Arriving in Dominica

This trip down seemed to be more challenging than our previous trips. Maybe it was the extra leg, with the required layover in San Juan. Maybe it was the fact that we are here for longer than we have stayed before – which means the same amount of clothing but a lot more food. We have 16 bags total, so keeping track of them all has been no small task as we transition from baggage claim to taxi to hotel and back to the airport.

The biggest trauma of our first day was realizing that we had left the laptop on the airplane to San Juan, underneath one of the red fleece airplane blankets under one of the seats. We realized it as we arrived at our hotel in San Juan. Relief of completing the first leg of the journey turned to instant panic. We’ll spare you the details, but it took a couple hours to finally confirm that they had the computer and that it was safe. We picked it up this morning at the airport after we checked in for our flight to Dominica. Never had I been so happy to see my computer.

The flight to Dominica lasted for just under 2 hours, and as we flew in for the approach, we could recognize some of the hillsides we have hiked in past trips here. It’s a beautiful, mountainous landscape. On the east coast, where the Melville Hall airport is, the hills are covered with banana and citrus farms. A mountain range with peaks just over 5,000 feet divides the island, and on the west coast, the landscape is the same, but the climate is drier, the clouds having dumped most of their moisture on the east coast.

The hour long cab ride to Mero was up and over a mountain pass through the interior of the island. It was beautiful scenery, with the smell of fresh rain and farmers’ burn piles reminding us of how sensual the island is. We wound up the mountain pass and then began our descent to the west coast of the island, our bodies pushed from side to side as the road twisted down the steep hillside.

After getting settled, we headed down the hill to the center of town to say hello to our friends. Reuniting was sweet, with most people recognizing our kids first. We watched as their faces turned into huge smiles. Lots of hugs, fist bumps and “how-have-you-been” exchanged. We were all happy to see familiar faces.

A sense of calm swallowed us up, with all travel anxiety melting away. Ah, we’ve made it. Everything arrived safely. Tomorrow it’s off to Rouseau, the capital, where we will shop for the girls’ school uniforms and go to the farmers’ market for veggies. Then we plan to go snorkeling.