'd be a shame to go anywhere and not be able to take a leica there.

[antistatic]

My wife went to the Carribean.....

[gwelland]

My wife went to the Carribean.....

 

Jamaica?

 

No she went on her own accord.

[antistatic]

Jamaica?

 

No she went on her own accord.

 

Boom Tish!!

[stunsworth]

Boom Tish!!

 

I always found the alternative funnier...

 

"My wife went to the Caribbean"

 

"Jamaica"

 

"No, St Lucia"

[earleygallery]

it'd be a shame to go anywhere and not be able to take a leica there.

 

You can certainly take a Leica to Jamaica, I'd just warn against the very real possibility of not returning with it and taking out a good insurance policy before you leave home!

 

During my fortnights holiday in Jamaica I was almost mugged twice, both times I had my camera on me (not one of the Leica's).

 

First time we were saved in the nick of time when a security guard just happened to appear - we'd been latched onto by this guy who said he was a 'tour guide' and would accompany us (we'd foolishly decided to walk into Montego Bay town). He was wouldn't take no for an answer then he was joined by several more men. They had managed to steer us to a quiet area and demanded money from us "for the tour" - we offered something like a fiver at the time but they clearly wanted everything. The security guard/policeman (not sure which) shouted at them from another building and they scarpered. We did too, into a taxi and straight back to the hotel.

 

The second time in a busy market in Kingston when we had left the rest of our tour group (we only went on organised trips out of the hotel after that first incident) I noticed two guys following us everywhere obviously waiting for their opportunity and we literally had to run back to where the other tourists/guides were.

 

Not a relaxing holiday at all!

[Rick]

Ok, I'll tell my story and why I recommended to NOT bring anything like your M8. Maybe an AK-47 but, not your M8.

 

We landed in paradise and were met by an unknown and unplanned American that worked for the FAA in the tower. He was getting off work and asked if we needed a lift. On the way to our hotel he told us what, we thought at the time, were scare stories. Like don't go over certain highways because you will be car jacked and robbed. He told us what beaches were not safe. And, of course my wife's favorite about the tourists that were tide-up a week ago on the beach and the husband was macheted to death and the wife ran away or swam away or something like that. That was our welcome orientation to the island.

 

Next day, when we were waiting for a taxi to go into town, this big Texas, American pulls through the hotel taxi area in a big SUV and asks if we want a ride into town. My wife got in the back and I hopped into the front. I looked down between the seats and this guy had a handgun tucked away. I asked what he did and he said he was an American contractor. I asked about the gun and he smiled at me and said he was a deputized by the local police and was authorized to carry the gun for his own safety. He told us that we really should stick to the center of town and that my wife needed to cover up her halter top which would only cause problems.

 

In town we were indeed singled out and followed by guys and they were just waiting for us to go down the wrong street or they wanted to get us alone. We stayed in the touristy are of town and took a taxi back to our hotel.

 

In the evening, back at the "safe" hotel compound, the guard came by and made us close out sliding door and shut our curtains or we were told that we would have to leave because they couldn't guarantee our safety.

 

We rented a car while we were there. We had the car dropped off at the hotel and headed out. We stopped to get gas. After I paid for the gas, I was accosted by a guy with a knife on the way back to the car. I was fast and I when he looked back at his buddy I grabbed his wrist and twisted his arm under him and pressured his elbow and he dropped the knife and ran, so did I.

 

We got in the car and several minutes later we were being followed by a VW with no windshield. They kept trying to ram us. So, I hit the accelerator and I was relieved to see that the old VW they had couldn't go more than about 40mph.

 

Flying out, we had our luggage stolen when we pulled into the airport. I went looking for it and found it in the baggage area behind the main passenger area. We were now late for our flight so, my wife and I got to the gate by going through this maze behind the passenger check-in area and the customs area. We walked right on the plane with our carry-on baggage and never even passed through customs!

 

Now you know why I said, when we landed in the US and walked off the plane into the terminal area (US), I literally kissed the ground.

[gberger]

Our daughter and brand new son-in-law went to Jamaica earlier this year, just to get away from work and to enjoy each other.

 

They came back to the US in three days (they live in Phoenix) and have vowed never to return.

 

Go Figure.

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Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[barcoder]

I was in Negril two years ago. Walked to the market and bought local fruits. Got a few stares but that is about it. The people are generally warm and friendly. Get away from the tourists and all the trouble we bring and you will find a cleaner and safer place.