Dominica's Roads

Without question, the roads in Dominica deserve their own little shout-out.  My first introduction to the roads was the trip from the airport to Picard, where Ross is located.  After flying for 20ish hours, we got off the plane and got right out onto the road.  And it was terrifying straight from the start because they drive on the left side of the road!  (The native drivers will tell you that the left side is in fact the "right" side of the road....for now I will agree to disagree with them lol).   It was pitch black with no street lights and dim headlights.

So not only are people driving on the opposite side than I am used to, but the roads are very narrow, very pot-hole filled, and don't have guard rails.  The narrowness and the lack of guard rails are particularly disconcerting because the road is right on top of cliff. Basically within 2 feet of the side of the road, there are 100 foot drop-offs in some places.  AND generally at the top of these cliffs, there is a sharp pin-point turn which just adds to experience of the roads.

On the island, there is one nice "modern" road.  There is even an attempt at guard rails on this road.  The Chinese government built and maintains this road so it stays in decent shape.  Normal people would see this road and think "Whew finally a safe place to drive" but nope, the Dominica drivers think of it as their own personal NASCAR track.  One of the times I was being driven on it, the car I was in kept taking the turns so fast that the tires would squeal and fishtail around the turn.And there weren't any seat belts in the car. Definitely quite the experience!!!

It is also custom to just hitch rides with random cars/pickup trucks because the majority of people don't have their own vehicles. What people do is stick out their hand and wave it up and down, which causes the driver to stop. Then they jump in the back of the pickup and cling on for dear life while they go speeding around turns and up the hills. I haven't decided if they are incredibly brave, stupid or reckless.

One of the nicer roads on the island.  There weren't potholes because it was made of poured concrete instead of pavement. 

Picture this road, with another car barreling up it on what you think is "your side of the road".  You hear a faint honking (how they warn oncoming traffic that there is another car coming) and then all of sudden you are mirror to mirror with the car, while going 60mph.  The tires squeal and you see the manic grin of the person hanging on to the back of the pickup that is passing you.  Yup, you have just pictured driving on the roads in Dominica.