Jerk Chicken dates back to the Carib-Arawak Indians who inhabited Jamaica. The chicken is "jerked" with a sharp object to make holes in it, then stuffed with a variety of spices. The chicken is smoked heavily on the grill and the holes allow heat to escape, which keeps the chicken tender and juicy. I enjoyed this dish so much, I had it for lunch everyday. Sandals is an all inclusive resort, and with a thank you, I take a seat and enjoy my first Jamaican meal.

Feeling content, I head to the beach and lie in one of the many blue lounge chairs. Sandals offers a variety of things to do: canoeing, glass bottom boat, hydrobikes, kayaking, hobie cats, sailboating, scuba-diving, snorkeling and windsurfing. I'm content just taking in the beautiful aqua-blue Caribbean on my lounge chair.

The sunset was spectacular that evening, and the resort made preparations for a beach party buffet. There was such a variety of foods, it was hard to decide what to eat. With my plate filled I took a seat at one of the tables in the sand and listened to the sounds of Reggae music. Ahhh, now this is living!

The next morning my friend and I decide to check out the local tours and excursions. Sandals does not own or operate these tours; they are provided by outside organizations. Tour prices vary depending on your tour, from $10, up to $215. The average cost is around $75. Online, you can view the various tours offered by these companies and even pay for them with your Sandals package. Paying online assures you will be able to do a tour, without worry of it selling out. I didn't pay for my tours before I left and missed the famous Blue Mountain Bicycle Tour, a downhill bike ride through the Blue Mountains, which are where the famous Blue Mountain Coffee is grown.

The tours are a nice break from the beach. We signed up for two tours on our five-day vacation in Jamaica: Canopy Tour and 4x4 Off-road Safari Tour.

The Canopy Tour had two departures, morning or afternoon. We decide to sleep in, so in the afternoon a tour van picked us up at the resort and took us on the short drive to Chukka Cove Farm. The farm offers a variety of tours departing from there. Other resorts and cruise ships use their services, too.

Our group of 10 leaves the farm in a van and takes a narrow winding road high in the jungle. With Reggae music blaring and chuckholes rocking the van, we pass by small villages and see goats grazing near the road.

The van stops at a large covered pavilion where trained guides give us thorough instructions on safety and proper use of the equipment. With my gear on and feeling like Indiana Jones, we take a nature trail down through the lush Cranbrook Flower Forest.