Our villa sits on the hills surrounding the small town of Soufriere. We drive down the town’s winding roads, tiny houses of every colour on either side of us and mountains exploding with greenery towering above. I sit at the back of the car listening to Jamal, our tour guide, speak fondly of the town’s history as the breeze sweeps in through the rolled-down window. A group of boys, all in their early twenties, jump onto the back of a pickup truck, ‘this is the public transport in Saint Lucia’ Jamal mentions with a smile. I smile back; I already know I’m going to love it here.
We continue our drive beyond the town, into a green wilderness of giant ferns and palm trees. Jamal pulls over and makes his way towards the bright orange cocoa pods that grow on the side of the road. He crushes one on the ground and places each half in our hands with the ease of a man who has done this many times. I stare wondrously out the window as we continue our drive, sucking on the sweet cocoa beans before we arrive at the first stop of the day; Tet Paul Nature Trail.
We make our way up the trail, led by Nicole, a friendly lady who has one of those smiles you can’t help but reciprocate. She points out all the different kinds of plants that grow on the island, traditional medicinal plants and exotic fruit trees including guava, avocado, and soursop trees. As we make our way up the trail, Nicole shows us a traditional house, explaining the cultural history of the people who first came to St Lucia. As I take a step inside, my mind conjures images of an entire family of eight living in a home as big as my bedroom.
Within 30 minutes we reach the top and are rewarded with the most spectacular view of the Pitons rising abruptly from the sea and the rest of the mountainous island covered in a blanket of thick rainforest. After playing our role of tourists far too well and taking too many pictures, we make our way back down where Jamal waits to show us another island treasure; the Sulphur Springs.
We relax in the thermally heated, mineral-rich waters and give ourselves mud facials that Jamal swears will make us look ten years younger. After washing ourselves off, we park the car on a scenic main road where it’s already possible to hear the murmur of the cascading water. The next hour is spent swimming under Toraille Waterfall, surrounded by the serenity of an enthralling green idyll.
Before heading back to the villa, we grab lunch at a local restaurant in town, followed by a walk through the botanical gardens. We move slowly in our post-meal laziness, marvelling at the diverse range of tropical flowers.
That evening, there’s another knock on the door. Ramsay, a chef of 36 years, cooks us the most incredible meal using crops from his garden. The smells of seafood, pumpkin and sweet potato engulf the kitchen. By 9 pm I start drifting to sleep and smile when I find myself thinking I can’t believe how great this trip is, only one day in.
