No Loo Rolls

Wow. Big day. First day of the meal plan, which means we got to experience a fantastic breakfast buffet. We came around to be greeted by countless locals parroting "La Orana" (which will be the theme of the stay, I'm pretty certain.) Once again, we were seated along side the water's edge. However this time there were pellets that looked like either fish food or brown sugar cubes. To make sure I was thoughtful of the local wildlife, I licked a few squares of the brown meal... Definitely not sugar. And Kat and I started throwing the breakfast to the fishes.

We were seated next to these two adorable kids, the older girl wearing a USA soccer jersey :) Her younger brother handed a cup of fish food, that he delicately threw into the lagoon, one. piece. at. a. time. I watched and giggled at the two kids interacting with nature, when one of the servers pointed at the dish on the table. She told me it was also fish food... and not for eating (like I had tried.) I asked if she had seen me question the foodworthyness, but she said no - accompanied by a very knowing look.

Known as Pocket Monsters in Japan

After finishing breakfast, we went to one of the pools to start swimming finally. I chose pool instead of salt because yesterday I dipped my toes in and discovered a blister on my heel. The kids from breakfast followed, and were joined by another little buddy and his dad, Serge, from Canada. The kids played pokemon in the pool, which was soo impressive because even when I've been the dungeon master in a game I didn't remember as many details about different attributes as those children knew about the evolution of fictional creatures.

We went on to try paddleboarding. Kat does this regularly, and I have on the rare occasion. I fully recognizing that I'm not good at it. The 'Beach Boy' pulls our boards out, Kat gets on, stands up, and shoves off into the water. I on the other hand, get a lesson on how to do this. 

1. Start on hands and knees
2. Pull feet up
3. Stand flat footed (keeping your palms on the board...)
4. Lift from your knees to be fully erect
5. Stay standing, looking at the horizon

Great instructions. After falling off a few times I was even given an example to visualize a bit more... Let me tell you, the flaw was that my leggz are so tight that I couldn't even stand flat footed with my palms on the board to get in the right orientation. Eventually, I fell so often, and there was a line of others waiting to push off, that I just sat on the board and never tried standing again. 

Kat and I walk back to our chairs, and are greeted by multiple people that had observed the free entertainment I provided. Even still, we've made more acquaintances from my "fan club" than I think we realized were observing me on the beach. First of all though, was an Australian woman that we chatted with for a while. She told us that she and her partner were on their way out in the next day or so, but that they were returning to a country with no "Loo Rolls" because some idiot on The Facebook started a rumor that the toilet paper from China had Coronavirus. There is a national shortage of TP in Australia because of this... Little did they know, Australia produces their own toilet paper. Literally all the stores threw their supplies out, not even knowing where it came from. We were sad they weren't going to be around for more of our stay.

Both of us, having been diligent with the sunscreen, sat outside on our beech to read or use the computer (me). Kat eventually, went snorkeling off our beech, to see the life aquatic around us. Later I followed, but not after more sunscreen, because while being diligent with the applications, I still turned a shade of bright lobster that I could now commune with some of the other Canadians at the resort. 

I'm lucky to have toes

Before heading inside for dinner, we both showered at the offshoot outside. I naively walk up to push the button on the shower, unaware of my surroundings. Only to be instantly surprised by something scuttering around the sandy floor. Shrieks, followed by "Ah!! Crab!!" were heard from our hut, but Kat was quick enough to grab a phone and come snap some photos. I'm not sure if it was the face, but what this little buddy portrayed as a facade was hilarious. Sooo Mean, but comical. 

We started one of the 2 puzzles I packed for us, then headed off to dinner. Surprisingly enough, we showed up to the wrong restaurant (there are only 3 possible options...) but were seated anyways. Leo, pronounced 'lei-oh' was so attentive all night, and chipper, and adorable, that we were grateful to be in the wrong place. Especially, since on top of that we were seated in a prime location for the local fire dancers to put on their show for us!