We did the usual thing for breakfast….i really am becoming a bit addicted to pancakes and honey….so I mixed it up a bit with an egg yolk on avocado on toast…yum, yum….
Returning to our room we put on swim wear and off we went to the beach. Two sun-loungers in the shade were grabbed and we were set for snoozing in the sun….until of course I got itchy feet and wanted to swim…..we put on our swim shoes incase it was rocky and down to the waters edge we went…..there was only a couple of people swimming…and they were grumbling it was cold. So we braced ourselves and took the plunge…it was heaven …much warmer than the swimming pool. We swam for some time, John in the shallows and I went out deeper, giving him the occasional wave…
It was a first…the first time we had swam in the Indian Ocean…..so we can now add it to our list of places we’ve swam…Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Dead Sea, Caribbean Sea, North Sea, The Aegean Sea, The Adriatic Sea, The English Channel, Golf of Mexico ( now called Golf Of America ??!!), Atlantic Ocean and now the Indian Ocean…..we’ve still got a lot more seas and oceans to swim in!! But all in good time.
We returned to the loungers to people watch…
John investigated the chessboard!Proof that we’d been in the sea!!
Returning to our room about 1pm we readied ourselves for a trip out in the glass bottom boat at 2pm.
We set off from the pier near the boat house.
Our Captain Micheal gave us a short speech about what we might or might not see and then we were off leaving the hotel behind us..
Everyone sat around the outside and looked down into one of the 3 openings..
Unfortunately the glass was tinted so all the photos were very blue..but here are a few
It was a nice experience lasting only about an hour.
We returned back to our room to get ready for the evening meal.
John wandered down towards the sea a few yards from our room to get some sunset photos through the Banyan Tree.
We had once again booked La Maree Seafood restaurant.
It’s very picturesque in the evening under the stars
We spent some time looking at the menu
Before deciding once again on Prawn Cocktail.
Followed by the catch of the day which was swordfish.
We had dessert but once again it was so yummy I forgot to take a picture until the last moment …..
Another lovely meal…we returned to our room to face time our Granddaughter on her 15th birthday and to chat to that side of the family.
Another exquisite day in paradise….tomorrow we are up early for an excursion so it was early to sleep for us.
Finally we are off on an Adventure. Jonathan Kilroy – Kilroy cars & Driven – picked us up at 8.50 am….we’ve used Jonathan’s companies for many years to get us to and from the airport…totally professional and reliable and although an added cost well worth it for the security you get knowing they will reroute you if necessary to get you to your plane on time…all his drivers are good and nice characters…today it was the man himself….He loaded our bulging 2 cases and 2 hand luggage’s with ease and without any pomp or ceremony we were off by 9.00 am. By 10.36: Jonathan was dropping us off at the North terminal Gatwick Airport.
The bag drop off was seamless…no queues for Emirate Air and we booked our 2 medium sized cases all the way through to Mauritius. We went through security, which gets easier and easier….no more having to take electrics out of bags malarkey…although I did have to take my watch and bangle off…why ? Who knows ….because I didn’t have to take my gold chains off…there seemed no rhyme or reason but hey ho …we were quickly in the departure lounge.
Emirate air sent me a text giving me the gate number so we strolled down. The gate wasn’t open. In fact there was absolutely no one there….the gate didn’t open for another hour. Once again it was an easy process and we were soon sitting on our plane. It wasn’t full so we moved to either side of the aisle and had 2 seats each. What a comfortable flight, with smiling service and great food.
My only criticism was that the cabins air conditioning was cold and blew right on the top of my head…but where there’s the will there’s the way so much to Johns’ amusement I turned a spare blanket into a head scarf and snuggled down to watch 3 films and a documentary.
Johns details about the flight – We boarded EmIrates’ Airbus, A380-800 registration number A6-EED for the 3,400 mile first leg of our journey, One of the world’s largest passenger aircrafts, complete with double-deck design.
Arriving in Dubai, some 6.5 hours later, we transferred by bus to the well signed C gate. Even at 2.00 am the airport is a hive of activity. After completing another security body scan we embarked the plane a little late. It was a completely full plane but once again comfortable….the menu cards said we got a snack and breakfast…Emirate Air certainly like to feed you well.
Another 3 movies later, 6/7 hours, and we were touching down in Mauritius.
Johns flight information – At Dubai airport, we joined our second Airbus for the southerly run down to Mauritius. This time, the airline provided A380-800 registration number A6-EEN for this 3,200 mile flight. Just over six hours later, we touched down at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport. It is named after the well-respected gentleman who led the country into independence, became its first Prime Minister and, later, became Governor-General. The said gentleman can’t be responsible for his ‘mouthful’ of a name but it’s no wonder it gets shortened to ‘SSR’ by those in the know!
Coming in to land from the plane.
Passport control, seemed slow, although it seemed to be the computer systems slowing it all down, but as we were one of the first off the plane we didn’t actually queue for very long. You then go to health control. I had printed our declaration health and landing cards Q codes off…this meant unlike others I didn’t have to struggle to get internet to do it electronically….sometimes the old ways are the easiest ways…The luggage pick up was a bit of a nightmare with two conveyor belts chucking the cases out but not joined….so I stood at one and John stood at another…some 25 minutes later I spied one of our cases and retrieved it….I must say it looked very small compared to its travel mates…some 10 minutes later the other one arrived. They had both been tagged as “short transfere time”…Well done Emirate, we always breath a sigh of relief when we actually have our baggage on the trolly. With nothing to declare we quickly accessed the arrivals lounge and scoured the many company reps, all holding signs, for one saying ‘Mercury”…Got ya..a nice young man greeted us and ushered us to a taxi/ private hire. The trip to our hotel was about and hour, through some wonderfully scenic mountains and countryside.
Lovely views as we transferred from the airport to our hotel.
Driving through some pretty impressive gates we passed by lovely green manicured lawns, wooded areas, croquet lawn, mini golf and tennis courts before we arrived at the Maritim Resort and Spa reception.
We were greeted by a hostess and a porter who took our bags….ushered to a very comfortable sofa ( which actually I could have curled up and gone to sleep on!!). We filled out the formalities and were given a very refreshing glass of lemongrass infused water. Expecting to go to our room we were told our room was available from 3.00 pm on wards….oh no!!….that was another 3 hours and we’d already been without sleep for 27 hours…..never mind…we grabbed our cameras and went to sit in the bar and watch the world go by…
A couple of hours later we wandered through a wooded area, along the coast a little then circled back to reception.
We made an enquiry at the tour desk about a couple of excursions we fancied doing…..One was the highlights of the South East and the other was Port Louis and the North West…..ummm both seemed fairly expensive at €125 per person per trip….and the tours were for 15-20 people….not really our idea of fun…hanging about waiting for that one person whose always late!!!….So Nirmala our tour agent/ concierge, decided we’d do better having private tours for €170 each day including a driver who is also a guide…great !! She also told us that tomorrow was a Public holiday because it is Ganesh Chaturthi day – a major Hindu Festival…she invited us to attend a festival in a local town the next day….sounded good…at this point our lovely hostess from earlier took pity on our tired old bodies and told us our room was ready…..
Wow!! What a lovely room…and we only had to go down two flights of stairs ….. which considering the rest of the hotels’ number of stairs which are absolutely everywhere…..our room was was very good…our room has a super view of the gardens and the sea, the design is also very aesthetic, you can shut the bathroom sliding doors but why bother….the loo and the shower have doors….the former is a wooden door for privacy!!…..we were soon in bed fast asleep.
After a couple of hours of “shut eye”, I got up unpacked, had a shower, John went for a swim in the big bath and we were ready for supper.
We went to the buffet, it was really nice, lots of, freshly cooked food, variety, different tastes…etc. John was impressed with the different flavoured ice-creams he had for his dessert……we may be on holiday but his habits of trying all the flavours never change!!!!A very nice meal. The hotel has definitely surpassed our expectations…needless to say straight after supper we went to bed for a proper nights sleep.
Well!! it’s nearly time for “up, up and away”…..Mauritius here we come….
The suitcases are open on the bed and packing has commenced….smart trousers, shirts, dresses and evening shoes are in. Along with casual trousers, T-shirts, shorts, and swim wear….the don’t forget list is getting shorter…still got to find the swim shoes…!!
I went online to book our seats but alas although I could see we were booked on all 4 flights I could only find 3 out of the 4 flights with bookable seats. I phoned Mercury, who we have booked with…we are first time clients…..so we will see how we go……so far so good…..I had along wait to be put through to a customer service assistant. They were very helpful, reassured me we were confirmed on all 4 flights. However they can’t book actual seats for you but they did give me a direct line phone number to Emirate Air. I got through straight away. They very helpfully booked all our seats …the reason flight number 2 – Dubai to Mauritius – wasn’t showing is because it’s a full flight but as we were confirmed she managed to get us 2 seats next to each other…great…seats booked on all 4 flights was a total of £140… very reasonable as we usually pay £60 a seat each flight.
Having done this I then filled in the Mauritius landing cards….you have to do this prior to departing and you get issued a Q code which you need to have available to board the plane to Mauritius….
Travel insurance is in place, passports have more than 6 months on them, I picked up the Mauritius Rupees, which I had ordered from Tesco- they have to buy them in, they don’t stock them – So except all those little bits and pieces which are so important we are virtually ready to go…Why not read our blog every day so you can feel that you’re travelling with us…
