We scooted over the lagoon to find a restaurant but, it being Monday, most of them were closed so we settled for the one that was open, Delirius.  It was a nice enough place but the staff were over trained in the US style of waitering and just very over keen.  We had barely sat down, had a cocktail list the length of the Old Testament thrust into our hands before we were being asked what we wanted.  “Give us a moment please” we asked politely.  After the third attempt by the waitress to get us to make up our minds in super rapid time, we had only reached Leviticus, we plumped for the first thing that came into our heads just to make her go away, rum punch.  At the same time, Bob put in a wine order.  We then turned to the matter of food and while studying the menu eager waiters and waitresses kept descending on us, “ are you ready to order?” , and trying to whip away the wine glasses, “you won’t be needing these?” In the end we clutched them to our breasts possessively.  We ordered, in perfectly reasonable time we thought, and the impatient waitress bustled away.  The starters appeared within seconds followed closely by a waiter asking “have you finished?”, we had barely started.  Amongst all the swooping waiters we managed to shovel down our food before it was taken away, and with another “you won’t be needing these?” Bob assertively asked for the wine that we had indeed ordered to put in the wine glasses that they kept trying to whip away.  It came, eventually, and we were able to demonstrate that we were indeed using said wine glasses for their ordained purpose.  Trying to be nonchalant, as the waiters continued to bombard us, we ate our main courses a leisurely as we could under such heavy fire not daring to rest our knives and forks for one moment in case we were dived upon.  After an exhausting evening we returned to the boat to relax in peaceful conditions and crashed out.

Today we have been very domesticated, cleaning and tidying, doing the paperwork, discussing with Ulrich plans for the hurricane season and all those jobs that look like 5 minutes on paper and end up taking hours.  Our hands are more wrinkled than usual after immersion in water and Fairy Liquid but we are pleased to be on top of things.

We said a fond farewell to Basil today, our loyal “plus one” over the last few weeks, not mentioned before in case his lack of passport confused customs and immigration and he was declared an illegal.  He has sat in quiet splendour in the pram, not lifting a finger, just turning rather green on occasion and has proved a polite guest only partaking of water despite all the outrageous alternatives that have been offered along the way.  He has put up with a great deal without complaint despite us picking at him on many an occasion.  Today, we returned him to whence he came, the fruit and veg man, who was surprised to see his return in one piece and such good shape.  A very well travelled herb.