It's been around 3 weeks in Mauritius and we haven't moved far :) Our initial plan was to take a ferry to Madagascar on 11 November, but we found out that the ferry is fully booked until January (due to holidays and celebrations) so it seems we have more time. We will try to do everything to catch some boat (maybe cargo) and to avoid flying - for that we need to reach Port Louis first.
Once we arrived, the customs in the airport noticed our big boxes from far and were already waiting with their arms wide open for clearance. They were not too happy to hear that these bikes are for our use and they are not going to stay in Mauritius, and after they saw the bikes packed together with bags, helmets and other stuff needed for touring they asked for the receipt, which we said we didn't have and the only thing they could do was just to let us go.
As we arrived late, we went to the cheapest guesthouse we knew from internet in Mahebourg ("Nice Place Guesthouse" - asked for 700Rupees/night), but the next day, after putting our bike parts back together, we found a really nice place called "Orient Guesthouse" - highly recommended. The rates are 600/700/800/900 depending on the room size and location (and the helpful staff is open for special deals if you stay long), the service was amazing and they had Wi-Fi - the previous place told us to go to the internet cafe, though they had internet "for themselves, not the clients" and the old lady was not as helpful.. One more thing - "Orient Guesthouse" is facing the blue blue waters, whereas "Nice Place" - a noisy street.
The first thing that we noticed was the smell - there was a smell of the Crab Sticks all everywhere and later we found out that the reason was some sort of fish laying eggs, that made the shore pinkish-red and smell like crab sticks :) Quite a nice smell I should say..
We had one week until our friends would arrive and unfortunately I had to spend 4 days in bed, because I got sick after the sweaty KL combined with air-conditioning everywhere. Just after that we did a 85km training along the East coast, fighting the wind all the time and the next 3 days gave us really crappy weather - wind and rain.
The day that our friends - Ignas and Karina - came started early, as we were waiting for them but they came really late. The reason for that was their hair - they both have some dreadlocks which in Mauritius are directly linked to marijuana so the officers were almost sure that they should have something with them and were checking every small thing they had, they even had to undress completely. What a gift after not sleeping for all night.. Consider that when coming to Mauritius.
So after our friends came we did some rides, went to visit Ile aux Aigrettes - a small island, nature reserve with endemic species of animals and plants.
Also we climbed the Lion Mountain for amazing views - we didn't find a path so took a little bit extreme adventure getting up. We had a not so nice accident in the village - to climb the mountain we left our bikes in the Police Station, which is the starting point and after coming back Ignas noticed that there was his Bicycle commuter and a Leatherman knife missing from one of the small bags on the bike. Policemen were just making excuses, like "it was not my shift", "we are not responsible" and even though I said it doesn't matter, now it matters to find who did it, we could feel that this case was just going to collect dusts in one of those shelfs or drawers.
Next day we finally packed our bags and put them on the bikes. The first feeling was interesting, so heavy and unstable, difficult to go up, but the downhill is sooo fast! :) The first day we left quite late (around 12) so didn't manage to go far. But we were not in a hurry anyway, the island is not too big. So, on the way to Souillac we visited Rochester falls, where we thought we would find a place to camp as it was getting dark but we decided to leave due to the muddy ground and army of mosquitos. We reach the beach when the sun was setting and after one minute there was a drunk local offering to rent a 2 room apartment just right on the beach (wanted 1500 Rupees, bargained for 1000), but then we went to have a dinner and found a much better and safer apartment for the same price (at Marybelles Restaurant) and stayed here for 3 nights, visiting the Valley of Colours (by bikes), Black River Gorges national park and The Alexandra falls by rented transportation - it would have taken us a couple of days with bicycles but we had planned to move around the island by the coastal road. Besides all the beautiful wildlife there are plenty of mosquitos that attack exceptionally me (and it doesn't help me write now..) :).
After then, again leaving too late, we came to the laid back La Gaulette village and we are staying here in great apartments for more than a week now - relaxing, socializing after not seeing each other for a long time and reducing the stock of local vine :)). On a saturday we visited a Reggae festival in Chamarel - it is widely propagated lifestyle here and the good smelling Rasta wibe was very much in the air all the time :)).
There is kitesurfing spot 10km south, and diving shop 15km north (here I was going for 3 days and raised my qualification to the Advanced level). We will stay here for several more days and hope that the wind shows up as we want to do some kitesurfing.
By the way, I have done around 400km by now, but my Brooks seat is still soo hard...
Once we arrived, the customs in the airport noticed our big boxes from far and were already waiting with their arms wide open for clearance. They were not too happy to hear that these bikes are for our use and they are not going to stay in Mauritius, and after they saw the bikes packed together with bags, helmets and other stuff needed for touring they asked for the receipt, which we said we didn't have and the only thing they could do was just to let us go.
As we arrived late, we went to the cheapest guesthouse we knew from internet in Mahebourg ("Nice Place Guesthouse" - asked for 700Rupees/night), but the next day, after putting our bike parts back together, we found a really nice place called "Orient Guesthouse" - highly recommended. The rates are 600/700/800/900 depending on the room size and location (and the helpful staff is open for special deals if you stay long), the service was amazing and they had Wi-Fi - the previous place told us to go to the internet cafe, though they had internet "for themselves, not the clients" and the old lady was not as helpful.. One more thing - "Orient Guesthouse" is facing the blue blue waters, whereas "Nice Place" - a noisy street.
The first thing that we noticed was the smell - there was a smell of the Crab Sticks all everywhere and later we found out that the reason was some sort of fish laying eggs, that made the shore pinkish-red and smell like crab sticks :) Quite a nice smell I should say..
We had one week until our friends would arrive and unfortunately I had to spend 4 days in bed, because I got sick after the sweaty KL combined with air-conditioning everywhere. Just after that we did a 85km training along the East coast, fighting the wind all the time and the next 3 days gave us really crappy weather - wind and rain.
"The Blue Bay" marine park is well known for good snorkelling.
Ze Cactus fence
The day that our friends - Ignas and Karina - came started early, as we were waiting for them but they came really late. The reason for that was their hair - they both have some dreadlocks which in Mauritius are directly linked to marijuana so the officers were almost sure that they should have something with them and were checking every small thing they had, they even had to undress completely. What a gift after not sleeping for all night.. Consider that when coming to Mauritius.
So after our friends came we did some rides, went to visit Ile aux Aigrettes - a small island, nature reserve with endemic species of animals and plants.
This friendly tortoise is around 80 years old.
Aldabran Giant Tortoise was brought to the island to replace the two extinct tortoise species that were living in the island.
Ornate Day Gecko enjoying the sun, endemic.
The Pink Pigeon (Columba mayeri) - one of the rarest pigeons on earth, endemic to Mauritius. It's famous flightless cousin Dodo used to reach 1m in size - probably everyone has heard the sad story of a Dodo... And there were more endemic birds that became extinct.
An orchid - Oeniella aphrodite. This island was declared as a nature reserve in 1965 to protect the last remnant of Mascarene and Mauritian coastal forest with the rare Ebony trees. The islands ecosystems were severely affected by weeds and rats, which were invading the local ecosystem. Despite the people who killed Dodo forever, they also brought all kinds of invasive species. One of them is a lizard, which was thought to save the colonists from malaria by eating mosquitos, it started eating the bird eggs and it is still an animal that the reserve workers are trying to fight.
90% of the island has been replanted by native plants and rats, cats and mongooses were successfully eradicated.
The Telfairs Skink - an endangered native species. The biggest threat for this species is heat - too hot soil causes infertility in eggs so the nursery is being built to save them.
Mauritius fody (Foudia rubra) - one more endemic species, the highest abundance is in this reserve, listed as endangered. Little of them left.. We didn't see the Mauritius Olive White-eye which destiny is even more critical and is one of the rarest birds in Mauritius.
Also we climbed the Lion Mountain for amazing views - we didn't find a path so took a little bit extreme adventure getting up. We had a not so nice accident in the village - to climb the mountain we left our bikes in the Police Station, which is the starting point and after coming back Ignas noticed that there was his Bicycle commuter and a Leatherman knife missing from one of the small bags on the bike. Policemen were just making excuses, like "it was not my shift", "we are not responsible" and even though I said it doesn't matter, now it matters to find who did it, we could feel that this case was just going to collect dusts in one of those shelfs or drawers.
You can see Ile aux Aigrettes from the Lion mountain.
The views of everyday life from the top.
White-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon lepturus) was spinning circles near the cliff.
A tree full of Village Weavers (Ploceus Cucullatus) - they have been introduced to Mauritius.
Building a new house
Next day we finally packed our bags and put them on the bikes. The first feeling was interesting, so heavy and unstable, difficult to go up, but the downhill is sooo fast! :) The first day we left quite late (around 12) so didn't manage to go far. But we were not in a hurry anyway, the island is not too big. So, on the way to Souillac we visited Rochester falls, where we thought we would find a place to camp as it was getting dark but we decided to leave due to the muddy ground and army of mosquitos. We reach the beach when the sun was setting and after one minute there was a drunk local offering to rent a 2 room apartment just right on the beach (wanted 1500 Rupees, bargained for 1000), but then we went to have a dinner and found a much better and safer apartment for the same price (at Marybelles Restaurant) and stayed here for 3 nights, visiting the Valley of Colours (by bikes), Black River Gorges national park and The Alexandra falls by rented transportation - it would have taken us a couple of days with bicycles but we had planned to move around the island by the coastal road. Besides all the beautiful wildlife there are plenty of mosquitos that attack exceptionally me (and it doesn't help me write now..) :).
Fully loaded
Sugarcane season - so many fields and big trucks loaded, with some canes falling out from their backs.
The Rochester falls
A Peacock in the Valley of Colours
The Valley of Colours - the soil (Volcanic origin) has 23 different colours depending on the metal. Once some rich guy wanted to plant something here and when the trees were removed, he noticed the different colours. There is a similar place not very far in Chamarel.
The Valley of Colours
On a several-hour trek in Black River Gorges National Park
Mauritius parakeet (Psittacula echo) - also endemic. It is quite abundant here being a success of conservation.
A wild pineapple
Palm tree
The Black River Gorges National Park (protected by UNESCO) landscape
Along the coast..
There is kitesurfing spot 10km south, and diving shop 15km north (here I was going for 3 days and raised my qualification to the Advanced level). We will stay here for several more days and hope that the wind shows up as we want to do some kitesurfing.
By the way, I have done around 400km by now, but my Brooks seat is still soo hard...
Sunsets on the roof in La Gaulette
The sun is setting on Le Morne - a famous kitesurfing spot.
