Returning to the Rio Grande Valley: A Day of Mishaps and Magic at Cestan Spring
There is no remedy for the love I have for waterfalls but to love them more.
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After what felt like an eternity away, I finally returned to one of my favorite parishes— Portland.
The nostalgia of past adventures and the longing for the lush landscapes pulled me back, and this time, I invited Rasheika, a fellow content creator, to join me. Our destination? The stunning Cestan Spring in a quaint community called Ginger House.
Driving along the winding Junction road, memories flooded back of my past trips to St. Mary, where I often sought out hidden gems like Johnny , Hazzard, and other waterfalls in the White Spring community.
Our journey began with a taxi ride from Half Way Tree to Annotto Bay, assuming the usual coaster bus would leave late. But to our surprise, the bus sped past us while we were still in the taxi, heading towards Port Antonio.
This was just the beginning of a day filled with unexpected twists.
When we finally reached Port Antonio, I realized I had forgotten to pack my grill—typical, right?
A quick stop at a hardware store to grab some mesh, and we were back on track.
While filming clips for our YouTube content, my forgetfulness struck again.
I realized I had left the shrimp behind—another essential item missing!
I left Rasheika in the minibus and hurried to a nearby seafood store to buy more.
Upon returning, we decided to switch to a taxi operating in the Rio Grande Valley, thinking it would be a smoother ride.
We finally reached our destination—the beautiful blue bridge over the Rio Grande— another hiccup occurred: one of our bags containing plates and pots was missing.
The bag had been left on Papa's minibus, so we had no choice but to head back to Port Antonio to retrieve it.
On our way back, we spotted Papa’s minibus and flagged him down to ask about the bag.
At first, he denied having it, but after reviewing our video footage, we confirmed that we had indeed brought the bag onto the minibus.
With video evidence in hand, he finally admitted we had left it on his bus, retrieving it from under the seat.
Papa wasn’t too pleased that we had switched to a taxi, costing us an hour driving back and forth.
Determined to make the most of the day, we quickly snapped some photos at the bridge before heading to the river.
We were greeted by the breathtaking sight of the Cestan Spring Waterfall.
The serene surroundings were the perfect backdrop for our content creation, and we captured as much as we could before getting down to what I love most—cooking!
For lunch and dinner, we planned a feast: shrimp skewers with red, yellow, and green bell peppers, corn, purple onions, mushrooms, and ripe plantains.
All this would be served with quinoa cooked in coconut milk with spring onions, green peppers, and thyme.
Since I hadn’t brought my stove, I had to build a fire, which turned out to be more challenging than expected.
Cooking over a makeshift charcoal stove proved challenging.
I had to coax the fire into life. In the process, I managed to burn my lip.
Something I only realized after I got home.
Despite the hurdles, we seasoned the shrimp, skewered the ingredients, and got cooking.
The meal turned out to be a masterpiece, topped with a mouthwatering mango pineapple sauce.
Although we had to borrow a pot to cook the quinoa, everything came together beautifully.
We were so pleased with the outcome that we could hardly believe it.
As the day faded into evening, we quickly devoured our meal, savoring each bite.
The serenity of the river was our backdrop as we spent a few precious moments enjoying the river before nightfall then quickly packed up and left.
But the adventure didn’t end there. With no cell signal in the area, we couldn’t call our earlier taxi driver, Wild and Rich (yes, that’s really his name), who had been such a great help with our lost bag.
With nightfall approaching, we couldn’t resist stopping to take a few photos along the road, which was surrounded by lush greenery and blessedly free of traffic. The serenity of the area, with its peaceful vibe and quiet roads, provided the perfect backdrop for our impromptu photo session.
As we continued walking, still without transportation or cell signal to contact Wild and Rich, the Rio Grande treated us to a breathtaking sunset. The sky was painted in hues of orange and pink, reflecting beautifully on the water.
I couldn’t help but capture the moment with a few photos before we resumed our journey, the fading light guiding us forward.
We walked for a while and eventually met Claudia, a local who had been waiting for a ride as well.
Together, we continued our trek until we found a small shop where we bought some juice and water, as we hadn’t packed any.
As we walked in the dark, praying for a ride, lightning and thunder signaled the coming rain.
As we walked in the dark, praying for a ride, lightning and thunder signaled the coming rain.
Just in time, after what felt like an eternity truck came by and offered us a lift to Port Antonio. The ride was fast, reminiscent of the Junction road.
As the rain began, we squeezed into the truck’s cab, all six of us packed like sardines.
Uncomfortable as it was, the shared laughter and relief made it a memorable end to an unforgettable day.
It was uncomfortable with six people packed in, but we laughed through it. The ride was a wild one—speeding through the darkness, with lightning and thunder adding to the drama.
Eventually, we made it to Port Antonio, where we caught a minibus to Buff Bay. We then took a taxi to Annotto Bay, and finally another to Half Way Tree, arriving at 10:00 PM.
In hindsight, this trip was one of the most chaotic and forgetful ones I've ever had. From the forgotten shrimp to the missing bag, the misplaced pot, and even burning my lip trying to start the charcoal stove—it seemed like everything that could go wrong did.
But despite all the mishaps, it was a day filled with laughter, beautiful sights, and delicious food.
In the back of the truck before it stared to rain.
Have you ever been to the Rio Grande Valley? Explored the stunning Cestan Spring Waterfall? I’d love to hear about your experience. And if you haven’t visited yet, would you consider taking a trip to this part of paradise? Let me know in the comments below. Until the next virtual adventure!