After a swim and a pancake breakfast at Three Brothers in Amed, I got back on the road to Ubud. It was a long day on the motorbike, but the scenery was gorgeous. I only got caught in 1 rain storm and 'misdirected' twice! Each time I was reminding how many nice people are out there in our world. After a few hours I pulled into Ubud and wanted to leave immediately. It was very different than the tranquil rice fields I had imagined! It was crowded, touristy, commercial and expensive. It was also raining, so I had no desire to get back on the highway. I went off to find a bed for the night and was fortunate to find Duana's Homestay. It was a beautiful compound and the next morning I discovered they had the best breakfast yet! That evening I took a walk around town, window shopped, and enjoyed a nice dinner. There was a big yoga festival happening over the next few days, which could explain my experience, but I did not feel the zen yogic vibe for which Ubud has become known. People just weren't friendly, and large tour buses were continually driving the main road. Maybe I'll have to try again! The next morning after the awesome breakfast of jaffle, banana pancake & fun fruit, the rains subsided a bit and I jumped back on the motorbike to head to Denpasar for rabies injection #3! It was a messy day, but I arrived at Bali Royal Hospital – soaked to the bone but in one piece. I was nervous but the shot was easy and fast. The most inconvenient thing about the rabies vaccine is that you MUST get the injections on specific days - no questions asked. Prohibitive if you are leading the traveling lifestyle, but I felt lucky to find a nice hospital with inexpensive vaccines. Outside the hospital I found myself yet again figuring out where to head next. I had one more full day in Bali, and decided to head back to Padangbai. It's a nice, mellow place where I could relax and see some new friends. Two hours later, I pulled into the Aloha Cottages. They weren't as nice as Kerti, but the pool was lovely. It was 150,000 IDR for a double with breakfast, and there was a great vibe. Plus, I wasn't awoken by the 100 Gili travelers every morning! It was also close to the white sand beach – great for sitting, snorkeling, and having lunch at a warung with your toes in the sand. Low stress :) My last night in Bali I enjoyed live music at the Sunshine Bar, caught up with Esta, and said goodbye to new friends – promising to return. Next stop? Back to Malaysia!
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The next day I rented a motorbike from the manager of Yulia in Sanur for 50,000IDR a day (you can do better!). I didn't have a map but wanted to head north, so I set my sights on Padangbai, strapped on the pretty new red helmet, and off I went! I got a bit lost and very quickly realized I had no petrol, so I pulled off at the closest mechanic. He had Absolut bottles full of yellow liquid displayed on a shelf outside his shop. Petrol. It cost me 8k for 2 bottles. The price of convenience! For the first hour it was very hectic driving, but as I got further from Sanur traffic subsided. The main road was pretty good, so I was able to pay more attention to drivers than potholes. I was told to avoid the cops, as they are known to fine tourists for non-offenses. To do so I wore long sleeves and pants, and at red lights I stayed back a bit from the intersection and just tried to blend in when other motorbikes would pull to the front of the line. Easy enough, and I enjoyed anonymity. After a couple of hours I made it to Padangbai and was ready for a break. I immediately liked the laid back vibe. I chose Kerti Beach Inn on the coast road at 150,000 IDR for a double room with a fan, cold water, and breakfast. It was just steps from the beach and the boats leaving for the nearby Gili Islands. It was a little odd being back on my own, and it was slower season here in Bali, but I still managed to find some good people. My first night I found a band at Babylon Bar. As the only patron, I met the band and they had me up there playing percussion. People started filing in, and it turned into a fun night. The lead singer, Esta, was a great guy who invited me to his house in a nearby village the next day for a cookout/jam session. I agreed, and we exchanged numbers. The next day after a visit to the gorgeous White Sand Beach, I drove out to Klungkung on my motorbike with an English lass on the back. It was a fantastic party and we stayed until after dark. Esta's band played for hours – he has a great voice and when I first heard him I really thought he was lip synching to Johnny Cash! Nope – he's just an amazing singer! Live music jams, barracuda and tuna on the grill, family, friends, fish satay, Bintang – it was a beautiful and special Sunday for sure. Padangbai was wonderful, but I wanted to see more of the coast. The next day I headed towards Amed via the coastal road. I visited both water palaces on the way and enjoyed great views, but it was a pretty intense ride. The coastal road turns an hour drive into about 4 hours, and takes you up, down, and around the mountains. Luckily I found more petrol on the side of the road, and the woman threw in some hard candy as well to keep me going! Amed was a bigger town than I imagined, but the development is low density (no higher than 2 stories) so it still has a great feel to it. I drove the entire stretch of town and there were many options. I chose Three Brothers at 150,000IDR for a double with hot water and breakfast. Great location on the beach, with many restaurants nearby, and there are rooms steps from the ocean. I was there to dive, so I set out the next day with Adventure Dive to check out the USS Liberty shipwreck. It was my first shipwreck, and I am still getting the hang of scuba, so I was very nervous. I am a bit claustrophobic, but up for a challenge! It was my first beach dive, and I really enjoyed it. We approached the boat and it was behemoth! 120 meters long... talk about intimidating! We spent the first dive making our way around the boat, which took about an hour. The sea life was incredible and the visibility was at least 20 meters. The garden eels at the end of the dive were amazing, and we also saw some nudibranches, a flounder, and barracuda my size (water enlarges things ;). After our break, the 2nd dive took us through the boat. It was scary at first, but my buoyancy had improved considerably and I was soon lost in the magic of the wreck. We saw the captains seat, the wheel, different rooms, and tons of fish. Absolutely amazing and the dive master was so peaceful it really helped :) I was exhausted afterwards, but went out for a snorkel just off the beach and was reward with a turtle sighting. I had dinner at a local warung – it was an amazing meal complimented by a beautiful moon over the ocean. The next morning I went out early for a snorkel off the beach in front of my guest house. The sea life there is incredible, and you don't have to swim far or fast to see it. I couldn't find the pygmy sea horses, so I guess I will have to go back! I would highly recommend Amed, although I have no idea what it'd be like in high season. Next stop? Off to Ubud! Our flight from Medan was early in the morning, so we hired a minibus from Bukit Lawang to make it in time. This time we had a race car driver, and arrived to the airport 2 hours earlier than expected. We were very relieved to arrive alive and very quickly hopped out of the van. It was a 3 hour flight and we arrived in Denpasar under the cover of darkness. We cabbed it straight to Sanur to find a place to stay. I was immediately surprised at how busy Bali was – loads of traffic and even more retail. We hopped out of the taxi on the main road and chose Yulia 1 Homestay – two single beds for 250,000 rupiah. The first day I was sick in bed while my friend, American #4, worked at the nearby Starbucks. We managed to make it out that evening to see the beach and grab some pizza while being serenaded by a cover band. Sanur was a bit too commercial for us, so we jumped a slow boat across to Nusa Lembongan for a night. 100,000 IDR and 45 minutes later we were on a beautiful little laid back island. We walked along the coast until we found our home for the night - Ketut's Bungalows. We were sold by the gorgeous sea view from our room, infinity pool, and price tag of 250,000 IDR. After a dip we wandered the beaches and ended up at one of the many surfing spots. There wasn't much nightlife in Nusa, but we managed to find a great little warung for a 15 IRD dinner of nasi goreng. The next day we rented a motorbike to explore a bit further. We headed to Mangrove Point – it was gorgeous so we thought we'd go for a snorkel. I hopped off the bike and noticed a couple of small monkeys chained up to poles. I walked over and a man was feeding one a rice ball. I was abhorred and felt very sorry for this monkey, and lost my head. I bent down and the monkey climbed onto my lap to eat the rice ball. I left it there for a moment, which was long enough for the monkey to latch onto my palm and attempt to suck my blood. I ripped that sucker off and managed to get away with a painful monkey hickey and a scratch from its tooth. I was very shaken and appalled by the lack of reaction from the monkey's owner to my bite and the fact that they were chained in such a way. We hightailed it out of there to Bobo's restaurant next door to figure out our next steps. We decided to take a nice, relaxing snorkel and were told to just swim out to “where those boats are”.... Well, our friend Bobo didn't let us know about the very shallow water, the seaweed farms, the poisonous snakes, and the long swim without fins... It was a terrifying 30 minutes after I saw that first snake. We finally made it past all of this, and were rewarded with one of the most beautiful coral reefs I've ever seen. We were exhausted and a bit shaken, however, so we swam to a nearby boat to take a rest. I wasn't sure we would be able to make it back, and I had no desire to retrace my steps so I waved down a small fishing boat, swam over, and asked the guy for a ride back. My friend was visibly relieved when Jerry drove over to pick her up and take us back to Bobo's. Quite a morning... it was time to motorbike it back to town and catch the ferry to Bali. On the way we caught some stunning views from the top of the mountain and Mushroom Beach. The roads were full of potholes, but there were very few trucks or cars which made for a nice ride. We made it to the boat in time for the very choppy ride back to Bali. Quite a day so far! Back in Sanur and a bit seasick, we decided to visit the local hospital and to check out my monkey bite. We made it to Bali Royal Hospital, which was spotless and efficient. Within 1 hour I had 2 rabies injections for $45 and was back out the door, with the promise of 2 more injections over the coming month. Something to look forward to along my way... My friend was leaving the next day, so we had a delicious farewell dinner at Warung Little Bird and found some live music at Mango on the beach. My friend and I said our goodbyes and I decided to stay one more day in Sanur to figure out my next steps. That night I headed back to Warung Little Bird for acoustic night and their delicious ginger honey iced tea! Back to Yulia 1 to get some sleep – the next day my roadtrip up the coast begins! Next stop, Medan, Indonesia. I flew Firefly out of a small airport outside of the city. I was a bit nervous, but it was a real airport. I didn't even have to remove my shoes :) I was headed to meet a friend from Baltimore, who was working in Indonesia for a few weeks. It was tough leaving Malaysia so soon, but I was excited to see a familiar face. Malaysia, I will be back. It was an easy flight, and there is a train that runs from the airport to the city center. Medan is a busy, dirty city and the third largest in Indonesia. My friend was staying at the Grand Aston, which I found via becak. It was a nice hotel, and the room had bath robes, slippers, a spa, and lovely clean sheets. Not too shabby. I found my friend in the lobby, and it was a beautiful reunion. There wasn't much to to in Medan, so most dinners were spent at Merdeka Walk across the street where we were often photographed, stared at, and barraged by questions from teens. Not many tourists stick around Medan, using it mainly as a jumping off point for the rest of Sumatra. But the friendliness and curiosity of the people made me smile nonetheless. I spent my days working in the room and exploring Medan on foot, which turns out to be a rarity in this city. The holes in the sidewalk and the barbed wire along the street gave that away, on top of the constant buzz of traffic. We had a few nights out with my friend's Australian coworker, who was happy to have some visitors with whom to enjoy a few San Miguels, Bintang, and of course a little gado gado. One such night was before our long minibus ride to Bukit Lawang, but we had to get out of Medan so we sucked it up and endured. We were the first ones on, and we only left the city once it was as full as possible. It stopped, and went, and stopped again. Let's just say it was a long day, and I was happy to have my friend by my side. Luckily there were no live (or dead) animals on board. Small favors. Five hours and 70 km later we were in the beautiful town of Bukit Lawang. Our plan was to do a jungle trek and go see the orangutans in the Gunung Leuser National Park. We were staying at the Riverside Guest House, and they sent someone to meet us at the bus stop. I enjoyed a motorcycle ride while the becak carried our bags. We stayed along the river on a quaint street full of guest houses, restaurants, shops, and homes, only accessed by pedestrians and motorbikes. It was a nice place, and we had a double room overlooking the river. That night we explored the town and found a place with live music and people singing along. We joined in after our meal, and luckily I had brought along my egg shaker :) We sang familiar songs, learned some Indonesian favorites, and heard songs with lines about banana pancake, orangutans, hotel bukit lawang, nasi goreng, and gado gado. It was lovely, welcoming and free. We fell asleep to the sound of the river and awoke to the shrieks of the macaque monkeys. It was time for our jungle trek! We had a short time in Bukit Lawang so we decided to pay for guides to have a higher chance of finding the orangutans. Off we went! Our first encounter after hiking straight up a tiny path was with a beautiful Thomas Leaf monkey that was a bit curious, so we got a good look. We hiked a bit further and then we came upon the first orangutans... a mother and baby. I was blown away – it was incredible and they were gorgeous. I could have sat there for hours and watched them interact and play in the trees. We kept moving, and that day we saw 9 orangutans (5 babies! ), gibbon, more Thomas Leaf monkeys, and gorgeous forest. Our guides (Pepan & John) provided a fruit break by the river and nasi goreng lunch on the top of the hill. We trekked our buns off, but it was well worth it. At the end we crossed the river to catch the “jungle taxi” back to town... this was a series of connected inner tubes that would periodically get stuck on the rocks. Funny ride down the river, and I ended up overboard more than a few times. It was a wonderful day, worth the effort, and I'd love to explore more of the Park. Having guides allowed us to really enjoy our surroundings, but I would recommend they lower the price a bit. Stay welcoming Bukit Lawang... we'll be back! Bali here we come... After nearly two months in an island paradise it's back to the city life. I'm experiencing a little something called culture shock. I disembark a bit foggy from my red eye and attempt to navigate my way into Kuala Lumpur. I make it to customs, and am given a 90 day Visa on arrival from a smiling agent, no questions asked. I like this country already! And, lucky for me, Kuala Lumpur (KL), is very well planned and I find the Express Train downtown without too much trouble. It takes about 40 minutes and drops me at KL Sentral Station. I switch to the local train and take it one stop to Chinatown to find my room at Bird Nest 2. I only have to wander a short time with my pack until I stumble across the small sign above the door. It has a nice vibe, and I receive a warm welcome from Willie. It's just very hot and humid in KL. I settle into my single room at 25 Malaysian Ringit per night (3.2 on the dollar) and wander into the 100% Polish occupied common area – unexpected! Despite my jetlagged fog, I manage to communicate and promise to see them after my cat nap. I emerge 3 hours later to a cup of Turkish coffee from my smiling new friends. I am now ready to face the madness of Chinatown. First stop is Central Market for a look around – knick knack central and tourists abound. You can buy anything you want there, just be prepared to haggle quite a bit. Upstairs is a food court, where I sampled some fresh juice. Tired of haggling, I head towards the nearby mosque and find myself inside being handed a free purple robe. I pop it on and start looking around. After just a few minutes I am roasting under the robe and decide to make my way out. At that point I run into a lost Korean woman, who for some odd reason thinks I might know where she wants to go – so I offer to join her in her quest to find a certain famous Square. We walk for a few hours together, and find the botanical gardens, the bird sanctuary, the I Love KL statue and art museum, and a bike race, but we never did find that square! We part ways to head back to our guest houses. My new Polish friends are hanging out, with the addition of Willie the owner and a German. I join them, and we end up having a lovely evening of religious, political, cultural, and all kinds of controversial conversation best avoided when meeting people for the first time – and vodka... let's jump right in! :) The next morning the German and I found a vegetarian buffet and some excellent iced coffee. That day I joined one of the Polish women on a trip to the Batu Caves. It's an easy, air conditioned train ride away and we have a lovely afternoon climbing the stairs and watching the crazy monkeys. That night the German took me to see the Twin Towers, which were gorgeous at night. We walked through the 'food street', which is only open at night and popular with tourists. I enjoyed some fresh satay and we share some Tiger beer. Our goal was the Helicopter Bar, but we arrived only to find it closed. The next day I spent more time eating my way through Chinatown and turning down a new tattoo, the salesman asking you like they are offering a cigarette or a new pair of sunglasses. Amusing. That day I discovered the most delicious vegetarian curry laksa and coffee on a tiny street behind the main Chinatown drag. The stuff of dreams. The next day I tackle the laundromat. The exciting life of a backpacker. That night the German and I reattempted the Helicopter Bar. I wore a dress and we found him some new threads on the way. Our efforts were rewarded – we go right up and enjoy a bucket of Tigers at the top for 75 ringgit. Just as we're getting comfortable, fireworks start going off in the distance – a great night and end to my time in KL! What luck, and highly recommended if you want to see the Towers. I really enjoyed KL – multicultural, a mini food heaven, English is widely spoken, people are nice, there is nightlife, and the coffee is delicious. The only downside so far is the poor air quality and the humidity, but the public transport is easy and it makes a great hub to explore the region. I look forward to my next visit! I had a wonderful feeling as I parked my motorbike outside of Guest House Chez Jacques. I love the excitement of the unknown while traveling, but there is also great comfort to be found when you are able to return to a special place. I walked through the gate and was greeted by a smiling Italian #2 – it was exactly what I needed after my rough ride through the capitol. There was a lively bunch of guests at Chez Jacques and we all enjoyed the cooking of Italian #1 that night. I stayed another 2 weeks living in Tamarin, working on maps and spending time on the beach. Three projects had my full attention and I wasn't leaving until I gave them a full effort. One organization I discovered monitors the marine life of the island, particularly the dolphins of Tamarin. I was lucky enough to spend 1 day out on a catamaran to Flat Island mapping birds and looking for dolphins and turtles. We tracked marine birds from the boat, then searched for nests on Flat Island, after which we checked out the underwater scene with our snorkels. I could get used to this - not a bad day at the office! My new friends kept me busy as well. I enjoyed Ultimate Frisbee with some expats, music on the beach with the local Tamarin crew, a stand up paddle lesson, more surfing, and mapping the trails in the nearby National Park. Tamarin Hotel had live music every so often, Manna's served up delicious local cuisine when Italian #2 was taking a night off, and the noodles on the beach never got old! One Sunday I was invited back to the east coast to take a boat trip out of Blue Bay. We visited 3 other islands, saw some Clown Fish, hiked an old fort, and had a fantastic cookout on Lighthouse Island - brilliant day with lovely people. No shortage of fun things to do in Mauritius! After a little over 2 weeks I felt pretty confident with the direction of my projects and networking efforts, and was getting pretty comfortable in my life in Tamarin.... it was time to move on. It was excruciating to do, but I packed up the motorbike, said my goodbyes and promised to return, and headed back to Mahebourg to fly away. I breezed through customs (3 days short of an overstayed Visa...) and boarded - knowing that I will definitely return to this beautiful little paradise. Mauritius fed my soul, filled my heart, and turned me into a blonde - and for all of that I am grateful! (well, still deciding about the blonde part... ). See you soon Mauritius & lovely new friends! Just as I was planning a picnic at Casela, I get a frantic text from a friend I met in Grand Baie - "Hey! Come to the north NOW and go fishing with us! Hurry we leave in 1 hour...!" Well, the north is about an hour away, but I'm up for an adventure. I managed to beat Port Louis traffic and arrive in Pereybere in just over an hour where a lovely fishing boat was waiting, full of Austrians. It was a nice ride on the water (although the Austrians were quite upset about only bringing 6 beers), and I even managed to catch 3 Bonito (lucky rod choice!). I still had my room in Tamarin, but over dinner Austrian #1 offered me a room in his house for as long as I'd like. It was a bit tough to leave life in Tamarin, but I moved north to my new room in Pereybere. My first night there he even had some friends come over for a bbq - a great welcome! It was a beautiful house, and it was wonderful to have a kitchen, couch and front terrace to relax. I took advantage and treated us both to many poached egg breakfasts! The place was walking distance to the Pereybere beach, so when I wasn't working on mapping projects I could escape for a dip. A meeting with the US Embassy provided a few more leads, so I found myself spending much more time behind the computer -but it felt great. The rush I get from a lead is something that will never grow old, and it reminded me why I chose life as an entrepreneur! I was introduced to many new friends, who invited me to bbqs, the beach, and parties. One day a new friend took me scuba diving through Octopus Dive Center, and the water was absolutely stunning. No major sightings but a nice morning out in the water and the dive crew was great. My last weekend in the north I was invited to stay with a couple at their place in Troix au Birches. We had a great weekend, and again, I met many new friends. Mauritius loves barbeques on the beach and everywhere I went I was welcomed with open arms. But I was missing Tamarin, and a few of my leads were down that way, so after 2 weeks I said my goodbyes wandered back down to see what was happening at Guest House Chez Jacques... Guest House Chez Jacques happened to have a vacancy, with one caveat... I would be the only non-Italian in the place. Bellisimo! I pack up my tent and say au revoir to my new friends. The room is nice and clean, the price includes breakfast, and the location couldn't be better. It takes less than a minute to walk to the beach and there are a few restaurants and shops just down the little street as well. Overall a wonderful, peaceful atmosphere and I feel immediately welcome by both Italian #1, Italian #2 and Snow (the hosts of Chez Jacques). My first night there Italian #1 invited me to a birthday party on the beach – his friend's daughter is turning 8. There are about 30 people sitting out on the beach enjoying the night as the children celebrate with games, cake and lanterns. A beautiful evening and a big welcome to Tamarin. The next day I set out for Black River Gorges National Park for a bit of trekking, which was a convenient 10 minute drive on the scooter. I chose the Macchabee View Point hike which takes me through dense forest, over a few streams, and straight uphill where I had a great view of the gorges and the sea. After 12km, I had enough and head back to Chez Jacques. Italian #1 is in the kitchen, and asks if I'd like to join the group for dinner. How can I say no? I sat down to dinner with Italians #1-9 and we enjoyed bruschetta, grilled dorado, lady fingers, and a little vino, and I try to keep up with the conversation – catching only a word here and there but loving every minute. The week flies by with morning swims, yoga, surfing, rainstorms, delicious pulpo, linguine, fruit, vanilla tea, walks with Snow, noodles on the beach, and learning Italian at home and French outside. One day I took a tour of the Chamerel Falls and 7 Coloured Earth – a bit touristy but it was beautiful. Another day I went to see the 'world's largest Shiva statue' which was quite impressive, and also stopped by the Casela Nature Park which was more of a zoo. But mostly, I enjoyed the meals, vibes, and waves in Tamarin! Its a place with a great soul, and I was very lucky to find Guest House Chez Jacques and it's wonderful hosts and guests! The ride back to Mahebourg was a breeze and once again I checked into Bamboo. That night I got an invite from a Couchsurfer living in Tamarin to go camping on the beach with her and some friends the next day. I was committed to witnessing the Cavadee celebration with the Bamboo crew, but I said yes hoping it was an easy ride across the island. We woke up early to prepare for the Cavadee celebrations and Reshma had outfits picked out for all of her females guests. The procession began a bit later than normal, around 11 am, so the sun was blazing... which meant those making the pilgrimage to the temple had to suffer barefoot on the hot roads. A truck went ahead spraying water on the street, but this did nothing for those in the back of the line. There are harnessed men, women in trance, the faithful – pulling their cavadee and moving with effort and determination to the Home of Muruga. Many have chains fixed by hooks clawed into their skin to pull the small wheeled altars, green lemons hanging from their skins and other 'vels', or sharp needles, pricked through their skin. All of this and ten days of fasting – a real showing of faith. After the last offering passed by, I sped back to Bamboo to pack up and head west towards Le Morne. As soon as I get on the road I realize it will be a long day – most of the country is out in the streets celebrating Cavadee, making it slow going through every town. It is a gorgeous drive along the south coast though, and someone is always around to point you in the right direction. I pull up to Le Morne beach and am blown away – it's beautiful. I locate the couchsurfer and her friends as they are starting to barbeque – good timing. A nice crew, mostly from France and a few local Mauritians, all living and working in Mauritius – I feel lucky to be included and try very hard to understand French! Just as we're getting cooking, a storm blows in and we decide to move along and try to find another spot out of the rain. Without much of a choice, we start the procession of 4 cars following me on my little scooter as I am pelted by the rain. I am thankful that my new friends are helping to keep me safe as we go – probably up there in my top 10 most uncomfortable scooter rides! We end up on Tamarin public beach where the rain has stopped and others have already started a big bonfire. The neighbors even have a fire thrower. Tents are pitched, food is brought out, and we enjoy a great night on the beach. I wake up in my little green tent to a gorgeous sea view, and dive right into the sea. I return to find my new friends making a picnic breakfast – I could get used to this place. They are making plans for the day, but I am content and decide to spend more time in Tamarin – it has a great vibe. Guest House Chez Jacques came highly recommended, so I called the manager and explain that I'm currently camping on the beach, but would like to check out his place. “Are you standing next to a green tent?”, he asks in his Italian accent. Startled, I look to my left and there he is walking my way. Laughing, I hang up the phone and walk on down the beach to meet him. Yes, I think it might be a sign! I awake to the sounds of the river and the pigeons outside my window rearranging their nest. Here I am in Mauritius, ready to start again. My first home was Le Bamboo guesthouse in Mahebourg, a colorful working class town with lots of character. Mauritius has a population of roughly 1.2 million people. It is multicultural and religiously diverse, with people of Indian descent (Indo-Mauritian), Franco-Mauritians, Creoles, and Sino-Mauritians. It made for a great environment and diverse dining options! On the terrace of the guest house I met a South African couple that offered to take me around the town – the man was going out anyway. Off we went – me to get my bearings (and a SIM card), him to buy some cake. The sun is blaring, so my gracious guide offers his umbrella for some shade. The first thing I notice along the streets are all of the snacks. I love snacks. Noodles, samosa, pineapple popsicles, pickled fruits, dumplings.... Yum! After our errands, we walked down to check out the waterfront. There were vendors, small shops, a temple, and people sitting and enjoying the gorgeous view of the mountains and the stunning blue water. There were a couple of other solo travelers, and one was a South African guy just off an oil rig stopping over on his way home. I mentioned I was going to rent a scooter, so he joined me in the quest. We found a local guy that just happened to have 2 left for 500 rupees a day (a bit high we came to find out). I stayed 5 nights in Le Bamboo (900R/night including breakfast), and got to know a great family. Each day I had breakfast on the terrace with other guests, and during the day I took my rented scooter out to explore the area. Dinners were also spent on the terrace, enjoying delicious Mauritian recipes out of Reshma's kitchen. I explored Blue Bay, went snorkeling in the Marine Park from a glass bottom boat, drove through fields of sugar cane, snuck into a few fancy resorts just to have a look, and drove around searching for the perfect samosa :) After a few days it was time to explore so I packed and took the scooter to the north. The South African joined, and off we went along the coastal road to the north. It is a beautiful drive up the east coast of Mauritius, and after stopping for snacks, swims, and photo opportunities it took us 4 hours to get to Grand Baie. We started looking for accomodation, and the first place we came across was a nice guest house run by a Canadian. They had no clean rooms, so they made a call and sent us on to the Auberge Miko where Vivek and Lena were waiting. It couldn't have worked out better. For 800 R per night I had my own studio apartment with a small kitchen, dining table, queen bed and balcony. I decided to stay 4 nights. Grand Baie is much more commercial and touristy, which meant more bars, restaurants, water sports, and traffic, but it was a welcome change after Mahebourg. The first night was spent at The Beach House, where they had a band and windows that opened up to the beach. A nice welcome to Grand Baie! The next day I discovered the stunning beaches, with turquoise water and white sand. Mon Choisy & La Cuvette became my 2 favorites. Noodles on the beach in Mon Choisy, and swimming in the cove at La Cuvette. There is a South African owned bar, the Patch and Parrot, so it's not surprising I ended up there with the South African. We made new friends, but it was time to drive back south. The South African was returning home to his family, and I wanted to witness the festival of Cavadee down in Mahebourg. Back down the coastal road, this time fully confident in our navigation. Although I had a feeling I'd be seeing the north one more time... |
ABOUTCombining a passion for travel, the desire to make a difference & a love of maps, MaggieMaps was born. PRESSUnless otherwise noted, all prose, poetry, maps and photography posted on this blog are Copyright 2013 Maggie Maps
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