Our relaxing island retreat has come to involve a lot of walking...
And it's fab.

Yesterday we hiked through the forest for two hours to reach an amazing waterfall. Luckily we encountered a guided walking group as we reached the falls so they could show us the safe way to climb the falls and to swim under the main stream- amazing. Also lucky was the
fact that one of the group took photos and promises to email them to us as we'd not taken a camera. Being under the falls was brilliant (tho it was so cold and exciting that Suzie couldn't really breathe- still fun tho!).

The forest is striking- the whole place is full of hummingbirds and we spotted a couple of marmosets who sat and stared at us as we did to them.

We trekked down to a beach and a man with a boat charged us 10reais to give us a lift home. Again, fun (including his big detour to pinch some rope he saw in the water).

As we trundled in the boat, it started to rain. Nothing too dramatic.... but when we got home it started to rain like only possible on tropical islands. Proper ground-rocking thunder and
everything. Eventually we decided we had to brave the rain to get dinner and made it as far as the Pousada reception where the man said he'd call us pizza and make us Caipirinhas. Ideal.

By the way, they love their caipirinhas... And they love them strong. When we checked in, the owner showed us around, explained where breakfast was, and Andrew asked "is there a bar here too". The man replied "sorry, no, we don't have a bar," before adding with a look that said 'we're not animals' "but of course we have a man who can make you caipirinhas in the evening". Of course.

And so we sat, drank cocktails, ate pizza and played cards while the large group of French folk did the same at the next table. One came over and asked what game we were playing, and it was with some embarrassment that we had to explain that it was called 'tete de la
*****'. Hey ho. Today the weather is still 'white cloud' so again we went walking as sunbathing was less of an option. Hiked two and a half hours, again through forest, to end up at a beach on other side of island- Lopez Mendes. Beautiful, and so peaceful as it's only accessible by that
track- the boats don't even go into that bay as it's too choppy. Walked a bit back then hopped on a boat. Well, we say 'hopped', actually it involved getting in a dinghy, being pulled out by rope to a floating bar, climbing across one boat and then reaching ours.

And hopefully there will be some proper sun tomorrow...