4 hrs, 5 kms

I peer out the window once again soaking in the first images of this new country . No big city ahead, just a rugged coastline, green hills and a landing strip right at the tip. Next to it is a small, simple terminal a short stroll away welcoming me to Grenada.

Uh... sort of. It seems there are more immigrations officials than travellers here--two of them standing over my shoulder as I try to fill out my form! Then, when I tell them that I'll be staying at Kim's organic cocoa farm in the village of Non Pariel, the official looks at me.

"We don't have any guesthouse by that name"

I'm suddenly reminded that this is a really, really small country. I'm going to be very visible here. My travel style and accomodation plans are quite unconventional--and that could be a problem, especially as it seems that government officials are concerned about visitors crossing their t's and dotting their i's.

Finally I'm allowed in and I heave a sigh of relief . I quickly head out the door and start walking down a quiet windy road. Even for a small country like Grenada, this road seems a bit too basic...

Sure enough... I'm headed the wrong way! Towards the tip of the penninsula rather than towards town! I catch a ride with a hotel vehicle back to the airport, and begin my hike towards town again. Soaking in everything that I see.

First thing I notice is it seems a lot drier here. Almost like the scrub of northern Mexico, rather than lush jungle. Later, however I find that this southwestern corner of the country seems to have a different climate than the rest of the country which is much more lush.

This area is called "Calliste" and it's a scattering of houses--mostly sturdy looking middle class houses. Then there's a strip of mid-size warehouses and wholesale stores--no real serious industry though... It gets me thinking of how cumbersome it must be in an island country like this which pretty much everything has to be imported by air and sea.

There's a roadside eatery that has a line of people. I figure it's a good place to grab some breakfast, and order a sandwich and a peanut smoothie--which actually isn't bad.

I notice the music is a bit more mellow here than in Trinidad. In Trinidad the music is dominated by the intense, fast paced soca rythmns--many of the songs seems to relate to the intense excitement of the approaching Carnival. Here it's more a laid back, chill by the beach kind of sound...

I continue on up the road, past the very prominent Venezuelan embassy. Venezuela is trying to show it has some regional clout, perhaps?