Spring, summer, autumn, winter and Windy.
As rainy season has ended, I was planning to be underwater at an island paradise for the holidays (on Phu Quoc actually) but when my initial plans fell through all reports suggested that the island of Con Dao would be a better fit - tons of unspoiled reefs, less developed and therefore less crowded with beautiful sand beaches. However, all the reports and articles (including Lonely Planet) failed to mention one thing...
The island has a windy season and it is now.
The sky is grey almost all the time (I have seen a piece of blue sky twice briefly), it still rains often and it is windy. I mean really windy! So windy it almost blew me off my rented motorbike yesterday. It has been interesting to say the least. The most heartbreaking part though is that there is currently no underwater visibility so no diving. If I stayed too long I think I would be depressed.
The island is beautiful though and I have been keeping busy by hiking to the Pagoda and up a mountain to an abandoned plantation and driving to a secluded beach on the other side of the island (with less wind). It would be spectacular in April and June or so I have been told.
I am not the only one who was led astray though and tomorrow evening the restaurant where most of us castaways hang out (Bar 200, owned by a very intetesting South African expat, Gordon) is hosting Christmas dinner with roast chicken, ham and a couple of sides. New Zealand ice cream is on the menu for dessert.
Furthermore, the people on the island have been friendly and welcoming. For example, while walking down the street a couple of days ago I was invited to join a group of locals in tasting various fruit (unripened guava and mango with chili salt) and today a fisherman offered to take me for a spin in his little round canoe (it was too windy though).
So don't worry too much, not all is lost.
