Thorsborne Log Day 5

I get up at 5.30 am after another night with little sleep. I’m itching all over due to mosquito bites. I set my tent on what I thought was a rat’s hole, but it’s more likely that it was a sand crab’s. Whatever it was, it tried to get out all night. Or whenever I was just falling asleep. Then it rained a bit and I worried about the tent. It’s 6.35 am and I’m ready to go to the boat pick-up. Way too early of course.

Yesterday, I was told that the ferry was one hour late because it got lost. It got lost because the actual ferry had broken down and with the new boat, a chartered yacht, the way must have looked different. The French guys who were waiting for it were freaking out and called the coast guard. They thought they had been forgotten and must remain forever on the island.

I reach the pick-up spot which is the end of a boardwalk in the middle of a mangrove swamp. Croc paradise.

Of course, there is a warning sign. But it is really like the tourist office guy told me: You’ll see if it is a place that crocs like. Don’t go swimming there. Don’t walk there at night. I do. And I won’t. It’s eerie. I’m one hour early but I can’t sit down because the sand flies ignore my insect repellent. Why did I expect sand flies at the beach? I have to keep moving to avoid them. So I walk up and down the boardwalk reading my book, until the boat arrives. The ferry is still broken, so a very little boat takes me to the yacht which drops me off at the marina on the mainland. I have to walk to the next town, but that’s ok, there are no mosquitoes, march, or sand flies here. I’m itching all over. It’s hot and humid, but at least cloudy. I so look forward to a long, luke-warm shower.

It takes me a while, but eventually I find the perfect place to stay. I book an air-conditioned private room in a holiday park which has free wifi and laundry facilities. On the way here, I have a short chat with a local who’s gardening away behind the tourist office. Also, a few people wish me a “g’day” even though I’m dirty and must stink. I’m loving this town.

Wildlife of the day: A huge fat toad that sat on my path and didn’t move a bit.