Dominica, nature's jewel island

Episode 22 of the Lymp Duhdashian series

“Eight years ago, when the protests erupted in the Maidan Nezalezhnosti, the central square of Kyiv in Ukraine, German journalist, Udo Ulfkotte, wrote a book revealing how the media was operating under the full control of international secret services.” explained Khan, while Olympia was reading about recent events in Ukraine and getting very upset.

“But it says here that Russian women are encouraging their soldier husbands to rape Ukrainian women! What does that have to do with this journalist’s story?” Objected Olympia, indignant at Khan for changing the subject. Khan took a very patient deep breath and answered. “Just listen to what he has to say; he died after saying this, Olympia! It is very important that you stop believing the stories you read in the British press!” Olympia pressed play on the video and slumped sulkily back in her seat. Within a few minutes she was beginning to understand the relevance.

When the video was over, Khan spoke again. “Now imagine that you are a Russian woman married to a soldier. Do you think you would tell your man to go and rape Ukrainian women and risk him returning to you with the clap?” and he waited.
“Do you HAVE to be so crude!” cried Lymp in disgust.

Khan laughed it off. He was familiar with Olympia’s snobbery over words and it actually amused him and the whole crew at times. Ever since they had left Guadeloupe and headed into the Caribbean Sea, Lymp had been on the internet catching up with news from home. The British press was full of horribly biased reports about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as they chose to describe it. Everything Olympia read out loud was loaded with obvious propaganda and fearmongering. After shaking his head and sighing several times, Olympia had become irritated with him and said, “What is wrong with you?”

He had resisted the urge to toss the iPhone overboard and instead, had asked for the phone and found the video of Udo Ulfkotte, which he noticed was not the original recording, but an edited version which had very few views on You Tube. He surmised that the RT original had been removed along with everything else from Russian television. You Tube censorship must have missed this copy.

Olympia was frowning. She was disappointed that she was having her first argument with Khan, but most of all, she was afraid that he was right. She felt foolish. Of course Russian wives would not say stuff like that to their husbands. No wife would. Why did Zelensky’s wife tell the British press such a ludicrous thing during her visit? Why was she believed? Politics is so confusing! And she added a slight pout to the frown.

Khan scooped her up from the deck lounger in one sudden move. He pretended to throw her overboard until she kicked, punched, squealed and clung to his hair. The Captain, in his wheelhouse was trying very hard not laugh out loud. “Excuse me, Sir!” he barked through the tannoy, “Unhand that wild beast!” and everyone laughed as the atmosphere easily returned to its usual good natured calm.

They were coming up to volcanic Dominica’s beautiful shoreline and Khan was ecstatic to see it rising on the horizon. Dominica is named after Saint Dominic, a mendicant preacher.

A Real Christian - St Dominic

Khan looked forward to seeing his good friends at a Christian orphanage and mission who feature in this very sensitive film. This island would amaze Olympia and he could not wait to show her around and take her snorkelling in ‘the champagne’ waters full of fine gas bubbles that look like diamonds floating up from the seabed between tropical fish and coral.

Of all the islands in the Caribbean, this is the most intensely jungled with 360 rivers, boiling lakes and hot spas. Here is another brilliant film giving fantastic views and lots of information to entice any curious explorer:

“This is a snorkeler’s paradise!” Khan enthused as he passed the binoculars to Olympia. “You are going to love this place.” Lymp gazed at the rugged coast which was very different from other islands she had seen so far. The coastline was steep and rocky with occasional golden sanded beaches. The hills above were densely packed rain forest jungles which appeared impenetrable from the sea.

All the bad confusing news from the internet vanished from Olympia’s mind. This was so incredibly enchanting, the site of a famous Pirates of the Caribbean film scene in which Johnny Depp, as Captain Jack Sparrow, was chased by cannibals along a beach. Olympia dashed to put on some swimwear and grab her snorkel and flippers.

Khan winked at the Captain. This was much better than partying with the wealthy on the racing yachts of Rhum du Route. Healthier too.