Dominica Adventure - a little paradise

I knew before the journey to Dominica that it would be an adventure somehow. The island is simpler, more original and less touristy and developed than the other Caribbean islands. In addition, Dominica was heavily hit by Hurricane Maria last year in September. But that's exactly why I consciously chose this island after Barbados and St. Lucia. Well, what can I say? Dominica blew me away. Dominica is a little paradise, a dream, a great adventure. 

It started with the ferry ride from St. Lucia to Dominica. Since New Zealand, I haven't been a big fan of ferry rides on the sea. And here too, despite the motion sickness tablets, I quickly got seasick due to the rough waves. After 5 hours, I was glad to finally have stable ground under my feet again. I was picked up at the harbor by the son of my hostess. The plan was to go to Wotton Waven by Tikitaka bus, but in the end, we were given a ride by my companion's buddy. So, I sat in the car with 3 wannabe gangster rappers who had probably just smoked a joint, listening to loud gangster music that almost burst my eardrums. At least I probably saved 2 euros in bus fare. The road to Wotton Waven was pretty bad, with huge potholes and a lot of construction sites. Wotton Waven is a small village in the mountains in the middle of the jungle, somewhere in the middle of nowhere. My apartment was very simple but clean and spacious, and the family who ran it was super nice and helpful. But also a little crazy. The dad seemed to be constantly stoned and told funny stories, like how to free yourself from the clutches of a boa constrictor. Can't hurt to know something like that. I felt like the only tourist there, apart from the two strange Chinese people who lived in the neighboring apartment, could hardly speak any English and constantly wanted to drink rum with me. Wotton Waven is known for its hot sulfur springs and is a good starting point for exploring waterfalls and lakes in the area. From here, I set off on a 6-hour hike to the Boiling Lake with my guide Paul. At the beginning, it was still relatively comfortable through the jungle, but then it went steeply uphill to the peak of Morne Nicholls with a great view. From here, it became very adventurous. We went downhill on muddy paths, sometimes it was more like climbing. At some points, we even had to descend on ropes. Right into the Valley of Desolation, an extremely active volcanic area, steaming, smelling of sulfur, boiling hot water bubbling up from the ground everywhere. So, we boiled the raw eggs we brought in one of the holes and smeared our faces with a mask of gray mud, it's supposed to help. The hike to the Boiling Lake remained very adventurous, with more climbing over slippery rocks, always hoping not to fall into the hot water. Finally, when we arrived at the Boiling Lake, you understand why it's called that. It looks like a huge cooking pot with boiling water. From here, we had to walk back the same strenuous path, but at least we could cool off and relax in the Titou Gorge, a beautiful little ravine.

For the second half of my stay, I treated myself to a rental car to explore the rest of the island. By chance, I found a cheap provider, but the rented car was also in a corresponding condition. It was rattling everywhere, but at least it had all-wheel drive and was cheap, and with loud music, I could drown out all the strange noises. The car was lovingly named 'Schrotti' (Junkie). With Schrotti, I quickly left the not particularly impressive capital Roseau behind. It was unbearable here when all the cruise ship tourists stormed the city. My next accommodation was located in the north of the island, in the small fishing village of Calibishie. A nice little apartment with an eco-garden, run by a Canadian emigrant. From here, I set off every day on an adventurous journey across the island. Curvy, narrow roads littered with potholes, still feeling the effects of the hurricane. The 'attractions,' whether beach, waterfall, or hiking trail, were simply poorly or not signposted at all, and the drive there was always exciting. But the locals were super friendly and not only explained the way to me but also constantly gave me fruit from their own garden. There was always something going on at these attractions (Red Rocks, Emerald Pool, Trafalgar Falls...), most of the time I could enjoy the scenery all by myself. The search for a secluded beach with a waterfall was particularly adventurous. I actually found the beginning of the trail in a small side street in a small village by chance. However, the path eventually became so overgrown and slippery that I gave up. My arms and legs were completely scratched, all my clothes were covered in mud from a fall. However, I was very successful in finding the Chaudier Pool in the middle of nowhere in the jungle. First, 2 km on a catastrophic dirt road. Then no idea where to go. According to the navigation system, the pool was not far away. So, I simply parked the car in the bush and waded through a random river until I actually found the natural pool with a small waterfall. In the meantime, I was a little uneasy about everything, but in the end, I was pretty happy to have found the pool. The other guests at my accommodation were not so successful, after all. 

Dominica is not necessarily known for its perfect white sandy beaches. Nevertheless, you can discover a few beautiful wild bays, such as Batibou Bay or Number 1 Beach. Scenes from Pirates of the Caribbean were even filmed here.

Christmas on Dominica was very relaxed. In the Caribbean environment, I wasn't particularly in the Christmas mood anyway. Nevertheless, I celebrated with the locals in the village on Christmas Eve and only went to bed at sunrise. 

Despite the many hurricanes in recent years, Dominica is a wonderful and fantastically beautiful country, with green rainforests everywhere, rivers, waterfalls, natural pools and lakes, wild beaches, mountains, and above all, great people. I'm sure we'll meet again...