Just keep swimming

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KELLIANNE!

Despite both of us feeling a bit sick today (Nigel more so), we had a great day. And we actually accomplished a few things. We slept in, splurged on a 14 pound iced coffee and a burger for lunch on the beach, then hired some proper snorkelling gear for the afternoon. We took a cab to a place nearby called 'The Islands' which was supposed to be better than the Blue Hole. It was nice, but not fantastic. Plus, all of the trash floating around in the water detracted from it. Also the fact that our snorkels were shite and we were breathing in saltwater. So we walked back to town, swapped snorkels and decided to swim around right there near our hotel. The coral comes right up out of the water along the whole beach, making it easy to just jump in and start snorkelling away. We were not expecting too much (given that it is where everyone goes to swim) but it was great. Tons and tons of fish, and the coral was healthy and colourful. Among many things, a bright red sea cucumber and some really long sea cucumbers, some lionfish, schools of baby Barracuda, and tons and tons of jellyfish. Swimming through them we felt like Dory and Merlin in 'Finding Nemo' excpet that these were harmless jellies.

A few hours later we walked back to the hotel for a shower, returned our gear to the dive shop and then I spoke to my family for a while as a birthday treat. We then had a great Italian dinner on the beach (complete with candles). We were going to have cake and beer, but we were too stuffed so decided to call it a night.