Today was to be Ana, Jo, Dan & Bea's last full day on Bod, so I had arranged to do my last boat trip the following day and go snorkelling with them a couple of times. However before then, I had a more pressing problem - I was nearly out of cigarettes.
If you have been following this blog, you will be aware that I smoke a lot - some would say too much, but I've tried to give up and failed miserably so many times, I've decided there is no point. I might as well relax and be happy - after all, none of us know what life holds for us and I could get a fatal bite from a shark tomorrow. (This is my snorkelling version of the "could get run over by a bus" expression).
I have discovered, during my travels, that the price of a packet of cigarettes varies dramatically in different parts of the world.
Argentina - $1.25.
Spain - $4.50, Â
UK - $15.00
New Zealand - $20.00 (and you are only allowed to bring two and half packets into the country)
So, just to be on the safe side, I had brought plenty of cigarettes with me (at Spanish prices) but now was down to my last packet.
So just after breakfast, I made my way to the little shop/supermarket. I left my flip flops outside and entered hoping that I could make myself understood.
There were a number of women who were behind the counter having an animated discussion and quite a few customers - all joining in with the conversation. Now if I'm going to compare this little shopping expedition to the western cultures I'm familiar with, I would have to say it's far more similar to Spain than the UK.
In the UK:-
Everyone is in a tearing hurry.
People get agitated if the queue they are in isn't moving as quickly as another one.
Everyone starts "tutting", if the person being served hasn't got their money ready and starts fumbling in their bag for their purse.
People generally don't smile or communicate with each other.
In Spain:-
No-one gives a shit!!
Seriously though, when I first came to live in Spain, I was still very "British" in my attitude and would feel myself getting annoyed if the check out girl was having a little chat with a customer and holding me up. Now after 6 years - I've "gone native" and don't let these things stress me out in the slightest.
So back in Bod, I was perfectly happy to wait while the other customers, carried on with the discussion while paying for their shopping. I would dearly love to have known what they were all talking about - something in the news maybe - or just the local gossip?
When it was my turn, the girl behind the counter gave me a massive smile and asked if she could help?   I said I wanted some cigarettes and she pointed to a shelf to choose which brand. I chose the Marlborough lights (always a safe option when travelling) and she place a packet on the counter. I smiled, did a quick calculation in my head and said "can I have 4 please".
Still chatting with the other ladies, she removed the packet and started fiddling with something I couldn't see, below the counter.
A few seconds later, she placed 4 individual cigarettes in front of me.
I stared at them for a moment, completely bewildered. Once I realised that she had opened the packet to sell me just 4 fags, my bewilderment turned to embarrassment.
I shook my head and said "sorry no, I wanted 4 packets".
Now it may just be my imagination, but it seemed to me that at the moment, all the animated chatting stopped and everyone looked at me. Now whether this was because they couldn't believe this stupid old foreign women was unable to make a simple request or because no-one ever buys 4 packets of cigarettes in one go, I will never know.
She placed 4 new packets on the counter and I valiantly tried to explain that I would take the now opened packet as one of my 4. That either got lost in translation or she was desperate to get this madwoman out of her shop, because she left the new ones where they were and started tapping away on her calculator.Â
Once I'd got my head round the exchange rate, it turned out that the cigarettes were much the same price as Spain, so I could have bought them here after all.
They have banned the use of plastic bags on Bod, which is something that should be applauded and replicated everywhere - World leaders - please take note!!!
So my cigarettes were placed in a rather lovely and incredibly useful White bag. I think it's made from paper or cotton, (it's hard to tell) but it's very strong and as I would later find out, perfect for wrapping things in for packing!
I headed back to HVR, popped the cigarettes onto one of the handy little shelves in my room (I think this is the first holiday I have ever had, where I can still find things after a few days - Normally, I spend hours searching for stuff in the chaos I have created!).
I grabbed a quick coffee and all my snorkelling gear - then performed my camera - battery - card check (all working) and made my way to the beach.
I joined Ana, Jo, Dan & Bea for another lovely long snorkel and we were once again, drawn to the large anemone which was the home of Nemo and her baby. That poor fish must have wondered what the hell was going on. There she was, minding her own business, teaching her little one all about the dangers of the world outside their home, when 5 giant monsters all appeared, staring down at her and waving bright shiny objects that keep making funny beeping noises and emit flashes of light!!
It's a tricky one because part of me (and Ana + family) wanted to respect her privacy and not scare the living daylights out of her, but on the other hand, watching them darting in and out of the fronds made compulsive viewing. Looking back on the sheer volume of photos and video I have of this little fish, I think it's it's safe to say that, along with my turtle on day 1, she was my joint favourite.
My friends had arranged to pick up their lunch to have on the beach, but I wanted to go back to shower off the salt, catch up with my blog and relax a bit in my lovely cool room.
As I was leaving, Ana said that she was going back as well because they were having "foggy mask"Â issues and wanted to give them a good wash in clean water.
She also was going to ask Bari, if he could arrange for one of the souvenir shop owners to open for her. "Want to come?" she asked
Well never being one to turn down a bit of last minute shopping, I said I would love to go with her, despite being pretty sure I had absolutely no space available in my luggage for any extra purchases.
I love this little island and the random way things work here. Where else in the world could you get a shop owner to open just for 2 people?
Ana and I grabbed Bari as soon as we got back and he called the owner of the largest shop. He wasn't answering his phone so he tried another and sure enough, the owner said he would go to open the shop for us right away.
And so it was that we found ourselves in another little Aladdin's cave of very reasonably priced treasures.
If I had brought a bigger case with me, I would have been in all sorts of trouble. I had already bought a selection of suitable gifts for friends and family on the other island so I really didn't need to buy anything else. But when has "needing", something, ever had anything to do with shopping!!
Before I could stop myself, I had picked up a little hand carved turtle and a dolphin (also hand carved) - both far too cute and so perfect for my underwater themed bedroom at home. Then there was the jewellery. Trust me to select the one item in the whole shop that was quite expensive - however I managed to resist that one, on the basis that even if I wore a different necklace and earrings every day for 2 years - I still wouldn't get through all the ones I already had. Unfortunately, this show of will power lasted exactly 30 seconds, because I spotted another necklace (and matching earrings of course) that were so pretty and such a bargain, I just couldn't resist.
At the counter, Ana and I placed our purchases in 2 piles. I was about to get out my purse to pay, when she whispered - let's wait for Jo. Having seen his negotiating skills in action on the other island, I thought this was an excellent idea. She went off to get him and while I waited, rather than risk adding to my worryingly large pile of stuff on the counter, I went outside and had a cigarette.
Jo arrived and negotiated a good price for both Ana's and my items. None of us wanted to push the shop owner too far - this was our island after all and it didn't seem right to drive too hard a bargain. In the end, I think the owner was happy to have made some substantial and completely unexpected sales and we were delighted with the things we had bought.
Ana & Jo were heading straight back to the beach, but I still wanted to download my mornings pictures and blog a bit, so went back to the guest house.
In the garden, I bumped into Bari who said that he had heard back from the other shop owner who had opened his shop and was there waiting for us.
Oh no - this was awful.
I was extremely doubtful that I would be able to fit the things I had already bought, in my suitcase and had visions of leaving my bulky fins and other miscellaneous stuff behind to make way for my souvenirs. So the last thing I needed was another shop full of tempting goodies!
However, the poor man had gone to all the trouble of opening his shop for us, so I didn't feel I could just ignore him.
I went back outside to find Ana & Jo, to let them know about this dilemma.
None of wanted to leave the poor man waiting at his shop for the "nasty tourists who never came"and so set off towards the shop. "After all" I said to myself "you don't have to buy anything". Famous last words!!!
This shop owner deserves the "best salesman on the planet award". Within seconds he had each of us pegged and knew exactly the sort of things to show us that would be too hard to resist. Bea had joined us by this time and he gave her a pretty flower slide for her hair - as a present. He let us all choose a fridge magnet - as a present and before we knew it, another 2 huge pile of items were sitting on the counter.Â
My downfall were the smelly soaps. They came in a range of different scents, but my favourites were the Frangipani and the Mango . They smelled absolutely wonderful- even through the cellophane wrapping. It was no good - despite being quite big (for a soap) and quite heavy ( a traveller's packing nightmare) I had to have one. But which one to choose?
I stood there deliberating for ages. If the shop keeper was thinking "for goodness sake woman - it's only a bloody soap", he hid it well.  Of course, my disproportionally long deliberation wasn't really about which scent to choose, (I had already decided to take both), I was actually trying to work out how many of these I could squeeze into my case. In the end, I threw caution to the wind and bought 6 because I knew the female members of my family would adore them as I much as I did!!
As we all continued browsing, Ana picked something up and said "look at this, isn't it cute". I looked, and she was right - it was cuteness personified!!!
Given the chance, I would bring back an ashtray from all the places I've visited, but as every seasoned tourist knows, heavy breakable items don't fare well when subjected to airport baggage handlers - (even if you have space in the case for them - which I didn't). So the practical, logical part of my brain, (which seems to shrink whenever I'm in a shop), usually manages to keep the (much larger) reckless shopper part in check. No-one wants to open their case at home and find their treasures smashed to pieces.
The gorgeous little novelty ashtray in Ana's hand, shaped like a turtle, whose head comes up to reveal the place you put out your cigarettes, was made of wood.
The logical practical part of my brain was declared missing in action!
I checked that Ana wasn't going to purchase it herself and thankfully she said no. If she'd said yes I can't promise there wouldn't have been a bit of a tussle, with me doing marvellous "Gollum" impressions. "The precious is mine - give it to me now! "
"Right" I declared to no-one in particular. "that's it - I simply cannot and must not buy anything else".
I was determined to make my way to the counter using the most direct route, whilst keeping my eyes facing firmly forward.
Damn my peripheral vision!!!!!
Seasoned "Shopaholics", will know that sometimes an item will draw your gaze and speak gently to you. "please buy me. I'm so pretty. You know if you leave this shop without me, you are going to regret it forever. Just imagine how beautiful I will look in your home. People will remark how unusual I am, and enquire where you got me - and you can tell them. How cool would that be".
Sitting on a shelf, bathed in a sort of ethereal glow was a lovely trinket box shaped like a shell.
It was bulky, heavy and very breakable, so should never have made it's way off the shelf and into my loving hands.
Unfortunately, the practical, logical side of my mind was still no-where to be found and sadly "common sense" had decided to join it. So the shell went onto the counter, along with all the soaps, the turtle ashtray and the other bits and pieces I'd been unable to resist.
Now I have rather an inflated sense of my own spacial awareness and packing abilities, and it's not without foundation. There have been many times in my life where I have been told categorically "you will never fit all that stuff into the boot of the car/suitcase/moving van etc". (delete as appropriate).
I have assured the doubter that I will - and have gleefully done so. (Is the fact that I love proving people wrong a character flaw?).
However, standing in that shop with the owner happily tapping away on his calculator, I was having serious doubts about my abilities to get all this stuff home. Going back, I would the have the extra space taken up by 20 packets of cigarettes (all smoked), sun cream, mosquito spray and repellent coils (all being left behind), but the volume of my purchases was at least 5 times greater.
I could probably jettison a couple of swimming tee-shirts that I've taken on 3 trips but never worn, but my only other option would be to leave my fins, simply because, they are such an awkward shape and take up masses of space. Never mind - I still had a couple of days to work on the problem!!
Back in my room at HVR I looked at my very small suitcase and at my massive pile of souvenirs. It was like the New Zealand trip all over again - however this time - there was definitely not going to be any "sending of boxes back to Spain", scenarios. (The box of stuff I sent from NZ went missing for 5 months, circumnavigated the globe twice and ended up back where it started.)
If I was going to have to leave my fins behind, I was determined to get as much use as I could from them, so made my way to the beach for another lovely late afternoon snorkel with the others.
This was going to be their last snorkel as they were leaving on the 12.30 ferry the following day so we really made the best of it (in the end, they got up at the crack of dawn to fit one last snorkel in)
In the fading light, it became clear that the Go Pro (with no flash) wasn't coping, so there were far less photos to edit that evening, but as it turned out, that was a good thing because Bary had another special surprise up his sleeve.
Back at Holiday Village Retreat, I was rinsing the salt and sand off all my gear (using one of the very handy little taps conveniently placed just outside each of the rooms) when Bary came by. "Dinner will be served at 8.30 and I will meet you in reception to show you the way"
Well this was jolly exciting!
Life on Bod is simple - there isn't very much to do in the evenings except relax which was exactly why I loved it so much. I don't know about you, but I really struggle doing something that I love back at home. Whether it's reading a book or writing a blog or just doing nothing - it feels self indulgent somehow and I end up feeling guilty, because there are always more pressing things (and not enjoyable ones) that I should be doing. There is also never enough time. Even with the best laid plans, you find yourself getting caught up in other things, bombarded with distractions and before you know it, you are flopped out in the chair, wondering where the day has gone.
On Bod, there is time to think (helped enormously by the lack of alcohol), time to indulge yourself a little and most important of all, time to relax.
However after 2 weeks of flobbing around in my "jim jams" in the evening (after dinner of course), I was more than ready for a "special surprise", and another chance to dress up a bit.
With the air con on full blast and using the hair-dryer thoughtfully provided by Bari, I managed to tame my hair into something vaguely resembling a style (no flumffing for me tonight).  I went to town on my make up (as opposed to a quick brush of mascara and a touch of lipstick) but put some remover pads in my bag, for when the make up inevitably starts sliding down my face in the heat.
Lastly I put on my favourite top. This top has a bit of history behind it. It's quite long and floaty, never creases and has served me well on all occasions, from a gorgeous Hindu wedding to lunch out with the girls.
I nearly didn't buy it, because the price tag made my eyes water and was way over the personal limit I set for items of clothing. ( I have individual self imposed limits on what I will pay for shoes, handbags, dresses and of course - tops).
However a week later, I was still thinking about it and decided to let fate determine whether I buy it or not. If it had been sold - well it obviously wasn't meant to be. If not - it was clearly supposed to be mine.  Of course it was still there and having tried it on just one more time - I bought it.
A few weeks later I was woken up by a call from my friend Lin who suggested I go outside and look behind my house. To my horror, the whole hillside was on fire and the flames were heading towards my back wall at a rate of knots!
Throughout this blog, I think we have established that I'm a bit of a shopaholic, but you also need to know that I virtually never throw anything away - so I have a lot of stuff and I mean A LOT!!!
However, with the strong possibility of your house burning down - you find out very quickly, the things that are of the most value to you.
So this is what that I carried out of the house to safety:-
My dogs and hamster ( I didn't have the rabbits then)
My passport
The real pearls my father brought back from Japan at the end of WWll.
The 3 original paintings by Jayne Smith who is an amazing artist (and my cousins wife!)
My iMac, Macbook Pro, iPhone and iPad (i'm a bit of an Apple fan) - and......
My new top.
The top has also been a world traveller as it was in the box I sent home to Spain from New Zealand. For 5 months I thought the box was lost and gone forever and the one thing I was completely devastated about losing was - you've guessed it - this top.
So all dressed up, at 8.30 sharp I was by reception ready to go.
Bary arrived and led us out of the gate and along the road, once again, heading towards the beach.
This was a worry because for the first time this holiday, I had rejected my trusty flip flops (perfect for sandy roads) in order to give my sparkly sandals an outing. Fortunately they are flatties (no heels) but would never be considered appropriate footwear for the beach!
We turned down another little road just before the beach (phew) and Bary led us to another big wooden door.
Inside was a gorgeous restaurant. If you've been following my blog so far, you will know that there are no restaurants on Bod - so what was this vision before us?
Bary had mentioned he was opening a new restaurant on the island soon and he had also hinted that he wanted to serve us a traditional Maldivian meal - so this was "special surprise" number 2 and an outstanding one at that.
Just like Holiday Village Retreat, an enormous amount of care, creativity and thought had gone
into the restaurant's design. There was a beautifully decorated covered area for the large buffet table, dining tables and chairs, opening onto a courtyard with low seating and small tables surrounded by plants and little coloured lights.
We were served lovely cold glasses of water while we waited for the food to arrive and looking around, we noticed some stairs leading up to what appeared to be another floor. This was intriguing as the vast majority of the buildings on Bod have just one storey. Bary noticed us looking and invited us to go up to take a look. There was another complete floor, with a roof, but entirely open on all sides, offering amazing views across the island. I got the impression that this area had yet to be decorated, but even so, it's simplicity was completely charming.
Back downstairs, Bari announced that dinner was served and he walked us along the buffet table explaining each dish.
For people who don't like spicy food, some of the dishes on offer may not have been to their taste.Â
But I love it!!! The spicier, the better for me.Â
Oh my goodness, it was delicious. The massive grilled fish, the spicy fish curry, the breadfruit rice and some other dishes that I didn't catch the name of (and weren't instantly recognisable) but were simply yummy. There were also salads, breadfruit chips, and on each table a little pot of raw breadfruit that you use to calm down the spice, if your mouth is on fire. There was plenty of water and we were also served some coconut juice that was delicious as well.
Towards the end of the meal, Bary asked if he could join me at my table and we chatted about the history of the restaurant. Apparently it had been through a number of iterations over the years, including being completely flattened during the awful tsunami of 2004. But now, he was determined to make a success of it and judging by our meal - I don't think he's going to have any problems at all.
I asked if the food we had eaten was typical Maldivian fare - I wanted to know if they had toned down the spice for our Western palates. Bary assured me that they hadn't altered the recipes at all - this was exactly the sort of food his family eats and in fact his sisters had cooked it.
It was lovely to know that Ana, Jo, Dan, Bea and I had been his very first customers - we felt very honoured. So if this blog inspires you to visit Bodufolhudhoo ( look at me getting the whole spelling right), you should definitely stay at the Holiday Village Retreat and be sure to book your table at Bary's lovely new restaurant.
We all made our way back to HVR and I couldn't help thinking just how perfect and wonderful this holiday had been, (apart from drowning my underwater camera of course).
Now I just needed that elusive picture of a shark!!!!!!!!