this morning we decided to go to prison island,a 45 min boat journey from the beach a few minutes walk from the hotel. we asked the first boat that was about to go out the price,offered him half which we knew was the correct price and set off. luckily we left just as a passing shower arrived. prison island hasn't a prison although one was built by a sultan in the 1890's but the british commandeered it for a quarantine hospital as a cholera epidemic broke out in india and east africa. it's draw now is that since the 1920's it has been the home to large tortoises from the seychelles as their numbers were substantially diminished throughout the region. they are now heavily protected and thriving. some are well over 100 years old and they have a hatchery with many little ones scurrying about. you are given some spinach to feed them and they are so docile you can stroke their little leathery heads. like the lions we saw last week they are randy little beggars,climbing on top of the female with loud grunting and their feet leaving the ground as they perform. we needed a cold beer and light lunch to calm us down in the old prison building before a paddle in the warm ocean and a trip back. upon our return ,as we passed freddie mercury's house we bumped into lea who we'd been on safari with. then we sat by the hotel pool for a swim and spicy local tea before it was time for our usual sundowner in the africa house hotel for the final time with bob and pip,followed by a yummy curry in the restaurant we'd been to on friday. a fitting finale for our time in stone town as tomorrow we head north to a beach side hotel for a few days before we return to a cold damp uk.