If ever you have the urge to pick up and get the heck out of dodge, call United Airlines immediately and book the earliest flight to this tiny island off the coast of Madagascar. You probably never even heard of this place before you saw it listed on my itinerary and that’s exactly the reason why you must go, like now.
I feel spoiled beyond belief to have been afforded the chance to run around an island in the middle of the Indian Ocean with my closest friends without any responsibility whatsoever. We made it to port early yesterday morning, jumped off the boat with our bathing suits and towels, and booked it straight to the beach. I can’t convey to you how amazing it felt to actually swim in the pristine waters we sail through and stare at day in and day out. I felt like a broken record because I kept saying to everyone “I am soooo happy! This is amazing!” Swimming, floating, lounging in the sun, volleyball, and great conversation made for an absolutely perfect day.
Because we only had one night here and many of us had trips planned for early this morning, we opted not to stay over in a hotel and camped out in our floating dorm room instead. It’s definitely strange being “at home” when you’re definitely not “at home.” There are however some phenomenal resorts that I hope one day I can come back and share with family and friends (family reunion? Hint hint).
It wasn’t a total lounge fest though… today I had the opportunity to survey the variety of Mauritian health facilities with visits to a traditional Chinese medicine shop, nursing school, public hospital, an ayurvedic wellness center, and a private hospital. Get this: healthcare is free for everyone. Even alternative medicine practices are free. Private hospitals are available for those who can afford them, but only 10% of people actually utilize them. This isn’t a public service announcement for socializing healthcare in the states, but people here really do seem to be impressed with what they’ve got going on.
Now I’m back at it. So long Africa, get ready India. Four days until my trip is officially half way complete, I truly cannot even believe it.
Until next time :)
Sounds amazing Kelsey ~ Thank you for sharing. Have really enjoyed reading all about your trip. Look forward to hearing about the second half of your journey.
ReplyDeleteUntil next time ~ take good care.
Love Susan