Exploring Unspoiled Dominica, West Indies

Enjoying the lush scenery and fair but humid weather, we rounded a tight mountainous curve on the way to Carib Territory. A small blue Toyota popped into sight coming from the opposite direction, fast. We lurched to the left as the Toyota sped past on our right!

After our stomachs returned to our bodies, we remembered that traffic drives on the left in the Republic of Dominica, thanks to British governance until the mid-1970s.

The driving scene fits Feisty Island. Columbus discovered Carib Indians there in 1493 and tried to colonize the island for Spain. No luck. The Spanish tried for almost 200 more years; finally, when the English gave it a try in the 1600s the island lost its independence to European domination. Now that’s feisty.

Driving through dense jungle on two-lane roads (on the left side of the road), up, down and around Dominica’s volcanic hills to visit numerous waterfalls is a ride straight out of Magic Mountain and worth the price of admission.

They say there are 365 rivers and waterfalls on the island, one for each day of the year, each more beautiful than the next.