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A Sojourn in the Seychelles
  • Happy Days Travel
  • Mark Wade

A Sojourn in the Seychelles

Three weeks of relaxation in the sun before our African overlanding adventure. Read more
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  • Trip start
    April 16, 2023
    A Sojourn in the Seychelles

    Travelling to Gatwick

    April 16, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Another great journey starts at Skegvegas Station!! 🤣 We are so excited about this one - it's been in the planning stage for soooo long!!

    All early trains from Skegness today were fully booked, so we ended up on the 2.15pm with changes at Grantham and Stevenage, arriving at Gatwick at 6.22pm.

    So, we had a leisurely morning, having packed and cleaned through yesterday. We said our goodbyes to Mick and Rose and left home at 12.30pm. After dropping Bertha off at the storage facility, we took a taxi to the station. We've got rather more luggage 🧳 with us than we did for the last trip! 😂 Obviously, we are going to be away for a lot longer, but we are also carrying stuff that we will use in the Seychelles. By the time we head to mainland Africa, we SHOULD have fewer bags!!

    There was a huge queue at Skegness for our first train 🚆. We hadn't considered that it's the last day of the Easter holidays! There were loads of families heading home laden down with tacky souvenirs - a sure sign of a great seaside holiday! Luckily, we all got on the train, even if it was a bit crowded!

    It was a lovely sunny day. We enjoyed the scenery as we headed south, particularly the vivid yellow fields of rapeseed.

    All of our connections worked, and we checked in to the Premier Inn on time. We've had a couple of drinks in the bar and are heading for an early night. We have to be up at 5am!!    Read more

  • A Sojourn in the Seychelles

    A long travelling day - not over yet!

    April 17, 2023 in Qatar ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    This was always going to be a long, long day with lots of waiting around, but that's all part of the travel experience. As our favourite tour company's motto reminds us, 'It's about the journey, not the destination'!! 😂

    Today was not supposed to be as long as it's turned out to be, though! When I booked our flights ✈️ originally, we were due to leave Gatwick at 3pm. We planned a leisurely morning and a Premier Inn breakfast before wandering over to the terminal. We would then have had a 3-hour wait in Doha before our onward flight ✈️ to Seychelles. However, best laid plans and all that, a couple of weeks ago, we were told that our flight from Gatwick had been brought forward to 9am!! This meant a 5am wake-up call, no Premier Inn breakfast, and a whopping 9-hour layover in Doha!! Oh, well! First world problems and all that!! 😂 We're not complaining, really!

    So, we were up with the alarm and were first in the queue for 6am check-in with Qatar Airways 🇶🇦. They were very efficient and we had got rid of our luggage 🧳 and were on our way to security by 6.04am!! We had a 46kg luggage allowance each, and yet the guy at the desk next to us was over!! He also had 2 cabin bags 🎒 instead of the one he was allowed! We left him arguing with the very patient member of staff! 😂

    We were through security fairly quickly - even though we both failed the metal detector and had to go through the x-ray machine - goodness knows why!!

    After that, it was a Spoons breakfast and the obligatory pint of cider for Mark! I have no idea how he can drink it at 6.30am, but it's been the thing he does at the start of every trip for as long as I've known him!!

    We boarded without incident. My only gripe was that I'd forgotten to request a window seat! It was a completely packed flight, so we were stuck with the middle and aisle seats. Mark said, 'Welcome to my world!'. (I never let him sit by the window 😂🤣)

    We were served a full lunch at 10.30am our time, but the best advice when travelling is always to adapt to the local time as soon as possible, so we ate it! 😀 Mark even managed a glass of red wine 🍷 with his! 😂 The food was excellent!! They even found time to serve savoury pastries before we landed in Doha!

    On arrival in Doha, we had to pass through security to get to the transit lounges, so we had to ditch the water we had in our bags. However, we were able to refill them pretty quickly - there are drinking water fountains all over the airport 🛫.

    Doha is always ranked in the top 10 airports in the world 🌎 so there was plenty to keep us occupied during our long wait. Even though we're not shoppers, there was plenty to look at. We've now found somewhere comfortable to sit and charge our phones while we wait. There is zero chance that either of us will sleep before our 2.45am flight to the Seychelles!!    Read more

  • A Sojourn in the Seychelles

    Arriving in Seychelles!

    April 18, 2023 on the Seychelles ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    So, I was right! We didn't sleep a wink before our onward flight, nor during it, so we were absolutely knackered when we arrived here this morning!! 😂

    The flight ✈️ from Doha to Mahe was fine - despite the tiredness! We were moving another hour ahead time-wise, so we were greeted with 'good morning' by the stewards and served breakfast on board! To us, it felt like the middle of the night, but we were expected to behave like it was a new day! And, just like that, we lost a night's sleep!!

    However, we got our second wind when we stepped off the plane. Glorious sunshine and 30 ° at 8.30am! This is the life!!

    The immigration staff were really friendly, and we were soon through security with another stamp in our passports. According to a travel app I use, it's country number 52 since we started travelling together (not that we're counting or anything! 😂).

    Not having been in a hot climate for the past 3 years, we were dripping with sweat within seconds of stepping out of the arrivals hall!! We drew some cash (Seychellois Rupees) and went to find a taxi 🚕. We were shocked to be quoted 600 rupees (about £38) for a 12-minute ride! We asked around, but nobody was offering any lower. We had no choice but to accept! (Later, our host, Anto, told us it should have been 300 or 400 rupees at the most!)

    As tired as we were, we couldn't help but notice the beauty of the island during the short journey to our accommodation. The turquoise blue sea 🌊 looked really tempting!! Everywhere is very lush and vibrantly green, so we expect to see some rain 🌧 during our stay - a place doesn't look like this without plenty of the wet stuff!! 😉

    At our accommodation, we were met by Anto, one half of the French couple who own Cap Confort. He was very friendly and gave us the news we'd been hoping for - our apartment was ready, despite the fact that we were 6 hours early for check-in!

    So, we paid for our stay and then Anto helped us transport all our luggage 🧳 up to the first floor. He was very helpful, showing us on a map where everything is and giving us recommendations about where to eat and where to shop. I'm not sure how much we took in - we were both fit to drop by this point! As soon as Anto left, we cranked up the air-con and went to bed 🛌!! 😀    Read more

  • A Sojourn in the Seychelles

    First explorations!

    April 18, 2023 on the Seychelles ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    We slept for just a couple of hours 😴 before the sun 🌞 streaming in through the window woke us up! It was enough, though, for us to function for the rest of the day.

    After unpacking and sorting everything out, we ventured out to find a shop to buy some essentials. With such a huge baggage allowance, we did bring some basics with us, so we just needed something to add to make a meal. The nearest shop is only a 10-minute walk away, but we were dripping with sweat by the time we got there!! We admired the beautiful blue sea 🌊 en route and took a couple of photos 📸 but we really just wanted to shop and get back.

    The small supermarket had everything we needed. We bought bread, beer, onions 🌰, oranges 🍊, minced beef, cheese, and ice cream 🍦 - all the essentials!! 😂 We are very glad we brought coffee ☕️ with us - it costs an arm and a leg here!

    Back at Cap Confort, I got changed and went for a swim 🏊‍♂️. Mark didn't feel up to it, so he stayed on the balcony taking photos of the bats flying by - yes, really!! Photos will be added later when we've taken them off his camera 📷. The water was really warm - like stepping into a hot bath 🛀! It wasn't exactly refreshing, but I enjoyed it anyway 😊.

    Later, Mark had his first Seychellois beer. We made pasta bolognaise for dinner, and soon after, we went to bed! The lack of sleep had really caught up with us - but we are so happy to be here!! 😀    Read more

  • A Sojourn in the Seychelles

    Our first bus ride in the Seychelles

    April 19, 2023 on the Seychelles ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    We slept for a full 12 hours last night and woke up fully refreshed! That's us sorted - we're on Seychelles time now! 😀

    We had some stale baguette with cheese for breakfast. You would have thought I would have learned after years living in France 🇫🇷 - French bread 🥖 is NEVER any good the next day! It'll be brown toast tomorrow 😂.

    At 10.30am, we left the apartment to catch the bus 🚌 into Victoria, the world's smallest capital city. Anto told us the buses run every 20 minutes or so, but he didn't know at what times. We must have just missed one because we waited just over 20 minutes, sweating in the 32° heat, for it to come. I'm not complaining - I won't mention the sweating again!! (Every time I write the word, all I can hear is my Mum's voice saying, 'Andrea, don't use that word - ladies don't sweat, they perspire'. 😂🤣 And, no, she wasn't a product of Victorian upbringing!! 😂

    Yesterday, we were chatting to a Belgian couple who are staying in the same place as us. They have hired a car for the duration of their stay. When I told them we were planning to use the local buses, they were horrified!! They reminded us that they would take ages, be really crowded, and, most importantly, have no air-con. Correct on all points! BUT, they charge 12 rupees (about 70p) per trip - AND you get to meet the locals. For us, it's a no-brainer. For long-term travel, it's a case of, 'eat like a local, travel like a local'. 😀

    When the bus came, it was full. Mark had to stand, but not for the whole journey. It took us about 55 minutes to cover the 10 miles to town, but the windows were open, and we enjoyed people watching and listening to the chatter - not that we could understand any of it - everyone was speaking Creole. (The three official languages of the Seychelles are French, English, and Creole.)

    On the way, we made a note of a couple of places for future visits.

    We stayed on the bus until we reached the terminus, which was a bustling hive of activity. We tried in vain to find a map of bus routes and/or a timetable. Never mind. Without the Internet, when we're away from the apartment, we'll have to rely on the old-fashioned method of getting around - asking people!! 😀

    NB - the street art photos were taken in the bus station. There was a lot more that I didn't photograph - I'll have to add others later.    Read more

  • A Sojourn in the Seychelles

    Victoria, capital of the Seychelles

    April 19, 2023 on the Seychelles ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    Victoria is purported to be the smallest capital city in the world. It is certainly the only city in the Seychelles.

    For us, today was all about getting our bearings and checking out the market. We will go back another day to explore further and visit the museums. Having said that, we did see the Clock Tower, the focal point of the city. It really isn't that big, but it acts as a central meeting spot, standing on the intersection of Independence Avenue, Albert Street, and Francis Rachel Street. It is a miniature version of the clock tower at Vauxhall Bridge in London. It was a gift of the British government and was erected in 1903 when the Seychelles took the first step towards Independence.

    We wandered around the city before pausing at the waterfront for a much needed beverage! 😂 It was lovely just to sit and watch the comings and goings.

    Afterwards, we went to the tourist office to pick up a city plan and to ask for directions to the market. On route to buy our vegetables and salad stuff, we stopped at one of the many bakeries (a legacy from the French 😀) to buy a pastry for lunch. A delicious spicy vegetable pasty did the trick - snd it was only 10 rupees (60p).

    The market was great - we will definitely go there again. Locally grown stuff is quite reasonably priced, but you obviously have to pay a premium for imported stuff like tomatoes 🍅 and peppers.

    Before catching the bus 🚌 back, we went to another supermarket where we found low-fat milk 🥛. Mark bought a couple of different beers to try. The shops really remind us of the Caribbean, as did the whole of Victoria - the people, the architecture, everything! We feel very at home here 😀.

    On the bus ride home, the heavens opened, and it lashed it down!! All the windows were quickly closed - it was like being in a sauna!! You could see the steam rising! 😂 Local people all carry small towels with them. There was a girl at the bus stop this morning using one to mop the sweat (there's that word again 😀) from her brow. This afternoon, on the bus, people were getting on looking like they'd just stepped out of the shower 🚿 and using their towels to dry themselves off!

    Luckily, the rain had stopped by the time we reached home.    Read more

  • A Sojourn in the Seychelles

    Tropical storm

    April 19, 2023 on the Seychelles ⋅ 🌧 28 °C

    When we got home, we went for a swim 🏊‍♀️. It started raining again while we were in the pool. We stayed in because it was still 30°!! I love swimming in the rain 😀.

    Later, we had dinner and listened to podcasts until the storm outside got so loud that we couldn't hear them anymore! The heavy rain and high temperature reminded us of our time in Vietnam 🇻🇳 😂.Read more

  • A Sojourn in the Seychelles

    A spot of rum tasting!

    April 20, 2023 on the Seychelles ⋅ 🌧 27 °C

    Last night's rain continued into this morning, so we changed our original idea, which was to have a beach day ⛱️ ! Instead, we sat on our balcony making plans for the rest of our time here. Mark listened to some podcasts, and I started to read the first of a series of books set in Africa that I have on my Kindle. We're both feeling really relaxed 😌 now! 😀

    Later, when the weather improved, we walked 10 minutes down the road to the island's biggest rum distillery, Takamaka. Very handy to have it on our doorstep! 😂🤣 We had a really interesting tour, followed by a tasting of their range of rums. We also met Taka and Maka, their resident Giant Aldabra tortoises. As we left through the shop, a bottle or two might have made their way into our backpack 🎒 🤔.

    After our visit, we popped to the local shop for some eggs 🥚and some coke (to go with the rum 😋). On our way back to the apartment, we intended to buy some lettuce from the same roadside vendor we bought some from on Tuesday. He was there on our way to the distillery, but he had packed up by the time we were heading back. I was disappointed, but we would have done without. However, I saw the guy and asked him if he had any lettuce left. Initially, he said no, but his friend said he had some. So, off he went to look. He was gone for ages. When he finally reappeared, he had two bags of lettuce. He was embarrassed because he thought they weren't fresh enough. I assured him that they would be fine. He didn't want to take any money for them, but I insisted! This is what we are finding all the time here - the people are so friendly and helpful, and don't expect anything in return!

    And the lettuce was lovely! We had a salad 🥗 tonight, and there's enough left for tomorrow 😀.    Read more

  • A Sojourn in the Seychelles

    A day at the beach

    April 21, 2023 on the Seychelles ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    We woke up to bright sunshine 🌞 and 30° heat, so we decided to spend the day at the beach ⛱️. After breakfast, we got organised and went to catch the bus 🚌 to Anse Royale, one of the best beaches on Mahe.

    For once, the bus wasn't too crowded, so we were able to sit by an open window and watch the scenery. It was a bit hair-raising in places as we hurtled round the cliff-top bends with scary-looking drops to the sea below!! I'm pleased to report that we made it in one piece and found ourselves a spot on the beach with a bit of shade from the floribunda bushes.

    We spent the say there, swimming 🏊‍♀️ and snorkelling (there wasn't much to see, but it was good to practice with our masks again ahead of our boat trip next week). The water was crystal clear and lovely and warm. It was so relaxing 😌. This is what we worked so hard for over the last couple of years!!

    As the sun started to drop behind the trees, we left the beach and found a very posh supermarket (there are a lot of tourists in Anse Royale) where we bought bread and treated ourselves to an ice cream 🍦 to have while we waited for the bus 🚌.

    Back at the apartment, we had a swim and then sat on the balcony listening to the radio 📻 before dinner. I think we both got a bit too much sun today - rookie error!! 😂🤣 We'll have to stay out of it for the next couple of days.    Read more

  • A Sojourn in the Seychelles

    Best laid plans and all that 😂

    April 22, 2023 on the Seychelles ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    Our plan today was to visit Eden Island, enquire about boat trips to other islands, and do some shopping at the only South African Spar on the island 🏝 😀. None of that happened!

    I woke up before 6am and caught a couple of photos 📸 of the imminent sunrise. I did go back to bed but couldn't sleep. I was aware that Anto was up and about. He was cleaning the apartment upstairs from us. I knew he wanted to get in and clean ours today and that all 6 apartments would be full by the end of the day. So, we got up early, had breakfast, and headed for the bus stop, waving to Anto as we left, telling him he was clear to do our room.

    At the bus stop, I realised I had forgotten to pick up any water. You really can't go anywhere in this heat without water. So, Mark volunteered to go and get it while I waited with our backpacks 🎒. Luckily, the bus 🚌 didn't come while he was gone. It appeared around the corner just as he came back, so we jumped on it and were on our way. Two stops down the road, I realised I had left my phone on the bench at the bus stop!! Panic!! We pressed the bell, urged the driver to stop, and jumped off! My phone has everything on it! I was imagining the problems we would have if I didn't get it back!! I spotted a group of people setting up a picnic in the trees by the beach across the road. I ran over, explained what I'd done, and asked if one of them could give me a lift back to the bus stop. I was worried that, if I walked, someone would get there before me and take my phone. The family I asked were lovely! They were celebrating their grandma's birthday. One of them jumped in her car and gave me a lift while Mark stayed with the rest of the family. My phone was still there!! I've never been so relieved in all my life!! I offered to pay for petrol, but they wouldn't take a penny!!

    After our second false start, we went back to the nearest bus stop to wait for the next bus. It came after about 20 minutes - and we were on our way again! Unfortunately, we had got on a bus which didn't go to Eden Island! We found ourselves in Victoria instead!! Mark went to ask about a bus to Eden Island while I took some photos 📸 of the street art. He found out there wasn't one for an hour!!

    So, we decided to find a shady spot to have a drink and work out what to do with our day. We went to a little cafe near the Clock Tower. We didn't even look at the prices and ended up paying about £15 for an iced coffee and a beer!! Oh my goodness - our day wasn't getting any better! 😂🤣

    We sat for a while watching other white tourists wandering around suffering in the heat and then made up our minds to walk to a hypermarket a little way out of town to see if we could find some sugar-free drinks. Needless to say, on a day like this, we never found it! We did, however, find another large(ish) supermarket that stocked Coke Zero - result!! We can enjoy a Takamaka rum and coke or three now 😂! By now, we were both hot and hungry, so we decided to give up on our plans for the day and head home. We only had to wait 40 minutes for a bus!! 😂🤣 The joys of travel - some days are just like that!

    Back at the apartment, we chilled on the balcony and watched the comings and goings of the new arrivals. I had the obligatory swim before dinner - Mark gave it a miss today. I did 40 lengths, but it is a very small pool!! 😂    Read more

  • A Sojourn in the Seychelles

    A work day

    April 23, 2023 on the Seychelles ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    Today, we stayed at the apartment complex. I had work on the website to catch up on while Mark did the chores! We might be travelling, but the washing still needs to be done! It's not a bad view from my laptop, so I'm not complaining!

    Later in the day, we had a swim 🏊‍♀️. I did 50 lengths - it is a VERY small pool! 😀 While we were swimming, we were fascinated to watch the bats flying overhead!

    Mark is still working his way through all the Seychellois beers! 😂🤣    Read more

  • A Sojourn in the Seychelles

    More drama!

    April 24, 2023 on the Seychelles ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    This morning, we went out to catch the bus just before 9am. We didn't forget the water, and I had a firm grip on my phone! 😂 We decided to get on the first bus that came along. If it was stopping at Eden Island, we would go there. If it wasn't, we would visit the museum in Victoria. We didn't have to wait very long before a bus appeared. It was one for Eden Island. Delighted, Mark stuck his arm out for it to stop. I shouted to him that I had my phone. We were good to go!! But, for whatever reason, the bus 🚌 didn't stop!! It just sailed past us!! We were gutted!

    While we were still trying to make sense of what just happened, another bus turned up. It was going straight to Victoria, but we decided that was OK, so we flagged it down and got on. We were pleased that it was an almost-empty bus!! We sat by an open window and looked forward to the journey. Almost immediately, I realised I had done it again!! I had left my phone on the bench at the bus stop! How incredibly stupid am I??!! We rang the bell and jumped off at the next stop, much to the bafflement of the other passengers! Long-suffering Mark (how on earth does he put up with me?) then ran 🏃‍♂️ back up the hill to our stop. I stayed with the bags. Unbelievably, and so luckily, my phone was still there!! Mark retrieved it and came back to where I was, sweating profusely after his exertions in the 32° heat!! I really, really, must be more careful - I'm sure I wouldn't be so lucky if I did it a third time!!

    When the next bus turned up, it was really crowded. It was going straight to Victoria, so Eden Island was off the agenda for today. It was an uncomfortable ride into town. Just before we got to the city, we stopped at the Botanic Gardens. On the spur of the moment, we decided to get off and visit there instead! It turned out to be a good decision. I'm adding some photos 📸 to this footprint 👣 and will describe the gardens in the next one.

    The photo 📸 of Mark with his cap on backwards is not a sign that he's regressing to his childhood! It's because he can't use the camera when he's wearing it correctly 😂.    Read more

  • A Sojourn in the Seychelles

    Botanical Gardens, Victoria

    April 24, 2023 on the Seychelles ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    The Victoria Botanical Gardens were established in 1901 by Mr. Paul Evenor Rivalz Dupont, Director of Agricultural Services and Naturalist of Seychelles. Today, the Ministry of Environment is responsible for the gardens and has its headquarters within the grounds. The main objective of the gardens is to contribute towards the Seychelles' efforts in environmental education, plant conservation, landscape management, passive recreation, and eco-tourism.

    For us, on such a hot, sticky day, it was nice to find a bit of respite in the shade of magnificent trees. It was lovely to see plants and flowers that we saw at the Eden Project in Cornwall a few weeks ago thriving in their natural environment!

    A highlight was an impressive 40 foot tall Coco de Mer tree, which was planted by the Duke of Edinburgh as a sapling in 1956. I'm sure he would be impressed with how well it's done! 😀

    The Coco de Mer tree (scientific name 'lodoicea') is only found naturally in the Seychelles. It generally grows to around 30 to 40 metres tall. The tallest on record, measured on the ground after felling, was 56.7 metres.  The leaves are fan-shaped, 7 to 10 metres long and 4.5 metres wide.  It is dioecious, meaning that it has separate male and female plants. The one planted by the Duke is female. There is a male standing nearby. The mature fruit is 40 to 50 centimetres in diameter and weighs 15 to 30 kilograms. It contains the largest seed in the plant kingdom. This seed is synonymous with the Seychelles. You see representations of it everywhere - on advertising hoardings, on packaging, and on countless souvenirs. If you want to take an actual seed home with you, you need a special licence - and it will cost you a huge amount of money!    Read more

  • A Sojourn in the Seychelles

    Tortoises at the Botanic Gardens

    April 24, 2023 on the Seychelles ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    The Botanic Gardens is also home to a large group of native Aldabra Giant Tortoises 🐢. These are the world's longest lived animals with a lifespan of 250 years. The oldest in the gardens is 95. They are able to survive up to 3 months without food and water. This made them a valuable commodity as fresh meat on the ships that plied the waters of the Indian Ocean in the 16th and 17th centuries. They almost became extinct at that time. Conservation programmes, like the one in the Botanic Gardens, have ensured their future. It was good to get close to them. They didn't seem perturbed by the group of screaming schoolchildren who followed us into their enclosure. I was, but the turtles weren't! 😂🤣

    After exploring the gardens, we went for a cold drink in the café, erroneously named the Wildflour Café! Despite the spelling mistake, we enjoyed our Slow Turtle 🐢 cider (Mark) and rum and raisin ice cream 🍦 (me) 😂.    Read more

  • A Sojourn in the Seychelles

    Lunch by the waterfront

    April 24, 2023 on the Seychelles ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    From the Botanic Gardens, we walked down to the waterfront, pausing to take a photo 📸 of the Bicentennial Monument, erected in 1978 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the founding of the city of Victoria and said to represent the three continents (Africa, Europe, and Asia) where Seychellois people originated from. We also took a photo of the Unity Monument, unveiled in 1987 and depicting 4 large white fish. Each fish represents one of the pillars of the economy in Seychelles - tourism, agriculture, fisheries, and small businesses.

    At the waterfront, we found a café run by a Seychellois lady married to an English man. She lived in Kingston, Surrey, for many years. I can see why she prefers the Seychelles! We had a drink and shared a toasted cheese 🧀 and tomato 🍅 sandwich 🥪.

    While we ate, we watched a vivid orange bird. We asked the lady what it was called. She told us it was a robin! It was nothing like any robin I've ever seen!    Read more

  • A Sojourn in the Seychelles

    Peace Park, Victoria

    April 24, 2023 on the Seychelles ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    Our last stop on the way back to the bus 🚌 station was at the Peace Park. Here, there are 3-metre tall bronze statues of Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and James Richard Marie Mancham, the founding President of the Republic of Seychelles. I don't know what Mr Mancham looked like, but I can vouch for the likenesses of Gandhi and Mandela - I thought they were brilliant!Read more

  • A Sojourn in the Seychelles

    Craft Village

    April 25, 2023 on the Seychelles

    From the beach, we walked across the road to the craft village. Here, cabins occupied by Seychellois craftspeople surround a beautifully renovated plantation house. It is ostensibly a place for tourists to buy souvenirs of their stay in the Seychelles. But it is so much more than that!

    The place is a recreation of a traditional Creole village, designed to promote Seychellois cultural heritage, depicting the various activities that may be found in a traditional estate.

    It is centred around the Maison de Planteur, the house of the plantation owner with its outbuildings, including a traditional kitchen and servant’s quarters. The huge timber house was built around 1870. It was occupied by the Bailey family until they sold it to the government in 1972.

    It is a beautiful place. It was just a bit too hot to look around properly. It wasn't long before we repaired to the shady veranda for a cold drink!

    After our visit, we walked back to the apartment and spent the afternoon relaxing on our balcony. We had our usual swim 🏊‍♂️ before dinner. 60 lengths for me today. It is a VERY SMALL pool!! 😂🤣    Read more

  • A Sojourn in the Seychelles

    Anse Takamaka

    April 26, 2023 on the Seychelles ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    So, after saying we would only use public transport, today we hired a car 🚗!! Anto from the apartments organised it for us. We've only got it for a couple of days. We just realised it would be too difficult to get into the interior of the island and around the entire coast on the buses 🚌. It could be done, but it wouldn't be much fun!

    The car was delivered to us at 9.30am. After completing the paperwork, we were free to go.

    We headed south, through Anse Royale, and as far as the road would take us before it crossed the island and headed up the other side. We were hoping to find a small turn off to Anse Intendance, allegedly the most beautiful beach on the island 🏝. We never did find it, but we found some other stunning beaches, starting with this one - Anse Takamaka.    Read more

  • A Sojourn in the Seychelles

    Baie Lazare and Anse Boileau

    April 26, 2023 on the Seychelles ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    From Takamaka, we continued around the coast and stopped at two more lovely beaches ⛱️ - Baie Lazare and Anse Boileau. All of the beaches on Mahe are beautiful - and never crowded!!

  • A Sojourn in the Seychelles

    Venn's Town Mission Ruins

    April 26, 2023 on the Seychelles ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    We continued on the coast road until it ran out!! We got as far as Port Launay Marine National Park, which meant crossing the mangrove forest. I have no photos as there was nowhere to stop. We literally ran out of road!! We got a little bit stuck trying to reverse down a narrow hill! It was rather stressful for a while!

    However, we managed to turn round and make our way back to the village of Port Glaud, where we took the mountain road across the island. It was very steep and winding. The scenery was spectacular - very reminiscent of Tobago 🇹🇹! We had some rain on this part of the drive -
    you don't get this much greenery without a lot of rain!!

    We stopped to visit Venn's Town mission ruins. These are the remains of a boarding school opened in 1876 by Anglican missionaries to educate the children of liberated slaves who were now employed on plantations in the area. They built the school high in the hills, far away from the city and its many diseases. The children learned about the Bible and had lessons in singing, carpentry, and gardening. Many of them had no names when they came to the school, so they were given names like British, Bristol, and Baker. This explains why many Seychellois families of African origin have anglicised surnames today.

    By 1883, the school closed as all of the children had been integrated into other Anglican schools. In 1895, the Anglican diocese decided not to renew the lease on Venn's Town, so the whole settlement fell into ruin.

    Much later, the area surrounding and including Venn's Town became the Morne Seychellois National Park, and the ruins were declared a National Monument.

    In 1972, the Queen visited the site and inaugurated the viewing lodge. We stood on the spot and admired the view of the lush greenery of the national park and the islands off the western coast of Mahe beyond.    Read more

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