TIME TO LEAVE PARADISE

WEATHER: Lucky it is still a little overcast 24C as we leave today

HIGHTLIGHT OF THE DAY: Getting to sleep in till 8am

BUMMER OF THE DAY: Leaving paradise

BUYS OF THE DAY: Didn’t buy a single thing today

WORD OF THE DAY: It is awesome here

IRISH WORD OF THE DAY: Daithi - David

MOARI WORD OF THE DAY: Moana - Sea

CAMP SITE RANKING:  Back to the same campsite in Dar – just based on location it would be 5 out of 5 stars

Wakey wakey – it’s time to leave my massive canopy bed, our awesome room, beautiful beach and crystal blue waters.  At least I know that I will be seeing it all again next month – so I can take comfort in that.

We got up for the measly breakfast, our one egg scrambled and 2 pieces of toast and then we went for a last walk on the beach.  The shells on the beach we just beautiful, so we all decided to collect some, I was getting some for the god-daughters and Lisa was getting ones that had a hole in them, so she could thread them onto some string and make a present for Ben and the truck. 

We left the resort at 10.30am.  Jo and the crew are due in at the same resort tomorrow, so we have left them notes to be given to them when they arrive!  Geez we are good friends!  They are now on the last 3 nights of their trip, which is hard to comprehend as we still have over 30 days still to go, but I guess our time will eventually come as well, and I have to say this could be the hardest good-bye to date.  When you are nearly spending 17 hours a day with people, you make some awesome friendships and times that by 2 months, 60 days, 17 hours a day – I am really going to miss this crew.  You guys know who you are, Lisa, Jimbob, Sean and Dave.  It is a long time to be spending with people and I am so glad I have you guys to do it with. Awwwwwwwwwwwww

So after the hours’ drive back, we headed straight to the port, where we had a 12.30pm departure back to Dar es Salaam.  Em, Christina, Dave and I headed straight back up to the top deck and we were lucky enough to get a beanbag this time, so we made ourselves at home and enjoyed the 2 hour ride back to the mainland.  We were pretty much in the sun the whole way, so we made up for some lost sun time that we missed on Zanzibar.  The tan is coming along quite nicely; it is giving my Greek one a run for its money that is for sure.  My nose is copping a lot of it though, so I have been putting some sunscreen on it to try and look after it a little bit.

Once we got back to Dar, we caught taxis to transfer from one ferry terminal to the other, to get us back to our camp site for the night.  Even though we haven’t done much today, we have certainly done a lot of travelling, an hour’s drive in the coach, a ferry, another ferry, a taxi and lastly our truck to collect us from the other side.

Our tents were cleaned and moved while we were away, but I think this maybe the last time that our tents are going to be put up for us.  This group has had it so easy so far with tents and chores.  This portion of the trip isn’t as hard core as the last one, but totally different countries and different trips so it isn’t really fair to compare.

We are all off to bed early tonight as we have a MASSIVE, travel day tomorrow departing at 5am, so that is a 4.15am get up to have the tent and all of us on board by the departure time.  You know the earlier we leave the longer the day will be – it’s not a good sign.

I was able to get onto Wi-Fi at the camp site and I received a blow of bad news.  I found out that a family friend had passed away.  Aunty Gayle and her family were a massive part of my life when I was a kid growing up in Darwin.  They helped mum lot by looking after me when she had to work one of her 3 jobs.  They were the best days of my childhood, swimming in the pool 24-7, bouncing on the trampoline, playing marco polo; late night gossip sessions and Aunty Gayle coming in with a thong in her hand telling us to be quiet or we would cop a flogging!  After mum passing away, we were back in touch again with her and the 3 gals.  So my thoughts are with the Caire family in their time of sorrow and you are all in my thoughts at this time.  It is when things like this happen that I am still glad I have made the decision I have with my hiatus for 16 months.  Life is too short; live it to the fullest people, as you just never know what is around the corner.