Thursday 4 December – finally time off the boat

We went and did the snorkel around the little island that is next to the resort, it was rated on our NFL (No Foreign Land) App, but sadly besides the rubbish channelling through there it was a disappointing snorkel. So much of the coral was dead or on its way out and only small fish about. The little island has a huge abandoned Homestay on it. We can’t understand the amount of abandoned Homestays about, so sad, we think Covid must have knocked them. Thankfully they are all made with local wood and pandanus leaf roofs, so really they do not do too much damaged to the environment. Just sad to look at. We had booked in for lunch at the resort, they don’t do dinner, their house reef is rated as a good snorkel which we thought we would try after lunch. We dashed back to Polepole to get the saltwater off us before returning for lunch. The resort is full, run by a South African couple, sadly the lunch was underwhelming, serving European food rather than local Indonesian food. At least we know we won’t come back here. I had spotted their lovely Spa on the far end of the resort on a lovely beach and asked if I could get a pedicure, which they agreed to. What pampering, I left Rowan reading his book, he suffered a bit of a midday food coma as he couldn’t even bring himself to snorkel the house reef which had been the plan! I had a lovely time, the Spa was empty but for the local staff. My lady actually came from Bali, and has worked here for 5 years, she does 3 months on and then 3 weeks off, when she goes home to visit her husband and son. I asked why she doesn’t work in Bali as it is a huge tourist destination compared to here, she replied that she comes from a very remote place in Bali, it is easier to work here because the company pay her transport. I had a lovely foot massage looking over a stunning little beach in the cool sea breeze. It was a lovely walk through huge tall trees to the Spa, full of birds.

It was a stunning sunset evening, with the bay all to ourselves we enjoyed listening to a riotous evening bird song as they all came home to roost. The hornbills were so easy to spot with their noisy flapping wings. The smaller birds are so difficult to see.