Climbing with Mary

After school today Karen went to do some shopping, so me and Lisa headed for the playground. Lisa met a girl called Mary who showed her how to climb to the very top of all the climbing frames.

Tek Tek

We went down to the beach this evening for a sunset swim. That olympic swimmer in the sea is me. Lisa is on the beach looking for Tek Tek.
Tek Tek are small shell fish that live in the sand where the waves break. The biggest ones are about an inch across. We often watch them dig down into the sand between the waves. The locals collect them for Tek Tek soup. This is what they look like.
We were discussing the World Cup Draw at school today. All the colonial ex-pats think it is hilarious that England have drawn Croatia again. Seychelles are up against Tunisia (who they have played recently in the African nations qualifiers), Burundi and Bakino Faso. I'll have to see if I can get along to the Stad Linite to see the home legs. Come on you Pirates!

Incidently, I've just been buzzed by the biggest Praying Mantis I've seen. They are weird looking creatures!

Sunday Adventure

Karen wanted to clean the house today so me and Lisa went out to have an 'adventure'. We were going to walk along to Anse Major (like I did on my own a few weeks ago) but a coconut tree had fallen across the road so we had to abandon that plan. Instead we decided to try and find a new beach. We found a right little cracker. It's called Bel Ombre and is accessed through a gap in a hedge not far along from Beau Vallon. Here's Lisa on Bel Ombre Beach doing the curtsy she's been practising for the Christmas Show at school (she is going to play the part of a snow-flake)..
We stopped at the Bajaya Hotel on the way back for some lunch and a swim in the pool. Lisa on the way into the hotel is certainly ready for the pool..
In the pool at the Berjaya Hotel.I'm off to listen to the World Cup draw now. Mind you, I'm sure we'll make a hash of it whoever we get and whoever the manager is...my vote goes to Jez after that draw against top-of-the-table Barnham on saturday.

Hills & Beaches

We took a trip up into the mountains to the Mission Viewpoint today. We had a picnic and a walk through the woods. Here's Lisa giving Karen the runaround.
Stepping over a big tree root!
Then we headed down to Port Laurney, one of our favourite beaches on the west coast of Mahe. Port Laurney is in a bay, so it's always nice and calm.
This evening we listened to Pompey win yet another premiership game, and then spent a happy half-hour exchanging text messages with Brendan, our local Birmigham City fan.

Maka Paka

Lisa helping Maka Paka read the Night Garden comic...Thanks Grandma...

Playing with Sanshia

This morning we met Sanshia (one of Lisa's friends at school) and her mum at the playground. Here is Lisa showing off her climbing skills.
Apparently it just isn't cool to slide with shoes these days!
The girls on the slide.
The sunset from our balcony about 10 mins ago.
It's been a very busy week. I have been writing lots of end of term reports and I've been organising a football match against the Independant School of Victoria. Apparently we have never beaten them and last year we lost 10v0. I'm hoping that with Danny 'Cloughie' Fellows in control that all this is about to change. The match is on friday. I'll let you know if we get as lucky as England did!

Cup Final Day

Today was Cup Final Day in the Seychelles. The final was held at the Stad Linite in Victoria and was between old rivals St Michel and Anse Reunion. St Michel are the local favourites and have already won the league. Reunion are from the island of La Digue and have apparently employed the services of couple of African ringers for this game. The St Michel fans were waving wads of cash at the La Digue supporters.

Me, Alex and Brendan turned up 10 mins before kick-off, paid our 35 rupees (about £1.50) and took our seats with the Reunion fans. Here are the teams being presented to the President.
Most of the crowd of about 3000 were our side of the stadium. The other stand was in the direct sunlight. Against the run of play St Michel scored with a cracking (Beckham style) free kick. It was all Reunion for the rest of the game, and despite plenty of singing and dancing from the travelling support, the La Digue team just couldn't score. St Michel won 1v0.
There was much car hooting and flag waving after the game. We switched allegencies and went for a drink with the victorious fans in the Pirate Arms.

Check out the Nation on Monday for their take on the game..
http://www.nation.sc/

Pineapple Harvest

We have been waiting for the right moment to pick our pineapples. Two of them looked nearly ripe so we thought we'd go for it. We'll leave them to ripen and they should be OK to eat by the end of the week.

Fruit Bats Close-up

The Fruit Bats have been very active every evening in the big mango tree about 100 yds from our house. They fly around and then land in the tree and clamber about feeding on the fruit. Here is a close-up of a bat hanging in the tree.

Evening Beach

Down on Beau Vallon beach in the evening. Lisa playing in the sand while me and Karen have a couple of beers in the Al Mare.

The Chinaman

We have been singing the Chinaman song in the car on the way to school. My Dad taught it to us when we were kids..
Check out the video here...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSLYYkEH_nM

Bath With A View

After school Lisa likes to chill out. Here she is contemplating the world..

Spice Garden

Today we had a trip to the Spice Garden. Until the middle of the last century spices were a big industry in the Seychelles. This place was set by an English family to grow vanilla, pepper and various other spices to be exported to Europe. The great grand children of that English family now run the resturant and museum....
The first thing we found was a Cocoa Tree (Chocolate Tree!)
These are the pods that contain the chocolate beans...
Vanilla. This was the main (and most valuable) crop at the Spice Garden. There used to be a 24 guard on these vanilla plants. It is said that pirates would attack the ships carrying the vanilla and let the ones carrying gold go.

Karen and Lisa on the path through the gardens..
Meeting the giant tortoises.
Lisa with a leaf?
Karen examining a bread fruit.
We stayed for lunch at the Spice Garden. Creole style buffet. Grilled snapper, meat curry, chicken curry, rice, lentils and an assortment of salads from the Spice Garden including banana with coconut, spicey orange, paw paw, melon, red apple. It was quite a feast...

We stopped at Anse Royale on the way home for a swim and a spot of snorkelling.

Playground

It's been a busy week.... At school the older students are doing exams. All the teachers are writing reports. I am gearing up for the installation of new network servers next week. My new weekly five-a-side football session kicked off on thursday evening and I played golf after work on friday. So today we decided to chill out a bit. Lisa wanted to go to the playground...
They got pretty creative with the climbing frames in the playground (although a few of them have seen better days). Lisa tried all of them out. Coming into land in a helicopter...
We stopped for a swim in the rain on the way home. When we got home the fruit bats, which we see every evening, put on a special display for us...
I am writing this listening to the football on the World Service. West Ham are pulverising Derby 5 v 0 (and Southampton are also getting stuffed 5 v 0). Another great day!

Beach Time

It was hot today, probably over 30'C, so after work we headed for the beach. Me and Lisa went in for a dip while Karen lay in the shade of a takamaka tree reading her book.
We got some food from the wednesday bazaar and sat on the beach watching the sun go down. Here's Lisa playing in the sand...

Matchstick Men (F)

Film Review - Matchstick Men 7/10
I enjoyed this film. It was a bit quirky and had a couple of good twists. Nick Cage's character was a kind of Gazza meets Robert Redford (in 'The Sting'). It was safe Hollywood fare, but just what the doctor ordered, to occupy us while we scoffed the birthday chocolates!

My Birthday

We all had a lie-in this morning after last nights party. Then we wandered down the hill to the beach. Here's Karen chilling in the shade watching the lads playing football...

The lads playing football on the beach. I would have joined in but I was still getting over last nights excesses.
After a swim in the sea, we met some of Lisa's friends from school. We all had a swim in the pool at the Coral Strand Hotel. This is Magda, Lisa, Sasha and Karen.

Lisa leaping off the side

Happy Birthday to Meeee!!

A top birthday!

Bonfire Party

We had the traditional Bonfire Party this evening to celebrate my birthday and Guy Fawkes night. Unfortunately there were no fireworks, apparently they are illegal in the Seychelles. The only option was marine distress flares, which may have started an air-sea rescue (if they have such things here) so we settled for a bonfire and copius amount of beer and chilli. It was a top night. Here's a few of the gang admiring my huge fire!

Coconut Harvest

We picked up one of the coconut s that had fallen off the coconut tree in our garden today. After much huffing and puffing I managed to get the husk off and crack it open. It was beautiful. A great little snack. Here's Karen and Lisa tucking in.

Fairyland

Today is a public holiday in the Seychelles...All Saints Day (God Bless Those Saints!) We drove over to a hotel on the East Coast of Mahe called Fairyland. It is right on a bay with some nice beaches and good snorkelling. Lisa washing her hands with sand.
Me and Lisa being deer..
We went round to a beach called Anse Royale, just round the corner from Fairyland. There was some nice snorkelling over by that island you can see in the distance. I saw some zebra fish, a hawkfish, a big shoal of blackspot, loads of sea cucumbers and some very colourful shellfish.
As usual Lisa couldn't wait to get in the sea. Her lastest trick is floating on her back..
The end of the day at Anse Royale.