It is now Saturday, 12th October and I wake with the feeling that I’ve been partying all night in the pouring rain. Well the party had really been going on since midnight and the music and thud of drums kept going until 7am. Was it drums or thunder? Both had been trying to get my attention all night but I had refused to be roused from the euphoria of a well earned rest.
Such a lazy start to the day and I felt really happy to be able to relax – the first time for many, many months. I took tea back to bed and read and dozed for the next couple of hours. I also sent an email to Tom – the last of this leg I imagine. This waiting game is so hard for him as well as me. I know he must be absolutely exhausted and these last few days struggling down the South American coast must have seemed endless and even worse when they end up stranded for a while in a wind hole.
The rain never ceases – torrential at times and the cloud is so low that when the lightning strikes directly overhead the whole cloudy sky becomes a murky yellow pea-souper before the huge crashes of thunder. It goes on for hours and hours – but time enough for me to catch up with writing and ready. I finally dash out to see if the supermarket is open and to get a couple of bits. I’ve got fed up with the horrible tiny cups for tea and coffee, but the supermarket only sells horrible tiny cups too! Must be a Urugayan thing! But look what I did get – two huge green melamine glasses. They make the tea look a bit of a weird colour, but boy is it good to drink out of a large cup!
The rain finally eases at around 5.30 and I can once again see the island with the little sticky up trees. In the distance though the lightning is still forking down to the ocean. That must be so hard out at see. Does a tall mast ever get struck? I decide to go for a walk to see how long it takes me to the first proper beach. Just 15 minutes max – so I really have no excuse not to go for a dip tomorrow morning. I have now heard that WTC will not be arriving until the afternoon at the earliest – so a swim will divert my attention.
Dinner tonight at the Marea Restaurant. There must be at least thirty of us. It worked very well and I sat with some lovely people from all over the world. My fish brochette was nice – looked spectacular with the spiess hanging down from a frame – I remember see some similar in Biarritz many years ago. I declined a night cap as I wanted to finish the day feeling content! I also wanted to get back to check my emails …. and yes sure enough one popped in….
