3rd time's a charm

It has taken me three attempts to write this blog......so you lucky people it's going to be a two part-er. I know I am seriously spoiling you, just getting you addicted before I brutally cut you off.

So with zero sleep, I had to take control of the calculator to work out my hotel bill before I lost my 💩 and missed my transfer. So long Ananda in Paje.

I am back weaving, bumping, squeezing my way along in an un air conditioned taxi with hot sandy air blasting in my face only to come to an abrupt halt due to road closure. The taxi driver pops his seatbelt on as we approach the policemen to ask what's going on and then promptly takes it off🤷. We are off on a diversion and turning onto the equivalent of driving on the South downs!

Unusually so for me , I hadn't skrimped on time for this trip and so all was not lost and I squeaked in at my departure spot 5 mins before the boat left.

From one beautiful beach to a lonely little island called Chumbe.....that is demonstrating and leading the way is a sustainable conservation and education programme funded through eco-tourism

Its only 1KM long and about 300 M wide with 7 huts. There are two buildings that were built in the 1900-1910 period with the lighthouse, a mosque and the building for the lighthouse keepers. It's now a privately owned non for profit organisation that is creating a future for eco tourism it was a pleasure on so many levels to enjoy.

By 1000 I am on the island dodging another highway only this one is far more natural one.

With home exchange/chain getting set up only for someone to bail it was fascinating and as I got super excited about how many millions of these there were.....there was plenty more to come

We were greeted with juice and introduced to our guides and the staff onsite. Essentially at most there would 29 people staying on the island overnight if it's fully booked, though there are also day trippers 

The accomodation may seem basic but it's clever fascinating and a very well thought out space. A lot of the construction uses coconut leaves and the husks to make rope to tie the poles together. The shape of the hut is designed to capture the rain which is filtered in a storage tank and then manually pumped up to the top floor. Solar panels provide the heating for hot water and the lights and gravity the water pressure. There are these flaps for windows you can open on strings and pulleys. An indoor swinging hammock and on the top floor a double bed with views of the sea.

If you need the toilet don't forget to flush

A quick change into my swimmers and still devoid of a rash vest and heading out into the middle of the day I had managed to use my weather witchery and have a thunderstorm far enough away to not stop snorkelling but near enough to stop me burning!

When you collect you snorkelling gear they also have reef safe suncream for everyone to use it's all thought through

Chumbe marine protection area lies along the west coast of the island. The reef is protected from fishing and diving  and the E coast the fishing is still allowed.....at night the string of little fishing lights clearly marked the boundary of the conservation area....I am sure they stayed out.

I saw all of these fish except the rays and barracuda and I only saw the grey moray, I also saw everything on the back of this card plus more. There are over 500 species of fish and the coral is pretty. There is some bleaching and some damaged bits but on the whole it looks pretty good and I even got to see Nemos house in action albeit not with a Nemo.

Abby I  am afraid to say it was the last hurrah of your camera but a good one at that!

Once we were in from snorkelling we had a lunch and then a little break  before the afternoon forest walk. Or for me a snooze

Ooooh and look what I have managed to work out how to do! SOund on!