For Kacie’s last day we let her decide what she wanted to do.  Kacie wanted to hike!  So we asked our PAYS guide Titus what would be a good hike.  He recommended that we see “the jewel of Dominica” and do the boiling lake hike.  He told us it would take about 6 hours round trip.  We said cool sounds good.  And scoffed at the idea of 6 hours, thinking that must be the estimate for the average cruise ship passenger, not us young, fit-ish boat folk!  Well, it did take 6 hours and we were all in bed by 8pm that night exhausted!  LOL…guess they showed us!

So…the hike…  First thing we have to wake up at 6am because it’s an hour and a half drive to the trail head.  So we drag ourselves up and get going.  When we get ashore we meet our guide Francis.  Francis is wearing nice jeans, dark black shoes, an Ohio state jacket, a fedora and just finishing a joint.  Yup.

Once we reached the trail head it was easy going to start.  Then came the steps and the mud!

 

After the first 2 mountains we reached the valley of desolation.  There is active volcanic activity here.  Also, Francis painted us up like warriors!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally we have reached the boiling lake.  Our spirits lagged a bit when we realize we have to go back the way we came! LOL!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A nice stop on the way back was a dip in a hot spring.  Ryan and Francis climbed up the waterfall to a second pool!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On our way back.  Still smiling! 🙂

And a bonus picture of our guide Francis frolicking among the flowers….