CROC WRESTLING AND PAUL'S HOME GROWN CHOP-CHOP

Back on shore at the camp, it’s paradise.  Great food, beautiful surroundings and it’s nice to unwind a bit after the hectic pace of the trip so far.  We quickly fall into Solomon time and it’s quite possibly the most relaxed I have been in my life,  morning sessions out fishing, a few hours break and then an afternoon back out in the boat.  

The whole vibe here though is slightly different and I can only assume they are used to different clientele, who want to be left alone, as there is minimal interaction with the staff except John, but he is not really part of the lodge, just their fishing guide.  It’s a shame as that was what really made our stay at Mavo, the people and the way we were welcomed and integrated into their community.  We find out later that the staff were actually under instruction not to disturb us, but it didn’t take long for us to make a few new friends and get them over to the deck for laughs and drinks. 

Paul was the dive guide/instructor and a massive bloke, also another funny bugger who was really interested in getting to know more about us and the outside world.  They were all tough bastards too over there, Paul and John had broken legs in the past and what do you reckon is the solution when you’re on an island with no medical treatment.   Ah, you just massage it back into place!  Crazy.  

Paul also had a story about having to kill a croc one day, now they don’t get as big as an Australian saltwater croc, but I still wouldn’t mess with them.  Did I forget to mention that they get crocs over there also, we spotted them a couple of times, like there wasn’t enough things waiting to kill you already?!  Paul reckons ‘Crocs are ok, you can wrestle them, but sharks are scarier because they’re faster’!  haha   classic, you couldn’t make this stuff up!  Bear Grylls could take a lesson!

  He also wanted to show off his home grown chop chop, but the little cigarettes rolled in notepad paper turned out to not really be tobacco but some other form of home grown!  Hehe  nice one Paul,  that was certainly a fun night out on the deck with a few beers, Johnny’s and local chop chop! 

Not sure if it was Paul’s chop chop, the local moonshine or just a slightly harder night on the Johnny’s than usual, but I wake up a little rough one morning and look out the front, (it is almost like sleeping outdoors, but with a huge comfortable double bed, the view and ocean are so close).  It is raining and I just can’t be stuffed with an early fishing start in the cold and rain, I tell the boys to go without me, I’m sleeping in! 

 I choose wisely as the morning session produces only a wet ass and a couple of sharks on popper and some pretty disturbing treatment of one, according to Lucas and Stenty, something I’m glad I didn’t witness.  I however, loved my dry warm sleep in, even had time for a massage, does it get any better?! 

It did not look like this that morning....