Following the Twist and Curve

Last updated on April 12, 2020

Years ago, before I lived in Japan and regularly drove on the left hand side of the street, I rented a car on a visit to St. Lucia. This was in 2007. Despite several subsequent visits, I have not driven there again, except a few hundred meters once to move a car for my dad.

On that fateful day, I had a brilliant idea. I recruited two friends for the journey and we took off to drive around the island mid-week. We would go to the beach, visit some sights, stop for a nice lunch, and basically have a fun day out.

Off we went starting in Mon Repos, a village in the east of the island. As you follow the curve of the road, you can enjoy views of the ocean and luxuriate in the breeze. It was fun to drive even though my friends sometimes had to remind me to stick to the left side of the road. The music was on, the road wasn’t so busy, and we were in no hurry. Our only plan was where to stop for lunch.

We stopped at some little stores along the way and drove into some villages, checking out the houses and people watching. I don’t remember what time we set out, but it was late afternoon by the time we stopped for lunch. We had a nice lunch, although I don’t remember the particulars of the meal. It was soon after that the driving became difficult for me.

Keep Following the Curve

St. Lucia is hilly, primarily volcanic. After lunch in Soufriere, there was a lot of climbing as we travelled along the main highway. The views are beautiful, the majestic pitons playing hide and seek as you drive along.

Imagine driving uphill along a winding road as it starts to rain. The rain was light but was one more complication that I didn’t need. As the roads got busier, cars would come flying around corners blindly as the road twisted and curved along. I started driving slower and slower, just around the speed limit, certain that I would either drive off the side of a hill or be hit by another vehicle coming in the opposite direction.

You know that feeling that you get when you’re more than halfway through something challenging, and you would turn back if you could, but the quickest way to the end is to go through it, that’s where I was. None of my friends drove so it was up to me to get us home. So we crept along, skipping Pigeon Point and other sites in Gros Islet and going through Castries.

Eyes Forward

I think back to how I overcame the exhaustion of that drive. It was by focusing on moving forward. I followed each curve of the road, each hairpin bend, one at a time. Every other vehicle on the road overtook me but it didn’t matter. This may be the only time in my life where I felt no competitive spirit, where I silently rooted for each vehicle to overtake me. I stayed the course, driving carefully and at a speed that felt safe to me. I have never been so relieved at the end a journey as I did that day.

Will I drive again in St. Lucia? I’m not ruling it out, but I insist on taking the journey at my own pace.

During April, I’m participating in the writing prompts challenge from WordPress.com. Want to participate? Find the prompts here.