Southern coast line of Mahé
Trip Start
Mar 17, 2007
1
156
435
Trip End
Ongoing
Victoria, Seychelles Islands
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
We did not make any plans on where to go yet, so decide on the spot: Victoria, the capital of Mahé. We have to cross the island for that. It is said to be 4 km at that point but I bet nobody can walk that in less than 2 hours! The views are nice.
While we are looking where to go for breakfast, we meet ... the car rental boy.
Coincidences to exist! He points us to a pub, where we have breakkie. But first, first, we have to pay 2 rupees (0,2 Euro) per half an hour parking. Okeeeee, but how do we pay? We do not find any parking meters. Hubby inquires in the pub. 'The wood shop' is the answer. We do find the woodshop. It does say: 'parking tickets for sale', but is closed. Dr T scrolls off. I ask. Post office is the answer. And indeed: we get what looks like scratch lottery tickets, 1 per half an hour. They must cost a fortune to make! While in the post office, I ask whether they have boxes or envelopes, I want to send a package to Belgium. The girls pull out an... old shoe box!!! No way I am sending someone a package from the Seychelles in an old shoe box. But the effort is appreciated. And, yes, I can send it is in any envelope.
Then we go on a mission; on the list:
- Why does my phone not work?
- Air France: book ticket home
- Buy envelope and writing paper
- Tourist info: what is there on the island and how can we book a day tour to the neighbor islands?
- Travel agency: can they book Madagascar hotels?
First internet café: after 10 minutes I am not logged in to Proximus yet. The solution of the girl: try later.
Air France: one way tickets cost 5 times as much as a return, so we book a return from Johannesburg, we arrive the 1st of February in Brussels!
Tourist information: we know we ARE spoilt. But, there is really not so much on the island but sandy white beaches, turquoise water, against a back ground of very green vegetation and rocks. Very pretty and romantic, though. There are 2 museums in Victoria: the museum of national history and the national history museum: hmmmmmm. A botanical garden. And the rest, advised by the lady in the tourist information, sounds like a tourist trap to me: art galleries, perfume factory, local craft village. Going to the neighbor islands has to be done guided (ferry, lunch, ...) and should be booked at the travel agency.
Travel agency: no, they cannot book anything for Madagascar, nor can any other travel agency in town. The booking for the neighbor islands, we decide we can also do via the hotel.
Next internet café: all is well with Proximus and my subscription.
And: miracle: we find a shop, where they sell envelopes and paper
Second miracle: we find tomatoes, onions and lettuce at the market.
We stop at the local mobile company: she does not know what it is, probably something wrong with the roaming and no, she cannot explain why it worked for 4 days.
By now, it is afternoon, we did not establish so much, sigh!
The southern part of the island is the goal. We stop for lunch at 1 o'clock: a Creole restaurant, a mixture of Chinese, Italian, European and local.
We sit on the beach and have a nice view. The food is very average.
We drive on to the south. The roads are narrow and sometimes the car can fall a couple of hundred meters down, if you miss by 10cm! There will be no driving in the dark and hopefully not in the rain, either.
We stop at several beaches for a stroll. They are mostly deserted. Bella is watching us!
Luckily we brought our own beer.
Despite the small size of the island, we barely make it home before dark, after some shopping for diner.
You can see home and Victoria.
And our route of the day.
