Before TPR had pegged even a single item on the line in the garden of our holiday cottage a local woman appeared at his side, super-keen to take charge of the laundry basket. “Let me do that” she said. TPR responded that he was perfectly happy to hang out the washing himself. However she insisted loudly that this should be her job.

As I watched the scene unfold from the back door I gradually worked out what was going on. Taking care of the tourists’ laundry was probably one of the few ways that locals could earn money on this impoverished island. I called over to TPR in French to hand over the basket. It might cost us £10, but this woman’s family needed the cash more than we did.