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Monday 8 March 2010

Cruise - St. Lucia #10





We docked at Castries, the capital of St. Lucia, home to more than half the island's population. St Lucia has dramatic volcanoes, flower-filled rainforests, crashing waterfalls and idyllic beaches and after breakfast we met 'G' (Gavin) who took us to our jeep for our ride into the rain forest.    After a short, wild, ride up a winding road we stopped to take in the views.





Our boat in the harbour



Castries and some of our fellow travellers


After this quick stop our driver threw the jeep round even more steep curves to another photo stop.




Eventually we reached the rainforest which was truly amazing.  We were surprised just how much the temperature dropped, (15 degrees) you would expect a rainforest to be warmer not colder wouldn't you?   There was an old guy in the clearing where we eventually stopped who had inherited a tract of land from his grandfather, he had turned it into a 'green' tourist attraction.   He grew cashew nuts and fruit and employed local boys as guides to the two waterfalls in the area, the first one of which was quite close down an easily traversed path.



Some of our companions went for a swim in the pool there but the guide said the other waterfall was nicer and he would take those who wanted to see it.   The majority of us decided we'd like to see more so we set off, little did we know that it was what seemed like a 20 mile hike over treacherous terrain through deepest jungle.   Our guide very kindly found me a tree trunk to use as a walking stick, which saved my life on more than one occasion really helped me! 



Me with my lifesaving tree trunk and fellow explorers!


By the time we arrived at the waterfall most of us were in a state of collapse but the place was just beautiful and the good thing was we were breathing pure oxygen.  


Well that was until some of the local youths decided to roll some spliffs and filled the air with something other than oxygen!




After a not long enough rest it was time to set off back to the jeep.  We thought the trek to this waterfall was hard but believe me it was a walk in the park compared to the journey back which was all uphill!    By the time we got back we were exhausted, red in the face and sweating like P.I.G.s!     I left my tree trunk walking stick at the end of the path for the next unwary traveller to pick up on their journey.    Thankfully there was somewhere to sit and 'G' broke out the rum punch - just what we needed.   We also had some of the locally grown cashews roasted which were delicious and local beer.     I have to say it was definitely worth the trek and we soon recovered on the journey back which took a different route with another photo stop, so I've made a slide show with the photos we took there.



All the ladies on the trip thought that 'G' could get a job as a double for Will Smith and told him so - he was really chuffed.  We got a photo of him so I could show you just how much he looked like the film star.


OK, ok, with hindsight he doesn't look much like him at all I know but we'd had a lot of Rum punch!

By the time we got back to the boat we were starving so we went straight to the buffet for some lunch then took a beer back to our cabin to sleep sunbathe on the balcony.    By the time we'd had a shower and changed we were totally refreshed and MWM managed to set the camera on top of the TV and snap us both before we went for dinner.




He also managed to get a lovely shot of the sunset as we set sail.



A lovely end to a tiring perfect day!

Join me next time for Grenada.

38 comments:

Dumdad said...

Crikey, this is a holiday and a half! Great stuff.

Monalisa said...

It sounds wonderful. I want to go there now...

Susan at Stony River said...

What a wonderful, beautiful place! I love that photo of you and G -- and all that sunshine!

Deb said...

I LOVE it all ~ the adjectives you used to describe this part of your journey ~ dramatic, crashing, idyllic ~ pulled me right in and then I felt like I right there with you. Rum punch often makes everything better and makes everyone look like movie stars! ;)
Love the picture of you and your man in your cabin ~ so happy !

Shrinky said...

Thats a beautiful pic of you and your husband! It ruly looks to have been the holiday of a lifetime, I am quite green with envy..!

(Btw, my last three or four posts have not been showing up on peoples browsers, it's not that I've forgotten how to post, it's just that no one is being alerted to them! The "test" post was put up by Chewy, I'd asked her to have a tinker for me to see if she could help).

Unknown said...

Ah lovely St Lucia, I was there in October and the people are really lovely. Now Grenada, I can't wait for Grenada I have been there too and that was gorgeous. You both look very handsome all dressed up

Maggie May said...

Holiday of a lifetime.

Nuts in May

Akelamalu said...

It certainly was Dumdad. Glad you're enjoying it. :)

I hope you get there someday Monalisa :)

G was a great guy Susan :)

Rum punch can work wonders Deb! We were laughing so much because MWM had three attempts at getting that shot - the camera kept going off before he could reach my side!

Why thankyou Shrinky. Sorry to hear you'be been having trouble with your posts, they have been coming up on my reader.

I hope these posts are bringing back some lovely memories for you Carol x

Definitely Maggie :)

buffalodick said...

Those photos were breathtaking! You've hit more islands than Columbus..

Ron said...

Oh...what a WONDERFUL day this sounded like!

The rainforest looked amazing. And I was surprised to hear that it was much cooler.

I LAUGHED out loud when I saw the photo of the lad holding the hemp. How funny...spliffs!

You and MWM look absolutely stunning together!

Thanks for sharing another wonderful post, m'dear!

Enjoyed!

X

Linda said...

Good thing that 20-mile hike to the other waterfall was worth the view and the pics! Hokey smokes, I thought this was supposed to be a relaxing vacation?? Perhaps you should have had borrowed a hit off of one of those spliffs!

aims said...

How absolutely wonderful for you!

I'm so happy you went on this cruise. You look happy - very happy. And no - he doesn't look like Will Smith.

May said...

I stopped by to visit post. Simply love it and will stop to read some of your other posts. Sounds like you had a great cruise.

Akelamalu said...

Haha not quite Buff. Glad you're enjoying our trip.

We were very surprised too that it was cooler in the rainforest Ron. Thanks for the compliment m'dear x

The waterfall was definitely worth the trek Linda. We didn't need a hit off the spliff, if we'd stayed around much longer we would have all been high just from secondary smoke! LOL

We were/are happy Aims and had a wonderful time. It was only when I eventually saw the photo of G that I realised he didn't look like Will Smith at all! LOL

Akelamalu said...

Welcome May, nice to meet you. I'm pleased you've enjoyed the post.

Lulda Casadaga said...

What a wonderful post to read as I'm sitting here at work...I'm there with you in spirit! :D
Pass me a beer, please?!

happily retired gal said...

What lovely views of Santa Lucia ... reminds me of visiting St Johns Island in the Caribbean a few years back. Thanks for sharing your trip with us virtually ;-)
Hugs and blessings,

Anonymous said...

ACK!!! Did they pass the roll for all to share? LOL These are just stunning photos. I'm so enjoying this. It is sure beautiful there. I love that photo of the both of you together. And that sunset...Magnificent. Excellent :)

Empress Bee (of the high sea) said...

st lucia is truly lovely. a wonderful port. i love your cruise. we are going on sunday on the carnival glory but won't do much off the ship. it is too hard for us to get around much on the islands and we have had tours on them all anyway. we just love the cruise!!!

smiles, bee
xoxoxoxoxooxxo

Dianne said...

I love the shot of your boat nestled in the harbor
such a cozy little ocean liner LOL

what a great trip you had

Finding Pam said...

You are having a wonderful vacation! I have enjoyed all of the photos. Can't wait to see Grenada

Finding Pam said...

You are having a wonderful vacation! I have enjoyed all of the photos. Can't wait to see Grenada

Travis Cody said...

Your days in port were certainly full of things to do!

quilly said...

Beautiful and breathtaking -- literally, I guess, on that hike. Helped you work off some of that buffet!

Anonymous said...

I have always wanted to go to St Lucia. I am sooooo jealous :0)

Elaine Denning said...

OMG! All these beautiful places!
The waterfall pic was beautiful...I'd have jumped right in there :)

Akelamalu said...

I wish I was still there Lulda - we've been back over a month now. :(

All the islands we visited were beautiful and all slightly different Happily Retired Gal, though there are many more we'd still like to visit.

I think they would have shared if we'd asked Thom and I would have asked if we hadn't had such a long walk back - though with hindsight it may have helped! LOL Glad you enjoyed the photos honey. x

It's a shame you don't get to go ashore much now Bee but as you say you've seen them all anyway. I'm sure you'll have a great time on your cruise - you always do. :)

The boat does look cozy nestled there Dianne and it certainly wasn't as big as some boats we saw!

We did indeed have a great time Pam but it seems so long ago now.

We went ashore at every port Trav to be able to say we truly had 'visited' each island and we thoroughly enjoyed them. :)

The 'walk' certainly helped work our breakfast off Quilly! LOL

Aw I hope you get to see it for yourself someday Eternally Distracted x

Both waterfalls were just beautiful Laney you would have just loved them. x

cheshire wife said...

That brought back some memories. We didn't make it to the rain forest but Castries was almost under water the afternoon that we visited. We got soaked but it was warm rain.

Maude Lynn said...

I totally wish I was there!

Spiky Zora Jones said...

akelamalu: wonderful photos...show a wonderful time. And I love it all.

ahhhh, that's what I want. I want boats and dress up dinners. That's a fab photo of you and your man sweetie...

no, no, not the one with the tall guy. hehehe. though that one loojms like y'all had a great time too.

can't wait for our next stop. ;)

later babe. xxx

secret agent woman said...

This cracked me up:

"OK, ok, with hindsight he doesn't look much like him at all I know but we'd had a lot of Rum punch!"

tattytiara said...

Haha yeah, good looking man, but definitely a few cocktails short of looking like Will Smith!

Akelamalu said...

Aha that's it Cheshire Wife at least when it rains it's warm rain! LOL

I wish I was back there too Mama Zen!

Have you not booked that cruise yet Spiky? LOL

Well that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it SAW LOL

I think he looked a bit like him in profile Tattytiara ;)

TBM said...

Beautiful!! Don't you think the air in rainforests is just wonderful? Ahhhh.

Akelamalu said...

Oh yes I do JAPRA it's exhilarating!

Julia Phillips Smith said...

I'm tired, just following you to the waterfall...phew! But I'm glad we had that hike. Good for what ailed me.

CG said...

This sounds like a real adventure. G is a real hunk :)

Akelamalu said...

I have never 'hiked' like that in my life Julia! LOL

It was an adventure but very tiring GC. 'G' was very nice. :)