St. Kitts

St. Kitts has a population of 90,000 of which half are greenback monkeys living in the tall mountains and rain forests. The island has a steep central mountain range rising 3,750 feet high. The land between the mountains and the sea is gently sloping and fertile. The roads that go round this lower land are relatively flat and easy to drive on. The town of Basseterre is quite pleasant with the usual shops and Carib charm. Our exploration by jeep will begin at the old fort at Brimstone Hill. The 3,700' mountain range is a whole different world of cool dark rain forest, windy elfin woodlands, volcanic craters and lakes. There is a 9 hour expedition offered by Greg Pereira whose delightful anecdotes about the local trees and animals add to the wondrous hike to the top of Mount Liamuiga (Mt. Misery) with an excellent view of Statia. The descent into a 1,000 foot crater passes several steaming vents. The sugar factory tour is most interesting and they'll fill our jugs with a gallon of molasses at an unbeatable price. The southern part of St. Kitts is connected to the main island by a long narrow peninsula. It is relatively dry with cacti, century plants, and flocks of sandpipers that feed in the shallow ponds.