From The Sea To The Rainforest: Celebrating Life, Love, and Friendship While Exploring Saint Kitts

You may be thinking, my, oh my, Jessica sure is travelling a lot lately. Well, that is true, but it’s a mix of business and pleasure! This past October, I flew back to the United States for a Midwest book tour. While in town, I spent quality time with family and was also a bridesmaid for a good friend’s wedding, among other activities.

On November 18, my partner, Matthijs, and I embarked on a 10-day Caribbean cruise. We felt like a vacation was in order, especially after releasing my book, moving, a successful book tour, and life’s everyday stresses. The seas were calling, so we set sail on the Celebrity Equinox. We couldn’t wait to relax.

One of the stops our ship made was in Basseterre, St. Kitts. It just so happened that my good friend and fellow author, Savannah Grace, was staying on the sister island of Nevis. We couldn’t believe how lucky we were that our schedules coincided and knew that it was fate; we had to meet up.

Savannah and her husband, Kees, took the morning ferry over from Nevis to St. Kitts to meet us. Our time was limited, as the ship docked at 7 a.m. and left at 3 p.m., so we didn’t have as much flexibility as they did. We appreciate they were able to come our way. They met us at the cruise port, where we exchanged hugs and congratulations. Savannah and Kees were recently married on the island of St. Lucia, and we were honored and excited to be the first people to see them in person as a married couple! We first wandered through town in search of breakfast, and after, we met Glenn, our chauffeur for the day. He did an amazing job providing interesting tidbits about the island.

Our first major stop was at Wingfield Estate. Glenn waited for us as we roamed around the property’s remains. I could sense a spirit about the place, but in terms of its physical well-being, nature reclaimed part of it. The stones were worn and often moss covered, making humanity and nature one. Wingfield Estate, originally owned by Sam Jefferson, the great-great-great-grandfather of Thomas Jefferson, was actually the first working estate on the island for tobacco, sugar, and rum.

From here, we could access trails leading us deep into the rainforest, which we eagerly explored. We didn’t see any monkeys in the wild; however, we saw numerous lizards and listened to the melodies of birds as they flew through the trees. The grandiosity of the trees wowed us, amazed at the canopies high overhead and the vines streaming down in masses from up above. The vibrancy of it all amazed Matthijs and I, as it was our first time in a rainforest. We wanted to hike the volcano, but unfortunately our schedule didn’t allow it.

Our tour continued to the Marriott Resort, where we needed to exchange currency. However, we ended up staying a bit longer to enjoy an iced coffee on the beach. Glenn then took us to a breathtaking viewpoint, where we were able to see the Caribbean Sea on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. The last stop of the day called for beach time. The boys ran into the water, excited to see what creatures they’d discover, while us girls chatted on the beach about weddings and married life.

All in all, it was a fantastic day. I still cannot believe I met up with one of my best friends – who is originally from Canada but lives in the Netherlands – in St. Kitts! Unfortunately we had to miss #TRLT, but I’m happy we were able to spend time together on the road less travelled. Between the sand, the sea, and the sun, as well as the vibrant colors of the island, we enjoyed our time on St. Kitts. Thank you for the beautiful memories, and I’m excited to see when and where we meet again (outside the Netherlands). Be sure to stay tuned for Savannah’s blog post for her take on our adventure, as well as the rest of her honeymoon in the Caribbean.

Have you been to St. Kitts? What is your favorite part about the island? If you haven’t been yet, would you like to go?

All photos in this post courtesy of Savannah Grace.