I just read an article about Mauritius in Sunday’s New York Times here is a quote “ Mauritius, one of the Macarena Islands, has long been a playground for wealthy European celebrities - Prince William, Princess Caroline, Joseph Fiennes and Ewan McGregor among them. Now this Indian Ocean island is fast attracting $1,000-a-night sun-seekers from North America looking to top off an African safari with a beach vacation. Mauritius lies in the crossroads between Asia and Africa, with more of a Caribbean Creole vibe than an Arabian Nights feel… the nearest metropolis was Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on the east coast of Africa, 1,500 miles and a world away”

I will be sure to tell you if I see Prince William. And I can ensure you that my room is not $1000.00 a night more like $25.00. It will be nice to start off the journey on a low key, relaxing island. Though knowing me there will probably be more hiking and snorkeling than relaxing on a beach.


So here I am on a tropical paradise half way around the world. Mauritius is so beautiful with lots of tropical plants, flowers and palms. We have been spending our day relaxing on the beach and trying to recover from jet lag. Plus we have been visiting the various cities, towns, beaches and tourist sites. We have been walking between 7 to 11 miles each day and swimming in the ocean to cool off. The variety of people here is probably the most interesting aspect of their culture. The variety of people includes Indian, Creole, and French. Most people speak at least three languages of Creole, French and English. The people are very nice and it feels very safe here.

When I visit a new country I tend to compare it to all other countries I have seen, which has its positives and negatives. Like the first place I visited with wild dogs would have fascinated me where now I use the present of wild dogs as an indicator for the level of developed versus undeveloped. Such as in developed countries people have family pets in undeveloped countries the people do not have family pets as much and there are a high number of wild dogs in the streets. Of course all countries have a mix of both but it is the amount or where on the spectrum a country falls that makes it interesting. Mauritius, more than most countries, appears to have a good dose of indicators from both ends of the spectrum. SO I will list some of the indicators of undeveloped traits that Mauritius does have: wild dogs, street venders, public places and buses are dirty, crowded and slow, there are typical markets selling everything, trash on streets, local fishermen with bamboo poles, old mopeds(not a Vespa), some buildings falling apart and look like a bomb hit it them, some people living in cement or metal shacks, some people only have 1 or 2 sets of clothes to wear, the business market consist of bartering for goods and the merchants have difficulty providing change so they have to run down to their buddy at next stall for change. Shoes or shirt are not necessary in public places and there are less rules of conduct.

Mauritius also has many characteristics typical of a developed country such as new modern super markets, good drivers that follow traffic rules, plenty of BMWs, nice paved roads, very few touts or beggars, car washes, nice taxis that have a full tank of gas and windshield wipers, public restrooms with toilet paper, commercial centers with air con, quality cuisine, everything pretty organized, good infrastructure and services are efficient and professional. So perhaps that gives you a picture of Mauritius.

We are having a good time and will be sad to leave the tropical paradise.


Journal Entry Mauritius Posted On: 3/15/2005