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Madagascar and the SeychellesMadagascar and the Seychelles
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A 31-day adventure by Julie Read more
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  • TravelerMadagascar and the Seychelles
    Day 24

    Around the islands of the Seychelles

    March 29, 2023 on the Seychelles ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    Back on the Le Champlain and greeted warmly by crew who have had a torrid time with the charter. We found it quite moving and happy to reconnect with them.

    Sainte Anne Marie island is a national park, hot and tropical. We walk up a steep path with no steps, boulders roots and in places an unmade path. The view is spectacular. We come back soaked from perspiration. Very large tortoises are everywhere wandering through the forest where we walk. We also see a tortoise nursery and a green gecko.

    First nights are special wonderful food - steak with foie gras, lobster followed by crème brûlée and washed down with wonderful French red wine. I realise I have seriously under packed for formal dinners. Need to check out op shops more carefully.    Read more

  • TravelerMadagascar and the Seychelles
    Day 25

    Poivre Island south Mahe & my birthday

    March 30, 2023 on the Seychelles ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Today we get an upgrade to a ‘junior suite’. A lovely surprise for my birthday. A larger cabin, walk in robe, larger table and couch, proper chair and a butler. He says he’s there to do whatever we would like including packing/ unpacking and drinks before bed. I did request no singing happy birthday at dinner.

    Poivre (pepper) is our first stop. When our Zodiac lands two crew including excursion leader Giuliana, pull it onto the beach. I am greeted with happy birthday sung in French. Giuliana was at my side when I was injured in Madagascar.

    We walk around this uninhabited island, a unique experience not a tourist destination. There are no paths, we walk through a coconut palm forest with mangroves. We see many large hermit crabs. Walking is challenging given the ground level vegetation.

    Bob organised two bottles of fine French red wine for dinner. Two other Australians we dine with also contribute wine so we drink very well that night. A great birthday.    Read more

  • TravelerMadagascar and the Seychelles
    Day 26

    Remir island

    March 31, 2023 on the Seychelles ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    We walk on a small remote island renowned for its biodiversity and rich underwater life. A pleasant walk and beautiful beach. We see more Aldabara tortoises watching one feed, nothing gets in the way when searching for food. We hear crashing and crunching of branches as the tortoise moves noisily through the vegetation.

    We see a diverse range of birds: Noddies, Terns and Stone turners little brown birds which turn over stones. These protected birds see few people so don’t fly away. Bob is able to practice more bird photography    Read more

  • TravelerMadagascar and the Seychelles
    Day 27

    Curieuse and Aride Islands

    April 1, 2023 on the Seychelles ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Unfriendly waves prevent landing on Aride. The alternative is an excellent Zodiac ride around the island. Large granite cliffs to the beach, alive with birds roosting on rocks: white tailed Tropic birds, Terns, Noddies, Frigate birds. They fly around us sweeping down for fish. The aggressive Frigate birds harass smaller birds until their catch is dropped.

    The second island was Curieuse. Another great walk, more encounters with the giant tortoises, curious and interacting with us in the hope of food or a scratch. We saw a breeding program with the baby tortoises. We walked through mangroves seeing very small grey crabs and red mangrove crab very large and very visible.

    Tonight we were invited to the bridge to watch the sunset and ‘sail away’ followed by dinner with the captain. Just the six Australians and one staff person. We get very good service and excellent wine. It was a wonderful dinner with an exceptional captain. He seems to be very hands-on often on deck supervising and helping out with the disembarking and boarding.    Read more

  • TravelerMadagascar and the Seychelles
    Day 28

    Two visits to La Digue

    April 2, 2023 on the Seychelles

    First visit: La Digue Seychelles, a dry landing. As we walked through town the contrast with Madagascar is stark. There were shops, a bank and an ATM. I wanted local currency but had no idea of the exchange rate. I ended up with 500 rupees ($50). There were few banks in Madagascar as its too difficult for locals to open an account, mobile phones are used to exchange money.

    Clearly prosperous, tourists everywhere, riding bicycles, guest houses, hotels, restaurants and souvenir shops. After two weeks in Madagascar it was just so different. A tropical paradise, blue seas, coconut palms and white beaches. The Seychelles are just 4° south of the equator so very hot and humid.

    We visit a spectacular beach, extremely hot and humid. I couldn’t swim however the water was hot and not refreshing. The volcanic granite rock formations were amazing. Our first sighting of the Aldabara tortoise (the world’s largest) and endemic to Seychelles

    Second visit: It’s Sunday so everything is closed (very catholic). We walk to the cemetery. A beautiful day in a tropical paradise. We see a grey heron and a few skinks. We have forgotten what day it is in Melbourne, when we arrive we see a large screen displaying Lap 58 of the Melbourne Grand Prix, very strange.    Read more

  • TravelerMadagascar and the Seychelles
    Day 29

    Praslin and Baie St Anne - coco fesse

    April 3, 2023 on the Seychelles ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    We have been told told about a large coconut Coco Fesse weighing up to 20 kg shaped like buttocks. Highly prized for its aphrodisiac properties, to me it looks more like a scrotum. The Coco Fesse jewellery is not for me.

    Vallee De Mai park is where we learn more about these unusual palms. It’s a lovely walk. It takes 15 years before they produce fruit, 7 years after pollination usually by green geckos, a coconut forms. We see many geckos. The trees are enormous and grow to be 150 years old.

    A gala dinner tonight. The captain introduces his management team, and we thank them. There is a magnificent sunset to end our day and our trip. We can dine with crew members, Giuliana my hero, dines with us a fitting end. Tomorrow will be a hard day saying farewell to this crew we have got to know so well.    Read more

  • TravelerMadagascar and the Seychelles
    Day 30

    Grand Soeur and the end

    April 4, 2023 on the Seychelles ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    On our last day I can snorkel. Bob's morning snorkel is from the zodiac. We visit a small private island Grand Soeur, big sister, there are many like this. We walk encountering yet more tortoises.

    We snorkel where the granite meets the ocean. Snorkelling in the Seychelles is around granite above and below the ocean. I relish the opportunity to be in the water. Coral bleaching is evident everywhere. Seychelles has only 20% of their coral left. The highlight is a sea turtle trying to extract food from a hole in the sand. Back for the last recap, thanking the naturalist team who have been wonderful and pack before dinner.

    We have one more night on Mahe. A damp day so happy we have not gone on the island tour. A good end to a very special trip.    Read more

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