Boiling Lake

            I hope all is well; I am having a wonderful time in Dominica, learning a lot and having wonderful experiences.  Yesterday I went on the signature Dominican hike to Boiling Lake with our guide Brother and my fellow classmates Hassan, Michael, Josh, Krissy, Rachel, Brittany, and a couple staying at Jungle Bay, Matt and Bindy.  I have to say I was extremely hesitant on going after hearing about the level of difficulty; after finally just putting my mind to it, I somehow had the courage to just do it.  

            We left Jungle Bay at 7:30 a.m. and then started on a ninety-minute drive to the destination.  The hike itself up was a little over three hours long each way.  I decided to pace myself as I knew it was going to be a long way and I kept myself hydrated and well nourished. When we made it to the top of one of the mountains, I was at a loss of words; the view was breathtaking and I was amazed at what I was overlooking.  We hiked a little further and Brother face painted each of us with the sulfur from the ground. 

           

            When we finally made it to the Boiling Lake, I felt proud of what I was able to do and was in aw of the view.  Brother had told us the water was over two hundred degrees, (don’t worry none of us took a dip in the water).  The lake was simply incredible and cannot be described unless you actually see it in person.  We all sat overlooking the lake for a while and ate our lunch and taking it all in. 

            On the way back we stopped and swam in the hot springs and let me just say this was, awesome!  It felt like I was sitting in a hot tub, the water was warm and there was a waterfall that you could lean up against and it felt like you were getting a back massage.  The way down took just as much time as it did going up, but once I finished I was proud of what I had done.

             It was a great learning experience and I learned that I could really accomplish anything I put my mind towards.  The hike and the views were spectacular, even though it was a long and at times exhausting hike; I took some time to reflect and really just made the most of my experience.  I think everyone really enjoyed this experience and Brother was a great guide and took good care of us along the way.  To anyone that has not yet completed this hike, I recommend that you do and put it on your “bucket list!”