On reading the last blog our dear friend Nerida had commented on her awe of the 'once in a lifetime' opportunity to swim with the dolphins. I didn't want to boast to her that you're almost guaranteed to see them if you want to, particulalry as she was about to visit and I didn't want to build her hopes.
So the first time we went out for a dive after her arrival I mentioned to Annie that if they'd seen the dolphins around that morning Nerida would love to see them - sure enough, off we went and Nerida got to experience her 'once in a lifetime' chance to swim with the dolphins in their natural environment. She was also fortunate enough to have this experience on all of the three dives that she went out on. She even managed to get some pics before her battery died...
Unfortunately for me the one dive that I didn't join her for she was incredibly lucky to have a real 'once in a lifetime' experience and very literally came face to face with a turtle. An experience that I'm pretty much bursting at the seams for - I shall just have to stay stitched up for that little while longer... although I was lucky enough to have a passing encounter from some distance on our last dive of the week, as I was bobbing around waiting for the others to descend, one of our group popped her head up to say "turtle!" So off I went following it out of sight, wasn't quite the encounter Nerida had managed but nonetheless it was the first time I'd seen a turtle swimming in the ocean and it was just as magical as I'd hoped.
Check Ned out though...
During the week that Nerida visited we had the annual Rally of the rock race. A mountain biking competition open to anyone and everyone who is mad enough, Paul included! They started at the Northern most village of the island and proceeded a race in stages down to the South of the island, a distance of 40-50km's I believe. The previous 3-4 days we'd had some pretty heavy rain so most of the tracks were pretty muddy, but as we met up with the race at various intervals throughout the island the atmosphere amongst the riders was excellent and seemed like a great event to be involved in.
Unfortunately for Paul (right at the limit for his age group) he didn't get a placing although it seems there were just seconds between them. One of our NZ contractors managed to bag 3rd place though and he was pretty pleased with himself.
The race was rightly finished off with plenty of beer and relaxing at the Washaway bar on Avatele beach accompanied by a beautiful evening and sunset...
The washaway is one of those great little places that's simple and perfect, it has a small crowd of regulars week in, week out, that frequent it for it's one day of opening every week and enjoy a few beers from the honesty bar and some great food cooked by the lovely Janice. We've been fortunate to have arrived over here in the summer/low season and enjoy the quietness the island has to offer. So when we arranged a babysitter last Sunday for Paul's birthday so we could go and enjoy all the washaway has to offer without the toddler to continually chase after, you can imagine our shock to find the place full of tourists!!!!! It was quite stifling - we had to escape to the beach with a few beers...
The flight last week had brought with it the highest number of tourists since we've arrived - a whopping 55! I can't say I've noticed the higher quantity of people anywhere else on the island which is reassuring and I'm fully aware I'm running quite a high risk of sounding like a dirty old hippy but there are some places that suit a crowded bar or two and Niue just isn't one of them...how will I cope with the 'high' season????
