(mum, heads up: probably best you don’t read this next little section).

I have now been on 3 boat trips when I have been force to think ‘if this boat capsizes now, what valuables do I have in my bag and where are my fins?’ (fins being the difference between reaching land and not).

The first time was a boat trip in last weeks storm (it put the valhallah to shame) the second was the most recent trip to levuka when it seemed very likely  that the bottom of the boat would come off and the 3^rd today when hitting some very big waves at full speed!.

So last Saturday, a few of us attempted to get of the island. A 3 hour walk around the island asking at every village for a boat (the tide was VERY far out) and we eventually found someone who realised that some muddy desperate cavalangies would pay good dollar for a boat! The aim of the trip was quite simple some variety and beers (in the case of the boys) a ceaser salad for me!

On Sunday we have our first official day of :D and when to caqualai island where I got more than my knees out (I actually wore a bikini to the boys horror) and did my first (and likely only due to the current weather) bit of sunbathing.

A recent death of a village elder has resulted in a good show if sexism. If preparation for the funeral which the whole island attends (10 villages at 150-250 people per village) 4 days of fishing occurs using arrange of methods and at a range of sites. All very interesting, especially for my report, however due to the tragic occurrence of my sex I was not allowed to go fishing (though a spear gun in my hand is not the best idea) with the boys which resulted in a good deal of boredom.

We have again collected a new pet, a very smelly fruit bat names skunk. Some village boys, upon hearing we were rather fond of pets threw something at it and it simply fell out of the sky poor thing! It is making a good go through the banana stock and was released this morning (after being presented to Austin as his birthday present).  Whilst I am find with the many insects in jars, I am become increasingly filled with hate towards ants. Mainly because they invaded the peanut butter tub (I can understand why they wanted to do this, but I will never forgive them). In addition to everything being covered in ants, it is also permanently damp due to the amount of rain we have been having (apparently very unusual, I call its sods law, I don’t know who this sod man is but I am not a fan). The path down the hill is now a mud slip and slide and the biggest threat to my bones.

I am falling more and more in love with the reef, it changes every time I go for a swim and even though I can recognise so many fish now there are still so many I keep noticing! It’s a shame my camera doesn’t really do it justice. The reefs has also taken on a Hogwarts esque aspect in that we puts things in it and they vanish, especially the newly finished fish houses who location is still a mystery to me! FINALLY diveing of Saturday at Wakaya island so very very excited!

Today was an absolute result! One of the resort island wants a coral farm and will put us up for free for the night. So despite the weather I have squeezed into my sexy wetsuit and gone onto the reef, and after a long hard day of work (make want you want of the use of that word) had an dinner of chicken and sausages with pineapple of kebabs so I am now more stuffed than a parrot fish: which I have seen lots of today. There were loads of wrasse cleaner stations of the reef (which was soft coral dominated, very beautiful) also saw some cuttlefish which looked like they were synchronised swimming, a sea crate and some bat fish!

Tomorrow we will plan the corals we collected to day and hopefully start the process of restoring this reef which is an exciting prospect.