Woke at 6. Got up at 8 for an early breakfast. Walked up to Sultan's again after eating and we got very hot and bothered so came back for a swim and a vanilla milkshake. Roy's nails are so long he looks like a girl!
Lunch was bean dip and chapati; Samosa with coconut chutney; King prawns for me, tomato & ham panini with chips for Roy. Followed by grilled pineapple and coconut ice cream. Sauvignon Blanc.
We had another swim and chat with other guests, and a beach walk where we bought a huge picture of elephants round a baobab tree! Then it was time for us to get ready for our bit pamper session we've booked: The Sultan's Bath experience at the Spa. We've used some $$ that we were given as a wedding gift by Gary and Renee for this.
They dressed us in huge white dishdashas and led us to the room. The "Sultan's Bath" itself was quite disappointing - it looked huge on the photos in the brochure but in reality is about 8" deep and full of hot water with oil and petals floating around in it. We both sat there, feeling like idiots and wanting to get out.... However, the following massage was lovely and I was amazed at how strong the two tiny african girls who did them were. The ambience was fantastic - lovely classical music, scented flower bowls under the bed, tea lights and incense and petals everywhere. So relaxing that Roy fell asleep and was snoring about 15 minutes in to the massage, which gave me the giggles. We finished with peach tea on a huge bed.
Getting back to the villa, sundowners arrived with tiny potato bhaji nibbles. And in our bathroom, they'd lit tealights all around the bath, filled it with petals and left a chilled bottle of prosecco on the side. Wonderful!
We walked around to the bar at 8-ish... it seemed quiet, most people were already in dinner. We could see that the banda was set up for dinner on the beach and we assumed it was for Jackie and John a young couple (both doctors) who are staying here. Roy was noseying at it and came back saying that their beach dinner must have been cancelled due to the wind, as it was empty. Minutes later our waiter appeared "Sir, Madam - are you ready for dinner?" Yes, we were. "Oh good, you're having dinner on the beach this evening" he announced. Us? We were gobsmacked and both asking the other who had arranged this! There was a force 10 gale blowing, but that didn't ruin the romance of the setting... fantastic! Roy kept saying "Wow". The food was superb. Tiny little white bread "puffs" with artichoke dip. Then our first starter of asparagus quiche. It was amazing, the pastry was spot on. Then the second starter! Cigal - rock lobster - wrapped in parma ham and baked. Served with some sort of sauce. For mains, Roy had pork, marinated in ginger, soy and honey and served with rice, veggies and sauce. I had snapper cooked with sliced potato and served with green beans and dauphinoise potato. We then had grilled fruit and ice cream.
We decided to go back to the bar for our coffees and Amarula - as the wind was getting fierce and kept blowing out the hurricane lamps in the banda. What a fantastic treat they'd put on for us. My only grumble is that they served prosecco all through dinner and I'd have liked to switched to ordinary. I'm a whinger, aren't I?
We were both exhausted and have another big day and new adventure tomorrow. So to bed at 10 again.
