We had breakfast and signed up for a drive around the island. This place is much larger than we expected. The island is 37 km long. Our side of the island faces the mainland. On the opposite side, the side that faces open ocean, is an enormous sand dune. Several small lakes are at the base of the dunes. These lakes have both crocodiles and flamingos. The birds weren’t around and the crocodiles were nesting and hidden. So we walked up part of the dunes. It was really a great stroll.
After the dunes walk we went through a village with widely scattered huts, a school, a clinic and a few other buildings. The huts here are circular and built from straw. A lot of the locals came out to wave and say hello. It was a bit odd. I guess we were providing entertainment.
Here are some photos of our tour.
We got back to the resort, had lunch. We spent a lot of today reading and resting. It’s been our quietest day on the trip, and necessary. Then Chuck and I headed to the spa here which is at the top of a hill with a wonderful view of the ocean, the beach, the island.
Back for dinner. Then more resting.
After the dunes walk we went through a village with widely scattered huts, a school, a clinic and a few other buildings. The huts here are circular and built from straw. A lot of the locals came out to wave and say hello. It was a bit odd. I guess we were providing entertainment.
Here are some photos of our tour.
At the base of the dunes were brackish lakes of various sizes. Crocodiles would have been seen in non-nesting times.
The wind created waves that left salt deposits on the edge of the lake.
It was very windy on the dunes. We were getting pelted by sand in these photos. When we got back to the resort, I realized the wind had dumped loads of sand into my hair.
Some children from the local village. The houses in the village were somewhat far apart.
Obviously, we were some kind of entertainment.
A house and a pump.
They grow, amongst other things, cassava. Near the rounded hut in the distance is a fish-drying rack.
The local school. The paths are lined with really nifty seashells.
The building in the photo above was half devoted to a local medical clinic and half to a community center.
A view from the cliffs along the road back to our resort.
The local kids scrambled up the cliff to visit. The little girl carrying the baby went up with the rest of them, although the baby didn't seem so pleased. The children are carrying little spiny fish they netted out of the water.
A local carver displaying his wares. The resort had a number of his items, and we bought a wind mobile of turtles.
On the beach back at our cabin. The view is looking back to the cliff in the distance that the kids had climbed
Our sun shade and a resting Charlie
We got back to the resort, had lunch. We spent a lot of today reading and resting. It’s been our quietest day on the trip, and necessary. Then Chuck and I headed to the spa here which is at the top of a hill with a wonderful view of the ocean, the beach, the island.
Back for dinner. Then more resting.
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