DAY 4

Doug.

Well the last 2 days we have taken it a little easier than Sunday. We had a good evening with our old Mauritian friends at the Grand Bai Yacht Club. J,A,A and C went to the markets and got some cool clothes. Scott and I played solitaire and then we had a mini soccer game tournament with Nick.

We have just arrived back from a marathon boating outing. 3 paddle boats and a canoe. When we were at the furtherest point and about to turn around Nick and Scott lost the rudder on their boat, which was a problem. So we all linked up with the rudderless one in the middle and Ash hanging on the edge in the canoe. It was great fun and amazingly easier to steer as the outside boats just stopped paddling. We careened into the lagoon and once again destroyed the tranquility of our own little private beach. I think the resort might be pleased when Friday arrives….. Over to Jen!

Jen

It is a fabulous place but I fear we are not quite the normal clientele! Nick has made friends with everyone and is going out clubbing with one of the waiters tomorrow night. They are complaining that he drinks everything in the mini bar every day! Ash has lots of admirers and was soundly kissed by an old man at the market today – she was NOT impressed. Scott is getting brown and relaxed, he is loving all the food but goes to the gym every day and runs. He is worried he will die when he gets back to swimming. C and A are also happy and we are all starting to unwind. Very glad we paid for all before we left this is the most EXPENSIVE place. Sunscreen is about $70 at the hotel and $40 in the supermarket – but beer is only about $1.30 – Nick is pretty much in heaven!

Ashleigh

A few words to some up my time at Mauritius so far – hot, no-consideration-for-personal-space, plentiful, absolute relaxation and a bit on the nose.
To look into these words with more detail; hot is related to the heavenly climate and rate of spiciness of the food, no-consideration-for-personal-space is related to the numerous people who find it necessary to kiss, stroke, touch and glare at me, and as mum has said, I really am NOT impressed! Plentiful is related to the mass amounts and variety of food and drinks, the abundance of beach and pool, the amount of cigarettes and alcoholic drinks Nick has consumed, and the laughs- plenty and plenty of laughs. Absolute relaxation is the description of all pieces of furniture and the lengths all the staff achieve to make our time as relaxed as possible and as un-strenuous as possible- which we make up for by paddle-boating. The ‘a bit on the nose’ description relates to the smells of highly concentrated sweat, salt water, incense, food, and very exotic perfumes.
All in all I could not think of anywhere else I’d rather be or anyone else I’d rather be with. Aw.

Audrey

Howdy boys and girls! Mauritius, despite its absolute beauty and incomparable awesomeness (to date), there are a few things that I have learned (and some lessons the hard way).

1. 1. Hornets can smell fear

2. 2. Sunscreen is more expensive than Baileys!

3. 3. The capacity of the human stomach is endless

4 4. Two paddle boats are able to steer one rudderless paddle boat to safety (Nick does break everything, Jen says =P)

5. 5. Water skiing is harder than it looks

6. 6. The birds here can surprisingly down a generous piece of croissant in one gulp and unfortunately;

7. 7. The coral isn’t coming back. (the reef closest to the island is badly bleached).

Today we bravely faced the Goodlands markets. I have discovered a new skill of haggling and there is so much more to Mauritius than the ignorant tourist supposes. Christo and I also learned the history of Mauritius first hand from Doug’s old friend, Michel and it isn’t a happy one. Tomorrow the catamaran awaits us and we go to pillage the islands of its knowledge (also lobster!). This is an amazing place, full of wonder, some of the nicest people in the world and unfortunately my new arch nemesis – the hornet.

Christo: I am being eaten alive by mosquitoes, the wi-fi technology here is about as good as you'd expect! Away!















Doug with friends, Michel and Jacque.














Obligatory sunset shot (by not-so-modest Audrey).

PS - Dad just got an account done of our expenditures, looks like Audrey and I, the venerable Christo are winning, probably with our sumptuous spa visits. Also, I bought a Panama hat, and have recently taken up selling drugs and cigars in Ecuador, will send samples. Love.