Blogs from Mauritius, Africa

Friday 21st February Maha Shivaratri Hindu Festival 49% of the population of Mauritius are Hindus, followed by Christians (32%), Muslims (17%), and Buddhists (0.4%). When the sun sets on the day of Maha Shivaratri, the celebrations begin with the festival honouring the much-loved deity Lord Shiva. The festivities of Maha Shivaratri actually last a few days and allows thousands of devotees to make the pilgrimage to the sacred lake. Interestingly, the Mauritius Maha Shivaratri festival is the biggest Hindu pilgrimage that takes place outside of India. During this time, thousands upon thousands of devotees worship, light incense, chant, pray and make offerings to the gods in the form of the leaves from the sacred Bael Tree, or in the form of fruits and vegetables. Those who observe the festival journey in droves to the incredible Ganga ... read more

Tuesday 18th February We are now into our 2nd week here in Mauritius & continue to enjoy the hospitality of all of the staff here at the hotel. The room maid, beach boys, reception, waiters and bar men greet us each day or at meal time like we are long lost friends! We have seen many of the interesting sights of Mauritius on previous visits so this trip was purely for a R&R holiday to recharge our batteries. The days seem to pass without us doing very much, we spend our time relaxing on the beach, in one of the wicker cocoons or under the shade a a palm tree on one of the grassy areas around the hotel. Water skiing, paddle boats, sailing & surfboards , horses riding along the shoreline, there is always something ... read more

Saturday 15th February For Valentines dinner last night we sat under a thatched roof with the sand beneath our feet, those on the beach had to scatter a few times, just as the rain showers scattered too. We were glad we chose a table under the thatched roof. The evening was enjoyable but service was very very slow which was a shame because when the drinks & food finally arrived it was beautifully presented and tasted delicious. It was a set 5 course menu which was presented on a personalised scroll with the words “I love you, not only for what you are but for what I am when I am with you” . Although each course was small we skipped the risotto and the chocolate dessert as we were feeling quite full. There were plenty ... read more

Wednesday 12th February Today we feel we can really relax and start our holiday, Monday was a tiring day after the 11 hour flight on Sunday, yesterday we changed rooms so the day was a bit disjointed but this morning we awoke to what we thought was going to be a very windy and overcast day. The palm trees outside our room was swaying very strongly. I read on the local weather station that a cyclone was approaching.! Yesterday we experienced quite a few short sharp rain showers. What a difference today turned out to be! We found a nice spot in partial shade just back from the beach & not far from our room. I took a wander along the shoreline to the far edge of the hotel. The lagoon was a picture with beautiful ... read more

Sunday 9th Feb/Monday 10th Feb We were unsure what to expect today in view of Storm Ciara that was heading our way. Our taxi was nice and early for our journey to Gatwick airport. The traffic was light; so I’m guessing people heeded the warnings not to travel unless necessary. The traffic at the Dartford crossing was better than we thought despite the bridge being closed due to the high winds. Check in was swift and efficient and we were able to enjoy the facilities in one of the lounges, still not knowing the status of our flight. Chatting to several people in the lounge many flights were delayed and even more cancelled so we were delighted to see that our flight at 17.30 was still in schedule. We took off, all be it rather bumpy, ... read more