All this happened on the 10th of January, 2022. After asking around far and wide for a place that would rent us a kayak, someone came through. The caveat? The two-person kayak only had one paddle. But we made do and paddled to île aux Bénitiers and Crystal Rock. Watch the vlog to see what that’s like! Contents1 Green Village Saves the Day2 Paddling to Île aux Bénitiers3 Mystery Rock + Crystal Rock4 Crossing Île aux Bénitiers on Foot/Paddling Around the North5 Paddling Back to Green Village/La Gaulette6 Contact Info7 Good intel? Consider buying me a tamarind juice! Green VillageContinue reading
Africa
Welcome to the category of blog posts about traveling in the continent of Africa.
A brief history of my travels there:
- Morocco: visited in 2012 (I think) for a few days with a girlfriend. I didn’t know about hitchhiking back then so I still have to return one day!
- Tunisia: visited in 2018 for one week when I had one week of vacation from university. I loved Tunisia and I’m eager to travel back. I hitchhiked once with some great people from Hammamet back to Tunis, with Jonas. Not a lot of time spent, I know, but I had to be back in class the following Monday
- Cabo Verde: visited in 2019 for 88 days with Jonas after graduating from university. Great times! I hitchhiked a bunch of times on different islands. All distances are very short because the islands are so small. I visited Sal, São Nicolau, São Vicente, Santo Antão, Fogo, Brava, and Santiago. I’d love to go back and visit Maio and Boa Vista
- Mauritius, Madagascar, and Ethiopia: between 2021 and 2023. Jonas and I were in Mauritius for almost a year on the premium visa
Thank you for coming to the category about Africa. I hope you find something that you’ll enjoy!
Îlot Fourneau: Peak Hike via an Interpretive Trail
We did this trip to Îlot Fourneau on the 6th of January, 2022. The Idea + Attempt #1 When we moved from Souillac to La Gaulette by taxi, we drove past Le Morne Village. We both saw the small islet called Îlot Fourneau off the coast. I want to visit as many islets in Mauritius as possible; they are the best kind of day trips. So when we settled into our home in La Gaulette, I did some digging into going there. I found a blog post about walking to the islet in shallow waters at low tide and thenContinue reading
How Difficult is it to Travel as a Vegetarian in Mauritius?
Short answer: not hard at all. We didn’t expect it to be this easy, but it’s really, really easy. Below is a list of some vegetarian dishes common to Mauritius. But first, let’s talk about why it’s so easy to find vegetarian food in Mauritius. Contents1 Why is it Easy to be a Vegetarian in Mauritius?2 How to Order Vegetarian Food in Mauritius?3 What Restaurants Have Vegetarian Food?3.1 4 List of Vegetarian/Vegan Dishes in Mauritius4.1 The Two Mauritian Condiments: garlic sauce and green chili sauce4.2 The Carby Classics4.3 Found at Snack Places4.4 Found at Regular Places4.5 Dumplings4.6 Foods that are notContinue reading
(Craft) Beer in Mauritius Guide—What a Lovely Surprise!
Trying new beers in a new country or city is one of my favorite things. That’s even better when the beer is crafty. On day 1 in Mauritius, this country already surprised me with its rather thriving craft beer scene. I haven’t fully explored all options yet since I’ve only been here for a few weeks, so I’ll update this post if I encounter more gems of liquid gold. Contents1 Mauritian Craft Beer Companies2 But First, A Note on Bottle Deposits and Fridge Fees in Mauritius3 Flying Dodo Brewing Company3.1 NEIPA — New England India Pale Ale3.2 IPA — IndiaContinue reading
Île aux Fouquets (aka Île au Phare)—Snorkeling and Urban Exploring from Mahébourg
All this happened on December 9th, 2021. I passionately wanted to visit the abandoned lighthouse at Île aux Fouquets (also known as Île au Phare) from Mahébourg. We joined a boat trip organized by a snorkeling shop/tour operator in Mahébourg. This included three snorkel sessions. This post doesn’t contain underwater photos taken by me, so if you’re disappointed because I only took pictures of concrete, you’ve been forewarned. Contents1 Arranging the Trip2 Getting Snorkeling Gear in Mahébourg3 Snorkeling at Île aux Aigrettes4 Wakashio Oil Spill Cleanup and Salvaging Efforts5 Urban Exploring at the Île aux Fouquets Abandoned Lighthouse6 Snorkeling inContinue reading
Taking Our First Rapid Antigen Self Test on our Fifth Day in Mauritius
According to the entry rules for Mauritius in 2021, we had to do a covid-19 rapid antigen self test on the fifth day. This was the first time we did a different test from the PCR test. Buying Our First Rapid Antigen Self Test December 6th, 2021 After making an appointment at a local dentist in Mahébourg and eating lunch, we walked past a pharmacy called Al-Shafa. “Tomorrow is our fifth day here, right? That means we have to do the covid test” I say to Jonas. “Already?” he replies, taking a moment to think. “No, the day after tomorrowContinue reading
How to Get a SIM Card in Mauritius
First, there’s a bit of story on the obstacles we faced when trying to buy a Mauritian SIM card. Click here to skip over that and go directly to the how-to for buying a Mauritian SIM card. FYI, the country code for Mauritius is +230 Contents1 Our Experience Buying a SIM Card in Mauritius2 FAQ SIM Card in Mauritius + Internet Freedom2.1 Which provider should I choose?2.2 Where can I buy a SIM card in Mauritius?2.3 What documents do I need to buy a SIM card in Mauritius?2.4 How do I activate the SIM card?2.5 Should I download the my.tContinue reading
Bonzur, Mahébourg?! Traveling from Istanbul to Mauritius (Semi-Live Blog)
On the 3rd of December 2021, we’re hopefully flying from Istanbul Airport (IST) in Turkey to Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU aka Port Louis Airport) in Mauritius. I’m updating this post as we go. If you’re here for the documents checklist to enter Mauritius, click here. Contents1 Booking Mauritius2 Omicron Variant Enters the Stage3 PCR Test in Edirne + Onward Ticket4 Day of Departure to Mauritius4.1 Packing + Edirne bus station + ride to Istanbul Airport4.2 Can we have boarding tickets, please?4.3 Immigration and security4.4 Mandatory time-wasting before the Mauritius flight4.5 Gate reveal and boarding5 Flying toContinue reading
Cabo Verde Itinerary: 7 Islands over 88 Days
This is the summary of our travel itinerary in Cabo Verde from the 15th of January till the 12th of April 2019. We visited 7 out of 9 inhabited islands in Cabo Verde during 88 days. To stay that long, we had to extend our visa on the ground. We’re Digital Nomads, meaning we work and travel at the same time. This also means that we don’t see everything on every island since we spend about one-third of our days working from our apartments. If you’re looking for tips on how to work while traveling in Cabo Verde, check outContinue reading