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SAINT KITTS & NEVIS
DIARY  3                                          

 

 

   NEVIS      

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From Saint Kitts and Diary 2, I now start exploring Nevis.
24/3 2019.
I only have a few sights, but they are scattered all over the island. I have no car, and busses on Sundays are only with the drivers family: I get to walk! The first target is the botanical garden of Nevis. It is five kilometres up the mountainside, but I start on the local beach. Here are a lot of sand, a few car tires and some water.

As I head up hill, I see the dark skies over the peak, and return for my umbrella. The city end fast, but here tend to  be scattered houses all over the foothills. Small groups of sheep, goats and a few donkeys roam freely around, but are a bit scared from people but indifferent to cars. I think they would be better off, the other way around!

The countryside is covered in thorny bushes, which I don't feel tempted to enter. Some of the buildings are the tiny old wooden sheets, some are bigger and in concrete. When I reach the road with the botanical garden, they turn huge, modern and real cosy. I reach the garden a bit passed nine, and it is closed. Well, they should open in 75 minutes accordantly to their website, but I'm not going to sit around for that.

My next site is on the other side of the island; a trail in the rainforest, starting at Golden Rock. I pass some more huge villas, some of them having the invasive silk-monkeys in their gardens. Along with goats, sheep and donkeys, they most be annoying. The rich road come to an end, and the tiny huts take over. I find a single but large orchid on a road-tree, and some bromeliads on others.

Golden Rock is an old mansion, and it is restored beautifully! It is now a luxurious hotel, using the old buildings, which have been restored to their former appearance. Seven gardeners are working hard to get the gardens to look great - and they succeed. I buy a pot of tea, and watch the hummingbirds, black sparrows, doves and pigeons. It start to rain for a first in a month, and I maintain under the sails.

It stops, and I get a map at their office, and set out on the 3-4 hour trail to "The Source". It seems like the trail runs on top of the pipeline, bringing water to the rest of the island. The first part is smooth grass, but then it turns real rocky and steep.

Here are no sun, but it start to rain form time to time. It is a slippery trail, and I abort around halfway. I don't see any interesting plants nor animals anyway. I find another way down, and decide to make the big detour around the botanical garden. It is still closed, despite it ought to have opened three hours ago. Five more kilometres home.... I pass Gingerland Methodist Church from 1801, a rather special building, and a lot of small huts.

A bit outside Charlestown, I find a Chinese restaurant, and I need both water and food. Then I find my way back to the beach. On one side of town, it is only huge boulders, and I return to the sandy beach. Here are a few nice shells, and a bit of inland lagoon with mangrove. I find a colony of herons, a dead huge signal crab and a lot of sand.

Back at town, I do a tour around the northern end, and find a few interesting buildings. At five, I figured I done enough walking for one day: Around 25-30 kilometres. Back to work a bit, before I return to the Chinese restaurant. I sure misses having a car, and I think this was the last island without. Nevis with high and lowland, Golden Rock and Charlestown

25. I start the day with a stroll on the lovely beach, and get a chat with a Scotsman, who have retired here ,14 years ago. A bit further out, I find the remains of Fort Charles from 1628. Well, not much to see, but the motives with the sea and clouds, always work well. On the way back, I get a bit into the mangrove, and it have a special feeling to it.

I make a loop through town, which have awoken this Monday morning. Then I return to the guesthouse to get my bag, and I finally manages to get a not too blurry picture of one of the most common pigeons. Then I head for the ticket office, and I make a ferry a bit earlier than planned.

I watch for dolphins, but only see flying fish on the tour back. I head straight for my Indian friend, and get a huge dish of spicy rice and a mug of milk-tea, along with a chat. I got time to walk to the airport, but a taxi driver accept my offer, and I get more time to work. Fort Charles and back on Saint Kitts

Saint Kitts and Nevis have been nice, and despite I didn't make it to all corners of the round Nevis, I feel I have seen it all. I have taken 1570 photos, driven only 226 kilometres - and it feel like I have walked the same. Considering I only have a car for some of the days, it have been a bit expensive.  From here, I head for Antigua and Barbuda.

 

EXPENSES DKK E.Carib$
Shared*  (part of a 92 day tour) 918 367
Flight here 1.361 544
Car + Local transport 1.968 787
Entrance 86 35
Hotels 3.244 1.298
Food 828 331
Other: Gear, souvenirs 31 13
TOTAL: 8.436 3.375
*) Error flights+London, return DK, insurance, vaccinations, guidebook, gear i.e.

Photos   Map & Plan   Diary 1  2  3