A New Adventure!

The ultimate adventure has become the authoress - she has become a mother!! Hence the quiet period on this Blog. She will return when, and if, time becomes a bit more of an apparent luxury!!

It must have been the Caribbean rum ^_^

St Lucia - Final Thoughts & Resort Contrasts

To conclude the posts on my time in St Lucia I wanted to provide some contrasts between the resorts we stayed at and give a couple of final thoughts. I had a lovely time at all of the resorts, and as an adventurous tourist, these highlights might be of benefit to someone of a similar ethic. These scores are entirely personal and really, just for fun!

Location: Jalousie = 10 / Crystals = 8 / Rendevous = 7
Resort (facilities / rooms / aesthetic): Jalousie = 10 / Rendevous =10 / Crystals = 8
Scuba diving / snorkelling: Jalousie = 10 / Rendevous = 6 / Crystals = NA
Activity programmes: Rendevous = 10 / Jalousie = 9 / Crystals = NA
Range of complimentary facilities: Rendevous = 10 / Jalousie = 7 / Crystals = NA
Food and drink: Jalousie = 10 / Rendevous = 8 / Crystals = 3
Staff: Rendevous = 9 / Crystals = 8 / Jalousie = 8
Cleanliness: Jalousie = 10 / Rendevous = 10 / Crystals = 7
Wifi / internet access: Jalousie = 10 / Rendevous = 3 / Crystals = NA
Value for money: Rendevous = 10 / Crystals = 8 / Jalousie = 8

I would visit all three resorts again and my husband is certain we will be going back to Rendevous again in the next 18 months. The Jalousie has the wow factor and Crystals is a great place for creative people, however, its bohemian flare would be too much for those who prefer perfect surroundings.



I also wanted to mention the islands flora in this final post on St Lucia (for now), if one takes their time and uses an inquisitive eye, a treasure trove of gems lay scattered throughout the island.





All the resorts I stayed at and visited have embraced their botanical opportunities, with some glorious results.







I was gutted to hear how some people and businesses had been affected by the recent Hurricane Tomas, but my contacts at the Tourist Board have told me that they recovered quickly and now it is business as usual. For anyone who wants a magical honeymoon, luxurious adventure holiday or to simply sit in a hammock and admire the scenery, then St Lucia is a must.

Friday Night Fish Fry - Anse Del Raye

Every Friday night is party night on St Lucia. Two events are held, one in Gros Islet, in the north of the island and one mid-way down the west coast at Anse del Raye. The first is 'Jump Up', a lively, loud and colurful street party; where islanders and tourists all come together, eat, drink and dance until the wee hours. The second is the Friday Night Fish Fry; and it was so good, we went twice! It starts earlier than Jump Up, around 19.00, then Jump Up gets going around 22.00.

For unseasoned travelers, visiting various parts of the island independently can be a little daunting, but persist and explore because St Lucia and its people are a treasure.

The first time we went to the Fish Fry, we drove in the 4x4; what a journey that was! It took us an hour to drive less than 15 miles - at an average speed of 20mph! The road we were traveling on was patched with good and bad spots, and by bad I mean holey, bumpy, tight-bended and very, very dark.

Safely arriving in Anse del Raye, we could hear the basey reggae music pumping through the streets as soon as we got out of the 4x4. People milled around street vendors and open marquess, supping up the atmosphere with big smiles on their faces, the smell of fish cooking on open barbecues was pure heaven! That first night we ate freshly caught prawns in garlic, herb and butter sauce (so, so good), fresh Red Snapper and Plantain; washed down with smooth Piton beer. The food tasted divine and the atmosphere was joyous and relaxed.





Our first night at Fish Fry was also our first night for trying the local 'Spiced Rum'. Talk about blow-your-head-off! This stuff is STRONG! It is basically the strongest rum on the island, spiced up with cinnamon, nutmeg and various other herbs. So be warned; if you are going to try something that looks like a leftover nuclear substance, water it down at least 2:1! It's meant to be an aphrodisiac, but my new husband fell asleep as soon as we got back to Crystals - boo!


(Spiced Rum; be very, very careful with this potent potion!)

Our second visit was even better than the first - once we got there that is! We had to wait 30 minutes for a shuttle to pick us up from our villa at Jalousie, which then made us late for, and miss, our water taxi. On the verge of crying, a security man hailed us another taxi and off we went. As we rounded the Petit Piton a huge full moon smiled down upon us, an aura of milky light around her. As the clouds glided past the moon we ragged through the black sea. The landmass looked daunting and shadowy, the Caribbean Sea smooth as black silk. We sped along, faster and faster, bending over to become more streamlined with the boat.

The taxi driver shouted out, asking if he was going too fast, 'no' we cried, 'the faster the better!'. It was a hedonistic journey, putting complete trust in a stranger, whilst in strange waters. We hung on for dear life, riding the boat as it rode the small waves. As we raced around the headlands, the winds would pick up and we would bounced along, adding to the excitement.

When we arrived at the Fish Fry, the atmosphere was even better than before! The journey had obviously boosted our adrenaline, and maybe the full moon brought out our primal selves. We saw other people we knew, joined forces and headed to the bar. We were laughing, joking, singing and smiling - soaking up the atmosphere as we danced alongside local people.



Again the food was lush, and this time we just had to try the lobster - it would have been rude not to!



As usual tourist kids played with local kids on the beach, and me, being a rather large kid, just had to join them! With pumping tunes blasting in the background we had an impromptu dancing competition and as a large crowd of small people gathered, some homemade fire crackers were thrust in to my hands by a gorgeous little local boy. Inspired I shouted at them to gather round. 'Right kids, who wants to play relays along the beach?', the response, dozens of children shouting 'me', 'me', 'me'!!

Getting the kids to pair up I numbered them all; 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2. 'OK kids, I want all the number 1's to get to the other side of the beach'. At the speed of light they fled along the shoreline. Drawing starting lines in the sand I warned all the children; cheating will not be tolerated, I WILL be watching you! They just laughed at me. 'Are you ready?', a unified response, 'YES!!!!'.... 'GO!'. I threw down some firecrackers which banged, crackled and popped. All the children ran, it didn't matter who cheated or who won, it was a great laugh.

I didn't want to leave, I wanted go dance in the streets and laugh and take more photos; but we were booked on to a water taxi for the return journey. This time we shared with some other Jalousie guests, sitting at the front of the slender boat, we watched the moon flit between the black hills.

Our last night on the island; it couldn't have been better.

Hurricane Tomas Hits St Lucia

The shock felt when I found out about the damage Hurricane Tomas had caused in St Lucia caused me to shake; my stomach flipped and felt awfully sick. I had seen nothing in the news, it was difficult to comprehend that 14 people had been killed and large parts of the island trashed on October 30; just one week after we left to return home.

The force 2 hurricane battered the islands with strong winds, however, it was the rain and subsequent water that did most of the damage, causing numerous mud slides and destruction of roads, houses, resorts and businesses. The island was without fresh water and electricity for days; staff unable to leave resorts to find out how their families were.

My contacts tell me that Soufrière was the worst hit, a coastal town, it was flooded with water as the deluge spread from the mountains and out to sea.

The couple we had met from Livity Art Studio had been swept 600-feet down a mountain side inside their home; with their two children. The pretty picture we bought from them hangs on my living room wall and I will never forget Sabby and his wife, who we sat with conversing and sharing food upon one visit. It is so upsetting knowing how they have left this earth.




(Part of the Livity Art Studio, with beautiful local artists' paintings)

Many of the places we visited while in St Lucia have now disappeared or are almost beyond repair; like the 'Drive in Volcanoe', Diamond Botanical Gardens, Sulphur Springs and Waterfall.

To catch just a little glimpse of what the result of a category 2 hurricane is, look at some of the videos featuring Soufriere on YouTube, for example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PSCOkL9kRk

If you are generous enough to donate, make sure your money goes to the right place, there were already a lot of desperate people there before the hurricane. Contact an official charity such as the St Lucian Red Cross.

Life is just so precious.

Scuba Diving & Snorkeling in St Lucia

After talking to many islanders, I found the large majority of people on the island rated the beaches at Anse Chastanet and Anse Des Pitons the best on the island for snorkelling and scuba diving. Both located on the west side of the island and blessed with the warm waters of the Caribbean, one could drive between the two beaches in less than half an hour.

It should be said here that ALL BEACHES ON ST LUCIA ARE PUBLIC. Therefore, everyone has the right to access the beaches, even if they are located and primarily used by private resorts.

Always eager to get in to the water, my husband and I are consistently keen snorkelers, and upon this trip I even had a go at underwater photography, with some pretty poor results! (Therefore I will be using and accrediting other peoples pictures so I can still illustrate a few of the awesome fish we saw whilst snorkeling and scuba diving.)



The trip to Anse Chastanet was our first real chance to explore on our own. The road north of Soufrière splits at the Hummingbird Resort and leads straight to the Anse Chastanet Resort. The road is best traveled by 4x4 and is quite tight, so watch those corners and your speed! The best snorkel site is on the left / south side of the beach, as seen here:



Our bags were thrown in the sand and we ran in to the sea with our snorkels. Within a few strokes we were met with schools of Sergeant Majors fish. A little further out and towards the cliff face, fish of different shapes and sizes. Damselfish, Butterflyfish and Wrasse could be seen flitting between rocks and open water; the tiniest fish protecting territory chased off larger individuals; Barracudas partially hid away in the shadows.


Sergeant Major's (courtesy of museumsinthesea.com)


Damselfish (courtesy of subtropicalenvironments.homestead.com)


Great Barracuda (courtesy of e-themes.info)

We revisted this site on several occasions, each time I spent hours on my own, basking in the biodiversity, memorized by the peaceful yet pulsating environment.

On one occasion I rescued a girl who had become scared after feeling a current pulling her. I heard her screaming for help and immediately called to the life guard. I bombed over to her, desperately hoping it wasn't a shark attack (dramatic I know), and asked her nicely not to pull me under, before turning her on her back and softly talking to her while we swam towards shore.

The lifeguard took his time, and when he returned to his post once the girl had gone, he ignored me. No 'thank you', no 'well done' - nothing. I wish I'd written down his name so I could print it here. He works for the Anse Chastanet Resort and once word spread that I was a writer, he came to me with a dribbling apology.

We had wanted to scuba dive at Anse Chastenet, but were advised resort policy states that we must complete a shore dive first. We decided not to as we had already snorkelled the area several times, it seemed a bit over the top, but hey ho! Next stop, The Jalousie Plantation!

Within an hour of arriving at The Jalousie Plantation resort we had ditched our bags and were in the Caribbean Sea. The first area we entered was in the centre of the beach; not so good. We walked towards the sheer face of the Petit Piton and entered the water. Wow! The water was teaming with a diverse range of fish; an intoxicating array of colour, that was visible as soon as we were only a few metres offshore.



Male Parrotfish dazzled my senses every time I saw them; their colours are an exquisite mix of blue's, greens, yellows, oranges, purples and pinks. An important part of the marine ecosystem, their parrot-like beaks chomp on the seaweed that grows on corals, ensuring they do not become overgrown.


Male Parrotfish (courtesy of snorkelingonline.com)

Other common species included the Wrasse and Angelfish, both of which presented further colouful and shimmering delights underwater. They are easy to spot and enchanting to watch, as with many fish their colours deepen and lighten as the amount of light filtering through the depths changes.


Blueheaded Wrasse and Spotted Eel (courtesy of coreyfischer.com)


Queen Angelfish (courtesy of condocaribbean.com)

Spotted Trunkfish are funky looking creatures, I always (mentally) smiled when seeing them. Shy in nature and poor swimmers because of their portly shape, the toxic secretion they emit from their glands in defensive situations is potent enough to kill sharks!


Spotted Trunkfish (courtesy of miss-scuba.com)

Every underwater experience we had was captivating and enchanting; the sincere feelings stirred deep passions within me. There are several highlights which I will always draw fond memories from; my first encounter with a Green Turtle while on a drift dive along the Petit Piton, spotting the locally-rare Spotted Drum (at Anse de Piton) - on three separate occassions!...


Spotted Drum (courtesy of jimleffardphotographer.com)


Green Turtle (courtesy of biology-blog.com)

... The first immersion at Anse Chastanet beach, where a Triggerfish tried to nibble on my toes (painted a teal colour from my wedding a few days before), swimming through the engine room door on the underwater wreck, Lesleen M; and snorkeling along the Coral Gardens, beneath the mighty Gros Piton, while it rained heavily on my head, back and legs - four hours before we were due to fly home!

Days Out in St Lucia: Onboard Calipso; Courtesy of Barefoot Holidays

Before reaching St Lucia I had been liasing with a lovely lady called Shiryln, from Barefoot Holidays. I had briefed her on what my objectives were while on the island and we met up once I had settled in. Barefoot Holidays specialise in excursions; they help tourists uncover the island's gems, be it by jeep, helicopter or boat.

I had an array of questions for Shirlyn (and her colleague Allison), and they were happy to answer them, plus give me additional suggestions on activities I could do during my trip. They suggested places to visit; specific estates, reserves and beaches, all of which were welcomely received.



They also arranged for us to take a catamaran trip along the west side of the island onboard 'Calipso', a lively party boat. On the day in question we were picked up by a courteous driver and taken the short distance to Castries Port. After a small shower of 'liquid sunshine', we set sail, out of the Port and in to the Caribbean Sea.



The 'baby-maker' rum punch was soon flowing, even if it was only 10.30, we were on holiday :) From the sea the land could be seen in all its seductive glory. Lolling, fertile peaks, with the odd beach-side town or dwelling making an appearance as we motored south to Soufrière. Just sitting back watching the island unfold was an adventure all on its own.



It didn't take long to reach Soufrière; from here we boarded comfortable minibuses and were shuttled inland to the only 'Drive in Volcanoe' in the Carribean. A small site which smoulders foul-smelling hydrogen sulphide gases, it is no longer active. There are also accessible springs here and even though we wanted to revisit and lather ourselves with the grey-brown mud, we didn't get the chance.





Next stop - Diamond Botanical Gardens! Just a short drive away, this was one of my favourite parts during the whole time on the island. The gardens offer a mesmerizing encounter with flora; along the snaking trail a kaleidoscope of colours and textures pop out of the greenery.





The trail peaks at the Diamond Waterfall, a small opening among the towering trees. Streaky brown and yellow sides produce a stark contrast to the forest, and reminded me of Willy Wonkers chocolate factory!



The circular route led us back to the minubuses through more awesome vegetation, along the way signs pointed out various plants such as Orchids, Heliconia and Hibiscus. The last land stop was to the Val de Pitons restuarant, to munch on some traditional Caribbean fare and recharge the batteries.

I'll admit, by the time we got back onboard Calipso, I was fairly sozzled! The planned snorkelling stop was highly anticipated as the humidity was making many lethargic - but we had a great time bobbing along to the reggae being played and making new acquaintances. We stopped halfway between Soufrière and Marigot Bay, a location I would revisit later in the trip whilst scuba diving.



The snorkelling was ok, it was our first time doing it on the island so I was just happy (but a little dissapointed at the lack of variety) to see some fish! We were the last ones back onboard Calipso and after a quick peek at Marigot Bay (where Dr. Doolittle was filmed), we returned to Castries Port - slightly wobbly, but very fulfilled after an exciting day on and around the island.



(Captain of Calipso with the Captain of Serenity - my husband!)

For more information on Barefoot Holidays go to: http://www.barefootholidays.com/index.htmlro

Resorts in St Lucia - The Jalousie Plantation

The Jalousie Plantation was the last place we stayed at in St Lucia. A five-star resort, it has been winning many awards this year including the Condé Nast Traveller Readers' Travel Awards 2010; "Favourite Leisure Hotel, The Americas & the Caribbean."

It is a luxurious resort, spread out over 100 acres of rainforest between the Pitons. We stayed in a new luxury villa and as soon as we stepped in I could see that every last detail was finished to the highest standard; my favourite parts were the fabulous four-poster bed and spacious double shower. Our location presented awesome views of the Petit Piton, which looked great from our private plunge pool.







Eager to explore and check out the sports facilities, we were quick to dump our bags and get down to the beach. I could have cried at the view. For me, this was paradise.



The resort had a lot of activities on offer, although many were not complimentary as at Rendevous. Wakeboarding, tubing, water skiing and scuba away from the beach are all extra; Hobie Cat dinghy’s, snorkels, windsurfing, kayaking, archery, yoga and pedalos were included.



A shuttle bus service is used for guests to move around the resort as it is fairly spread out in the forest, our villa was located at the top of a steep hill. Although all of the drivers were smiley, friendly and courteous; the service itself needs some attention. On a regular basis the shuttles took 30 minutes to pick us up from our villa, which is quite annoying when you have dinner reservations or a water taxi waiting.

The food was great, we mainly ate in the beach-side restuarant, with great views across Anse de Pitons. For one meal we dined in the Great Room, a new restuarant on site with live piano music, soft lighting, impressive chandeliers and a gorgeous dark wood bar. We ate sashimi, Parrotfish and an open seafood lasagne; which were all divine. Only on half board at the time, we had to pay for drinks, and two glasses (of very good) wine cost $23 including two lots of taxes!

Although there are various board options at the Jalousie, one needs to be careful how they plan to stay there. All-inclusive is a simple, if pricey option, coming in at $123 p/person, p/day. Ever the entrepid explorers, we decided to take a mixed approach; booking part all inclusive, part half board and part with no package; choosing instead to visit local restaurants and stock up the fridge in our room with food and drinks. Alcohol is expensive here, but many people use the local shops to buy local Piton beer and rum. Mind you, the resort cocktails are just the best!

The Jalousie is currently undergoing a huge revamp, with the all older villas being replaced with the new luxury ones like we stayed in. The new villas have all the modern technologies and luxuries one would need. However, the revamp means there is constantly work taking place and the main areas are a buzz of builders, vehicles and materials. Not really what is needed when trying to make the most of paradise!

For us, the best part to the Jalousie is the snorkeling and scuba (although such fine accommodation did make it very difficult to leave!). This will be covered further in a separate post, comparing sites visited here with others on the island.


(Essential island kit)

Apart from making the most of the sports facilities, my favourite way of enjoying The Jalousie Plantation was from a sun lounger, on the beach, watching the sunset with a Pina Colada and loved one to hand; life can be beautiful.





For more information on The Jalousie Plantation please go to: http://www.jalousieplantation.com

Days Out in St Lucia: En Bas Saut Rainforest Trail

During our stay at Crystals, we asked Monica about guided rainforest walks and she offered one of her staff, Pas, to act as our guide. The next day we set off after breakfast and.... got a flat tyre straight away! Once replaced we continued our journey, through small towns then further in to the countryside, bound for the Edmund Forest Reserve.



Again the road turned to track, we bounced around in the 4x4, which was bouncing around on the dirt tracks. Slithers of concrete slabs changed to rocky, bumpy, holey sections, which occasionally made small offerings of smooth, concrete slabs. The journey took around 40 minutes from the last small town (Fond St Jacques) to our destination, high up in to the rainforest and to the En Bas Saut trail. This same area is home to St Lucia's highest point, Mount Gimie (958 metres above sea level).


Mount Gimie)

The En Bas Trail is deep in the Edmund Rainforest, comfortably protected in a reserve , there are no dwellings or farming allowed by law. The entrance is marked by a small, wooden hut. We ditched the 4x4, donned a big stick and followed Pas in to the green and pristine ecosystem.



I would consider myself fairly fit, and we walked the length of the trail in about an hour. The walkways are well maintained, although a little slippy in parts. Pas was an informative and chilled out guide, he showed us and explained about different trees; like Mahogany, Gomier, Blue Ma Haut and Giant Chatannier.



After a short time it began to rain, and it rained for the rest of our time in the forest, which put a dampener on things, although we could then appreciate why the environment was so green. I was a little surprised about the level of biodiversity; although we were surrounded by trees, the only fauna we saw were fresh water crabs. We heard the St Lucian parrot, but did not see one during our stay in St Lucia. During the journey into the reserve my face had been glued to the windows as I watched a vibrant selection of flowers go by, but there was none of this along the trail in the reserve.



We made our way up and down steps, and along muddy paths, we hopped across stepping stones in small streams and gaped at the texture of the forest; steep slopes and cavernous gulleys. The real treat awaited us, Pas had led us to the En Bas Saut Waterfall. As we walked down some creaky and half rotten steps, the landscape opened up to share with us a magical kingdom. Even though I was soaked through and disappointed that the rain was stopping me taking a million photo's, I managed to hide under a stowed towel and take this:



We didn't stay long and it was too chilly to swim in the fall water; but I'll go back again one day. The hike back up to the car was easy going, I had wrongly presumed that the trail would be harder work, so was pleasantly surprised.

Soaked through but fulfilled and happy, we made our way back down the track to civilisation. We could have picked a better day to go but regardless, it was a beautiful insight in to what make up the lungs of our planet.