After a long flight with only a few small hiccups (the funniest being that I managed to switch belts with the man behind me in the security line. It wasn’t until the customs line that we realized the mishap… it made for a good laugh at 5:00am), I was thrilled to finally land in Dominica. It’s been described as a tropical iceberg of vegetation because of its central rainforest that covers its steep north-south mountain range. From the plane windows, it was almost impossible to see the runway hidden within the dense green slopes and under the fog of the cloud forests in the mountain peaks.
My cabbie, Owen, had some great stories to share about the island on our way from the airport to the ecolodge, but I think we really only started to get to know each other when his car got stuck on a flooded muddy road on the way up the mountain. It wasn’t until we were both essentially covered in mud that we were able to continue on in the car. Just our luck, it started to pour rain so not only were we muddy, we were absolutely drenched. Without a hint of sarcasm, this was a perfect start to my rainforest experience.
The adventure didn’t stop there: once at the ecolodge base, I had to hike up to my dorm. This was no joke of a hike! It’s not vertical, but close to it and for anyone who’s done the Grouse Grind in Vancouver, I’d say it’s comparable. Only a 15 minute climb, but with a 50 pound pack, I was ready for a shower at the top. No need, it was still pouring rain! After a great dinner with some other travelers, I fell asleep to rain on a tin roof and a fire fly circling the lodge.
The rainforest is magical: I spent yesterday afternoon hiking up a river through to a tributary which, once we climbed high enough, led to a waterfall draining into a deep pool just perfect for a swim before the climb/swim/slide back down. Although yesterday was sunny, today it rained like I have never experienced before. There were even warnings for flash floods in the area! Dominicans call the rain liquid sunshine, and I can now understand why. There’s something so refreshing about being under it. To take full advantage, a new friend and I went for a jog to the beach at the ocean. Instead of bright white sand, Dominica mainly has dark black sand beaches. This was a treasure… picture coming soon!
Other than that, I’ve been participating in an ecofest here that has taken a bit of a slow start because of the rains and road conditions… no matter, nothing beats sustainability workshops and discussions in the middle of a rainforest, all power generated off-grid from the sun and wind, and evening reggae performances by local musicians. I’ve met some really welcoming Dominicans who have come to the Fest and so far, I think the best part has been sharing stories over Kubulis (the locally brewed beer). Perhaps it goes without saying, but my prelim nerves have settled: despite growing up worlds apart, we all laugh at the same jokes. Good news, I have my first farmer interview booked for Tuesday… soon I’ll post a little blurb about my research because a few of you have been asking.
Pictures to come, they're just taking too long to load on rainforest internet!
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