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Darren and JanetDarren and Janet
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Darren and Janet

Darren and Janet

traveled in 34 countries Read more🇦🇺Adelaide
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    • Darren and JanetDarren and JanetMauritius and West Africa
      Of course there were more beaches...
      Mon Choisy beach, just a few joggers in a Saturday morning1Mapou Railway Station. This is a 2 way road, but that doesn't stop people parking... either way!1Monument to Flight SA 295Former sugar factory, Belle MareFormer sugar factory, Belle MareView from our rooftop deckLocal supermarket, Trou d'Eau Douce

      Heading down the east coast

      May 31 in Mauritius ⋅ 🌬 25 °C

      We had an early breakfast and were on the road by 9am. As it's Saturday the roads aren't quite so busy, so we made good progress.

      We visited 2 aviation monuments today, the first to commemorate the first flight from Reunion to Mauritius in 1933, which landed near the beach at Mon Choisy. The second monument was for the crash of South African Airlines Flight 295, which suffered an onboard fire and crashed into the sea off the east coast in 1987.

      We took the inland route today and stopped at the former railway station at Mapou (with plans for a railway museum on the site). Mauritius had a railway network with 250km of track, from the 1860s until 1964, initially built to support the sugar industry. After almost 50 years absence, in an attempt to ease traffic congestion, rail returned to the island in 2020 with a light rail system, but with only 25km of track and 19 stations, from Port Louis to Curepipe.

      We drove through a number of villages, and visited a former sugar mill at Belle Mare, which is in remarkably good condition considering it closed in 1875. We reached our east coast accommodation at Trou d'Eau Douce just after lunchtime. Time to walk to the local supermarket for supplies and enjoy a leisurely afternoon on the rooftop deck.      Read more

    • Darren and JanetDarren and JanetMauritius and West Africa
      Panoramic of Grand Baie
      Notre Dame Auxilliatrice church, Cap MalheureuxPereybere Beach (the entire length, photo taken from the far end)Walkway to Bain BoeufBain Boeuf beach1Bain Boeuf, a bit further around the bay1...it's over there!?!Wading to a cacheDaruty Forest trails2Inland road to Grand Baie, sugar cane growing both sides

      Northern beaches

      May 30 in Mauritius ⋅ 🌬 25 °C

      We're staying in Grand Baie for another night, so today was a leisurely tour of the beaches on the north coast.

      The north coast road hugs the coast and looks on the map like it will have fabulous ocean views all the way. This turned out not to be the case, with private residences and resorts monopolising the sea views, and the general public getting just an occasional glimpse. There are a number of public beaches, but finding the access point can be rather challenging!

      But when you do get there, the views are idyllic.

      We began the day at possibly the smallest beach on the island, Pereybere Beach.

      The search for a cache took us next to Bain Boeuf, with access to the beach down a narrow walkway, opening up to a beautiful bay. I'm not sure how many public visitors this one gets, as there is no parking in the vicinity... but where there's a cache, there's a way 😁

      Our journey continued to Cap Malheureux (Unlucky Cape) - named as a reminder of the British invaders defeat of the French occupation at this point in 1810. The distinctive red roof of the Notre Dame Auxilliatrice church dominates the bay.

      At Anse La Raie Beach we walked out to one of the islands at low tide to grab a cache, then continued to Calodyne Beach, a popular local picnic spot.

      On the way back to Grand Baie we stopped for a walk in the Daruty Forest, then had a late lunch at the most popular Greek restaurant in town, "The Trojan Horse (The Greeks are Inside)".      Read more

    • Darren and JanetDarren and JanetMauritius and West Africa
      Dodo Island, Flic en Flac
      Fruit stall next to Dodo Island1Champ de Mars Racecourse from Citadel Fort1Port Louis city centre, from Citadel FortStreet scene, Port Louis2Fresh juice, Port Louis Central Market

      From Dodo Island to Port Louis

      May 29 in Mauritius ⋅ 🌬 23 °C

      We toured the backstreets of Flic en Flac picking up a few caches, including one at the Manguiers Roundabout (colloquially known as Dodo Island) - it's a public art installation of life-size dodo statues, inaugurated in 2013 to raise awareness about environmental protection, particularly the dodo's story. It's not mentioned in any tourist guides, but there is a cache there!

      We spent most of the day in Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius. It's a nightmare to drive in the city centre, with heavy traffic, narrow roads and hoards of pedestrians and scooters going in all directions, so we parked the car at the Citadel Fort, above the city centre, and walked the city for a few hours.

      Citadel Fort, also known as Fort Adelaide, was built from 1830 to 1840. It symbolises the start of Indian immigration and the end of slavery and was constructed amid tensions from the French Revolution of 1830 and the recent British takeover of Mauritius. The British built the fort to guard against potential French attacks and local revolts, but it was never used for that reason. The Fort is still intact and allows a 360-degree view of Port Louis. From the fort you can view the Champ de Mars Racecourse, the oldest racecourse in the Southern Hemisphere and the second-oldest in the world (founded in 1812,) and where Mauritius declared its independence in 1968.

      Our accommodation for the night is at Grand Baie, 15km north of Port Louis along the M2 - one of three motorways on the island where the speed limit is 110km/h. Unfortunately the good progress is disrupted by a series of roundabouts, mostly less than 1 kilometre apart! (the first 6 were 600m apart, the longest uninterrupted stretch was 4km)      Read more

    • Darren and JanetDarren and JanetMauritius and West Africa
      Beachfront food stalls, Flic en Flac
      1View from our accommodation, La Gaulette2View from Black River Gorges ViewpointBlack River Peak TrailMain temple, Grand BassinShiva statue, Grand BassinWorshippers, Grand BassinIcecream time, Curepipe Botanic Gardens4On the road from Curepipe to Flic en FlacFlic en Flac beachDinner, Flic en Flac beach

      The long way to Flic en Flac

      May 28 in Mauritius ⋅ 🌙 23 °C

      We only had 25km to travel today if we went the direct route up the coast, so we travelled the inland scenic route, first stop Black River Gorges National Park, the largest national park in Mauritius. The park was busy with tourists and school groups, but the drizzly weather dictated that it wasn't the day for a long walk today, so we satisfied ourselves with one cache and a short hike along the muddy Black River Peak Trail.

      Next detour was to Grand Bassin, a crater lake in the mountains, and a major Hindu pilgrimage site. There is no township or houses, just a large collection of temples spread over many hectares, including a 33m statue of Shiva, the tallest statue in Mauritius.

      The surprise of the day was the city of Curepipe, located on the central plateau, 560m above sea level. It has a population of 75,000 and because of it's altitude is known for its cooler and rainier climate, which we certainly experienced today. We visited the Botanic Gardens and the Trou aux Cerfs volcanic crater, with heavy traffic throughout.

      Final destination for the day was Flic en Flac, a beach tourism hotspot and home to many luxury hotels and resorts. It is the longest beach in Mauritius and has a line of food trucks along the beach front. Many are permanent and have built quite a reputation, so we weren't surprised when there was a line-up when we purchased our octopus roti for dinner 😋      Read more

    • Darren and JanetDarren and JanetMauritius and West Africa
      Chamarel 7 Coloured Earth Geopark
      Seaplane flights off the beach near Le MorneChamarel WaterfallFormer sugar mill site, Bell OmbreMaconde ViewpointLe Morne beachInternational Slave Route Monument and Le Morne Brabant1View from Maconde Viewpoint

      7 Coloured Earth

      May 27 in Mauritius ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

      As we arrived late last night, we had no supplies for breakfast, so we walked into town and had an omelette and coffee at a local bakery/cafe.

      After a quick supermarket visit, we headed off for the day towards the Chamarel 7 Coloured Earth Geopark. It is a relatively small area of sand dunes comprising sand of seven distinct colours and has become one of Mauritius' main tourist attractions since the 1960s.

      In the same park is Chamarel Waterfall, the tallest single drop waterfall in Mauritius.

      Heading towards the south coast, we stopped at Maconde Viewpoint, a small outcrop with views over the Indian Ocean. It is believed that the name Maconde originates from the slavery period, where runaway slaves from the Makonde tribe of Mozambique came to seek refuge. 

      Our final stop was Le Morne, one of the most popular beaches in Mauritius, but also home to the Le Morne Brabant, a 550m monolith located at the southwestern corner of the island. It is seen as a symbol of the resistance to slavery, as it was used as a refuge by slaves after escaping their masters. Legend has it that when slavery was abolished, the slaves falsely belived the approaching police (who were going to inform them that they were free men), were going to recapture them, and jumped to their deaths rather than be recaptured. At the base of the Le Morne Brabant is the International Slave Route Monument.

      The coast off Le Morne Brabant is often cited as the location of an underwater waterfall, which you can't see from the land... but it may be visible from one of the seaplane tours offered nearby.      Read more

    • Darren and JanetDarren and JanetMauritius and West Africa
      First view of Mauritius
      Self contained apartment, home for 2 nights

      Mauritius by night

      May 26 in Mauritius ⋅ 🌬 24 °C

      The day began yesterday with a flight to Dubai, a few hours in transit, then a 6 hour flight on an A380 to Mauritius.

      It's one of the few airports (perhaps the only one?) where the country is listed as the destination on the departure boards, not the city or airport name - the international airport, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport, is 50km from the capital and is usually referred to as Mauritius International Airport.

      We arrived at 5pm, picked up our hire car and drove in the drizzly rain to our accommodation on the west coast. The drive took us about 90 minutes as the roads were poorly lit with large drop-offs, and the many street dogs had no road sense!

      We had some difficulties finding the apartment, as Google Maps took us to the wrong area. Fortunately some friendly locals were setting up for a party in the front yard and were happy to help us get back on track.      Read more

    • Darren and JanetDarren and JanetScotland, Faroes, Romania 2024
      1View from Untersberg today
      Base station Untersberg... it's not looking good!2View from Untersberg today1Old style signage indicates the wares for sale, Old Town, SalzburgOld style signage indicates the wares for sale, Old Town, Salzburg3Old style signage indicates the wares for sale, Old Town, Salzburg1Collegiate Church interior, Old Town, Salzburg5Salzburg train stationLowenbrau Brewery Beer Garden3Now that looks fun! Mini cars for hire in Munich streets

      View of the clouds

      June 10, 2024 in Austria ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

      Our plan for the final day in Salzburg is riding the cable car to the top of Untersberg. If only the weather was in on the plan!

      We caught the local bus to the base station, arriving just before 10am . The cable car ascends 1,320m in 8 minutes, and on a clear day, the top has 360 degree views for many kilometres. Low cloud today meant we had zero view ☹️

      We had a coffee, then caught the next ride down, and back on the local bus, getting off near the Old Town. In drizzly rain, we discovered some streets and squares we hadn't seen yesterday, has some pretzels for lunch, then made our way to the train station.

      We booked the fast, comfortable train to Munich, but it turned out to be neither. It was so crowded there were people standing for the entire 2.5 hour journey. Oliver got a seat and I went for a walk to see if other carriages were any better. They were all the same, so I sat in the corridor between carriages for most of the trip, with 2 other people.

      Our hotel in Munich is near the train station, so we dropped our bags and went for a walk. Dinner was traditional German fare at the Lowenbrau Brewery Beer Garden.

      We're flying home tomorrow, with a short transfer in Singapore, then overnight in Melbourne before a domestic flight home on Thursday.      Read more

    • Darren and JanetDarren and JanetScotland, Faroes, Romania 2024
      Salzach River and Old Town, view from fortress
      Mirabell Gardens, view up to fortressMozart's birth house2Mozart's family kitchen2Funicular up to the fortressThe huge buildings of Residenzplatz1Salzburg Old TownGrey skies over Residenzplatz1St Peter's CemeterySalzach River, running high and fast

      Mozart's Houses... and a fortress

      June 9, 2024 in Austria ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

      We were up and about early today, starting our walk where we left off yesterday, in Mirabell Gardens. First stop out the other end of the park was the first Mozart house of the day, the one where he lived as a child. After a short tour of the house, we had strudel and coffee in the outdoor cafe next door and watched the world go by.

      Crossing the fast flowing Salzach River via one of the many pedestrian bridges, we made our way into the picturesque streets of the old town. As it was Sunday, most of the shops were closed, but the cobbled streets were busy with tourists and locals alike.

      Our second Mozart house was the one where he was born, and another self guided tour.

      Lunch was at a hole in the wall Balkan Grill - we were reading about the cult status of the grill, hidden away in a back alley, and noticed a queue had already started forming, so of course we joined it!

      After lunch we caught the funicular up the hill to Hohensalzburg Fortress, the 11th century fortress overlooking the city. At 250m long and 150m wide it's one of the largest and best preserved medieval castles in Europe.

      We meandered back the our hotel via the riverfront path, and had tea at the same restaurant as last night. As we were eating, the rain came down, luckily for the first time of the day!      Read more

    • Darren and JanetDarren and JanetScotland, Faroes, Romania 2024
      1Dwarf garden, Mirabell Gardens, Salzburg
      2Leaving BucharestGerman countryside from the trainMirabell Gardens, SalzburgSchloss Mirabell courtyard3View of Hohensalzburg Fortress from our hotel room

      Transit to Austria

      June 8, 2024 in Austria ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

      Today was mostly a day of travel, departing Bucharest around midday for Munich.

      After a long wait for our luggage we caught the train into the city centre (45 minutes), and transferred to our train to Salzburg with minutes to spare.

      We arrived in Salzburg at 5pm, checked into our hotel and went for a walk.

      We started at Mirabell Gardens and Schloss Mirabell, scene of some classic moments in The Sound of Music. It's also home to the Zwergerlgarten, 28 dwarfs carved in marble in 1695... and would you believe, "the oldest dwarf garden in Europe" (I'm surprised there's more than one!)

      Again our walk was cut short by an afternoon thunderstorm, so we took shelter in a restaurant and enjoyed a schnitzel and spätzle (egg noodles) for dinner.      Read more

    • Darren and JanetDarren and JanetScotland, Faroes, Romania 2024
      Riding the telegondola, vacant streets below
      1Constanța casinoRoman ruins in front of St Peter and Paul Cathedral, Constanța1Abandoned waterslideMamaia promenade, telegondola above4Telegondola going over the apartment blocks and hotelsLunch outside Constanța stationReplacement engine arrives1Street scene, outside Gara de Nord Station, Bucharest2Gara de Nord Railway Station

      The Casino and the Telegondola

      June 7, 2024 in Romania ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

      We continued our walk around the Old Town this morning, finishing at the Constanța Casino, on the waterfront.

      Completed in 1910, the casino was bombed in both world wars (because of its proximity to the harbour), then transformed into a cultural house, restaurant and tourist office before finally being abandoned in 1990. Since 2019 it has been undergoing restoration, due to open again later this year.

      Mamaia is a summer beach resort destination, with only a handful of permanent residents staying there over winter.

      Mamaia lies on a strip of land 8 km long and only 300 m wide, between the Black Sea and Lake Siutghiol. As it is very early in the season, most attractions and restaurants were closed... but some look like they have been closed for many years, so it would be interesting to see the town at the height of summer.

      We caught the telegondola back to the southern end of Mamaia, then an Uber to the train station.

      Our train back to Bucharest departed on time, but we stopped with an engine problem about 10 minutes down the track. The engine was unhooked and a replacement arrived about an hour later and we were on our way again.

      We caught the underground back to Marina's for a quiet night in, packing bags ready for our flight tomorrow.      Read more

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