What a difference a day makes.... Today dawned bright and sunny so we set off to explore the

glories of Sal.Our guide book refers to arrival in Sal (by air) as" relentlessly brown and featureless,

one feels like the Mars Pathfinder as it fell towards the Red Planet - except that Mars is believed

by some to be capable of sustaining life." How true! the land is stony desert with absolutely

minimal vegetation. However, from this wilderness resorts are now sprouting all along the coast

(at least in the far south the beaches are wide and golden). If the development does not get scuppered

by the global financial meltdown, tourists will soon outnumber locals 3 to 1. We can only assume

local politicians have done a marvellous job in encouraging foreign investment, but despite the concrete

jungles expanding rapidly we saw no signs of the golf courses and marinas promised on the desert

billboards.

Car hire was exorbitant (like the prices generally) but a lovely taxi driver volunteered to give us a

tour of the island - completed (every road) in 3 hours. When you realise that the chief tourist

"attraction" is the semi abandoned salt pans (actually very interesting, in the base of an old volcano)

then you appreciate what they say: "most people who come to Sal (it has the only international airport)

are passing through to islands of much greater interest".

That is what we are off to see for ourselves tomorrow.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS to you all.