Spring Break 2009 – Mauritius

Technically since Mauritius is in the southern hemisphere, mid-October is spring break time! To break up our stretch at sea from South Africa to India, we stopped for a very relaxing three days in Mauritius. Mauritius, an island off the coast of Madagascar, is one of the economic successes of Africa. It attracts many tourists with its beautiful beaches and well-preserved coral reefs. Additionally, its textiles, coffee and sugar cane are widely exported. Most of the tourists we saw were from India and Dubai, although the French influence on the island definitely attracts many Europeans, too. Despite the relative economic success of the island as compared with other failing African states, it appeared that much of the population has yet to reap the benefits of growth. For instance, some friends and I rented a large house just off the beach for only 8 euro per night, and our landlord Harold kept the money that we paid him in a drawer in the kitchen. We were all very glad that none of our belongings were stolen from the house – we only had one set of keys for all ten of us that stayed there, so we ended up doing a lot of climbing through windows! If us amateurs could easily “break in,” we were worried that anyone else would also be able to do so.

After all of the traveling we did in South Africa, it was nice to just lie on a gorgeous beach for a few days. The weather was absolutely beautiful! For three days, I alternated working on my tan, eating delicious food and swimming in the Indian Ocean…a wonderful vacation! We spent our time in Mauritius on the northern part of the island in Grand Baie, about a half hour taxi ride from Port Louis, where the ship docked. I took my first water taxi to get from the ship across to the main waterfront area, which was quite an experience. They packed over thirty of us with all of our bags onto a tiny motorboat, and the driver chain-smoked cigarettes while simultaneously collecting our money AND driving the boat. When in Mauritius…

While relaxing on the beach, we tasted fresh pineapple, mango and coconut…all delicious! On our first night, we went to an outdoor beach venue where there was a live band playing reggae and Mauritian music. We had fun tubing on our last day at the beach, but the water was so calm that it was a rather mellow ride. In addition to wonderful tropical fruits, Mauritian food consisted of a melting pot of several others, including mainly French, Chinese, and Indian.

Mauritius is definitely not a popular destination for visitors from the United States since it is so far away and hard to get to as compared to the islands of the Caribbean. Although not nearly as culturally enriching as some of our previous or future ports, it was a great stop, albeit short. It was sad to disembark from our last African port, but I can honestly say that I am even more excited for what’s to come in Asia! In just a few days, we’ll be crossing the equator back into the northern hemisphere and reaching India!