So anyone ever been to a water village before? Neither have I- and I have to say probably the best part of my trip yet. I only ever saw shanti town style villages on prgrammes like Red Nose Day with Lenny Henry- I never imagined that I would get the chance to have a real tour around one.
The problem with staying at the Hyatt is the taxi rank outside- they all think that anyone who comes out of the revolving door is loaded...how wrong they are - but it doesnt stop them trying to rip you off with cab prices. The tactic I use is know offer them half what they ask. you are usually spot on and they never say no.
Our ride to the water village took about 40 mins up to the north of the city of KK as its known to the locals and ex-pats. Luckily for us we were throughouly accompanied throughout by the taxi driver (maybe he was on commision?). I can now understand why situations in rural areas can escalate very quickly when into conflict- I felt very intimidated by the environment I was in.
The tin huts are up on wooden stilts obviously for the ebb and fall of the tides, when we visited the tide was out and the muddy floor exposed for all its glory. Rubbish, human waste, bits of furniture, chickens, roosters, dogs, canoes, bits of tin all etc all exposed and waiting to be covered again when the tide returns....and they sell the fish they catch to the locals?!!
I went past one where a mother was nursing her baby - I cant fathom how they manage to bring kids up in this environment. All that links the huts to each other is a spiralling wooden walkway with no side support which keads to the jetty. I think of how much Maddie fell over when learning to walk... then again she nails and very good at swimming so maybe her destiny lies in catching fish with the water village crew.