Havelocked

Thwack! The ball made an almighty sound as it connected with the bat. It didn't go very far though. The batters didn't even bother to run. The outfielders strirred listlessly in the glare of the afternoon sun. A goat sautered past the stumps. Nobody minded. At the interval (half time?, elevenses?) the commentator took out his mobile, placed it up to the microphone and played us a selection of his very best ring tones. He didn't have a Christmas one though. Nobody minded. A chicken strolled onto the field but was soon shooed off by the goat. The game re-started. The home team, Havelock Island, were getting stuffed by the visitors from Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman Islands. The bowlers changed over and the new guy, a little fella by all accounts, knocked over the stumps twice in quick succession. This caused no end of excitement, lots of shouting and hugging went on, even the goat looked vaguely impressed. In the grove behind the field a coconut fell. Well, it may have done, nobody saw it.

Christmas in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. A small group of tropical islands in the Bay of Bengal, 1,500 km from India but part of it nonetheless. The British (who'd a thought it?) first established a penal colony here in the 18th century, since then it's been part of Indian territory apart from a brief occupation by the Japanese in World War II. The natives of these Islands are still around thankfully, they live in reserves and contact with the outside world is supervised by the police. The Sentinelese, who occupy the North Sentinel Island are my favourite people in the world. This stone age tribe don't need police supervision as they kill all who get near them with bows and arrows. They are one of the most isolated people on earth, needless to say nobody has ever been invited for tea.

Days here are well spent: diving or snorkelling, trekking through the jungle, cycling around the island or sleeping off last nights dark rum in the hammock. The wildlife here is hard to spot but worth it when you do. The seas hold rays, sharks, turtles dolphins and an incredible amount of fish of all shapes and sizes. The land has indigenous species of birds, snakes and monitor lizards. All these are shaded by dense jungle canopy and beetlenut, banana and coconut planations.

Needless to say, Cyril and I are having the time of our lives. We have been offered the job of co-running a soon to be-revamped bar at one of the resorts. We would split the profits down the middle with the owner. Our fame as barmen spread after we worked in a dive resort Christmas night and New Years Eve making cocktails for the guests. We were rewarded with a days free diving, free access to sumptous buffets, and of course, the bar. There's a mistake they won't be making again.

We're not taking the offer just yet, we're off to Chennai to buy motorbikes and are thinking of then heading to Sri Lanka for a month's surfing. Happy days indeed.

Click on 'Gallery' for more photos. Thanks for messages. Except you Alex.

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