Monday morning and things are looking up, we are on and island (well during the rainy season it is) next to the wildlife reserve. The Zebrabar is a campsite/bungalow setup run by a very friendly Swiss couple called Ursula and they have two children and were out early to apologise for not greeting us when we came in, they had not heard us and were very surprised when they saw us there in the morning.
The ground consists of beach type sand and they have palm trees with hammocks. So breakfast, reading and generally lazing about was the agenda for the day. We also found the chest fridge full of ice cold beer and soft drinks. You just help yourself whenever and jot is down in a book. At the end of your stay it all gets added up. They also have a little restaurant where one gets breakfast, lunch and supper or one can order bread and eggs to use at your campsite.
Tuesday we decide to go into St Louis to look around and see if we can find any of the people we have met so far. On the way we get flagged down by a man and a boy. The boy has a huge fish on his head and the old man asked us to give him a lift to the nearest hotel. So one fish on the roof and off we go, I took a photo of it on the roof but it is not very good as I then swan off to investigate the hotel with the camera and we never get a good picture of the fish but as is all fish stories….
In St Louis we meet up with Chris and Tanya who then take us to where Conrad and Louise are and our polish friends Lech and Aga. They have found a campsite in St Louis and we try to convince them to come to the Zebrabar which we think is much better. We stay and visit, swapping stories, especially with Conrad and Louise who we last saw in Morocco and compared to them our journey across the desert was a doddle. Then we get to Chris and Tanya who we left with the rest of our convoy in Noudibou. After talking to them we decide that heading out on our own was a really good decision. So all in all Simon and I got off lightly.
The rest of the week was spent enjoying the peaceful atmosphere of the Zebrabar, relaxing, reading and generally being lazy. Simon rewired the car so that our radio works when the car is off and some other stuff he has done and it all works. I have managed to read Lord of the Rings having seen the movie just before we left and being unable to wait 2 years to find out what happens to the ring!
We have also established that it is quite inexpensive to eat in the restaurant every night as you get a delicious 3 course meal for less than it would cost to do it oneself. Then there is the small matter of not having to shop, prepare or wash up afterwards. Most of the people staying there do the same and as we all sit around the same table, it makes for interesting table conversation and very sociable evenings. Even though there is a mixture of English, French and German being spoken, it does not stop anyone from trying to talk to each other.
My back was still causing some problems and was causing my leg to malfunction so Ursula did some Shiatsu on me, well now, I must confess that I am somewhat converted after the experience as it worked wonders.
Our week of lazing about was interspersed with visits to St Louis town which is a great little post colonial style town with some good places to eat. Conrad and Louise, Tanya and Chris joined us at the Zebrabar and we found a small dingy and did some sailing, it was great fun.
This whole week was a small holiday and we are leaving tomorrow, oh well.
