BLUE THINGS !

I've noticed a tendency to 'blue' creatures here.. blue starfish, blue crabs and blue penguins.. and I began to wonder, why was this? And why are blue creatures so bizarre ?
The blue, or little penguin (known in Maori as korora), is the world's smallest penguin. They only come ashore under the cover of darkness and live underground in burrows so they are rarely seen.
Blue swimmer crabs apparently taste delicious and are one of the world's most active crabs..
And blue starfish...with their two stomachs and an eye on the end of each arm and between five to twelve arms..are actually sea-stars.
How many blue animals can you think of? And, is it just me, or are they all strange?

YASAWAS !

The Yasawa islands, where we are going, are made up of of about 20 volcanic islands, West of Fiji.
The British navigator William Bligh was the first European to sight them in 1789, following the mutiny on the HMS Bounty.
The Yasawa islands are a bit like that itch in the centre of your back - more difficult to get to than other parts, but sooooo rewarding when you do.
They were the setting for the famous Blue Lagoon movie and you get the white, sandy beaches, tropical rainforests and the blue-green crystal clear waters there.
In the resorts you stay in a bure (like a small thatched cottage) and all supplies arrive by boat.
I would highly recommend a holiday there - which might explain why we're returning for the third time - although it's a different island each time.

YouTube - Manta ray dance

YouTube - Manta ray dance

MANTA RAYS!

Yes, swimming with manta rays (not sting rays!) for those of you who felt we needed to be careful. As you probably know, the manta ray is the largest of the rays, (for the largest recorded, look at the old photo attached; the ray is about 5,000 lb in weight!) I am hoping they're not that big!
Facts for you:
They live in all tropical waters of the world, usually around coral reefs, which is where we are going to find them.
They are extremely curious around humans, and are fond of swimming with scuba divers, often surfacing to investigate boats.
They eat plankton, not humans, and have no sting in their tail. I'm hoping we may even see them 'flying', it will be an awesome experience!
And just to end... the word manta is Spanish for cloak or blanket because when swimming, the manta looks like a spread-out cape.

OCTOPUS

In less than a week we will be here!
Imagine.. an island of your own, only ten other guests - a house right on the beach, diving in crystal clear waters,(now that Greg has completed his diving course), night fishing, drinking multi-coloured cocktails, as you watch the sun set.Then there's all the meals served on the beach, sunbathing, strolling and coconut tree climbing...
I've made a reserved sign for my hammock!
We shall have a week of activities and then a week of 'relaxing' in its purest form - will it be a three or four book holiday? We're also hoping to go swimming with the manta rays.

LAST WEEK !

This is Griff.
I'm shattered - and the photo reflects how I feel! Dazed!
The last week of term always picks up the pace and what with assessments, exams, teaching, packing , parents' evening, farewell dinners and speeches for staff who are 'escaping'- we're all a bit shell-shocked.
Went to a Ceilidh too - now that was fun!
Lots of dancing, haggis and bagpipes.. then we had pavlova for pudding (bit of an odd mix) I inadvertently bid $300 for a bottle of Scotch whiskey - that'll teach me to move during an auction! Luckily I was outbid by over $221 !! Expensive whiskey at $521!

SIGNS !

The fact that the driving age here is fifteen and insurance is optional, sets the scene for this blog!
Remembering that the driving test is a scratch card, with multiple choice questions explains some of the signs that we have seen on our travels..
The ones above have been worth photographing. Some still make us laugh! The one of the cyclist falling off his bike, the dreadful and dire warning on the glacier walk that we ignored, the strange parachuting car; they're all real.
We're never sure how someone with such a sense of humour was appointed by the Department of Transport. But hey, this is New Zealand!