Oh soft white sands, a blue lagoon

Today started with the Breakfast Club, in Little Venice in the Pearl - a rather exclusive are of Doha (where isn't ha ha ha).    Tooli wanted us to experience the best breakfast in town. 

It was rather good - Eggs, and Hash Browns and beef Bacons for me; and Avocado and Egg Sandwiches and chips for them.......but tempered by the fact that she had planned a "surprise" for us for the rest of the day which involved an overnight bag.   I was terrified.  I had NO Idea. 

We finished breakfast, and staggered back to the car, in 35 degree heat, with full bellys, and went to pack our bags.  I thought maybe she was taking us back to the hotel for an overnighter at the pool. 

at 1, the requisit Uber was called and we got in.  And drove towards the city..  Si caught sight of the destination on the Uber drivers phone... but didn't let the secret away.   

"Can't you guess mum?? Can't you guess?   even as we pulled up along side the dock where all the Dhows sat.   Nope. 

Pulled into "Banana Island" gateway.   

My heart stopped.  I had looked at the gateway on the night we sailed from the quay - this place looked like a palace - and that was only the starting point. 

We were welcomed, our bags were whisked away from us.  We sat ina a luxurious waiting area, and were given minty yohgurt to drink from brass pots.   We were welcomed onboard the catamaran and shown to our seats. 

FIve minutes in, we were given cool towels for our faces, followed by bottled water, followed by Dates, and then we were there. 

Have you even watched "Fantasy Island"?   That's what it was like walking off the boat.  The staff all lined up clapping us off the boat, and being spritzed with Rose Water.   Again into a beautiful receiption area, and then walked to our apartment. 

The rooms were beautiful.  Dark wood, bamboo fans, balcony - stone carved bath, rainfall shower, toilet in the bathroom... slippers. .. coffee machine, kettle, bottles and bottles of water. 

Two massive beds,   Tooli wasn't happy - she had specifically asked for Double beds in both rooms and charged off to reception to complain. 

They had no other rooms available and but sent the housekeeping team over, who rearranged the furniture, and did some fantasic origami with the bed linen and we ended up with a bed which i could not reach Si from on my side. 

We slipped into our swimsuits and headed to the beach - just past the lagoon outside our bedroom door.  We gathered under a sunshade, and a lifeguard came running over and moved a third bed for us, covered them with towels, then brought us water over. 

I couldn't contain myself - I was off and into the water. (I couldn't stand on the sand - it was roasting.).

I was in and out of the water (the temperature was 36 )  constantly - drying off and back in, until the sun set.  Then we headed back to our rooms and changed for dinner. 

There were five restaurants to choose from and we chose this one .. .(above) The amount of food we were served was unbelievable. It was a set menu to choose from - and what a choice. 

Starters, were Calamari - garlic butter;  Samosas with Chickpeas, Chicken TIkka.  There was enough to feed several small families three times over.    By the time we had fought our way through that, and our mains we were almost in capable of walking. 

But we managed, and we walked to the end of the dock, and spent a lovely hour drinking Cosmonauts, QLemonade, and Pina Coladas - All non alcoholic of course...  The island is dry. 

The most lovely part of the dock was the lights shining into the water below - we re-arranged most of their furniture so that the three of us could gaze over the wooden rail at the fishes swimming around - think Dory and silver fishes and of course, Barry the Barracuda and Bernard , his pal. 

We finished our night by walking back to our rooms along the dark beach - little fishes who were shoaling by the shore were shocked by our appearance and bounced out of the water all the way along the beach.  When we reached our apartment we lay on the sand and watched the planes landing on mainland Doha - and the stars coming out. 

Magical.