After having had bad luck with our last two Christmas vacations (continuous rain on O'ahu and sudden onset of cold weather in Florida), it should go this time to a destination with heat assurance and no need of malaria prophylaxis. When we decided in August to fly to the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, we had already massive difficulties to catch a flight. At last we had to catch the train in the very early morning to Duesseldorf, from there fly to Paris and after a layover continue to Mauritius. Begun with the locomotive of the train not starting and barely catching the connection flight to Paris we were totally disappointed of Air Mauritius, on which we had booked business class because of the length of the flight of 11 hours. The older Airbus 340 had the old business class seating; we in business class only had one seat less (seven) in the row than economy class. That was narrow and more than annoying for the price. In addition a little motivated crew attended us.

After the very long journey we arrived early in the morning at 6 o'clock at the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport. Luckily it was warm at about 24 degrees when we went on foot from the machine to the terminal. The passport control went swiftly, the uniforms of the officials looked very English and were striking. The baggage claiming went slowly - my Boogie Board had not come along - it was promised, however, to get it as quickly as possible (what happened the same day). In a dead tired way and irritatedly we climbed into the brand-new BMW waiting for us which should bring us to the hotel.

On the drive of approximately 1.5 hours to Grand Baie at the north shore - the airport is at the southeasten coast - we got a first impression of the island. The driver gave us in good English information on all questions. On the Motorway built after the English model (inclusive of English sign-posting and one roundabout after the other) we advanced quickly. The impression of the island, which I had already had from the airplane window - sugarcane to to the horizon - was confirmed also on earth. Each square centimeter of the island which was halfways suitable, was obviously planted with cane. Along the Motorway were remarkable heaps of stone reminding of Aztec pyramids, but without religious meaning. Simply made out of the volcanic rock, which is in the fields. After approximately one hour of brisk travel we stood at one time in the all morning back-up: we had reached the capital Port Louis where the Motorway leads right through the center - without alternative. Slowly we preceded and saw the inhabitants from the proximity, who looked primarily Indian - in all shades of skin. Briefly before Grand Baie the Motorway ends and it continues as narrower roads to the already busy, very touristic looking Grand Baie.

At the northeast corner of the bay is the best resort of the whole island, the Royal Palm. Despite the early morning hour we were personally welcomed by the hotel director and could get into our suite. We had got one in the ground floor with terrace and entrance to garden and beach as desired. We were impressed! After unpacking we use the time to look at the hotel. Since in Mauritius there is the law that no hotel may be higher than a palm tree our hotel also only consited of 2 floors. All rooms faced to the sea. The architecture was openly and airily, including the three restaurants, which had a fantastic view over the turquoise blue water. Any watersports in the hotel was price included: sailing, waterski, canoeing, windsurfing, glasbottomboat etc.. A crew of 8 people is available at any time to give beginners instruction. The beach is as in Thailand public, but because of side rocks badly reachable for non-hotel guests. Nevertheless daily always some beach dealers found their way there. It was remarkable that they were always the same persons. I had the impression that for this privilege bribes flowed towards the securityman at the beach... Starting from 7 pm daily there was different live music of very good quality in the hotel, which we always enjoyed. Hotelguests were predominantly Frenchmen, Englishman, some Italians, Germans and before the Russian Christmas (1 week after ours) also Russians and Ukrainians including extended families. The service in the hotel was the very best which I had ever experienced. After only one day one was addressed by each employee with name. The employees were from admirable language command: they changed between English and French flowingly, many had learned additionally Italian, German and Russian.

Grand Baie

Since we had no car in the first vacation week we went several times on foot into the local centre of Grand Baie. Right out of the hotel one reached a public beachpark. Pleasantly it is on Mauritius law to establish between course-built beaches everywhere public beachparks. By the park, which was used a lot by the locals, one reached a bungalow resort and a yacht club by means of trampling paths along the sea. The beach section of the Beachcomber Le Mauricia, a 4-star hotel, was adjacent. A bit further was again a beachpark and the beginning of the city of Grand Baie. The strip between the coastal road and sea is vacant and used as bus stop, stand for native fruits and parking lot. In the sea the boats fishermen were seen. Along the main street banks, restaurants and small businesses lined up. At the crossing with the only traffic light of the city a sort of shoppingcenter had been established, where goods were sold particularly for tourists. So among other things a shop for bride fashing, a men's fashing shop Karl Kaiser (i.e. Hugo Boss) etc.. Everything looked quite new and tidy... At the outskirts of the city an enormous supermarket with still larger parking lot had been built. Everything looked very French even the tiny plastic bags, in which the bought goods were packed. Meat came to my astonishment from "nearby" Australia (6000 km), milk from the Philippines, cookies from China and yoghurt from France... around the parking lot a mall had been established, with a bank, a book shop (with 99% French written books) etc. By foot from the hotel into the city centre we had needed approximately 20 minutes. If one left the hotel to the left, one reached the main street after approximately 200 m, where there was a small supermarket, a restaurant and a Hindutemple.

Unfortunately dinner in the hotel always started from 7.30 pm, therefore we made the habit of leaving the hotel afterwards for a walk. Thus we found out that in the neighbouring Le Mauricia in the evening always topic shows took place. One evening there was a Séga performance. Séga is a music form developed during the slave time, played on tambourine (Ravane), triangle and rhythm equipment (Maravane). The melody is quite simple and fast, in addition one sings creole. The dancers carry a wide skirt and a short bra and move with swinging hips. Today Séga is played also with modern instruments, the simple rhythm is however still identifiable.

One evening some days after New Year we saw and heard during dinner numerous fireworks, which were obviously started at the neighbouring beachpark. Thus we made ourselves on the way there. There we saw many groups of people, who grouped themselves around grills and lamps. Some shot the rockets into the sky. We did not know whether we should continue, and stopped uncertainly at the edge of the happening. We were asked by some young men who ate, in French whether we were tourists. It lead to a very friendly discussion, in which we were explained, that the celebration was the feast of the Muslims were they kill the animals. A celebration which was largely celebrated by families. Even to a meal we were invited by the friendly men, which we rejected thanking. We watched the fireworks and went through the whole park. In the water one could see children who bathed. Families had brang along gas bottles with lights and gas grills. Everybody was eating. Now we could see also the head vails of some women. With the faithful Muslims no alcohol was drunken and the celebration was very peaceful.

I was inspired when I saw on one day not far from the beach a dolphin swimming. I was speechless some days later, when I was underway with my seakayak letting me float. Not two meters in front of me an enormous sea-turtle dipped from the water. It stretched the head and its front swimming legs from the water and looked at me curiously. The next 10 minutes it emerged again and again in my direct proximity. I would not really have expected something like that!

The northeast of the island

After we had gotten our rental car in the second week, we could see finally more of the island. Again it meant getting accustomed to left hand driving and switching gears with the left hand. Unfortunately one had given us no automatic car. Most difficult was the indicator at the right side of the steering wheel - I always turned the wiper at the beginning!

The first travels led us into the northeast of the island. It went on the main street to the north, where the beach was nevertheless quite course-built. It was very pleasant that there were again and again public beachparks with pine trees. Frequently faithful Hindus had built small temples at the beach. After some kilometers we reached one of the touristic highlights of the island: Cap Malheureux with its well known church. Exactly here 1810 the English troops went ashore, in order to conquer the island from the Frenchmen. We were surprised to see a police car on the parking lot of the church and the policemen at the edge to the beach. Down on the beach we saw then, how a fisherman cut his fresh cut for the policemen, who so obviously procured themselves their dinner. Now I could look at the uniforms of the officials: black trousers, blue shirts and caps with black-and-white cross-hatched cap volume - very British!

The road wound itself along the coast, the land development continued to become smaller. At Grand Gaube we bent in the interior into the direction of Goodlands. Here we crossed for the first time to sugarcane fields handing to the horizon.

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