We had a lot of free time on this trip, which is pretty unusual, and us New Yorkers felt more or less stranded at the Hilton. There was no itinerary for us and also Kingston is not the friendliest place to be wandering around when you don't know what you're doing. But I was one of the few lucky people who got to leave the compound and see the beach and eat delicious local food thanks to Kelly Rae and her crew, who were doing location scouting for Maxim. We drove out to a place called Hellshire Beach and had lunch at the local institution Prendy's. We ate fresh-caught fish, deep-fried and steamed with vegetable stew and a Jamaican staple called "festival," which is fried cornmeal dough. When you first arrive at the beach, it just looks like a crumbling shanty town, but all the little huts are fish joints for the hungry beach-goers and their walls are painted with the most amazing murals inside and out.

After filling up our bellies we drove to another beach ten minutes away called Fort Clarence. Here we each had to pay 150 Jamaican dollars ($2) to get in, but it was well worth it. This beach was more secluded with hardly anyone there. The water was divine -- like a giant heated pool. After splashing around for a bit and having the greatest time, we headed back to the Hilton at sunset.