In the Land of the Dodo

It was not the stunning mountains with their spired-tops jutting up like to meet the periwinkle blue sky that made my heart beat faster as we sailed into Mauritius.  It was the high-rises that surrounded the built-up waterfront.  We were coming back to civilization.  Sailing into the posh marina after a two-week long water-logged passage was like a dream come true.  I would get my internet fix.

Now the ARC was divided into two distinct groups.  The affluent owners, and those crewing on the boats living more, shall we say, frugally.

Le Caudan Waterfront was definitely upscale.  Mauritius wanted to put its best foot forward and attract the “right type” of tourists.  In other words, Mauritius did not like backpackers.  There were no discount flights onto the little island, nor were there any hostels, or backpackers as the budget accommodations.

Of course, this meant that shops and restaurants catered more to people traveling on an expense account.  Still, there were a few fun things to do around Mauritius for those on a budget.

With free entry, Mauritius’ dodo museum was worth every penny.  It was interesting to learn about the infamous overgrown pigeons.  But there wasn’t even a taxidermied specimen.  The last remaining one had been thrown out in 1775

 

 

Entry to the Blue Penny Museum was a little more pricey, not surprising as it boasted two stamps worth over 2,000,000 dollars.  The stamps had originally sold for 2 cents… how’s that for inflation!  The museum gave a good overview on the history of Mauritius, but the stamps were the real attraction

After seeing the tiny unexceptional slips of paper, why the tiny pieces of paper had sold for that high price remained a mystery.  That said, I did pay the 225 R (over $7) entry fee to see it.

But the island itself is the real reason to go to Mauritius.  Though it is possible

to rent taxis to take you everywhere, they are by no means cheap.  Fortunately I was able to go on the ARC tour of the island, but for travelers, I would highly recommend renting a car.  It is well worth it.  A volcanic island, Mauritius’ verdant mountains, pristine beaches, and almost lunar landscape are truly spectacular.   The rum factories are also well worth a visit.  The

vanilla rum is not to be missed.

Still, Port Louis and especially the waterfront were a bit out of many of the crew members’ price range. So the  complimentary bottle of rum that the marina gave each boat set the mood for Mauritius to be a party port with parties on different boats almost every night.