Monday, June 16: Tamarin

Tamarin, a small town on the west coast, feels like a mid-70s retrospective. The main hotel is decorated like a shag-pad, but just one acid trip away from freaking out the geriatric patrons. By the sight of so many grinning dentures, I can tell this offers a pleasant nostalgia to these baby boomers - before the guilt of global warming. And burroughed in the Gold-Bond and white linen pants by the poolside is the town's only surf rental shop.\

On route to this mod revival, I met two fiercely attractive South African males. The sheen and beauty of their hair could only be matched by their love for one another. Quite often I would need to shield my eyes from the glare of their glossy locks while we laughed on the beach.

It was lots of fun spending the last few days of the trip with them. I only wish I had more time to run my fingers through those silky strands of sandy blonde.



 
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Sunday, June 15, 13:00:00: my hotel bed

And such is life. I happened to meet these deplorable bastards at a club last night and had the time of my life - unfortunately I don't remember what ensued. I just woke up at noon with happy fuzzy memories that will make me smile always.

Friday, June 13, 2008 11:10:00am: Grand Baie

As a single female travelling to a country where locals great everyone with warm smiles and three generations share a living space, I have been asked many times "don't you feel lonely?"
And the honest answer is No. I feel quote content just staring at the calm sea from every corner of the island. And if I have a cold bottle of Pheonix beer with me, then that's a bonus.
But I did feel alone this morning, when I found myself wandering through Grand Baie in search of coffee. I became a bit distraught when arriving at the closed doors of Lotus on the Square, located just before Pereybere. Realizing I had walked 1.5km in tight shoes just to get my fix of caffeine made me wonder how dire my addiction was.
Rather than wait 10mins for it to open (posted store hours are arbitrary in Mauritius), I turned back towards Grand Baie Village. I would regret this decision. Lotus on the Square was situated in a quiet landscaped garden next to a day spa. The atmosphere was calm and serene. In stark difference to were I would end up - Sunset Cafe.
I surrendered my tired feet at a table by the seawalk, expecting to sip my coffee while gazing over the boats floating on pale turquoise waters, emptying my mind of thought, getting lost in the beauty...
What I got was an earful of arrogant banter from the table of businessmen next to me. They were discussing vacation homes, stocks, and Wimbledom. Every verbal exchange was drenched with contempt for one another. It was less a conversation than a competition of social superiority.
Here, I did feel out of place. I was caught overhearing pitiful pretentions. These were the fathers of the daughters featured in My Super Sweet Sixteen. And I was horrified. These weren't people. These were bags of scabbing flesh bound into the human-form by the designer clothes and wristwatches that they wore.
I was more than releived when they finally left. But still I quickly drank my coffee before the next group of unfortunate jerks could arrive to occupy the table.




 
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Hong Kong Airport - MK 641 13:00:00

After eating dimsum with my little cousins and auntie, I returned to HKS to check-in for my afternoon flight. While waiting in line, I was introduced to a bright, smiling Mauritian, Jean-Raymond Rayapen. He helped me confirm that his country uses 240V outlets, and within minutes I received an invitation to eat dinner with his family in Trou Aux Biches. I also offered to check-in his excess luggage, and just like that two strangers hit it off in a frantic airport of a country that was foreign to both of us.
By chance (or fate), Raymond's seat in 38B was empty, so I had the fortune of spending a 10hour flihgt with a charming local, who patiently went through my itinerary with me and relaxed almost every sense of doubt I had brought with me from Vancouver.
Then we ate cauliflower masala and watched Bucket List, which was nice, but quite sad.
I met his lovely wife and six beautiful children outside MKS. I said thanks, thanks and thanks again to him as I followed my driver to his taxi. After 36 hours of travel and no rest, I was finally going to reach Auberge Aquarella and rest in a room with an unobstructed view of the Indian Ocean...



 
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FUCK Vancouver: June 8th 00:20

As a diligent passenger, I arrived three-hours ahead of my scheduled flight. Only to discover that CX889 was being delayed by 40mins. I could only bit my lip and shrug. An extra 40 minutes makes little difference considering it would take a day and a half before I reach my final destination
Half the other passengerns turned GATE 51 into some ill-smilling sleeping quarter during the hours leading up to our boarding time.
I've never seen a more unattractive collection on ondividuals since the time I found myself lost at Wal-Mart: disheveled hair, arms splayed across two seats and pale unironed khakis crease further by forcing sleep in awkward positions. Simply because it's less painful than making conversation with your spouse of 20+ years, whom you settled in marrying because, well, she settled for you, too.
And until I'm doomed to such meaningless existance, I will travel the world and keep documenting my sights with this pink pen and notepad.

Starstruck

 
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