Tasheika Mckane reignites love for adventure, fulfils travel dreams

The feeling of the island breeze against her face dates as one of Tasheika Mckane’s earliest travel memories. These days, she has taken her explorations to new hills and valleys, inviting others to tour across the island with her.

Growing up, her family ensured that she was able to experience her culture with all the beauty it has to offer. From churches and roast trips to hotel stays and main attraction visits, she fell in love with the land of wood and water. As she got older, life got busier, but she has returned to her first love – travel – while supplying documentation via blogging and vlogging for her viewers, in between her studies.

“When I started travelling around the island once again, I was at peace because I was connected to something that has always been a part of me. As the journey went by, it brought back memories of road trips with my family and the feeling it gave me as a child. My mom has been my biggest support, planning family trips just so I can get some content to showcase our little island,” she told Saturday Living.

This renewed purpose unleashed and re-energised Mckane’s inner ‘Dora’, at a time when she thought she was drowning in depression. Not only did she become one with nature, but this reconnection also brought her closer to God. Her smile illuminated light as bright as the sunny days in the summer of 2020, reflecting radiance in her online chapters.

“Seeing fellow bloggers and vloggers really inspired me to start this journey. I realised it’s better to showcase these attractions and give persons a better idea of what to expect from these places,” she said.

Noting that making videos and sharing insights bring her the greatest joy, Mckane is happy to let her viewers and readers in on the reconnection and, in doing so, have them connect in a way they never thought possible. “The awe and wonder of nature itself inspires me to record and share it with others so that they can go and experience these places for themselves,” she added.

GOOD FRIENDS

To facilitate and encourage the camaraderie of travel for her viewers, Mckane ventures on her trips in the company of good friends. Facing the sad reality that tourists knew the island far more than locals did, she set out to change that narrative, one adventure at a time.

“After realising that the majority of Jamaicans who wanted to travel couldn’t because they lacked resources for transportation or company, we started 876 Travel Squad in January 2021,” she said.

“As a group of friends sharing mutual passion for travel, we hosted group trips to different parts of the island, planning and providing the transportation services at an affordable cost.”

That innovative leg of the journey so far has been amazing. They are able to meet new people, and with the beautiful locations and festivities planned, people are naturally inspired to escape the city life for a breath of fresh cool air. She is excited that her young peers are giving positive feedback and motivated by their response of diving right into explorations of their own backyard.

The hospitality and tourism student has already kindled timeless memories at Thatch Hill River Park in St Ann, Frenchman Cove, Dry River Waterfall and Winifred Beach in Portland, Seven Miles Beach in Negril, Westmoreland, and Holywell Waterfall in St Andrew, among others. “Thatch Hill River Park brought peace almost instantly and it is breathtakingly beautiful. Also, I love that it is owned and run by a young woman with a great vision for the attraction.”

With plans to explore more local spots and international waters, outside of her visits to Florida in the United States of America, Mckane hopes to continue on her pursuit to inspire others to travel and showcase her ‘likkle but tallawah’ island to the world.

“In the future, we plan to turn our passion project into an official business and give persons the best island experience,” she said of plans for the 876 Travel Squad.

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com

5 locations in Jamaica Tasheika Mckane is looking forward to visiting

- River Rapid in Trelawny

- Strawberry Fields in St Mary

- Nanny Falls and Reach Falls in Portland

- Rick’s Café and Chill Pop in Negril

- Raf Jam Waterfall in St Andrew