Happy Birthday to you - Thurs 30/10/25

It's Clare's Birthday so only too right the sun is out and on full blast for the first time this week

we've decorated the room with cards from home and full steam ahead on an adventure, our trusty local man is on time as usual and we are seabound, down to the beach to board what must be the smallest tub on the beach not sure if Smart Cars do boats but if they did this would be one. No deterred we are all on and next stop is the Zanibar version of the Goodwin Sands - we have about 90 mins and then it disappears until the next tide.

The sand bar is empty om arrivals and we have about 30 mins before the more commercial (and safer boats arrive laden with deckchairs and most of the accessories seen on a british beach - donkeys excluded.

It's time to move on and next stop Prison Island. The crossing was somewhat challenging and at one point we were not in a good place I.e the bucket nearly tipped but like true seafarers we rode out the waves and eventually got to the island. Wonderful place and good to get the background,  previously used as a quarantine location rather than a prison and now about 150 people live there. 

Plenty of old ruins and preserved buildings but the highlight being the Armada of tortoises ranging from 6 months old to over 150 yrs old. Great to watch something older than me and move slower.

Back of the boat with a snorkel stop for Clare then fast but fun boat ride back with the current in our favour this time. Had cards and a few token presents by the pool, then off to dinner at the secret garden and roof top hotel for a very enjoyable tasting menu.

Advised (You are doing this!) to take a tuk tuk back to our place and not walk, ther drive which was great fun through the narrow alleys not too disimliar to a Bond movie

I think things are kicking off on the mainland but we now have no Internet , its been shutdown.