(Daniel) This morning I woke up and showered in the “bucket shower” provided for the camping area.  I noticed that there were only a few chalets occupied and that the people in them didn’t look much like holiday makers.  After this, I unpacked a bit more and then borrowed a bike from the owners son, a tiny BMX, which I used to ride the 2 kms to a shop where I bought egg, tomato, onion, garlic, and some pac choi.  I returned to the campsite then and cooked these up in the trailer for breakfast.  Afterwards another man came over and told me that he was a friend of Zaire, and that he had called him to go fishing, so the three of us would head out as soon as the water level rose.  While we spoke, Zaire arrived with some green coconuts, and we cut these open to drink the juice.  For those who don’t know, coconut milk reduces the body temperature when you drink it, but don’t drink more than one at a time, or you get terrible muscle aches, I have no idea why!

After chatting and drinking the coconuts, I split mine open and ate the jelly, meanwhile Zaire used his tractor to take his boat down to the lagoon.  Then we all climbed in and headed off into the mangrove forest and the waterways which it surrounds.  Inside the mangroves I could see lizards and crabs of many different varieties.  And when we stopped I was amazed to see small yellow and brown puffer fish swimming around the boat just near the surface of the water!  We found a good spot and tied the boat up to the trees at the edge.

After casting in the lines, there was around ten minutes where no-one got a bite but suddenly Zaire’s friend hooked something, and it really seemed to pull, as the line got closer I could see something large and flat, and as he pulled it out a beautiful fire ray was on the end of the line.  He pulled it out and deftly removed the stinging spine from its tail, then he unhooked the line from its mouth, and tied it’s tail through it’s gills to make a handy carry handle.  I was a bit perturbed, as this beautiful fish looked too nice to eat, but I know that they eat them in this area, and am not one to try and tell other people what they can and can’t do in their own country!

Afterwards we sat for a while again, and then Zaire hooked a catfish, not a bad size, he had to be careful of the three spines around its fins when he unhooked it.  I took note of how to do this.  Just as well, as I hooked one myself just a few minutes later, and copied his method to hold the fish while I removed the hook. After this we moved location, and as we pulled up the boat, noticed a huge monitor lizard basking in the sun on the tree we were approaching.  I took some photos just before it leapt off into the water and disappeared.

We weren’t too successful after that, another couple of catfish, but just as we were about to leave, I hooked something strong, and when we pulled it out, a long slimy eel was on the end of the line.  The others had a strange reaction, and wouldn’t go near it.  I asked what the problem was, and they explained that it would bite them, I could see teeth, but not big ones, and was surprised when they simply cut the line and were about to throw it back.  I asked why they didn’t keep it, as there was certainly plenty of meat.  They explained that Muslims cannot eat this as it is like a snake.  I didn’t want to question something regarding their religion, and I know that Muslims can’t eat snake, or dog or cat or pig, or donkey, horse a few others, but this was not a snake, it is a long fish!  I discussed it for a while, and they said I could eat it if I wanted.  I didn’t want to cause trouble, so we let it go.  But still am a bit confused by this, surely that is the same as saying that you can’t eat a goat because it is too much like a dog, or a camel because it is too much like a donkey? 

After this we headed back, and I thanked the guys for the day out.  They gave me all of the catfish to have for dinner, and asked if I wanted to come and join them for the karaoke evening which they had planned, I told them I would be there, and headed back to the trailer to cook the catfish.

I cooked the fish after hacking off the extremely tough spines, and gutting them, they tasted great, and surprisingly most of the meat was on the underside.  After eating these I felt tired and lay down in the tent for while.  I nodded off and was only able to catch the last 30 minutes of the karaoke evening.  Whilst there, I met the other residents of the resort, a group of Malays who were here working on underground pipes, and moved from place to pace carrying out work when required.  They were pretty good at Karaoke, and I didn’t dare embarrass myself by trying any of the unrecognisable songs on the “English” menu! 

After the Karaoke finished I went back to the camp, and pulled out the boat from the drawer where it has been for the last three months.  I had forgotten to mention until now, that the mosquitoes and sand flies here are really bad, and I am being bitten at least ten times a day!  However the bites do not seem to last too long, and this makes it just about bearable!  It was with a fresh set of bites that I went to bed again tonight, trying not to scratch them!

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