Day 0: Layover in Puerto Rico

We start our journey to Dominica with an 11-hour overnight layover in San Juan, Puerto Rico. We spend the night at a resort complete with fake waterfalls, tropical drinks served at the swim-up bar, a 24-hour casino, and all the conveniences of home. A part of me (the burnt out exhausted part) just wants to relax and join the throngs of other Americans, lounging on the white sand beaches in front of the resort. But the call of adventure beckons...where we are going has no resorts, no high-rises, no golf courses. And sometimes, no electricity.

Beach at our resort - The Intercontinental San Juan Resort Spa Casino

Day 1: Off to Dominica

Dominica is the youngest island formed in the Caribbean, and the last colonized by the Western world. This is even evident from the flight in. Even from the air, the island appears untouched and wild.

Mountains dominate the island - rugged, jungle-covered, and jutting dramatically from the sea. These mountains have played a major role in Domincan history. During colonial times, the steep mountains provided safe haven for Carib Indians, who were decimated on other islands. Escaped slaves also hid deep in the interior, and even today, you can follow their trails cut deep through the jungle. The difficult steep terrain prevented the clear-cutting practices found on other islands, which is why so much of the forest in Dominca is untouched. Even today, the mountains prevent large-scale farming and plantations, and the islands remains relatively undeveloped as a result.

As our plane descends, rivers and waterfalls become evident – snakes of blue, tumbling water. The impact of civilization is small - most of the few villages and farms hug the coast, and few more are sprinkled sparsely through the dense interior.

We arrive at the tiny Melville Hall Airport and pick up our rental SUV. Costa Rica had accustomed both Andrew and I for driving in 4WD in a foreign country, but in Dominica there is an additional twist - driving is British-style, with the steering wheel on the right, and the driving (and the stick shift) on the left. Nevertheless, renting a car was the best option for us - hiring a driver would be too limiting, and local buses would be too time-consuming for an eight day trip.

An added benefit of renting a car is that we are able to pick up locals along the way - on average about two a day. As cars are sparse, many people rely on the goodwill of drivers for transportation. We're more than willing to help out in exchange for some local tips and conversation about life in Dominica.



Andrew explores a banana plantation

Friends in Carib Territory

With a basic map, and directions from a local, we head south down the only road from the airport. Although the road is narrow and often full of hairpin turns, it is well-paved, and other cars are few, which makes for significantly easier driving. We soon reach Carib Territory - a section of land on the East coast of the island, facing the stormy Atlantic Ocean. Dominica is the only Caribbean island with a remaining indigenous population. The last of the Carib Indians, 3,000 total, live in this territory.

We see a Rastafarian walking on the side of the road and we invite him to ride with us. He tells us that he lives off the land, growing plentiful food to live well - bananas, citrus, and roots such as yams, potatoes and dasheen. He also has a small (illegal) marijuana plot hidden in the Central Forest Reserve, occasionally using the proceeds to purchase goods that cannot be grown on the land itself, but primarily the crop is to share with friends. And friends appear to be many, as he seems to know every person we pass on the road.

Materially, he says he has little, he owes his health to the fresh water from the rivers and the bountiful food from the land. Friends are plentiful, and community important. He says that he's happy with this. This proves to be a common attitude among many we are to meet on this island - "We don't have many things, but we have what makes us happy."

"Jah blesses you, mon" are the last words he says when we drop him off at his destination. We have a few more miles until we arrive at our lodging, but already I know this is going to be a good trip. We have the blessing of Jah.

3 Rivers Eco Lodge

We arrive at 3 Rivers Eco Lodge around mid-afternoon, a grouping of cottages in a valley nestled deep in the mountains. From a brief tour it is evident that there is a clear vision and driving purpose behind these grounds: sustainable ecologically-sensitive living. Solar power provides electricity and hot water, the truck runs on used vegetable oil(biodiesel), the gardens are organic, and waste material is kept to a minimum – mostly composted or recycled.





A happy 3 Rivers cat

The Bamboo Treehouse

The cottages on the main grounds look very comfortable but I had something more rugged in mind for our stay here – one night in a tree house, and one night in their Carib Indian jungle hut. Both require a further 15 minute hike behind the main grounds, up the mountain side, and straight into the rainforest.

Both are located in the privately-owned Rosalie Forest Retreat Preservation. The original owner already began logging when he offered his land for sale. Due to limited funds, 3 Rivers could only purchase a small part of this plot, which is now the Preservation. The Bamboo Treehouse and the Carib Cabin were established as a way to raise money, in hopes that more land can be purchased in the future.


Front view of the treehouse

Back view of the treehouse

I think back to where I was just 24 hours ago – sleeping in an air-conditioned luxury resort. What a world of difference! Our stay in the tree house is much like camping. There’s no electricity, no running water. Candlelight and a mosquito net is the only thing that separates us from the jungle outside.

As night falls, the real magic of the tree house reveals itself. The sounds of the jungle begins to awaken around us.

We are surrounded by the birds, frogs, and insects who are perched in the trees with us. A bird sings through the darkness. The jungle is breathing, singing, speaking to us.

The next morning we discover a bird's nest in the branches, just by the flooring. Our company through the night was even closer than we guessed.

Our bathroom facilities - a dry composting toilet. Not nearly as bad as it looks. Except in the dark.