25th May 2015

I couldn’t leave the island without including some nature as well.

Rambutan fruits, peel off the outer skin and they are very similar to Lychees.

This is a pepper plant.

Indigo bush and berries, used as a dye.

Wild orchid growing high on the mountain slopes.

Arabica coffee plant.

Unprepossessing but these are candle nuts, drill a hole put a wick in and they will burn for hours and when you are finished the nut is used for tattoo ink. We learnt that the tattoos follow some traditions and chart your family and your life history, fascinating to bear your own history so.

With apologies for spelling, I think this is the Lang lang flower (or ylang ylang or just yang yang). Its was a beautiful perfume filling the warm valley floor and of course is used in fragrances.

All our best,

Lynne and Alan