Jamaica

I promise you are not going to get killed in Jamaica.  That island was my very first foreign destination before I started traveling for real.  I’ve been there five more times since that initial trip and have a pretty clear understanding of the dangers..

I was once chased around a parking lot by an angry local restaurant owner armed with a butcher knife when she realized she failed to charge me $2.00 for the Red Stripe beer I drank with the meal.  I stayed out of her reach and gave her the $2.00 she was demanding.  Problem solved.  That’s the only issue I’ve had in Jamaica.

The shop/booth owners in the markets are more aggressive than in most places.  They may step in front of you to stop your movement or gently grab your arm to steer you to their stall.  Just smile, say “Your merchandise looks great, but I’m not looking for any of that.  Thank you for inviting me into your stall.  I hope you have a great day.”

The shop owners will smile and you will be free to move on.  It grows tiresome saying the same thing to every shop owner, but it’s the best way to handle things.  You smile.  You compliment them on their wares.  They smile.  You walk away.  Rinse and repeat.

This warning doesn’t really affect tourists.  Enjoy your trip to this unique island.