andamans 6feb2013

hi,we are safely in the andamans.olivia flew in today,via kolcata.we are anchored in nice harbour at port blair ,the capitol.got in 10pm sun nite.took all day mon to do formalities.coastguard arrived first,then customs,then immigration,about 15 men in total,doing all paperwork on Haven.then we had to go and see the harbour master-mr kumar,very chatty,and even gave us all a cup of tea,today we had our 15hp outboard sucessfully repaired,and the 2hp unsucesfully-it still died 12 times in the 1 nm back to haven.so take it back tomorrow.port blair is like little india,with the women all wearing colourful saris,but without the poverty and overcrowding of mainland india,1000 nm away.we have a little taxi driver called vijay who drives us everywhere,harbour master,forestry for permits to cinque islands,dive shop for mask and snorkel,yamaha man,has helped organise phone and internet,laundry,lunch today-very nice,and the Cellular Gaol today- most impressive place-where england incarcerated indian political prisoners,1900-1938,with lots of torture ,deaths and hangings-so now it is a national monument to all the martyrs.very colourful markets,.taxis are antique morris ambassodors or 3 wheel tuk tuks,.we certainly feel we are somewhere different and somewhere nice.locals are very friendly,chatty,and helpful.hardly any other westerners here,apart from some other yachties.tomorrow we pick up permits to visit some remote islands,go to anthropology museum & go to markets to reprovision,before heading out the next day,initially to the cinque islands.bye for now.bruce ,kerry,soph and liv
ps nic,can you send us email address for dee

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