Roatan - Honduras

Four planes, four countries, a bus, a boat and a taxi later brought us to our caribbean hideaway on the Honduran island of Roatan, 50km off the coast of the mainland.  The barrier reef that rings the island is second in size only to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, so the main business here is diving, snorkelling and more diving.  Our taxi driver said "welcome to paradise mon" (they speak like that here!)  as he picked us up from a particularly hairy ferry crossing, and he may have been right, however our first week was spent alternating who felt worse and had to spend most of the day in the bathroom.  But, if you are going to be sick, and confined to quarters, there is nowhere better in the world to do it than here.  We lucked out on our accomodation (or Ruth did some spectacular research and booked a real gem).  We have a corner studio apartment in a very quiet complex, overlooking a tranquil bay.  We have a pier and sun loungers which we pretty much have to ourselves, as there doesn't seem to be anyone else staying here, and we have a terrace and hammock overlooking the water.  It's pretty much perfect, apart from being ill all the time!    

That unpleasantness passed and we managed to sort out a few days diving with one of the many operators on the island.  There is little to choose between them, they all cost the same, go to the same places and have the same boats/gear etc.  So we went with the best looking dive masters, shallow?!...who cares!

The diving was excellent, we did five different sites; caves, wrecks and miles of reef.  Not as vibrant and fish filled as the Great Barrier Reef but the water was calm, the sun shining and the soft corals and sponges were abundant.  Other than that, we have spent most of two weeks here "on holiday" from the manic travelling of the last 8 months, it is really hard work and someone should really be paying us for it....shouldn't they?!

Roatan is a beautiful island with much to offer, we have barely had to speak Spanish as everyone here seems to be American and we are already planning a return trip.  Friends beware, we will be talking you into hiring our own island at $125 per night and you can fly direct from Milan/Miami/New York.....