At most, if not all, major sporting events, the organizers of the event usually throw an appreciation party for the media. These parties sometimes include exotic animals or exotic food. Sometimes there may be a gift at the door and usually an open bar.

I was in the Caribbean for the final two weeks of a six week cricket tour between Australia and the West Indies. The tour has taken three photographers (myself, Harry How and Chris McGrath) on a tour of most of the West Indies. With all the work, we had very little time to do much sightseeing while in the islands.

So when Ricky Skerritt, the Minister of Tourism of St Kitts and Nevis, invited us to a media luncheon the following day, we gladly accepted. When we (the members of the media) looked at our invitations we got really excited. It was going to be a day cruise to the sister island of Nevis on a large catamaran sail boat. Of all of the media appreciation parties I have been too, I have never been to an exotic location.

The following morning, all the visiting media was to be picked up at their hotel and taken to the dock where we would check in and meet the crew. As we arrived at the dock, we were greeted by Mr. Skerritt and some of his assistants. We were escorted down the dock and onto “Spirit of St. Kitts.” Of all my years on and around the water, I was a bit ashamed that I have never been on a sail boat. This was going to be a first for me and many others in our party.

Before boarding, we had to take off our shoes and leave them on the dock. We were helped on board by the crew which included Captain Todd and a deckhand named Elvis (he said his mother was a fan). After a quick safety briefing and introductions, the bar opened. Rum punch, beer and other drinks flowed for the next hour and a half on the trip over.

The wind was blowing in our faces as we sailed toward our destination. It was a smooth ride as the chop on the water couldn’t break the stride of the giant sailboat. Those of us that already knew each other talked about our experiences over the past few weeks and those that we weren’t so familiar with, quickly became friends on our voyage.

Island music was piped throughout the speakers that were strategically placed around the yacht. Some people swayed and danced to the music, some laid out on the netting in front that separated from the surface of the ocean by a mere 10 inches or less at times. It was a time to unbutton your shirt wear shorts and just relax. Although, most of us that day agreed, there should be a law against a middle aged man in a Speedo.

As we approached the island, the blue and green water was crystal clear as you might expect. The “Spirit” pulled up on the beach and the crew helped us off the yacht and into the knee deep water. With me feet in the sand, I look up to a majestic volcanic mound, known as Nevis Peak. In stark contrast to my home in Florida, it is good to see a mountain rising up near the water.

Elvis was directing us toward a little shack near the shore and a buffet was set out for us. There was chicken, rice and salad. The drinks were at another small shack nearby. We sat under sun shades on small couches and benches and enjoyed our lunch with friends. It was very simple, but to date, this is probably my most enjoyable media party yet.

While covering this event, we made friends that will be with us forever. I had some of those pose for a photo for me in front of the shack at the base of Nevis. There was Phil and Alex, both writers from Australia. They were never too busy to help me understand a game that I have never witnessed in person. And the other photographers, Andres, Andy and Stan, that I worked directly with and usually had breakfast or dinner with on any given night. All of us enjoyed a day away from work, away from our hotel that allowed us to just laugh and joke as we told stories on the beach.

I think we all wanted to get back home and back to our lives. But this was a perfect day to forget about work and relax before finishing our work the following day.

Making our way back to the beach their were a few young men playing cricket on a makeshift wicket. We laughed as we saw a sign that read “Internet Access”, not 30 feet from the water. Even on this beach that seemed so simple and primitive, the access to the internet reminded us that we were headed back to work as we boarded the yacht.

The sun was setting as we sailed back into port. Elvis was dancing on the deck to the reggae music and just as fast as it started, this media party was over.

KINGSTON, JAMAICA - MAY 24: The West Indies team gather during day three of the First Test match between West Indies and Australia at Sabina Park on May 24, 2008 in Kingston, Jamaica. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Sometimes things take awhile. In the Jamaica, things take forever. Ya mon, soon come. I’m ordering two beers at a time.

Perhaps this is why cricket and Jamaica go hand in hand. A cricket “test” is played from 10 am to about 6pm, with 2 breaks for tea (yes, tea) and a lunch break over 5 days (yes 5). I kind of think of it as marathon baseball that could end in a tie with a few daily breaks.

Why rush when it’s 90 degrees out and 100% humidity? These were the conditions today and everyday. If there is a reason to hurry and finish the day, the food here is enough reason to stop what you’re doing and eat.

The food has been a highlight of the trip. Jamaican food is not new to me, I grew up a few blocks from two Jamaican shops in Toronto. I was eating beef patties, goat roti, ackee salt fish and rice and peas before I knew where or what Jamaica was. No visit to Toronto is complete for me without a visit to the one shop that still stands.

I was starving tonight. Using my travel book, I found my group of three a local place specializing in seafood. The drinks took a long time to arrive and when I finally placed my order, the waiter asked me to follow him to the back to choose the fish. I’ve done this in a Chinese restaurant before, but didn’t expect it here. We chose snapper and it was delictably steamed in a spicy scotch bonnet broth with okra, carrots, and cassova. It was superb.

Amazingly, the food here tastes the same as the Jamaican food in Toronto or maybe I should have said that the other way around. The only difference is that “soon come” applies so expect a longer than usual wait, it will be worth it.

KINGSTON, JAMAICA - MAY 25: Andrew Symonds of Australia is pictured after he is dismissed during day four of the First Test match between West Indies and Australia at Sabina Park on May 25, 2008 in Kingston, Jamaica. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

TRELAWNY, JAMAICA - MAY 16: A vendor displays his goods for sale during day one of the tour match between Jamaica Select 11 and Australia at Trelawny Stadium on May 16, 2008 in Trelawny, Jamaica. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Montego Bay is Jamaica’s most famous vacation destination. Conveniently, it was also the nearest airport to Trelawny Stadium where the three day matches would be held. I boarded a shuttle bus at the airport to my resort and sat next to a couple from Baltimore who had brought their families along as they were getting married over the weekend. They were very excited and very happy. I told them I was in Jamaica for the cricket match between Australia and Jamaica, they didn’t seem impressed.

This is a perfect example of how unglamorous my life as a sport photographer can be, despite what my (biggest New York Yankee fan in the world) neighbor Barry thinks. The wedding couple got it, Barry didn’t. They will be dancing, drinking champagne and getting married this weekend on the beach. I’ll be dining alone at a resort, drinking beer and shooting cricket in a run-down stadium.

TRELAWNY, JAMAICA - MAY 16: General view of play during day one of the tour match between Jamaica Select 11 and Australia at Trelawny Stadium on May 16, 2008 in Trelawny, Jamaica. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

The stadium it turns out wasn’t exactly run-down. It had been built a year earlier when Jamaica hosted the 2007 World Cup of Cricket. Not being the main stadium, a few matches were played here, so I was a bit surprised to find a sparse media center. There weren’t any phones, internet or monitors in the room. I couldn’t even find a roster of the team.

Luckily for me, I met a few extremely helpful journalists from Australia and another two from the local papers. They helped me with identifying the players in my pictures and explaining the subtleties of the game and scoring. An AP photographer from Puerto Rico, who will be following the tour for the next six weeks, helped me with the logistics and made the first day easier than I thought possible. I was happy to find that most photographers were staying at the same resort as I was and even more pleased with the photos I made that first day:

TRELAWNY, JAMAICA - MAY 16: Simon Katich of Australia scores two runs on a hit during day one of the tour match between Jamaica Select 11 and Australia at Trelawny Stadium on May 16, 2008 in Trelawny, Jamaica. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

TRELAWNY, JAMAICA - MAY 17: Andrew Symonds of Australia hist a four in front of Carlton Baugh Jr. of Jamaica during day two of the tour match between Jamaica Select XI and Australia at Trelawny Stadium on May 17, 2008 in Trelawny, Jamaica. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

TRELAWNY, JAMAICA - MAY 16: Neive McNally of Jamaica reacts to a missed catch opportunity resulting in four runs during day one of the tour match between Jamaica Select 11 and Australia at Trelawny Stadium on May 16, 2008 in Trelawny, Jamaica. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

LONDON - MAY 21: Oliver Hannon-Dalby of Yorkshire bowls during day one of the Liverpool Victoria County Championship Division 1 match between Surrey and Yorkshire at The Brit Oval on May 21, 2008 in London, England. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

I must admit, I know little to nothing about cricket. Despite living in England, my only experience with the sport was shooting a one day women’s match. This goes to show you how much confidence our London office had in me. They must have been desperate.

So, when I was offered to shoot the Australians on a tour through the West Indies, I was excited and suspicious. I wasn’t offered the whole tour mind you, which can span many countries, taking eight weeks. Nonetheless, two weeks in Jamaica was hard to pass up and the fact that budgeting concerns might have had a role in not sending someone more experienced from Australia didn’t bother me in the least. Again, they had to have been desperate.

I rarely travel to a new destination without first reading “A Lonely Planet Travel Guide” for some background. It’s where I find information on the best restaurants, nicest beaches and entertainment options to stretch my expense account to the absolute maximum. It’s also were I get an idea of more important concerns such as safety, customs and immigration issues, local currency, electrical voltage conversion and anything and everything that might make my trip disasterous.

With most of the travel logistics out of the way, I spent the next few days leading up to my departure reading up on the rules and scoring of cricket, searching the Getty Images site for photos from our finest cricket photographers and taking mental notes on the terminology I would need to caption my photos.

Yeah mon, I was ready…