Pinch Me.

So, I have always felt pretty lucky. I have an amazing family, I couldn’t ask for better friends, a job that I adore and generally a damn good life. However, those who know me well understand that things haven’t always been perfect and I’ve had to take the rough with the smooth, like most people on this planet. Now, I am not religious at all but this week I have come to the conclusion that there is definitely someone watching over me. I have had a few ‘pinch me’ moments and, although I could give a list of things that aren’t perfect here, I still feel like I am dreaming. Driving to school, passing emerald green water every day hasn’t yet become ‘normal’ and I am pretty sure that, if I ever accidentally drive off the edge of a cliff (this is very possible in Seychelles! Pretend you didn’t see this, Mum!), it will be because I am still mesmerized by how beautiful this place is... or that I am being chased by all the dogs that think it’s funny to attack me on my scoot!

At the beginning of the week my immune system was attacked by germs. I felt pretty rough so I ate two grapefruits, two passion fruits and a star fruit  (thanks to my Seychelles Brother. You know who you are.) and drank two cartons of orange juice, all in one day. The intention was to overdose on vitamin C and it worked a treat. It would be fair to say that the massage I had the next day helped a bit too. 60 minutes in an open air room on the sea front being pampered was pretty incredible... until what felt like a monster-sized bug landed on my face and ate me alive! Being sprayed in the face with what I think was lavender water was a bit of a shock too, but I can’t have it all I suppose. My sunset scoot back from my massage was cute too and I stopped to take a few photos and talk to the local fishermen.

I have spent this weekend either in the water or eating. On Saturday, after my morning dive, we went up to Raffles hotel (ooh la la!) and had some lunch. The burgers were beastly! We were offered a complimentary cocktail and a bed by the pool. Now when I say ‘bed’, I mean an actual king-sized bed. We were given two towels each (yes, two) and brought complimentary drinks served in a champagne bucket. I am pretty sure that, if I wasn’t living here, I wouldn’t know this kind of place existed and even if I did, I would have never been able to afford to go there. Luckily, we know some incredibly generous people who are always bending over backwards to spoil us. We swam about for a bit, muttering a lot of ‘oh my god’ before walking about 3 meters to the beach to meet friends and Jet Ski and paddle board. I believe I am lucky to be alive after being thrown around on a Jet Ski at 90kmph. It’s a good job I had someone to hold onto as my legs and buttocks spent the majority of the time in the air, above my head. Still, it was fun. We then drove to the other side of the island to watch the sunset on the beach.

Today I tried to fly my power kite. It was unsuccessful. It took me an hour to set it up as it was so tangled, by which time the wind was nonexistent. Locals were having a BBQ and blasting out their usual Creole tunes. Some friends came down later to meet me and my sun-fried backside. Once I managed to get my scooter out from being trapped in the sand, we headed up to our local pool where we had yet more food, chatting and lazing about for a few hours. I ran over a giant crab on the way home and felt very guilty. Sorry crabby!

It’s 7 weeks today until my little Grandma friend, Liz arrives. This excites me! I am looking forward to seeing a familiar face. The internet is still very temperamental here due to someone dropping an anchor on the underwater fibre optic cable which runs from Africa. Rumour is that it’s going to take at least a few weeks to fix, so contact with home is limited.

This week I am cooking for 10 people. Please god, don’t let me poison them!

A bientot.

Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)

I'm impressed with myself - This is now my third post. I haven't given up on this blogging thing yet...

 So, I found myself reading other blogs. Some of which are by people I know and others that aren't. One thing I've realised is that I'm not a natural writer. Some of these blogs are amazing! Mine totally suck in comparison, but I figured I have an total loyal audience of about... 2 (Mum? Dad?), so it doesn't matter.

Another thing I have learned this week is that I have the flexibility of a wooden plank. I took part in my first Yoga class which was completely awesome, but confirmed that I have the body of a 90 year old. After an hour, I was able to touch my toes, which felt like a great accomplishment. Next week, I aim to balance on one finger and spin on my head (that's Yoga, right?) Joking aside, I enjoyed it, it gave me free head space and left me feeling pretty relaxed afterwards.  In fact, I was so relaxed that, when I got home, I found myself in a trance, staring at the television... only to realise half an hour later that I was watching Extreme Fishing with Robson Green... and enjoying it!

2 potential dilemmas though: 
1. It can be tricky not to pass wind when in certain positions. 
2.  There is a strong possibility of snoring during the last 10 minutes of relaxation time.
However, I would like to confirm that I did neither of these things.

Yesterday was a colleague's Birthday and we celebrated Seychellois-style. BBQ on the beach with music, football, relays, treasure hunt (the treasure being Sambuca) and the limbo... all fueled by rum. Again, my lack of flexibility meant my limbo skills were embarrassing.

Scooting around a tropical island is so much fun...that is until you find yourself in line with oncoming traffic. Today, I rode on the coastal road which bends like a snake and requires total control. I'd be lying if I didn't say I was a bit frightened and, with my legs flying out in all directions like a spider on speed, I don't think I pulled off the 'calm and controlled' look I was aiming for. However, I did it and now I know what to expect next time, I will do it better. Luckily, I have a helmet the size of an astronaut's (only exaggerated by my peanut-sized head) to protect me. I get to see some amazing views and still find myself thinking I'm living in a bit of a dream. No one in the world could say that this island isn't beautiful.

 There was a reason why I risked my life on the coastal road today... and it was totally worth it. We visited a very lovely hotel. The owner kindly said we could use the pool and have lunch there, so we made the most of it. It was just the chilled out day I needed to refresh myself before a new week starts tomorrow. Weekends are always great here and it feels like I've had a genuine break. 

Hopefully I get to do a bit more diving this week.
 
Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen):

Life's a beach.

I thought it was about time I posted a new blog. Maybe you want to read it...maybe you don't. I suggest if it's the latter, you get your beady eyes off my page!

It's been an interesting couple of weeks... This weekend I celebrated my fifth week since leaving the UK and, whist it seems like forever ago, I'm still discovering new places and meeting new people every day. Things are going well for me here... I am incredibly happy and I really feel like my old self again (it's taken a while, I know!). Mum said to me in an email: 'Are you really this happy, Laura? Don't hide anything from us, we need to know everything!' So, yes - I wouldn't want to worry them if things weren't good, but Mum, I really am 'this happy!'

Anyway, enough of the deep stuff!!

School has started well for me. New challenges, new people, new lots of things. The people are awesome and the atmosphere is fun and relaxed. I'm still working hard though (I'm not here on holiday, despite what some of you seem to think!). However, the best thing about living here is that, even after a full day of work, there is still time to go to the beach and generally have fun afterwards. Very often, I get back home in the evening and don't even feel like I've been to work! 

I was doing regular runs up and down my local beach but I got lazy and now I just tend to just lie on it instead. Especially since I bought my scooty, Rosie. She makes me lazy! Beep beep! I've started doing boxer-size on the beach in the evenings with a friend from school (by this, I mean I have done it twice). I'm as strong as an ox, you see! Just call me Mike Tyson...

Weekends are great! I never feel lonely or struggle to fill my time. Last weekend we went to a nearby hotel to use their infinity pool (yes, darling) and have lunch, amongst plenty of beachy stuff and nights out with good people. This weekend we went to La Digue - the most beautiful place in the world that I have seen so far. Apparently it's the island where they shot the film Castaway (I love that movie!) and the bounty advert?! I was invited to the holy communion ceremony of a child in my class, so I got to see some traditional Seychellois stuff. It was totally cute and pretty, although I was sweating to death and generally looking a mess.On Sunday, I randomly got offered a trip to the island's golf course (apparently top 10 in the world according to the guide book. Members only, darling). I couldn't have given a hoot about the golf, but the views were insane, as were my golf buggy driving skills!! I was accused of playing 'hockey' by the locals as, on average, it took me about 20 shots to get a ball in that hole thing (whatever you call it)! There is an amazing beach (Anse Georgette) which you look down on from the course. We saw dolphins (or sharks?!) swimming around... Then the heavens opened and we got drenched.The beach is very exclusive, and you can only get onto it if you're a club member (again, yes darling).

Anyway, next time I'll post some photos but I've managed to bore myself so that's enough for now.