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I am loyal and consant in my love for travel, as I have not always been loyal and constant in my other loves. I feel about travel the way a happy new mother feels about her impossible, colicky, restless newborn baby-I just don’t care what it puts me through. Because I adore it. Because it’s mine.
–Elizabeth Gilbert author
My second day on Mauritius we hit the beach at Ile de Deux Cocos (Two Coconut Island) via glass bottom boats. My life will never be the same. I think the students liked it too! There were probably 9 faculty and staff and 60 students on the island which sounds terrible but was really quite perfect.
We were greeted in true fantasy island style with cold face towels, mimosas, an open bar, free snorkel equipment and lounge chairs (pictured above) hammocks, cabanas, and a BBQ lunch of chicken, shrimp, fish, lamb, salads, breads, and on and on.
They had to pry our toasted, sand-crusted, worn-out bodies off the island. One of the owners (it is owned by a conglomerate) was on hand to wish us safe travels and make sure we didn’t make off with any of his crystalware, silverware, beach gear or the like.
In a journey of almost 6 weeks with a pace that makes my head spin daily, it was nice to chase sand crabs, ooh and ahh over fish, decide wether to snorkel or nap first (snorkel!), chicken or shrimp (both), hammock or lounge (neither!).
There were strolling guitar players who serenaded us as we napped and played in the sun and shade. Paradise, really. Because everyone was happy, content, relaxed. That night the “crew” that I hung out with in Cape Town insisted that I go out with them, but when I heard that the ride they arranged wasn’t due to come back to this side of the island until 4am….I laughed and laughed and told them “you couldn’t PAY me to hang out with yall like that again.” Plus, the next day I headed out for some deep sea fishing fun and had to be up at 5:15am. So I caught up with some students that I didn’t know well and had yummy chinese food until we couldn’t keep our eyes open or our heads out of our plates.
I thought it was hilarious that our boat was named Zazou 3Â (Wasn’t that the dude in “The Life Aquatic?”). This was another one of my goals…to go deep sea fishing, something I’ve been wanting to do for a few years now but had neither the time or the money in ample supply at the same time. And after this trip out to catch some beast of the deep, I can honestly say I’d rather stand on the docks and just throw my money into the ocean, because deep sea fishing is a gamble. And despite our gear, guides, and good attitudes, all we caught was sight of a Chinese navy ship, and 3 birds. I guess after Fantasy Island, I was due to draw a short straw.
I spent my last day on Mauritius at a Botanical Garden (yall know how I love a botanical garden) this was the best worst Bo-Garden ever. Turtles, ???? (I have no idea what these are because NOTHING was labeled!), oh wait here are some FLOWERS! Imagine that-and lots and lots of trees. I shouldn’t complain since it was free. Of course I was out and about with Shayla and so the day had to decend into foolishness. We got mistaken for South African tourists, she was assumed to be a cook on the ship, our cab driver tried to shake us down for an extra $5US after taking us on a skeevy city tour, we ate some sketchy ice cream, shot amazing views of the city and she got groped on the water taxi. So we’ve dubbed Mauritius “The Island We Hate to Love.”
CHENNAI, INDIA: Here we come!
Oh boy! I’m looking forward to Chennai.
are you sure you want to leave that beach? i’d be building a tree house or something…
srah: pics and stories to come!
lauren: girl, i tried, but they pried my fingers from round those palm trees and prodded me into the boat. thwarted.
Fun times, wish we were there with ya! HAPPY BIRTHDAY from the three of us. We love you and miss you and can’t wait to see you (and all the pictures you are bringing back!). Have a great day Funchilde! (Where ever you are.)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! Sarah Grace says hi there birthday buddy! She requested cheese pizza and cookies for her birthday – what you have? Hopefully something exotic and delicious. We love you and are so glad you and SG are birthday buddies!
The post is wonderful…but I could have just gazed at that photo for days. (sigh) I don’t actively miss the Caribbean…but that beach made me pang for it in a big way (even though that’s not where you are). 😉 So yesterday was your BIRTHDAY?! Hope it was a fabulous one…somehow I imagine that it was…
Love the pic! I’m glad to see all is well in your travels. Thanks for the postcard and happy Belated!
Dear Fuhchilde,
I am contacting you regarding a blog survey I am conducting. I am a Ph.D. candidate in Mass Communication at Penn State and my dissertation project consists of a survey that looks at bloggers’ perceived motivations for and effects of their blogging.
I am sending the survey to a number of bloggers, and I would like to invite you to participate in it as well. Participation should take approximately 15 minutes of your time. I would appreciate it tremendously if you would be willing to take the survey. If you decide to do so, please follow the link below:
http://www.personal.psu.edu/cds205/blog/signin.htm
I would be very happy to share the findings of my study with you once it is completed!
If you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to contact me!
Thank you in advance,
Carmen
Happy Birthday! I know, I’m a day late, but you were in my thoughts and I had to reach out. Had a good time this weekend. Saw Brian and of course he asked about you and says hello and to forgive him for not being into emailing…..he is a mess as usual! One of my good friends from college was here visiting me this weekend and we had lots of fun- met some people-clowned some people-had several drinks and did the damn fool; you know how I do! Loved that picture, I wanted to jump into the photograph and I’m with Lauren, leaving would not be an option- not for a while anyway, but I guess since your ride (that big ass boat) was heading back out to sea- a girl’s gotta do, what a girl’s gotta do!
I bet you are getting a great tan out there. Be careful with all that food that you’re eating…have you gotten sick yet? Hope you’re not drinking the water and wear sun screen. Mad Love….