Thursday, 15 October 2015
Yet More Lemurs!
I have returned home safely after a very long journey home from Mauritius, and after looking again at all of my photos of the lemurs, I am putting a few more pics on the blog for you to see these magnificent creatures.
Sunday, 11 October 2015
Our Last Night Together
This was my evening stroll in the evenings down to the beach bar. Not bad eh? Beats walking to The Littleton! We have had a lovely meal together tonight, all of the group very good company, and several brandies as a nightcap (in the absence of any good wine!) Kicked out of our rooms at 11am tomorrow, and then we have to wait around the hotel until 5pm for our pickup. Flight at 8pm (5pm your time). I shall go for a nice long walk along the beach and then find a large palm tree to get underneath and read my book. Hope to land at Heathrow around 7am......back home by midday hopefully.Thanks again John for helping me to get this blog up and running properly.
Hope you all have enjoyed this holiday with me.
Pamplemousse Botanical Gardens
Three of us went today in a taxi to Pamplemousse Botanical Gardens up in the north of the island. They were transformed by a French horticulturist, Pierre Poivre in 1768 when he started to import trees and flowers from around the world. Giant water lilies up to 3m in diameter, but not in flower at the moment, lovely trees of ginger, cinnamon and sandalwood which gave the whole place a beautiful scent. Here is a selection of the flowers in bloom,
It is our last full day today so have to make the best of this afternoon and get some more sun and a swim in the ocean for one last time. It really is like having a warm bath with fish swimming around your feet!!
It is our last full day today so have to make the best of this afternoon and get some more sun and a swim in the ocean for one last time. It really is like having a warm bath with fish swimming around your feet!! This holiday has really been "island contrasts", my blog title.
Madagascar was totally unique with wonderful wildlife and lovely people living a very simple but happy life.
Reunion was very French, spectacular scenery, GOOD WINE, and not spoilt at all by the tourism that is up and coming.
Mauritius is far more commercialized with many seaside resorts and large hotels. Manly a place to come and get married, have your honeymoon or just chill out in the sun.
We fly home tomorrow night, which I am not looking forward to very much as could not book business class, but hopefully won't be too painful, and will look forward to being home after two wonderful weeks away.
Friday, 9 October 2015
Luxurious Mauritius
Well settled in my luxury pad in Mauritius now. Set right next to the Indian Ocean amidst beautiful gardens. Been out and about around the south of the island today driving through the countryside and small villages, ending up at a rum distillery for a tasting of 7 different rums! All this before midday!
View from my balcony,
Thursday, 8 October 2015
Tuesday, 6 October 2015
Some Snapshots of Madagascar
Hello everyone! Had no internet last week as I said so was rather stuck with doing the blog. Now having trouble transferring all my photos from IPad to the blog.......tearing my hair out in frustration, so decided to show what I can and will write instead to let you know what I am up to.
Last week was a fabulous week in Madagascar. Because it is such a huge island we were up early every morning and on the road by 7am (what?????) to travel to all the different places on the itinerary. We have seen ten different types of lemurs and sifakas and they just take your breath away when you see them in the middle of the forests. We had local guides with us who went on ahead to find them, and then we followed on. Also saw geckos, chameleons, snakes and numerous beautifully coloured birds along the way.
Left Maddy yesterday morning to get to Reunion hotel mid-afternoon.
Well........just over an hour's flight and we were in a totally different world! This incredible island is absolutely beautiful........dominated by two towering volcanic peaks . Rugged landscape of forested gorges, cliff-rimmed cirques.....very impressive. Been out all day today driving through the countryside and Creole villages up to Cilaos Cirque, a naturally-occurring amphitheatre situated around 1300m above sea level. Based in a very plush hotel set on the beach........and at last I am able to drink some v good wine!! Going to have a restful day tomorrow after being on the go for the past 8 days and just chill out by the sea.
Hope you get to see this blog, but I shall have to do it properly when I get home and send it out to all who wanted to follow my adventure.
6.30pm here, going dark, so off to the bar!!
Last week was a fabulous week in Madagascar. Because it is such a huge island we were up early every morning and on the road by 7am (what?????) to travel to all the different places on the itinerary. We have seen ten different types of lemurs and sifakas and they just take your breath away when you see them in the middle of the forests. We had local guides with us who went on ahead to find them, and then we followed on. Also saw geckos, chameleons, snakes and numerous beautifully coloured birds along the way.
Left Maddy yesterday morning to get to Reunion hotel mid-afternoon.
Well........just over an hour's flight and we were in a totally different world! This incredible island is absolutely beautiful........dominated by two towering volcanic peaks . Rugged landscape of forested gorges, cliff-rimmed cirques.....very impressive. Been out all day today driving through the countryside and Creole villages up to Cilaos Cirque, a naturally-occurring amphitheatre situated around 1300m above sea level. Based in a very plush hotel set on the beach........and at last I am able to drink some v good wine!! Going to have a restful day tomorrow after being on the go for the past 8 days and just chill out by the sea.
Hope you get to see this blog, but I shall have to do it properly when I get home and send it out to all who wanted to follow my adventure.
6.30pm here, going dark, so off to the bar!!
Friday, 2 October 2015
All Places beginning with A
Hello all those following me. It has taken three days to find some sort of reliable wifi on this island!
To bring you all up to date......
29th Sept arrived in Madagascar after a VERY long journey. There is a small group of 11 people on this tour, and a really lovely local guide called Mika who is tending to our every need!
First stop was in the capital city of Antananarivo where we spent the first night. Set on the edge of a lake, but didn't have any time to explore as we were on the road the next morning at 8am heading for Antsirabe, stopping in Ambatolamy for lunch. On arrival in Antisirabe we went to local workshops to see craftsmen creating the most beautiful jewellery from the local gemstones. I was very tempted, and then gave in to buying a Labradorite necklace, a stone local to Madagascar.
The people here are so lovely and friendly, although they have very little in the way of material comforts being that there is very little work for them other than tourism and farming.
From Antsirabe we drove yesterday most of the day to reach Ranomafana National Park. We are staying in a lodge on the edge of the park with lovely panoramic views from my balcony. Have had quite a long trek through the forest today and saw some fabulous wildlife. I was thrilled to see 3 different type of lemur......I have photos but will send them later on when I get good wifi. This place is a diversity hotspot with over 90% of the wildlife found nowhere else in the world.
We are here for tonight and then journey back to the capital tomorrow, which will be another long day. Then to Analamazaotra Reserve for more lemurs, chameleons etc.
On Monday we head to the airport for the flight to Reunion........and hopefully some decent wine!!
Wifi should be ok there so I can send some photos hopefully.
To bring you all up to date......
29th Sept arrived in Madagascar after a VERY long journey. There is a small group of 11 people on this tour, and a really lovely local guide called Mika who is tending to our every need!
First stop was in the capital city of Antananarivo where we spent the first night. Set on the edge of a lake, but didn't have any time to explore as we were on the road the next morning at 8am heading for Antsirabe, stopping in Ambatolamy for lunch. On arrival in Antisirabe we went to local workshops to see craftsmen creating the most beautiful jewellery from the local gemstones. I was very tempted, and then gave in to buying a Labradorite necklace, a stone local to Madagascar.
The people here are so lovely and friendly, although they have very little in the way of material comforts being that there is very little work for them other than tourism and farming.
From Antsirabe we drove yesterday most of the day to reach Ranomafana National Park. We are staying in a lodge on the edge of the park with lovely panoramic views from my balcony. Have had quite a long trek through the forest today and saw some fabulous wildlife. I was thrilled to see 3 different type of lemur......I have photos but will send them later on when I get good wifi. This place is a diversity hotspot with over 90% of the wildlife found nowhere else in the world.
We are here for tonight and then journey back to the capital tomorrow, which will be another long day. Then to Analamazaotra Reserve for more lemurs, chameleons etc.
On Monday we head to the airport for the flight to Reunion........and hopefully some decent wine!!
Wifi should be ok there so I can send some photos hopefully.
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