Paradise is just next door

Jezus, we hit the jackpot straight on I guess coming to the Bay Island of Roatan! It rained here the whole month of January (yes, for 30 straight days!), and the day we got here, it got sunny and eversince, the blue skies and tropical temperatures have made it paradise. Getting here wasn't that simple though, well it envolved taking another chicken bus or two, then a ferry for 2 hours (we could have taken the plane but that would have been 3 times as expensive), and then finally a taxi that we had to bargain down from 8$ to 2$. And getting into West Bay at 7 at night wasn't exactly the easiest thing either, since all hotels seem to live on a very much Caribbean time schedule, literaly closing their place at 6.30 pm ! So, my travel mate Tom, myself and new made Aussie friend Eddie (we met him on the boat) ended up walking around for 2 hours, finally settling for the nearest thing that comes close to a 'shithole', but that was alright : cheap, a bed, a fan (God it is HOT here, even at night!) and heaven thanks only for one night. The morning after, at the very christian hour of 7.50 am, we were already signing up for a sweet room at Chillies, a superbe place : a place to hang my hammock, beers for not even one euro, a kitchen (which comes in super handy and cheap, pinchy backpackers as we are) and most of all, clean showers and bathrooms. At the other place we didn't even bother, as it was infested with roaches, mosquitos and sandflies. Anyways, this being the only setback...once you get yourself settled, and the sun is out, this place is fucking heaven! And darn cheap too, I couldn't believe it, especially for the diving! And there are some really cool beaches here, and wicked reefs to dive off. The only annoyance are the bugs, mosquitos and sandflies alike, but we found out that a yummie mix of insect repellent (lots of DEET), cactus juice (what the locals use) and baby oil does the trick. The sandflies get stuck in the baby oil and drown. But asides of going through this beauty treatment every day, there is nothing here you could possibly worry about. Unless you burn your back off, what luckily didn't happen, thanks to the nuclear power solar cream my mom's beautyshop sells.All you do is just wave at one the boat dudes, take a water taxi and get your ass in the white sand of West Bay Beach, overlooking pristine turquoise clear water (it's like a swimming pool, but better!), gaze at fat US tourists snorkeling in a life suit...and you are happy for the rest of the day! Well, sort of, because I miss my girlfriend Leen like crazy here...this place would certainly even be better off with her hanging around as well. Just another 2 weeks and 4 exams to go... Mmm, but I am sure this will roll out fine too, just like all the rest has uptil now. Well, knock on wood and just keep my eyes wide open and my mind fresh...that and some beer at night is all we need to stay alert hehe. And just like at other places, things just seem to happen when they need to : this noon, walking to the internet shop to chat with Leen (this place only charges 12 euro for 2 weeks of unlimited satellite speed Internet access!), I met Mickey at the Coconut Tree dive shop who got me a full CD of underwater pics! I was surprised he actually got it, I just asked the shop just the day before if they had pics to sell, and the day after, for a bribe of a sixpack of Salva Vida, I get a CD full! So I put a nice selection of stuff I saw underwater online as well, just check the pics section for more tropical colors, fishies and wicked coral formations! Many thanks to Ruth and Mickey at Coconut Tree Divers ! They're the best, and jee, that for only 12 euro a tank ! So I am getting to the end of this stay, yes sweet songs don't last long they say, but I guess I am just going to catch some more tunes further down into Central America. A storm is supposed to come in on Sunday, so time to move on! Tom is gone back home to Canada, but I will probably hook up with Eddie and his 'all the way from Melbourne, arrived this Monday' girlfriend Lara, hitting some surf beaches at the Pacific in Nicaragua.The next report will be from a less tropical and totally different location, a couple of bus days down south. But every day on the road gets me closer to Costa Rica and Leen, so I am travelling with a smile on my face ! CYA around, and enjoy the first flowers of spring! (my mom tells me they're out)