Day 49 28.08.15
We got to sleep in a little as we had a free day today.
I took my roomie to the doctors and then we went for breakfast. I had some Grilled cheese with ham and cream cheese with scallions and bacon and carrot and orange juice – a real breakfast feast! We had booked ourselves into some horseback riding at 2 and still had some time so spare. Will relaxed a little at the hotel and the got picked up by a taxi to go to the horseback riding. As a specialty we had booked riding along the beach and even going swimming with the horses.
We headed out, just my roomie our guide and I and enjoyed the landscape. This changed from luscious green fields along the farm, to a little bit of jungle along our way to the beach and then full on riding on the beach half in the water.
The sun was shining, the horses were great and we had a lovely time. We trotted and even cantered a little along the beach.
My horse felt like going a little quicker than the others and so I had a full work out holding back my horse trying not to overtake my roomie, who was back on a horse after about 15 years of being too scared to do so. I wanted her to have an amazing time and overcome her fear (I think it went well :) ).
We stopped at a tiny local shop that sold green coconuts that taste different to the coconuts we know from home. We had a quick refreshment and then we were off to swim with the horses.
The horses were untacked and then we jumped onto their bare backs and rode them into the sea. It was a crazy experience, something every passionate rider should definitely try once in his or her life. The horses feel different underneath you, powerful but still in a different element.
We did two rounds and, went swimming and then the horses were tacked back up and we rode back to the farm, putting in a little canter along the beach. I was riding without stirrups, as my wet bare legs were shaving a little on the stirrups and I was way more comfortable anyway. Cantering is a lot more relaxed, just not violent trotting – which unfortunately was the case transitioning from the cantering to the trotting and still having too much speed. I quickly threw down my stirrups to relieve the hopping around in the saddle.
All in all it was a great experience and we headed back to the hotel, receiving a lecture about God on the way back from our taxi driver.
Back at the hotel I had booked myself a massage to relieve the aches of the past days of carrying luggage, the riding and anything else strenuous on my body. It was heaven and so relaxing. It seemed as though I had really needed it…
We then went for dinner at a local place called “catch of the day” where their speciality is freshly caught fish. I had some Mahi Mahi with loads of garlic, and wonderfully cooked vegetables. Really yummy and the fries were home made and freshly cut too. It was a great night and instead of going to badly sung karaoke, I chose to head home and have a early nights sleep.
