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Friday 4th January 2013

And in a sense having a night in this room was a positive thing, as it made the water bungalow feel even more special when we got there. We appreciated the things that were a little bit special about the room in a way that we might not have done had we come here straight away. They should do this as a matter of course for everyone staying in the slightly nicer rooms (perhaps they do). We had a view out to the sea, an outside bath, a high ceiling and our own little balcony.

It's on the quieter side of the island and there are ten thatched huts built on a circular jetty walkway over the lagoon. The jetty is about ten feet above the shallow water and there is no handrail and I remarked to my wife how hard it was going to be for me to resist pushing her off at some point, even though the fall would almost certainly injure and possibly paralyse her. She told me she would divorce me if I did it. But the higher the stakes the harder it is to fight the compulsion. It would be worth it. It only took me 40 years to find this wife so I have time to find one (or maybe two) more.

We also get to have lunch in a different restaurant, so I didn't get to find out whether "How Can I LIve Without You" is a permanent accompaniment to lunch in the other place. Here we got a selection of annoying pop songs, rather than just one. Which in some ways is worse. You don't know what you've got til it's gone.

We'd both felt pretty ropey when we woke up but quickly revived and I got through the day without feeling in the least bit tired. I even had a couple of beers at lunch. We're on a dangerous (for me) all inclusive deal where we can have as much food and most drinks without incurring further payment. I find it difficult not to try to eat and drink everything in order to get my money's worth. This could get messy.

We took it easy all day (and I don't think this will change too much for the next fortnight) reading more of my "Age of Wonder" book and finding out that Humphrey Davy was about much more than his magic lamp. I also rediscovered Countdown on my Nintendo DS and was reminded that I had once threatened to do a podcast where I played against the computer, but where listeners could play along against us both at home. I would play the parts of Richard Whitely and Carol Vorderman (oh, it would have to be old school) as well as Suzy Dent and whichever celebrity guest was in dictionary corner and I would get no permission from the makers of the show to do this. It would go on until they shut me down. It might be a bit too much like Me1 vs Me2 snooker for anyone's comfort, but with a nice interactive element - you could find out if you were as good a Countdown as me (you probably are, it's really hard to do anything meaningful in 30 seconds especially with the numbers). I told my wife about my idea and she shook her head and looked annoyed for some reason and suggested that I should maybe concentrate on proper work, but I think she's probably just jealous that she didn't think of this. Or is annoyed that I haven't asked her to be Carol or Suzy.

Uncharacteristically for a second night of a holiday (it usually takes me a few days to stay up beyond ten) we drank cocktails until late and didn't go to sleep until 1am. I wonder how many guests have fallen (or been pushed) off the jetty after over indulgence. Tonight we remained dry.

I already feel quite relaxed and into the holiday vibe. The sun is shining, the swimming pool is warmed by its rays. I have somehow avoided getting sunburnt (another first) and I am not trapped in a Hell of an infinite "How Can I Live Without You". Things are looking good.

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