Paradise, But With Mosquitoes

Sunday, after breakfast in our pod, I was out, fully creamed against the sun and mozzied up! Had a lovely few hours by the pool talking to Aaron and friends who were here for the weekend. Aaron came over from the UK in 2016 and now has a cocoa farm where he produces chocolate. He lives here with his German girlfriend whose name, I am ashamed to say, I can’t remember. I remember his name as it’s the same as my son.

My memory gets worse with every passing day!

Mike joined us later on, the pool was warm and Mike couldn’t get enough of it. We had a late lunch at the dodgy dock. A couple of Pina Colada’s later and I’m back at the pool watching the antics of a very small adorable child named Emmeline.

Being only 16 months old she has no concept of how adorable she is and keeps her parents on the go all the time. The pinnacle of her adventures, as I see it, is when her dad puts a piece of music on the blue tooth speaker and then she starts to boogy whilst holding onto the small speaker and standing in the pool.

Lunch time Monday, passing the Frangipani tree on the way to the Dodgy Dock, it’s leaves are all but gone yet caterpillars can still be seen clinging to the branches. The BBC weather app says it’s 31 degrees but feels like 43. They are spot on there!

The patchwork like sails which cover most of the dock occasionally make a snapping noise as they catch the breeze. A small crab scuttles across the floor out of the way. A sail boat steers close by and the occupants wave at Mike whilst he takes a short video.

The sun creeps nearer and nearer to our table as we wait for our food and I’m beginning to wonder if we will have to move tables.

It’s very hot but the occasional breeze off the water is just what keeps us from burning up. Music today is – soul & RnB. The resident birds (looks like female Carib Grackle) flit from one empty table to the next looking for scraps of food but not venturing too close. Once the seats are vacant they swoop in to see what they can finish off.

No coconut cream at present so no Pina colada. I have a Mimosa which is very refreshing.

We had spent the morning in the pool talking to Mary, Kate and Mary Anne who are here for a week with their spouses and a group of other people from USA.

The three women were the only members of their group who weren’t diving. Lovely chatting with them and after lunch Mike went back to our pod for a nap and I headed back to the pool having it to myself for half an hour.

Floating with hands behind my neck, eyes closed, my ears underwater. From hearing the music coming from the Dodgy Dock all I could hear now was my own breathing.

The water is so warm, the the wind coming up from the sea gently caressing my face like a silk cover moving across me. Heavenly, I was in my own little world for a while until my foot touched something and quick as a flash I was back to earth, wondering where I was……Still by myself, my foot had just caught the edge of the pool.

Tranquility broken but not forgotten.

It’s gone dusk now, I’ve had a shower and dosed myself firstly with aftersun then mosquito repellent. I have definitely been bitten on my left arm this afternoon which is now itchy so used the Bite n Sting roll on!

We will be having left over pizza tonight, I’ve finished my second book and have started my third. All Rachel Abbott which I’ve read before, probably about 3 years ago, but don’t remember in great detail so am enjoying reading again.

Tomorrow we are spending the day with Mike’s cousin, Lester who is coming to pick us up. Really looking forward to that.

Katie Crunch