Sao Nicolau is a beautifully diverse and very different island from Sal. It has a mountainous landscape, big valleys, and cliffs. Tarrafal, the place where we anchored, is a fast growing town. The first time I saw it ( in 2010),  the houses weren’t painted and most didn’t have windows or doors. Only very few houses had running water and electricity, and at that time, most water was still taken from a well. Even last year, we weren’t able to get a lot of supplies here. Eggs and fresh produce were very rare and only available for a day or two after the supply ship came in. Even then we wouldn’t purchase it, because there was barely enough for the locals. There is now a new, big supermarket, and since the time we were here last year, they have imported a lot of livestock. Chickens are running around everywhere. Cows and donkeys wander around freely, and eggs are plentiful. The kids will probably never believe me again when I say we won’t be able to get certain supplies in a place, as I had told them we couldn’t get eggs here for sure. So it was a welcomed surprise not only for them but for us as well! On Saturday, we did a tour of the islands with a local guide. We had a beautiful walk down a valley past local houses and villages and got a taste and feel for what life is like on this island. We stopped at a banana, papaya, and sugar cane plantation and got to taste both on the spot. The kids loved it! We passed beautifully breathtaking cliffs and enjoyed the local views and scenery as we passed in the van. A very full but successful day which we ended with a swim and Dutch pancakes–a favorite for our entire Guppy family. We only get to enjoy this island for another few days before setting sail on our Atlantic Ocean crossing =) We are all very excited and looking forward to it. 

Laura