Stories from a seasoned traveller : Always confirm what time you need to check in for the return flight, so you get the seats you want, like the window, or a prized row of only 2 seats together. The plan this morning was to stay home late to check in, but when I logged into Air France to confirm that it was indeed 30 hours before the flight, I got the alert message that I could not check in online for this flight, for reasons unexplained. I blame Guadeloupe. Regardless, there was no need to stay back waiting, so Mario and I packed the hiking gear and headed out to our last hike of the trip a little earlier than expected. We'd deal with the airport check-in tomorrow.
We saved a small hike for our last day, to prevent too much fatigue, and avoid risk of injury just before the flight - I've been there before, having to navigate a final travel day with a seriously sprained ankle and a roughed up knee back in 2022. Today, we headed to the Troisième Chute du Carbet, where we've not been before. It looked fun, but also challenging. There was also the added question of how much we'd be able to hike - after a major rockslide back in 2018, the last portion of the trail, the part that gives access to the base of the waterfall, was closed to hikers. But this is Guadeloupe, where "closed" is just a suggestion, we've discovered, and sometimes it just depends on how hard you are willing to try and get past the barriers.
A bit of construction on the highway caused us to have to detour through Capesterre-Belle-Eau, right along Allée Dumanoir. I'd seen this section of road when we were heading to Goyave - for 1.2 km, it is lined with those super-tall Royal palms, supposedly planted by the family of dramatic author Philippe Dumanoir sometime between 1830 and 1850. Though partially destroyed by the big hurricane in 1928 that took out most of the island, it has been replanted, and is now a major draw to Capesterre. It's amazing to think we are detouring through an alley of palm trees that are 100+ years old.
This trip, Google has been navigating us through some interesting and new neighbourhoods. Admittedly, Google and have not seen eye-to-eye in the past, but the navigation has gotten a lot better in Guadeloupe. Every once in a while, I get directed to take a one-way street the wrong way, or to turn on an "impasse", the equivalent of a dead end, but sometimes I discover a new and interesting location.
This time, as we climb up the great volcanic slopes towards the hike somewhere in the mountains, Google takes the car on a road that runs between banana plantations, so everywhere we look, there are only banana trees. We even get caught up passing a large tractor, it's trailer loaded up with big hanging bunches of bananas. What I wouldn't give to be able to reach out and grab some!
This hike is stunning. Not only are we climbing slowly through tall, lush, green jungle, but this jungle is an old-growth Mahogany forest. All of those air plants and Elephant Ears and vines and ferns and moss are clinging to the solid, strong trunks of Mahogany, soaring above our heads as we walk.
The sun peaks through every so often, setting the leaves aglow with light.
The first part of the trail sucks. It's on this old stony road, made for cars to be able to drive up and access the shelters, where I imagine families come for picnics, then to hike down to the waterfall, once considered an "easy" hike. I'm not sure how much traffic this site gets since the closure of the access to the falls, but the trail has gotten mossy from disuse, and with the moisture, the uneven rocks are slippery, making a really good spot to twist an ankle. It's slow-going, and every step is just plain annoying. This part takes us for ever to get through.
Thankfully, it's not the whole trail, and eventually we leave the rocks for the roots, and the mud, which I prefer, frankly. It also offers more chance for adventure and exploration.
Eventually, we do come to the first barrier, a fenced "viewing" platform where you can just barely make out the falls if you crane your neck to look around the large trees in the way. It's obvious that many people have manage to navigate around the barrier, but the way forward seems to be a straight climb down, via the rocks and roots directly below the platform. The rock slide that has closed the trail is very real, and the evidence of stone steps that would have lead easily down to the falls can be seen under a thick layer of loose dirt, with some sections completely missing. Clearly, there is no intend at this point to rebuild the rest of the trail to the level it was once at, and the end shall remain forever closed.
Mario ducks between the railings to test the "trail" for me, checking to see if more challenging obstacles still lie ahead. He gives me the thumbs up, then spots me as I too make the challenging climb down the ladder of roots. Our reward? This gorgeous waterfall that, after 3 other hikers leave, is ours and ours alone.
Then comes the inevitable climb back out. Back over the slippery boulders that surround the falls, and back up that challenging root ladder. It's a lot of stretching to reach the next hand hold, the next solid foot hold, pulling ourselves up and making sure we always have four limbs in contact with the "ground". It's easier going back up that climbing down, and it's not something that everyone can, or should do - you have to hike to your level, and today's level for me was a solid rock climb. And I loved every minute of it. We make it back up to the viewing platform, to the surprise of a hike from Luxembourg who has just showed up for the view and spies us emerging from the forest below!
Climb back up these rocks on the actual path is a cakewalk!
After that challenge, we opt for something easy for the rest of the afternoon, soaking at the beach at Grand Anse. The ocean has other ideas, mind you, and I sit in the sand, letting the rough waves crash at my feet, not wanting to do battle with the crashing water today. Mario joins me, and we both end up with sandy swimsuits, but at least no one gets tossed around in surf!
Well, almost no one.
One last chance to get our toes covered in black sand.
Tonight's activities include :
The last load of laundry for the trip
Trying to corral all of our possessions that have spread all over the Airbnb in one spot
Packing all the liquids into the designated "checked" suitcase
Eating up all the leftovers, as well as our nightly Poulet Boucané from Kaza Manjé. Tonight's sauce chien is especially spicy!
Avoiding getting bitten by too many mosquitos before the flight home
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