Monday, October 30, 1995 - Isla Margarita, Venezuela

We had planned on checking out today and leaving tomorrow, but the weather forecast isn't favorable. A tropical wave is going by just to the north, and the winds will be increasing to 15 to 20 knots out of the east, so we'll wait another day. That's fine by me, because I'm tired from getting up at 5 a.m. two days in a row and need to rest. It began raining about two o'clock in the morning and continued for several hours. Filled one of our five-gallon jugs and half filled the water tank. Roy had planned on taking a jug to Pampatar this morning to fill it at a faucet, but Mother Nature obligingly did it for him, so he didn't have to. We relaxed on the boat all morning. After siesta, we paddled ashore to mail Roy's postcards and buy eggs and chicken. Had no problem with the first two, but when we went to the store where I usually buy chicken legs, they didn't have any. Not knowing any other place in Pampatar to buy chicken, we decided to take the bus into Porlamar. We needed more Bolivares anyway. As soon as we got downtown, money changers approached us. We exchanged $20 at 250. Then we spent most of it at Rattan's. Their vegetables were disappointing again, so I just got a head of cabbage. Their cauliflower and broccoli would have been thrown out two weeks ago in the United States. They didn't have chicken legs, so we got breasts. Also bought juice, candy, Noodleroni, etc. We lucked out catching a bus back. Scarcely had any wait at all, and there were plenty of seats, which is really unusual. We got back well before dark.