Oh my, this is ridiculous…..
Ridiculously beautiful.

Not my idea, but the decision was taken by the camp’s coordinator to stick to the original plan. I was to meet all the volunteers on Sunday
morning and take the boat to Nosy Komba. Leaving the frustrating job of locating my lost luggage, organising the transfers and communicating in kiddie French to one of the MRCI staff. Super, I love a bit of delegation.

This proved to be the right decision. I landed on Thursday afternoon. My luggage accidentally offloaded at Mauritius, flew by Air Mauritius on to Tana on Saturday night. Then put on an internal flight to Nosy Be on Sunday, and then boat to Nosy Komba to arrive on Monday morning. It arrived wet and smelling so strongly of fish that I emptied it completely and left out in the sun to ventilate.

The camp is all I imagined, but bigger in size. You see, as you approach the island on Eric’s boat ( more to say later) that the island is covered in lush subtropical rainforest. Every shade of green, every size and shape of leaf and each trying to strangle its next door neighbour.

The boat drops you off in 30cms of water on a small white sandy cove (main shot) surrounded by huge volcanic rock and a picture perfect cascade of water tumbling over rocks to drain out on to the beach of broken white coral and sand.

The scene is ridiculously perfect and it is clear straight away that, although difficult to get to, I am in for a real treat.

Crossing a small semi broken wooden bridge, forming the main walkway around the island (used by everyone who needs to go anywhere with anything), you take a few more moss covered slippery steps upwards to the camp itself. Only its thatched roofs are visible in the tree canopy, but even these seem to twine seamlessly with the forest.

The camp consists of a large thatched roof over beautiful smooth wooden floors where volunteers chill out on: sofas, hammocks, stools and bean bags. No shoes allowed here. A library of heavily used books in a United Nations number of languages are located here too.

This room sits above the main turtle viewing deck.

Off to the side a large kit room where all the wet gear, diving suits and tanks are kept. This rooms fills me with a little envy, and dread. Envy for those physical types cool enough to have mastered such an amazing feat. Dread that I am taking one step closer to that mask, snorkel, fins and treacherous Indian Ocean.

Behind this and several metres higher up the hillside, following the cascading stream to the right, is the open and thatched kitchen, refectory and only tap of drinkable water. I recognise the filter system from home, and for all of a millisecond remember that there is work to be done there, but then that thought has gone again as quickly as it arrived in the ether of real life.

From here, and tumbling all across the rocks in a random formation are the sleeping huts, loos ( flushable, very modern) and showers. All are wooden built, thatched and on stilts. Ready to house the 10 volunteers and staff of 25. A staff to guest ratio that many a 5 starer would be proud of.

I am awarded my own hut and choice of 4 bunkbeds. Did the snoring police ring ahead? It is not the Shangri-la, but I know that my sleep will now be easy and relaxed.

This place is stunning in its simplicity. Okay I will be working for the next two weeks, but the walk home will be pure joy.