I headed out from the airport and found my hotel to check in. I asked the friendly staff where I could get something to eat and was advised that at that hour, nothing would be open except Dominos Pizza. I decided I didn’t actually need dinner and crashed out early on the bed knowing that I had a big day tomorrow.
The next day I was up early and headed out on foot to the nearby ruin of a battery and living quarters. There is plenty of rubble from the old building and the vegetation is starting to take over. It was also possible to get a nice view out over the bay.
From here I went to get some local cash out of the machine and head off to see the sights in the one day I had here.
First off, I headed to the natural mineral spring. I thought there would be something to this sight as the photo on google maps makes it look interesting. But it is literally just a little bit of coloured water coming out of a rock where they have cut the road for the banana plantation. Nothing to see here really and certainly no infrastructure.
I very quickly moved on took my time driving south along the west coast taking a few photos on the way. I then saw a chocolate shop that was about to open. I decided to go in and they told me that all the chocolate for their product came from the island. I tasted some and bought some ( somehow I have not eaten it yet and I think it will make it home to be able to share with Vanessa). They also did a take on a lamington. Of course I had to buy one of them and eat it right away. Not the same but a worthy imitation.
After my breakfast lamington, I continued heading down the coast. The roads were very steep and very windy but it was a nice drive with a few stops for photos on the way. I finally made it to the volcano area and got a guide who told me all about the specific volcano on the island and how it had made many of the features over time there. I got some photos of the mud pools bubbling, smelt the bad air and took in as much information as this little damaged head can fit in.
The I started heading to the Gros Piton walking tail to go up one of the peaks that St Lucia is known for. I should have followed the signs I could see for the walk from the start instead of google but after finding myself on a road that was not really a road, more of a single dirt track barely cut into the cliff, I decided to turn around and follow the signs. Of course, there was one crucial intersection where there was no longer a sign to tell me which way to go, so I wound down my window and asked the barefoot man with no shirt on and a machete almost half my size which way I should go. He was super friendly and pointed me in the right direction. I got to the walk and started up the mountain.
I thought that as the walk was only a couple of hours and only going a few hundred (or so) meters up I wouldn’t need more than the small bottle of water I had in my bag and the breakfast I had had en route. Well, I was wrong! In 30+ degree heat, a biting sun and no food I found myself really struggling just before the top. However, right when I needed it the most there was a vender selling mangos and Gatorade. I overpaid for both but it tasted sooo good and was exactly what I needed and when I needed it. At the top of the mountain I took my time to recover and called Vanessa and the kids from there as it was the kids bed time right then. The walk down was so much easier.
Just after my hike I found a local supermarket where I bought some sauces for Vanessa and also got myself something to eat and drink to recover a little from the walk. The choice in the store was very good and if Vanessa had been with me I am sure she would have taken about an hour to chose, and then would have just bought it all anyway.
I drove down to Vieux Fort to see the village there and the larger international airport and then headed up the east coast taking in the sights as I went. But the time I was heading back to Castries it was getting to late lunch time so I decided to take in the local KFC. Not much to say about this. It is a KFC, it was a little hotter than the swiss one, they served a “biscuit” which is basically a scone with it and had a jam for the biscuit.
Before night fell I headed up to Rodney Bay to take a look as Vanessa has said to me about 10 times that I should go check it out. It was ok. Just a built up area with lots of hotels and beach restaurants catering to the hotel guests.
By this point in the day, nearly every person I had spoken to or passed had asked me if I wanted some weed from them, even the guy with the machete earlier. It seems to be very common on the island, or maybe I just look like the type to sell to.
On my way back to the hotel I stopped at the cemetery that occupied the small strip of land between the beach and the airport and took a few pictures. The cemetery was infested with this little orange crabs that burrows everywhere.
I headed back to the hotel and it was about 7pm, dark, and a storm was coming in. But I was curious to try some local food so I headed down to where I had seen some local stalls on the beach. However, it seems that all these types of places close just after 6pm. So no food and not feeling like the pizza that was suggested to me, I headed back to the hotel for the night. I had an early boat to catch the next morning to Dominica.