There are so many things to see in Dominica that we took a taxi tour with a local guide. We drove high up into the rain forest, although not to the top of the volcano – he informed us that we would have had to start at 7 am and take a 7 hour hike to get there!

Our first stop was Free Up Farm (www.freeupfarm.com). This 7 acre farm is being run by a young American couple, Aubrey and Lulu, based on organic and permaculture principles – nothing is wasted, no pesticides or fertilizers are used, and they grow (and use) as many native species as possible. Their website is well worth a visit. As we walked around, Lulu constantly plucked leaves and roots for us to try, overwhelming us with facts about what each one was and how it is used! I was particularly jealous that she is able to simply dig her hand into a mound and come out with a plump root of fresh ginger!

Then it was on to the Syndicate Rain Forest, and a hike up to the Milton Falls. We got rather wet as we had to cross over the river several times. The falls seemed to pour out of a crack in the cliff, and there was a great pool underneath for swimming. Unfortunately there was a larger group of tourists behind us who immediately stripped naked and jumped in, so we moved on!

We moved over to the northern part of the island where we drove through villages perched on cliff tops and nestled into tiny bays. The scenery here was much more rugged. After a quick lunch stop, and a tour of a local chocolate factory (samples included!) we moved on to Cold Soufriere.

Our guide insisted that all of the volcanoes on Dominica are dormant because it rains so much. We decided not to argue. Meanwhile, we drove into the crater of a volcano and walked down to a cold soufriere, where sulfurous gases bubble up through a cold spring. Not terribly scenic, but quite interesting! The damage done by Hurricane Maria in 2017 was particularly visible here, with the hilltops stripped of trees.

After one more photo stop it was time to head back. Dinner the next night, featuring all sorts of veg and herbs from Lulu’s garden, was a lovely reminder of a great day!