Bonne Annee!

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“Mesdames et Messieurs, 10 seconds to 2011...5,4,3,2,1 – Bonne Annee!!!”. A romantic restaurant by the beach, champagne, good company, great conversation... New Year’s eves don’t come much better than this. And not for the first time since my arrival on the Seychelles did I feel I had landed in paradise.

A few years ago I saw a picture of Praslin in a travel magazine – huge boulders strewn on a white sandy beach, turquoise water, gently leaning palm trees... Ever since then I had dreamt of coming here. But who would have thought that one day I would actually be living and working in this picture postcard?

I am going to be a volunteer for a marine conservation project based on Mahe, and we were told that with all the diving and studying there wouldn’t be much time for anything else. So I decided to explore some of the other islands beforehand. Remembering the picture in the travel magazine, I put Praslin at the top of my list; and I was not disappointed – Praslin is beautiful: lush green hills sweep gently onto stretches of soft, sandy beaches, which in turn spill into the azure sea. The people are a friendly mixture of Creole nonchalance and French savoir vivre; there are few cars on the island, and no showy promenades or noisy bars. And even nature is quiet - instead of the deafening screeching of cicadas the crickets here chirp a soothing lullaby, reminiscent of balmy summer evenings back home in the Black Forest...

La Digue, a short ferry ride east of Praslin was next on my list. As soon as I set foot on the island I was enchanted – La Digue oozes tranquillity and charm. La Passe, the picturesque main “town” consists of maybe a dozen flower-overgrown houses, B&Bs and shops. The rest of the island is a mixture of lush hills and deserted beaches. Colourful cottages dotted around the countryside; people going placidly about their daily business; ox cards serving as taxis; bicycles instead of cars; unhurried; laid back; and improbably beautiful. La Digue is a dream and I could happily have whiled away many days here. But duty called – I had to leave for Mahe to meet up with the rest of the group...

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Photos

Anse Source D'Argent, La Digue
probably one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever been to

coco de mer
this is a large nut which grows on palm trees found mainly on Praslin and Curieuse. Not surprisingly there are erotic connotations...

baby hedgehog
at least I think it is... I found this little guy and his sibblings wandering around the undergrowth when I was walking through a forest on Praslin

La Passe, La Digue
ox cards are being used to transfer tourists from the ferry to the guesthouses

giant tortoise
I didn't know that these animals existed outside the Galapagos Islands - but they do, here in Seychelles...

Comments

[lou musselwhite]

Wow
Hi Wow - you lucky person - its looks stunning ! Cant wait to see how your trip develops - sounds like you are having the time of your life - hope you have made some great new friends. hope to hear from you soon, take care Lou x

[rosa]

lucky girl in paradise
hola juliane!!! Now I understand why you have desappeared!!! I wanna to loose myself there also!!! How are you? already working in your project? So no dive master? jeje. Give me some news on email, as I do not know if that gonna to be published or not. Bisous bisous

[natasha]

Wow!
Juliane, I'm reading this blog entry for the second time, and I still feel a little pang of envy creeping on in.... You write beautifully and your pictures are gorgeous... And you truly deserve to be in a place that makes you happy... All love, n.