Andaman Islands continued-Neil Island-where the trees talk to you...

Our Wonderful Journey!



My little Love:)



My Andaman Shell :)



The blue shades of the ocean and the burnt orange of the sunsets just appeal to my artistic side:)



 


Andamanian Magic enchants us with its Charms...

 



Cally has paddled ashore to join us for a braai:)



Time is flying away on the winds as we sail around the Andamans:) Each day is filled with delights and adventures- what  a wonderful way to live life and experience living!

Cody Surfing his boogyboard in the shorebreak:)



This is Neil Island and when the tide went out we all saw how close to the reef we had anchored...



The boat woke up this morning anchored nearly off Neil Island in the Andamans:) The tide was going out and Barbara Ann (who had sailed in at dusk) looked dangerously close to the reef...Jack however assured me that it was just an illusion and that the reef was really quite a safe distance away:)

Actually we too had dropped close to reef on the high tide and it is amazing what a spring low can reveal!



Caden picking up the
 pace here on our walk...
He can hear the trees talking:)



This islands beauty  and magic were in the enormous









and magnificent trees:) From our yacht, Icould see a couple of tourists

 sitting at the base of one the giant ancient trees on the beach and the tree towered over them.

The beach here was very pretty with a sandy point and a very modern looking wooden home built on the beach. It did look out of place and the style was not local. A few weeks later when we went back to Neil Island, the whole huge home was gone!! Like it had never been there... I enquired and found out it had been dismantled- it had been  built for a movie- I would love to know what movie:)

When we went ashore to explore- Caden and I got left behind as I am forever taking photos and picking up shells and getting lost:) He is the one who is constantly telling me to hurry up. This time his reason was that the trees frightened him as he said that they sounded like they were talking:) How magical:) They did rustle and whisper ...

Later we met Camelia- a traveller...

 

 The Dancing Tree...

  from Belgium

 and she said that Caden was very perceptive as these old trees were powerful.

camelia:)

 I know that a few of my friends would understand this:) My little Caden- he could feel that:)


Camelia ended up coming back to Micah with us and sailing with us to Havelock Island the following day.

Caden Exhausted after a wonderful day of exploring...

So- what did this island add to our adventures?

Our first stop after walking along the well worn dirt road leading off the beach was a B&B with a little restaurant and I

As you all know by now...extreme shell collecting is my hobby on this adventure:)

Here is Brent having some alone time:)

was already ready for a cuppa tea:) This place was filled with Rastafarians and I think that all the staff were high on the local plants:) My best was when I asked the red eyed waiter if he could please wipe our table as it was dirty and full of flies:( He just smiled at me and said No.

Thinking he did not understand my request I asked if he had a cloth for me to wipe the table and he repeated his No politely again...what can I say?

After our tea we explored the island. Brent had disappeared a long time ago and we only found him at the end of the exploring! I thought he had joined the Rastafarians:)

What a walk...whispering giant trees...chickens scratching in the crunchy leaves under the trees...skinny locals carrying huge bundles of grass on their heads...goats driven by old ladies with white long hair and vibrant saris...At home- women of this age would be in a frail care centre!

 There were cows, hooting motorbikes and racing taxis and plenty of mongrel dogs travelling  with us in a growing pack with plenty of territorial squabbles amongst them.

 Caden and I found ourselves  constantly in the middle of rival gangs with the victim dogs hiding between us!

Our walk to the village to find lunch - became a never ending walk! What had started off as a casual stroll  became a brisk walk and finally a fast trot!

 We had left Jack and Brent behind and Jack had emphasised to us that we had limited time as we were sailing to our next stop at Havelock island

and we had to up anchor before it got too late. So eventually...ten samoosas and two mango
lassies later plus two giant rotties ( the best!)- we sent the children to try and find us some means of transport that could get us back quicker than our feet.

 Hey I would have ridden a cow back, just to make up for lost time:)

Fortunately the children found a little buglike tuctuc and we all squeezed into it and hung on for dear life as our cabby flew along the dirt roads swerving around cows and scooters and corners:)

In a few minutes, we emerged out the jungle,to find Brent waiting at the dingy for us and he had two people with him..Camelia and another traveller...I knew it!

 Earlier in the day I had passed two guys chatting to one another and the one was saying to the other that he was saying his goodbyes as he was leaving on a boat...I could have bet money that he was leaving on OUR Boat!! And how right I was, they were getting a lift to the next island. It all turned out well as Camelia and I got on really well and she did some amazing yoga classes on the top of the bimini ( yacht roof) with me:)))))
... and so , we got back to our yachts as the sun was setting and all was good:)