The x-blade ‘pro’ is here tomorrow and will be doing all the backflips etc if you’re around... we videoed him last year and tried but failed to convince people back home it was me!

(I managed to rip my thumb open on a screw under the villa which snorkelling - stitches - so out of the water for 3 days which is killing me, as I hadn’t had my go on the blade yet this time. They have however just delivered a box of bright blue rubber gloves to the room for me to wear in the water. I’m gonna look so cool in the holiday snaps this year!!)

Here’s the schedule. Most activities are free, the paid ie banana boat is 20 usd I think? BTW my 7 YO loves it there, Rose and Jalele are so great with all the kids.

sitting in our OWRV and the storm is incredible. Huge waves and LOTS of waves!! So much fun.

They operate in some crazy weather - we’ve even been on one that dropped us off on the beach once (although how on earth that was the safer option I have no idea). So, sadly even a storm isn’t going to get you out of leaving!

Afraid I don’t know what time tomorrow but from memory I think they tend to show-off later in the afternoons - which probably isn’t what you wanted to hear.

We’ve just been shown around the underwater villa.... it’s literally beyond anything we’d imagined - Thought I’d be impressed but in fact I’m actually blown away by it. The quality of what’s inside is simply stunning. The layout is superb. The experience of walking into the downstairs is akin to your first time in Itha but on steroids (and that understated it). Just wow.

...to quote my partner just now, “look, look, quick, ... quick - there’s a snake pushing a big coral rock along under the water”. I’ve gone along with it and let her name him Hercules the snake. Seemed kinder than pointing out it was a stingray!!!! I do hope she Facebook’s her friends and tells them.

I didn’t ask as I assumed there would be no way or they’d simply say no. They came and asked us last night at dinner and I think they could tell from my face that I was excited as hell. I got the impression it was a special favour/treat (e.g. we’ve stayed here 10+ times and they tend to do very well out of us!) although certainly not exclusively offered to us I’m sure (and they definitely know we couldn’t afford a night in it so wasn’t marketing)!!

Good to hear you’ve enjoyed it (despite today’s weather - pretty normal to get a few days like this every week this time of year). We (obviously) think there’s nowhere else quite like it or we’d not be back so often!

Be braver than me and ask - I reckon there’s a chance - plus they did say to us that once it opens in November they don’t envisage taking people down to see it, so could be a unique opportunity right now. We say another coupl arrive as we were leaving - I think it will depend on whether the builders are doing anything that means they can’t find a slot to show people around (as the upstairs is still a shell/building site - tread carefully! But you’ll still get the sense of the place). Downstairs is where you want to see anyway and it ‘finished’. If you do go then check out the underwater bathroom....it’s insane