Okay I know what you’re thinking…It’s Tuesday!
Well you are absolutely correct…it is Tuesday and not in fact Monday? The day when I had agreed to include a splash of colour to brighten up what can often be thought a rather miserable first day of the working week?
Anyway please allow me to explain?
As this was a ‘Bank Holiday’ week-end; and it was of course my Birthday? And I was treated out to a meal by the family yesterday?
I somehow inadvertently lost all sense of time. Therefore here tonight; is what should have been yesterdays entry?
I really hope that you enjoy the slide show?
These shots then were taken towards the last few remaining days of our holiday in Mauritius when my wife and daughter decided that we should look for a deal in one of the posh ‘high end’ hotels here, and maybe treat ourselves to the luxury of some cool air conditioning and a deep hot bubble bath etc?
This decision came about after all of us feeling that we had done a fair degree of travelling since our arrival; what with sightseeing, and countless visits to our hosts amazing family and friends who had succeeded in fattening us all up and making us feel incredibly lazy!
And what with us not being unaccustomed to such a warm climate we had been overcome by the heat during the long days spent ‘chilling out!’ Equally we had then quickly found ourselves under ‘atak atak’ by the local mosquito gangs! In their swarms they cruised the area by night savaging the elbows and ankles or toes and fingers of any unassuming holiday makers!
These critters drew so much blood that I thought at one point we might require transfusions?
Anyway; a deal which was too good to refuse was negotiated and off we drove arriving on the lunchtime of the first day. Richard who was our host kindly dropped us all off and he decided to return to sort out a few bits and pieces back at the villa before agreeing to return and rejoin us the following day.
We were treated to beautiful tropical drinks and ice cold linen towels on arrival. The hotel gong was rung as each of us entered the lobby area and from the ‘get go’ it felt like we had been wafted into paradise.
The first evening was wonderful. To sleep between Egyptian Cotton sheets and to feel your head sinking into huge sumptuous fluffy pillows really did feel heavenly!
We watched some of the entertainment and dancing and enjoyed some more cocktails and lagers before eventually retiring to our beds.
Walking home carrying our little Beau draped over his dad’s shoulder along the beautiful manicured lawns and attractively lit pathways; we even saw a little native ‘Tang’ (Hedgehog type creature who was foraging for food in the low cut bushes)
There were also some very large fruit bats which we saw taking off out from the many tall palms. Then silently gliding from one side of the complex to the other with just the slightest flap of their enormous leather like wings.
After rising early and consuming a very large breakfast; we seized our opportunity to purloin a few extra croissants cakes and pastries and fresh fruit to share with Richard back in our rooms; when he returned! (“Don’t you dare tell me that you have’nt done this before?”)
That day passed quickly and we swam snorkelled sunbathed and ate wonderful food on the beach in the glorious sunshine.
We even took a pedalo trip which was also wonderful; Richard however in an effort to join his son and my daughter on his kayak actually managed to capsize it!
None of us laughed you understand!…Not one of us uttered so much as a single titter! Not one!
But once the day was done and the darkness befell the complex; Richard and myself decided that as everyone else had gone to bed; that we should maybe take some whisky and gin and some mixers and go sit on the sun loungers on the beach overlooking the Indian Ocean.
We sat for ages out there. Eventually though in the wee small hours; as we were watching the bats flying and the sun come up and listening to the waves lapping underneath our feet; one of the local Security staff walked along the sand in front of our loungers; then smiling broadly at us both he nodded his head waggled his finger and tapped at his wrist watch.
That’s our cue I thought…time to go! I did however get a long ‘lie in’ that morning! Or so I was reliably informed!
We certainly put the world to rights that evening I can tell you!
Good times indeed…
Paparazzibob 