Sleeping with Armed Locals
Paria Bay, Trinidad
"Rastakid Dogfart"
A view of the beauty of Paria Bay, jungle, palms, beach, hills.
After a great chat and a few drinks with Franz, the German owner of Laguna Mar in Blanchisseuse, I was ready to set off into the unknown to find my "deserted" beach which I scouted from Google Earth. I borrowed a machete from Franz after waiting out the three hour thunderstorm, and started walking blind down the road looking for the trail through the jungle. About half an hour into my hike I met a local man picking mangoes and he insisted on walking with me to the beach. He told me he was staying on the same beach with three other hunters who camp out on the beach a few times a year to hunt for food for their village. I felt a little disappointment knowing this would not end up being the isolated beach I was looking for, but also happy to meet a local to chat with for the next few hours as we made our way up and down rolling jungle paths, occasionally skirting the edge of cliffs with breathtaking views of the Caribbean below.
Roughly six miles later we arrived at Paria Bay where I met the other three members of the hunting party: Rastaman, Mr. Fart, and Billy the Kid were as kind and welcoming as Dogman, my "guide" through the jungle. Obviously these were just nicknames, funny how I have no clue what their real names were but vividly remember their nicknames I made up for them in my head. Another great reason to keep a journal (see travel tip #4). They offered me a place to sleep in the small shelter they built on the beach, but I politely declined and explained to them how I came out here to sleep under the stars. It was a little difficult to understand their accents and I was already tired of having to ask "what" a few times before I could make out their mumbling. Walking alone down the beach to Arch Rock, one of the famous landmarks of the area, it finally hit me where I was. It was the first time I really saw the beach and it's beauty. It was exactly what I was hoping for; amazing water, rolling hills cloaked with thick vegetation creeping right up to the white, powdery sand. Palms towering above the rest of the undergrowth, stretching over the sand, and lying uprooted from the earth allowing the worst of photographers to look brilliant.
Roughly six miles later we arrived at Paria Bay where I met the other three members of the hunting party: Rastaman, Mr. Fart, and Billy the Kid were as kind and welcoming as Dogman, my "guide" through the jungle. Obviously these were just nicknames, funny how I have no clue what their real names were but vividly remember their nicknames I made up for them in my head. Another great reason to keep a journal (see travel tip #4). They offered me a place to sleep in the small shelter they built on the beach, but I politely declined and explained to them how I came out here to sleep under the stars. It was a little difficult to understand their accents and I was already tired of having to ask "what" a few times before I could make out their mumbling. Walking alone down the beach to Arch Rock, one of the famous landmarks of the area, it finally hit me where I was. It was the first time I really saw the beach and it's beauty. It was exactly what I was hoping for; amazing water, rolling hills cloaked with thick vegetation creeping right up to the white, powdery sand. Palms towering above the rest of the undergrowth, stretching over the sand, and lying uprooted from the earth allowing the worst of photographers to look brilliant.
Thankful for Friendly T&Ters
Walking along the beach to Arch Rock
After exploring the shoreline until dusk I headed back to the hunters beach and started setting up camp for the night. The hunters had already started their trek through the jungle in search of food so I settled for one of my favorite meals: almonds washed down with fresh coconut milk. I unrolled my tarp and prepared to rest after a long day in the warmth of the tropical island air, thankful I was able to explore the whole evening without having to worry about gathering firewood. Sleep overcame me quickly as I lost count of shooting stars falling behind a silhouette of palms swaying in the night sky. I slept soundly until the rain came. It started as a slight sprinkle
