4 hrs, 2 kms

I have several options for how to spend my last day in St Vincent . First: I could continue my hike from Kingstown north, continuing the "single hike" as far as I can up the Caribbean side. Problem: first, as I was told, the neighborhoods north of Kingstown are the most dangerous, and I'd hate for a bad experience to spoil this whole adventure. Secondly, I wouldn't have time to explore the provinces farther north.

So I choose for the second option: take a van to Chanteaubelair and work my way south from there. I won't be able to make it a "single" hike, but I will be able to explore all the parishes on the west side.

So off I go. The trip itself is slow going, with the road winding up and down high mountain passes rather than following the coast. Finally I reach my destination: Chateaubelair.

Chateaubelair has a contradictory feeling to it. It's has a beautiful bay with a tiny jungle island out in the middle--and even a couple of yachties docked here. But the village itself feels very scruffy, and I feel quite self conscious following a path that meanders between the houses and shacks. This side of the country feels much poorer--gone are the beautiful villas of the south. I'm clearly headed towards a dead end, but I refuse to turn back, finally finding another alley to take me back to the village center. Folks don't seem quite as friendly on this side either...

I head down to the beach, take a quick video clip and continue one