Botanical Gardens, Guadeloupe, Tree Walk!

Illustration by Nicolette Morgan

We drove on to the Botanical gardens, situated within the rain forest. They had beautiful open areas with Raccoons, Monkeys, Parrots, Tortoises, Otters and many other wild creatures.
Edi and I stopped to watch an old, blind extremely overweight raccoon eating his lunch. He sat reaching around with his paws to locate the food that he was sitting in the middle of, obviously thoroughly enjoying every mouthful, until all the food was gone, content with having eaten it all he toppled over, lay with his legs in the air and fell asleep. It was hysterically funny, Edi and I laughed so much it brought tears to our eyes.
High above the gardens strung through the trees was a series of walkways, just two planks wide. Precarious looking bridge's 60 feet above us. Without giving it any thought (one of my blond moments) I followed along behind Bob and Edi, and before I knew what was happening found myself being fitted into a full body harness, which proved to be a somewhat awkward procedure as I was wearing a dress!
I removed my shoes and climbed cautiously up the ladder behind Edi onto the first platform. I felt really silly with my dress all gathered up between my legs, although my daft appearance for once was not my main concern, "what the bloody hell did I think I was doing up here?"
I followed Edi's lead and hooked my safety line's on, and started the walk out onto the swinging bridges high above the gardens, feeling my way cautiously along with my eyes squeezed tightly shut. Concerns about my appearance were quickly forgotten as I slowly made my way precariously along the narrow, swinging walkways, I couldn't help but wonder how I had allowed myself to do this.
Bob and Edi both seemed quite at ease and for a second or two that gave me confidence, although I had to question their intelligence as memories of Garibaldi Hill came flooding back.
As you proceed the bridges get higher and higher, and as frightening as it was, it was exhilarating. Some of the bridges were quite long, causing them to creak, groan and sway as we carefully made our way along. By the time we came to the end of the walk and had to climb down the platforms I was wanting to do it all again. I wish I had been allowed to take my camera, because no one would believe I had done this without some sort of photographic evidence.