Travel creator Zoe turned an ordinary Friday in Trinidad and Tobago into a five-hour test of endurance, walking approximately 14 kilometres through Port of Spain, Maraval and into Petit Valley.
\nWhat began as an ambitious attempt to cover 22 kilometres eventually became a battle against intense midday heat, hills, aching feet and the realities of navigating a long distance on foot.
\nZoe, known online as Travel With Zoe, made the journey alongside three other people, beginning near the hospital around midday before heading around the Queen\u2019s Park Savannah and in the direction of Maraval.
\nAlmost immediately, Trinidad’s heat became a major part of the experience.
\nWith the group walking during some of the hottest hours of the day, staying hydrated became essential. Zoe drank significant amounts of water, while several stops were made along the route to purchase additional drinks.
\nBut first came lunch.
\nAfter walking around the Savannah and heading towards Maraval, hunger set in and the group stopped at Subway. Zoe opted for a footlong sandwich with a chickpea patty, while the restaurant’s air-conditioning provided an equally welcome break from the heat outside.
\nThe relief was temporary.
\nOnce lunch was over, they returned to the road and continued deeper into Maraval, where the sun remained intense.
\nAt one point, Zoe bought a bottle of coconut water after noticing that she had not encountered any roadside coconut vendors. In an amusing twist, she spotted a coconut vendor not long after buying the bottled version.
\nBeyond the heat and fatigue, the walk also presented another challenge: finding continuous pavement.
\nZoe said most of the journey was completed on pavement, but there were sections where pedestrian space disappeared. At times, the group had to cross the road to continue on the side where pavement was available.
\nAs they progressed through Maraval, they turned left near a gas station before making another left shortly afterwards.
\nThat section brought a new challenge as the route became hillier.
\nAfter kilometres of walking in the heat, the inclines began taking their toll. The group eventually stopped and sat on a step to rest before continuing.
\nMontcalm Road would become one of the longest stretches of the adventure.
\nDespite the exhaustion, the area offered impressive views and the weather finally began working in their favour. The intense sunshine eased as conditions became cloudier, providing some relief without producing the rain that could have complicated the remainder of the walk.
\nBy then, however, the group’s original 22-kilometre target was becoming increasingly unrealistic.
\nThe hours were adding up, the afternoon was getting later and Zoe’s feet were becoming progressively more painful.
\nRather than forcing themselves through another eight kilometres, the walkers revised the challenge.
\nFourteen kilometres would be the finish.
\nThey chose Don\u2019s Roti Shop in Petit Valley as their final destination and continued towards it, eventually arriving at approximately 5 pm.
\nFrom beginning near the hospital around midday to finishing in Petit Valley, the journey had taken roughly five hours.
\nThe group may not have completed the 22 kilometres originally envisioned, but their shortened route was hardly an easy outing.
\nFourteen kilometres through Trinidad’s midday heat, combined with hills, hydration stops, lunch, limited pavement in some areas and hours on their feet, transformed a random Friday walk into a demanding exploration of the country’s urban and suburban landscape.
\nAnd after five hours on the road, the reason for ending at 14 kilometres was simple.
\nTheir feet had had enough.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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