Hello from Samsara Cliffs Resort — for the last time this is Margaret, guest blogging while on our vacation at this divine Negril resort. My family and I have been here for five days now and we decided to spend our last day trying a little harder to relax, so we booked massages for the afternoon. For the morning, my husband and the two girls took a Scuba Diving Class from the Marine Life Scuba Shop that is right on Samsara’s property. They had a really good time! First there was some book learning, then the dive shop owner Angel got them fitted out with fins, air tanks and vests and they all went to the pool to practice. After he decided they were ready, they went out to the cliffs, jumped in and went for a short dive. My husband says they went down to about 20 feet and they all enjoyed it very much! Angel is a great teacher and they all wanted to do another dive but we waited too long to get around to this great activity. Whoopsie! Note to self: Schedule a dive for earlier in the vacation, don’t wait until the last day!
The family all fitted out with diving equipment at the Marine Life Dive Shop
The family in the ocean with Angel, ready to go down on a real scuba dive!
Shanna in the dining room
Melvin got more jelly coconuts for the girls to refresh them after their dive, and during lunch we exchanged email addresses with Shanna and Latoya in the dining room. The girls in the dining room really made mealtimes nice with their cheery attitudes and great service. I am still hoping to put the soup chef in my luggage and smuggle her home (her name is Kenisha — have I mentioned how good the soups are here?) but she’s being rather elusive.
In the afternoon, while thunder rolled in the distance, we stretched out in the Samsara Spa and got our massages. I have completely forgotten the two massage therapists’ names who worked on us, but they were amazing. We got the Back Relaxation Treatment, and evidently in Jamaica your back is any part of the body that can be reached while lying on your stomach. My head, shoulders, neck, back, spine, legs and feet all got thoroughly massaged. I felt like I was being taken apart and put back together in better condition.
Latoya from the dining room
I believe the technique they used is called a Deep Tissue Massage, which I had never had before. It was amazing! Afterward there was no way to be not relaxed. I finally achieved relaxation…which is not a natural state of being for me! Another note to self: on the next vacation, be sure to schedule a massage for at least every other day, if not every day. And perhaps some when I’m back home too.
We said goodbye to all the wonderful people we met while at Samsara: Tolick at the front desk, Dian at Ciao Jamaica (Chef Donna was off today) and our wonderful housekeeper Verone who cleaned up our room and made the bed every day. I’d like to stuff her in my suitcase too! All of the staff at Samsara are good, friendly people who make you feel welcome and comfortable like you’re at home. Our time there was wonderful and I can’t wait to come back!
 Our two talented Massage Therapists |
 Marvelous Melvin |
 Dian from Ciao Jamaica |
 Tolick from the front desk |
 Verone, our sainted housekeeper |