31/3/2016 Mauritius (and Jimmy James)

31/3/2016 Mauritius
We got to beautiful Port Louis, Mauritius at 6 this morning, immigration procedures followed really smoothly at 7 45, breakfast was done by 8:30 and were on our tour bus by 9.  That's what I call efficient.  Well done officials. Our excursion was called Paradise Island and involved just over 1 hour cross country drive to the east coast, water taxi in groups of 20-30 to Ile de Cerfs and a day at a gorgeous white sandy beach, paddling in the lagoon, eating and drinking and generally being tourists. It was quite a big party.  We weren't quick enough to get sunbeds, which was a bit of a disappointment, but we did manage to find a coffee bar playing Bob Marley, and were able to sit in the shade enjoying the music, drinking coffees for quite some time before lunch.

  











Lunch stirred up a bit of bad behaviour in a few passengers, not in us of course, but a few people who couldn't bear queueing, and some others who decided they would police the queueing!!!!  We joined the queue after the fighting had passed, thankfully, and when everyone was back in line.

After the return water taxi trip, we had a lovely sleep on the bus back to the ship, so we were both refreshed and ready to walk some laps round the pool, bobble about in the hot tub, and get ready for dinner, which was, as always, just perfect.

After dinner tonight we went to the Curzon Theatre where the rather special and ever so old Jimmy James was performing. Who else remember Jimmy James and the Vagabonds?  Well if you are old enough, that's the same Jimmy James - all soul and all familiar, "Now is the Time" and "I'll go where the music takes me",  with lots of audience participation and another whole bunch of memories from my youth and beyond!  There's even a photo coming soon!



That's enough for today.  I loved it all.  St Denis highlights tomorrow, so bye for now, more from Reunion tomorrow.

30/3/2016 Sea day 2 to Mauritius

30/3/2016 Just one more sea day to Mauritius.   We are GMT plus 3 I think.  Still sailing south.  The sky is clear again most of the time, and we have had one very gentle cool rain shower.   I don't think I've introduced you to our two pools......, pool bars, hot tubs, sun beds




No sign of sea life though, just one solitary bird accompanying the ship for a few miles (probably hopeful of some scraps, but not getting lucky since throwing anything overboard seems to be outlawed these days).  Yesterday the captain did mention the possibility of seeing an albatross or two.  It hasn't happened yet though.

Interesting how every island has its own way of handling immigrants, in Mauritius all 1800 passengers have to undergo a face to face interview from 6:30 a.m. tomorrow. This is reminiscent of the USA, and Australia, but not many other places in the world.  We have a slot tomorrow morning at 7:45, it's early because we're off on an excursion called Paradise Island (a whole day beach trip with lunch!)

Today's art lesson was an Indian ocean beach scene, with palm trees, sunbeds and parasols, tiny people in the distance and the odd sailing boat.  Thankfully all small enough not to require too much detail.  We're both fairly happy with the outcome.




We learned today there's to be an art exhibition on 2/4/2016, our next sea day.  We need to choose 3 of our best pieces for this and submit them to Tony the teacher on 1/4/2016.

So just to sum up, tomorrow it's Mauritius then the day after is Reunion Island, both just inside the Tropic of Capricorn, so still not too much sitting outside, and then we move south-westwards to South Africa - Port Elizabeth and then Cape Town, where we understand the season is Autumn, and still like a good British summer. But not yet, two port days and three sea days before then.