A Big Surprise

Simone , Stephanie, Lauren, Alma, Sharlene, Damit. Back l-r Robert, Peter 

Yesterday, Labour Day and thus a public holiday in Jamaica, I got a great, big, pleasant surprise as members of "World Explorers Riding Club" surprised me with a lovely, delicious (belated )  birthday cake. This was at Donnie Bunting's home at Longville Park in Clarendon.

While I am a member of Fun and Thrills riding club, they were not going anywhere new yesterday and Donnie had long been insisting that I visit his farm and taste some of his delicious lamb recipes, (he is Jamaica's foremost sheep farmer and lamb supplier).

So when Damit,  his close friend and organiser of World Explorers and a former Fun and Thrills rider, told me that that on  Labour Day they were riding to Donnie's  place, you know I had to be in dat...... And I am so happy I did for it was wonderful day all round, not just the food but the new friends I made, the ride itself and the great camaraderie.

The plan was for me to meet the World Explorers at West Kings House road at 5am and would you believe that as I got on to Upper Waterloo Road, my stupid chain came off ! Anyway the area was well lit and I never saw anyone lurking around and with the bicycle just having come from the repairers, it was easy to get it on back on. (Unlike on previous occasions before it actually broke off, when getting the chain back on was living hell!)

As I was early, I did not bother to go to the meeting spot but rode along Waterloo Road hoping to see them coming. At first I saw three young men and enquired it they were with Damit's  group and when they replied in the affirmative I rode on until I saw Damit himself riding alone.

We regrouped at Dunrobin Avenue and it was discovered that one of the riders, Alma, was missing, so  Damit rode back to meet her. They eventually caught up with us at the rest stop by Jose Marti High School.

It was for me an easy enough ride to Clarendon as it is a flat route that I have done many times before and although some of the World Explorers were doing a long ride for the first time, they all did well and most importantly, without there being  any spills. 

We reached Donnie's home much earlier than anticipated but he was not fazed and some of us were immediately recruited to become farmers by assisting to herd sheep!


We were then treated to the most delicious lamburgers and fishburgers, carefully prepared by the chef extraordinaire himself, then to my surprise, a beautifully decorated chocolate cake was placed in front of me followed the by the robust singing of "Happy Birthday". You could have bowled me over with a feather but it was a pleasant surprise indeed and the cake was really delicious.


Later the city slickers were given a tour of the aquaculture section of the farm where they saw how the fish they so love to consume, were raised and fed.

L-R Audrey, Joan, Donnie, Alma

Donnie and Audrey were the  consummate hosts, not only opening  up their home for us to enjoy and satisfying our palates, but also Donnie went to another section of his farm  and filled up one of his holding tanks with clean, fresh, water, so the city slickers could have a nice, enjoyable, swim before the ten of us squeezed into the pickup driven by Robert, for a the return trip and very heavy rains in Kingston.

It was a truly wonderful day all round.

Photos; compliments of Peter Knibb.