Bequia Beach Hotel

... enough room for two cars, several switch back curves, and either a sheer drop off the cliff's edge or deep storm ditches on either side of the road. Zero room for error. The curves are so bad that cars have to beep before each curve so on coming cars will know they have company. <br><br>Our walk through town was pleasant. We followed our noses (literally) to a restaurant called Brooke's Hideaway. What a gem. Brooke was there to greet ...

... to say the least&#8230;.the guide led us at a steady pace as we passed through the rain forest with towering bamboo etc. providing much needed shade. A stop at a flowing stream was very welcome too &#8211; but when we were told this was a quarter of the way up &#8211; I nearly gave up! But pride is a marvellous motivator, so it was onward and upward, and upward, and upward, until the half way point, where we met a party on the way down who looked shell ...

... heavy seas were beam on all the way. The ferry rolled from 45 degrees on one side to 45 degrees on the other....imagine the pendulum on a grandfather clock - quadruple its movement and then invert it - that's how lovely the ride from Bequia to St. Vincent was. But we did it, and neither of us seasick - not that we didn't feel like it - just couldn't afford to let go with either white knuckled hand. But hey - there we were in Kingstown - St. Vincent!

... It is held daily in a government funded market structure given to the local Rastafarians. Here, amongst a sea of dreadlocks, fruit bins and stray cats, farmers banter with customers over the price of pineapple, passion fruits, mangos and guava. Looking at my plate of fresh fruit, I wonder how much bartering was done over the produce that has now become part of my meal. By this time Elite Steel, a classically Caribbean steel band ...

... expanse separating Barbados and my final destination. Yet the hair I lose from this harrowing experience is worth it for I am sure Bequia is as far away from Dubuque as I can get. I begin my first Dubuque-free day with a seaside breakfast of banana pancakes smothered in gooey syrup, fresh coffee and a divine slice of mango while seated next to the former Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Clearly, I am in an entirely different ...

... Keegans is known for its evening beachside barbeques (keegansbequia@yaoo.com). Friendship Bay plays hosts to the third of the island's accessible beaches and is best reached via taxi. Located on the windward side of the island, facing the Atlantic, the waters here tend to be less clear and rougher. However, the pristine scenery of mist-shrouded islands floating along the horizon, its isolation and lack of boats ...

... between the hotels on the beach and the main road. There is also a small mall with an excellent grocery, a bank, post office, pharmacy and dozens of shops including a unisex salon where Al got a long needed haircut. For those who miss fast food (????) there is a Burger King and a KFC with a Dominos pizza a few hundred yards down the road. We did a number of boat projects while in St. Lucia and made many new cruising friends. There is an excellent chandlery at the marina and ...

... furious and Eyvind thought it was so funny he even tried to trade me off for a few lobsters... (I wonder what my price would have been?) I never talked much with William, but he was relentless and kept waving at me and coming over to propose to me. I normally don't mind comments or catcalls when it's obvious I don't have a partner by my side while travelling, but this was a bit too much not having encouraged anything in any way...

... all headed out again to get him a change of scenery and some fresh air. Nancy, Matty and Liam hung around the beach, while the rest of us lunched at Coco's with a beautiful view of Port Elizabeth. Zoya enjoyed playing hard-to-get with the waiter ("man"). With Zoya back at Mockingbirds for her late afternoon nap, and Matty, Nancy and Liam having a quick bite in town, John spent some time ...

... a door. There are two people sitting in it. I am not sure if either was a pilot. There is no attendant. At one point, the person in the cockpit on the right enters the "Passenger" area and says to fasten seat belts and stay seated, and then heads back up front. No smiles, no jokes, no personality. Since every seat is a window seat, I was able to glance out and see that my suitcase was loaded onto the plane. Some gorrilla ...