Roatan, Saturday 2nd December 2006
The sky is clear now but not this morning so I decided it would be an Iguana day. The double bus journey via Coxen Hole was bearable – they carry many people and all sorts of cargo. A mentally retarded girl punched the side of the bus and enjoyed being chased by the conductor. I was dropped off by the main road sign and it was still a significant number of signs before I eventually got to the farm. In fact it does not farm Iguanas for food but for conservation. Iguanas littered the pathway, a real spectacle of clambering during feeding with leaves. Some appeared to pose for photos. From a human point of view they seemed happy. They had some parrots, monkeys and fish but the sheer number of Iguanas formed the main event. I met the owner. I was the recipient of a random act of kindness when he gave me a lift all the way back to West End with a pizza stop on the way – your friendly authentic genuine helpful local. He was impressed that someone was prepared to walk from the main road to visit his pets. The room back at the hotel was stiflingly hot and the Norwegians had been replaced by Swedes who also liked playing cards. I lay on one of the piers listening to music as the sun went down before another treat at the Lighthouse restaurant. As everywhere in the world, people here are fascinated with mobile phones. I hope the weather remains clear for tomorrow’s diving.