I have two failed attempts to check-in on Friday 11 August - first time I couldn't find the counter so had to exit to ask the information desk.....why the other staff members couldn't help me is beyond me! Counter located, win. I'm then told the check in for Mauritius Air opens at 12 noon (it's 7.45am now), fail! The information desk then informs me it doesn't open until 1pm (of course that would have been helpful to know that in the first place...). So off to work I go with my suitcase.
Mid-afternoon I decide to go and check-in; thankfully this is nice and painless.
My flight isn't until 1.30am; yes that's right in the middle of the night so I'm in no rush to leave work. I need to ensure I'll stay awake until my flight which is going to be hard.
As I'm not flying a One-world airline (which means no Qantas or Cathay lounge) I take my time walking to security; I have over 4 hours to kill before my flight so am in no rush....
I'd been told by friends there was a pizza express at the airport so decide that's what’s for dinner; the waitress tells me there is a 20 minute wait once the order has been placed. No issue with that at all.
Right that filled in an hour - now to wander to duty free. On payment the lady informs me I can't open my bottle until I get to my final destination - thank you but this isn't my first rodeo!! Granted the fact it took me a while to locate my boarding pass she may think that.
When Lauren and I were in Kota Kinabalu back in March we went into a priority type lounge so I wander off in search of the HK one. Amex card handed over and within minutes I'm in.
I'm so close to sleep at 12.30am (on Saturday) I decide to wander to the gate - no way I want to miss this flight!!
Finally I'm on the plane - praying to goodness all the loud Chinese children won't be around me when I sit down!! Mauritius here I come.
I manage to get a bit of shut eye before the pilot wakes us 40 minutes before landing - he advises its 19 degrees......boy that's going to be a shock to the system!! Thinking I should have brought more warm clothes. Hey ho.
As the air steward is collecting headsets she asks if I would like something to drink, clearly knowing I didn't eat dinner or breakfast. A lovely touch and not one I’ve had before.
My bag takes forever to come out - I'm beginning to think I may have a day or two without it when I spy what I believe is my bag and bingo it is. Phew.
On exiting the passengers only part of the airport I locate my name on a piece of paper. My driver has a woolly hat on, not what I want to see when I've come for a summer holiday thanks very much! It's cold when we exit the terminal and windy. Thankfully the rain has stopped. Ooh dear. I'm told it will be less rain where I'm going and maybe even none. Fingers crossed!!
My driver advises tourism is the main industry in Mauritius, not surprising really. The main religions are Hindi, Christian and Muslim. Note to self, research a new place (country 50!!!) before coming.
Ooh no rain rain go away, come back once I've left the country.
The 50 minute journey passes by easily - thankfully lots to look at otherwise I may have fallen asleep. An afternoon nap maybe on the cards for later.
When I arrive at the apartment complex the security man sends me to the apartment....when the door opens I realize immediately it's not the correct one. Whoops. Back down I go to find him. He clearly realizes he sent me to the wrong apartment as he's walking towards me.
Correct apartment located but no one answers on my knocks. He then says in broken English that two guys went out for a walk - hmmm is this the correct place??! Of course I have no service on my phone so can't even call Susan. We head outside to use his phone; aah Susan and Belinda are walking towards us. Perfect!
We have a couple of hours chilling in the apartment - the weather isn't the nicest so decide to head to a shopping Centre a 10 minute taxi ride away. As we are walking out the manager comes towards us. She had come by earlier and said she would be back in 30 minutes for us to complete the bill. The 30 minutes came and went so we decided to head off. Bill sorted so off we go.
We have a quick wander around before deciding on an early lunch. By no stretch of the imagination was it the best food I've eaten but it filled a gap. We then head to the supermarket, the main purpose of coming! Aah a supermarket in a new place. I loved just wandering around. Breakfast, lunch and snack food for the next few days are purchased time to head back to the apartment.
The afternoon is spent chilling out - I already feel like I've been on holiday much longer than a day! Heaven.
Belinda heads off for a walk along the beach; Susan and I research holidays :) Then we wander down to the dive place to book in. We are the only ones walking along the beach. The soft sand in between my toes confirms I'm on holiday.
The dive place is unfortunately already closed for the day and doesn't open until Monday - what a pain. Hey ho. We head inside the hotel and out to the little village before returning back to the apartment.
The sun is now out in force and boy it's hot! Pool time!! One foot in confirms that I will NOT be getting in - it's bloody freezing!!!! Susan is brave and gets in. Thanks but no.
Belinda returns and tells us the sea is warmer, thank goodness for that, so we head down there. The temperature difference is huge - feet only in is enough for me today.
Watching the sunset is lovely and peaceful.
We decide to walk down the road, towards Flic en Flac town, for dinner. Drivers certainly don't seem to stick to a speed limit other than crazy fast!! There are a few options, but some with no one in. Perhaps we are early for the locals?! We decide on an Italian place which is so so.
I'm literally asleep on my feet walking back to the apartment - at times feeling like I'm walking backwards that’s how slow I'm am. Sleep is needed and NOW.
Sunday 13 August I wake up just before 8am for the third time and force myself up. While I know I could keep sleeping I decide it's best not to. I'm unable to get out of the sliding doors to the beach so enjoy the view from the inside.
It's so lovely not rushing! Breakfast is relaxed. Belinda and I walk down to the local 7 eleven type shop to buy water and a lighter. Have to keep those mozzies away!!
We spend the majority of the day going between and pool and the apartment - showers cause this movement. When the sun is out its nice and hot. Fingers crossed we get a full day like this!
Mid-afternoon we give it one more try. Thankfully no showers but the wind picks up. This is not how I imagined this holiday but it's still very relaxing!
Of course once we are all showered and out of togs the sun comes out and the sky clears. Typical!
We have a chilled evening at the apartment playing cards.
Monday 14 August I wake just after 7.30am - a nice wee sleep in for me :) If tomorrow is a dive day I'll need to be up earlier.....
We decide to hire a car for the day so after breakfast walk to the hotel next door to get a taxi to the car rental place.
After completing the paperwork we are taken to the car and do a review of everything before signing off. The last thing we notice is that it's a manual car and Susan, who was going to be the driver, can't drive a manual. Whoops. Back to the office we head; only manual cars so it's me driving. Hmmm the last time I drove was probably 18 months ago in NZ. At least in Mauritius they drive on the same side of the road as NZ.
People don’t drive fast which is good for me, gives me time to get used to driving again. Belinda had done some research on a few things to visit so directs me to Chamarel village which is known to be very scenic and has a few nature attractions. First stop is the Chamarel Falls.
This weather is far from pleasant for a summer holiday! After taking a few photos it’s back to the car we head; driving up the road a short distance to the Seven Coloured Earths.
The Seven Coloured Earths are a geological formation – a small area of sand dunes that comprises of you guessed it seven distinct colours. Due to the weather today we don’t see seven but definitely do notice 4-5. It’s really kind amazing.
Close to the sand dunes are a number of very large tortoises.
We head back up the road we had come down earlier to the peak of the hill where is there a restaurant. We are thinking with a view as so many people pulled in earlier.
Wow the view is amazing! If only it was beautiful day it would be even more spectacular. Lunch is tasty as well.
Back into the car we head and drove to Le Morne Brabant, which is a peninsula at the southwestern tip of Mauritius. The road, if that’s what you can call is, is beyond bumpy!!! I quickly realise the best and least painful way to get through this is to increase the speed. Returning won’t be fun!! On arrival it’s very clear it is a wind surfer's paradise! There must be at least 60 surfers in the water all managing to go full speed in many different directions.
Back onto smooth sailing (well road) where we followed the coast to the middle of the island. Lovely being so close to the water. The “island time driving” gets a boring after a while so we made a decision to turn off and hit the motorway – we are off!!
We make a stop at the supermarket mall – Belinda goes looking for a jumper then we head to the supermarket where Susan buys two boxes of Duplo.
Walking back into the apartment I feel exhausted! Driving is hard work when you haven't done it for a while!
We have a quiet evening at the apartment - I get stuck into my book again!
Tuesday 14 August I wake at 5.30am - not pleasant when on holiday!!
We head off mid-morning to drop the car off. First doing a drive by the options to the right of the hotel as we hadn't ventured that way before.
We had passed a petrol station close by to the car rental place so headed there to fill up. The service was great!
The park the car had been in when we collected it yesterday was occupied so I decided to be a local and just stop outside the car rental place and put my hazard lights on. The guys didn't even bat an eye lid! Thankfully no issue with the car and within minutes we are out of there.
We wander about one hundred meters down the road to the Spar - supermarket - and of course have to enter.
The Spar parking lot is also the nearest taxi stand. After a few minutes we have our driver but he seems to take his sweet time getting sorted. Our taxi drops us as close as possible to our apartment. It's strange coming in here without "our" car.
Thankfully the weather has cooperated so its togs then pool time. I get stuck into my book. This really is the life!
Early afternoon we head inside for lunch; it's definitely great not having to go out for lunch!
The afternoon is spent in the same fashion as this morning - pure relaxing listening to the sea.
We decide to head in a different direction for dinner tonight than our first night. I'd done some research on trip advisor and found the two hotels "next door" (between 500-700 meters away) each had a few options.
At the security gate of the first hotel we are told everything is closed for renovations. Seems odd but hey ho. Onward we go - with the very bright stars guiding us along the low lit road. Thank goodness for torches on our phones!
On arrival I ask reception what options there are for dinner - I'm told all the a la carte restaurants are full, and that we need to book them in the morning, but the restaurant downstairs is available and this evening serving Italian buffet. Italian buffet it is.
We wander the grounds before walking back to our apartment. It's definitely a big hotel!!
On the walk home it's a struggle to hear each other talk over the sounds of the hundreds of frogs. That is quickly drowned out by a super loud motorbike! Hope no one was sleeping.....we have the bright stars guiding us home.
I wake before my alarm on Wednesday 16 August - today is diving day :) although I am a tad nervous.
I head out to the gate just before 8.15am for my pick-up. I course I'm on Jordan time and the pick-up is on Mauritius time. I ask security to call and they giggle when I say when I was supposed to be collected :) Within minutes my car arrives.
It's a short 5 minute drive to the dive center where I find a lot of other divers already getting ready. The staff are in no rush so I just enjoy watching the activity around me.
I'm given an IKEA bag then start to collect my gear - very relaxed which is great. Thankfully the wetsuit is a lot easier to put on than the one in Piran!
We have the briefing then walk to the boat where there are already 5 other guests. There are 4 of us in our group with one dive master. Everyone else is French so I listen to their chit chat and enjoy being out on the water.
Finally it's our group's turn to get into the water. It's nowhere near as cold as I thought it might be. I have huge problems trying to equalize my left ear going down and after a while decide not to continue. I say goodbye to the guide at the surface and made my way onto the boat with the captain. A real shame but it wasn't working for me and I felt bad that the others were waiting on the bottom for me.
Once everyone was on board we head back to the shore and the dive shop. I'm unsure if I should try again or just stop. The staff are very helpful and give me a few things to try to clear my ear. I'm also given some kind of liquid in my ear which seems to work basically straight away.
I decide to try again. This time it's me and the couple from the first dive and new instructor (Billy). They are all very patient with me and after what seems like forever I manage to get down. Great!!
I had booked in for a third dive so decide to move ahead with that one as well. This time it's myself and one other guest with Billy and another instructor. Similar to the second dive I take my time getting down then am all set. Immediately we start to see lots of fish - amazing! The highlight was definitely seeing two schools of eagle rays. Part of me was freaking out the other part was WOW WOW WOW! We were definitely up close and personal with them. Among everything else we saw the other two great things were a turtle just hanging out on a ledge and a huge lobster.
As soon as I arrive back at the apartment it's to the bathroom I head - no chance I was going to go in my wetsuit or attempt to take off my wetsuit! Aah fun and games! I then join Susan at the pool and jump in to get rid of the salt water - it's bloody freezing so I'm out just as quickly as I get in. Thanks but no thanks.
After a hot shower I feel normal again. Now for my ear to clear.
No real sunset tonight due to all the clouds but the sky is still pretty.
We decide on Flic en Flac for dinner so wander down to one of the restaurants I'd researched for earlier. No seats outside so we go indoors, they clearly haven't heard of a/c!!
It's lovely and cool when we exit and walk home. Not nearly as many stars out tonight as there was last night.
Thursday 17 August I wake at 6.30am - clearly my waking hour!!
Belinda and I had seen a tour guide yesterday morning and got speaking with him - he turns up just before 10am to collect us. We are off to swim with the dolphins; I'm not overly fused but Belinda wants to go so off I go.
It's a nice and easy commute to the boat - out the doors and literally 50 steps and we are on the boat. The dark clouds seems to be coming in....thanks but you can stay away!
We zoom, and I mean zoom!, across the water towards the north of the island. It's great to be out on the water again. After a few minutes we start to slow down, then basically stop. We are kind of in the middle of nowhere.
All eyes are on the water trying to locate the dolphins. Bingo! We are off to chase them; fins, mask and snorkel go on while trying to hold on (so that I don't fall off!) then it's into the water we go. Brrrrr it's cold!!!!
We have at least 3 goes in the water, over an hour and a half, with the dolphins, each time was amazing! They really are very cool creatures. My little legs and arms were pumping trying to keep up with them!! Slow summers they are not.
We cruise back in the direction we came from and continue pass our apartment to just north of Le Morne which it's supposed to be the saltiest water. We circle Crystal Rock, which is a large and well-known natural formation, before jumping in. The water is super-duper clear. The other two can touch the bottom, I on the other hand am treading water to stay up.
Back onto the boat and we zoom off, towards our apartment, to the "aquarium". After attaching the anchor line to the boat we jump in. Based on the name I'm expecting lots and lots of fish!! The captain gets out some bread and starts to feed the fish, definitely no shortage of fish right there!
Time to get into the water again.
Margaret and Belinda get cold so head back to the boat. I keep exploring. I’m cold but it’s amazing just swimming around watching all the fish. The current is quite strong so I get pushed about a bit, that’s before I start to chase (well swim) after a big fish.
In the end the cold water gets to me – I head back to the boat where there are soooo many fish hanging around, clearly all for an easy feed.
We have the afternoon at the apartment. I have a shower to warm up then head to the pool with my book. This is the life!
Late afternoon the flies are really started to annoy me so it's inside I go. Better for watching the sun set!
We have a chilled evening drinking cocktails that I made up, playing cards and reading.
Susan and I head out to get water around 8pm. It's pitch black! Unfortunately our local supermarkets are all closed but there is a restaurant that's open - bingo we are in luck.
Friday 18 August I wake just before 7.30am, a wee sleep in for me :) After a chilled breakfast it's to the pool we head. Thankfully the grey clouds disappear and out comes the sun.
Early afternoon I decide it's time to cool off in the pool - one foot in I'm questioning that. It's far from warm; Susan informs me it's refreshing.....yeah I don't think so. I count to what seems like 5 million then jump in. It's take your breath away cold! Thanks but I'm done, back to the sun and book reading I go.
Sunset is another beautiful sight.
We head down the road for dinner, with the stars guiding us.
Saturday 19 August it's a nice slow start to the day. We had arranged to hire a car for the day; this time they were coming to us to drop off the car.
The plan didn’t quite go to plan…..a lady turned up with her two children to take us to the car hire place (which she owns / works at). Thankfully it’s a quick trip as the two boys are all the car.
Car all sorted and within minutes we are on the road again, this time to Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius. We had researched a couple of things to do in the city before heading off to visit the famous gardens.
On arrival it’s clear that it is a very very busy city. We “cruise” the streets for a bit before the traffic gets to us so it’s off to Aapravasi Ghat, a world heritage site.
Aapravasi Ghat served as the Island’s main immigration deport for indentured labourers from China, India, Madagascar, Mozambique, South East Asia and Yemen. The indentured labour system consisted in recruiting workforce on contracts for one to five years to work on sugar cane plantations on Mauritius or to be shipped to other parts of the world.
We decide to drive around the streets of Port Louis again before going to see the huge lily pads. Traffic is crazy! At times I feel like it's worse than when I was driving a motorbike in Vietnam, which is saying something!! People are driving wherever they want, thanks but no thanks. As the driver I make the executive decision we are getting the heck out of here.
Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden, also known as Pamplemousses Botanical Garden, is famous for its long pond of giant water lilies.
Back onto the motorway we head to Grand Baie.
As we get to the outskirts of Grand Baie the vehicle and foot traffic starts to increase. We didn't have anywhere in particular to visit here so drove through the town to the casino then back again. Belinda had spied somewhere for lunch so off we headed.
Packing wasn't the easiest but after stopping outside The Beach House (where we are going to eat) we got directions on where to go - nice and easy!
As Susan and Belinda head inside I take in the amazing views of the water.
As we walk to our table Susan and I notice the All Blacks v's Australia game is on TV - woo Hoo! The views outride make me stare more there than the TV.
It's super-hot sitting here in the sun, time to move to a table in the shade. I'm kicking myself for not bringing my togs as I could have gone swimming.
Matthew McConaughey and his family walk in. Wow! We are trying to decide if we stare at the amazing beach and water or him…..
Our meals take ages to come out then when they do Belinda's burger isn't well done so sends it back. They cook her a brand new one but of course that takes ages. We end up eating in shifts.
We continue driving along the coast towards the east; one little village we pass through seems to be for the very rich.
The weather had been strange all day - periods of rain (both light and heavy), periods of hot sun, periods of cloud. Heavy rain isn't so fun when driving.
There doesn't seem to be much more to see along the coast (that we haven't already seen) so decide to head back to Flic en Flac.
We end up on the motorway for a bit before driving through Port Louis and back the same way we came in. Some people really have no idea how to drive, it's actually very frightening!!
We stop off at the shopping center for money, water and hummus before heading home. Unfortunately no sun set this evening due to the weather. It's been a long but fun day!
Due to our late lunch no one is hungry so we have the evening relaxing in the apartment.
Sunday 20 August, my last day
, it's another early rise. It's a chilled start to the day, in my opinion the best start! I can't decide if it's going to be hot or will rain. Mid-morning we head to the pool to resume our relaxing mode. This is the life.
Given Susan and Belinda are staying another two nights I have my room to shower and finish packing. They on the other hand need to be out by midday then have 7.5 hours to their taxi collects them.
At 5.05pm the apartment buzzer goes; security is calling to say my taxi is here. I did expect it to be early but not 25 minutes early. Thanks but it can wait a bit.
We drop Susan and Belinda in Flic en Flac, saves them walking the 1.4 km! Then it's to the airport I go. My driver is clearly in a rush as we hoon along, well that's too we come to a speed camera area.
It's been a wonderful 9 days in Mauritius, a small island / country with friendly people, lots of different micro climates and amazing beaches.
