In the Wilderness

Sorry for the lack of updates – the promises that there was internet on Hoga island were greatly exagerated. We have only just about got intermittent e-mail!

After a mammoth journey – 3 planes, 7 airports, 3 boats, 2 hotels and 4 nights we arrived on our tropical island home. I got more and more excited as I saw it coming closer and closer.

The first week was filled with a very intensive coral reef ecology course where we seem to have learnt the name of everything in the sea (including many, many Latin coral names). Revision for tests, two dives a day (although I had to snorkel due to ear problems) as well as getting to know people pretty much kept us busy constantly.

Seeing all the cool things on the reef was brilliant. I think I ticked off my ‘I would like to see’ list in the first day. This included several angel fish, lion fish, sea snakes and so much more. It’s like swimming in a tropical fish tank.

Social night is the highlight of the week where everyone eats outside, drinks beer and does some kind of organised activity/entertainment. It’s the day before ‘de-gas day’ which is the one day off a week (Thursday is my new weekend).

This week I started work on my project. After a slow start I seem to be on track now with preliminary work and should start properly very soon. Some government officials are on the island this week. Something connected with the man that owns the island apparently.

I’m currently I’m the ‘library’ listening to a Gecko making a racket (they actually say “gecko”), looking like I’m working and chatting with all the other students around me. If you want to e-mail me you have to send it to this address "hoga dot opwall at gmail dot com" with my full name as the subject and might get it at some point. (I would love to hear from people and do ask questions as I can’t think what to tell you because cool things have become normal.)

Abi xx