Guadaloupe - Back into the wilderness

With slightly more energy than the day before we headed back to Basse Terre but in our rush we forgot our waterproofs and within 30 minutes of leaving the boat the skies had opened, this was even before we reached the rain forest!

First stop Chutes du Carbet, this was a couple of hours walk into the forest as there had already been some rain that morning it was already pretty muddy and slippy. The waterfall was pretty impressive but slightly frustrating as to get to the bas you had to climb down some roots which I just wasn't willing to risk in my white shorts! I could have easily taken a tumble but Mark hiked on down.

Huge bamboo

The leaves are as big a Mark!

Very very muddy

Waterfall worth the walk

Me in the undergrowth, Marks root ladder back up to me

The skies opened again on our walk back and we were drenched both of us had to strip off to dry our clothes before our next stop! Just as we were driving our I spotted a humming bird feeding on the flowers – I tried desperately to take a photo but unfortunately it’s wings were moving so fast that you can only see a green blur in the photo.

The blur under the flower is a humming bird - really it is!

Next stop for our normal picnic lunch was Pointe Violon, a palm fringe been over looking Les Saintes which are a small group of islands off the South coast.  We continued our drive around the south coast and headed north up the west coast before heading inland and up towards La Soufriere, the volcano. 

Les Saintes in the distance

Heading up the mountain

Next stop for our normal picnic lunch was Pointe Violon, a palm fringe been over looking Les Saintes which are a small group of islands off the South coast.  We continued our drive around the south coast and headed north up the west coast before heading inland and up towards La Soufriere, the volcano. 

Who would have thought a wild strawberry would grow at the base of a volcano

Views of south of island from volcano

Gully from lava flow

Mmmm where is the summit!

 But as the weather closed in we headed back into the forest and as quickly as possible back to the shelter of the car.

Looks like we might get wet soon!

Rushing back into the undergrowth and back to the safety of the car

We finished our day driving north around the west coast so by the end of the day we had circumnavigated both wide of the island – we make the most of our hire cars as it is a luxury.