You almost didn't get this as i have had a stressful 24hours where i left my iphone on the island and i thought never to be seen again - but it's back more later!

So started writing this half way through my camping trip to the Nosy Hara set of small islands. I'm here with 8 French people probably in their late 40's , early 50's- and lovely. But quite isolating being the only one speaking English. I keep thinking by being immersed in French I will absorb it and improve mine. But I think I need a better base level for that to happen! Anyway I have the odd few words spoken in English to me - but the banter over meals and as the rum flows in the evening passes me by!
However, despite a slight feeling of isolation and not totally sure what is going on - this place is truly amazing. I haven't a clue what is being said, and I don't feel I can ask Matheur (who is the founder and manager, originally French but been here over 10 years) any questions that i would notmally do about the place, history etc, because a) I'm sure the French have asked all the obvious questions already, b) his English is not great c) he's very totally my type so I just smile sweetly like a shy teenager !!
So the camp is in a very small island next to Nosy Hara. (Nosy meaning island). There are rooms in caves, huts and a couple of tents. I'm in a tent under a tree (see picture) - only 6 rooms spread out, a dining area (see picture), a kitchen (see picture), a bar and a toilet which feels like a rock climb to get to and is for ka ka (pi pi you can do on the beach). No translation necessary I'm sure.
They are sacred islands, and the company I am with has been active in getting it declared a national park and doing full environmental studies. They are speciliasts in rock climbing but no one in our group is doing that! Because the islands are sacred, there are a few faddys (rules). You can't take a bible onto the islands or prey, you can't point your finger and you can't fish by line off the island. The guys do however free dive and spear fish and squid and also put a line out at night - they caught a baby shark yesterday! So fresh fish every night for dinner.
The snorkeling is amazing, some of the best I have ever seen both the coral and fish and turtles. We typically take the boat out in the mornings to a couple of different islands to snorkel and today we scrambled up to see a cave. Tricky with me wearing flip flops.
The last couple of afternoons it has rained late afternoon - it's the start of the rainy season - and the camp closes for a couple of months after this trip. I'm dry in my tent but the other dwellings are not quite so water tight! A chance for me to read and use my iPad. I even read my board papers for my 'virtual' board meeting in a couple of days.
After watching the sun set, evenings start with a rum punch, which after three cup fulls last night I realised was quite lethal. With them all chatting away in French and not understanding a word , my head kept nodding! But when i'm in my 50s, i'd love to be like them and go with a group of like minded friends around somewhere like Madagascar and roughing it a bit (they did the canoe trip too).
So anyway, I've been first to bed normally about 9, but waking up at 5 - to watch the sunrise!
Last night tonight and then head back to Diego. The boat ride over was about an hour. The drive from Diego just under two hours on a very very bumpy bad dirt road- so we were rolled around in the 4x4 remarkably even though we were squashed in!

Update:
The journey back wasn't as bad, more room and it had rained so less dusty but you definitely needed the 4 wheel drive on to get through the mud.
Just as I was on the boat back, I realised very stupidly I hadn't remembered packing my phone. I couldn't ring it as no signal out there. When we got back, still no phone so I had to remind myself it was not the end of the world, it's backed up and insured and there was always a high chance of it happening. I must admit you all know my life is on my phone, so ridiculously it did feel a bit like an amputation. Especially as the new hotel I had carefully selected following lonely planet advice, been to look at rooms and checking the wifi out (needed for board meeting) - was mosquito infested - I could cope with that with mossie nets and coils and spray, but the wifi wouldn't connect with my iPad. So felt frustrated, isolated and cross with myself.
So I went on a search for an Internet cafe but ended up heading to my old hotel for a beer - to use their wifi. I had to do an emergency stop to use the loo as the usual travellers ailment caught up with me (better than on the camping trip and having to hike over rocks to get to the loo - and doesn't seem too bad now).
Today, however has turned out a much less stressful day. My phone has been returned, amazingly they found it on the island and bought it back this morning- incredible and restores your faith in mankind. I've also changed hotels to the poshest one in town- and most expensive but with more reliable wifi and a telephone in the room I can use for my virtual board meeting tonight (I just need to stay awake 7-11pm and I've been going to sleep at 9.
Also transfers to Nosy Be tomorrow at 6am (4 hour drive) all confirmed and someone wants to go with me - so a lot cheaper and hopefully someone to help me get the boat across- apparently you turn up at the port and when a boat is full it goes. (I'm assuming the other person will be French).

So my plans for my last wek here - I've got two lots of three nights organised in beach huts on two islands, both with dive schools so I can get back to do some diving- the sea life in Nosy Hara really reminding me how good diving is.
Then fly back to Tana to get my flight to Mauritius for my final two weeks!