Last sunset, but we are on the east side of the island, so no direct view tonight - by cons beautiful moonrise, full moreover.
last look to the starry sky and especially the Southern Cross: it will have switch back to Big Bear soon!
That's how we call the state of depression vegetative advanced normally we terrace every Sunday evening at the idea again the next day a new work week. A state where we do not really know what to do, we do not plan, expected by the end of the evening, knowing that Monday will be painful.
One advantage of this round the world is that we no longer know what day it is, the notion of a week is greatly reduced and the syndrome disappears.
Except at the end of travel, we are "coasting" is back in three days, the big Sunday Syndrome cost, spread over several days.
We reach the first reactions of people when they learn that we are traveling for 8 months: "The return will be tough", no reflections on the joy of living as a nomad, discoveries continual comfort to travel light, the art to spend time for yourself, not just a remark inadvertently petty. Judeo Christian always this guilt must necessarily suffer to justify a joy, a joy.
Just started we listened to "Around the World" by Daft Punk, now is "One More Time" in the same group, is there a message?
It's good for morale is known! And after visiting the museum today is as good for your figure!
But do justice to this museum is an exciting and this interpretation nothing partisan figures on the link between obesity and sugar is really a minor information among all those presented.
The museum is also specifically called "the adventure of sugar and traces everything about the sugar on the island - it covers far more than manufacturing: history of the island since its colonization (and even a little earlier) and imports of cane foreground, with passage on slavery specifically provided, the biology of sugar cane plantation and agro about finally making the nectar, but also of trade figures, past and present worldwide - and of course tasting. A museum more than complete - three full hours of visiting with some panels zapped I confess.
It happens not to crack for a fruit paste in the store - a miracle after spent three hours in the sweet smell of caramel ...
rumination in full back in Alsace we have been asking when was the last time we experienced more than two consecutive days of rain and gloom ... it was Ubud end of December 2007: 4 months ago! Something tells us we will indeed be difficult to return!
The Mauritian TV: 3 channels, one in French, one in Hindi, the last in English, with mixtures of Creole here and there. The evening is TV5 Africa and a French TV series sucks well on the first string, an Indian film although weak (but enjoyable!) on the second and then a BBC film comedy not funny in English on the third. Night of blues, they broadcast football, the English league or the Bundesliga.
Dolphins are plentiful and tame, however, is hardly on the boat, closely following the 50-meter regulations to be maintained between the boat and animals - compared to the patrol boat that sails just a little further? no doubt!
Judgement in the lagoon for a little swimming, snorkeling fin: water clarity and incredible numbers of fish very tame. A medley of the finest that one has done without any hesitation.
Finally, picnic on the island Benitiers: grilled fish ... and surprise of the day, grilled lobster. A true delight!
What I particularly like here is the charm of the place names, in French most of the time they are descriptive at first, but really bucolic "wood darling," " Trou aux Biches, "" big rock "," black river "(Box of" little black river "and" Big Black River ") "Beautiful basin," "river eels'
The visit is followed by a tasting in a very pleasant setting overlooking the South Island - the tea is average, but very pretty sight!
Nothing is said, the roads are not marked, so we wait to find the start of the walk. Then it climbs dry, very very dry, the way becomes more and more often in rock climbing, and eventually have my dizzy because of my motivation for the beautiful view from above: I stopped on the way and let Joe finish climb alone. It will benefit of view, photos will join me before returning to sea level!
Mauritius is a good destination for acclimatise to return to France. Here, we speak French, you can often pay in euros. Side traffic, the sheer number of speeders fools (bus, taxis and 4x4 on top) is not unlike driving in Strasbourg. The speed limit signs and the continuous lines are just there for decoration, for the cons to move panels are much rarer. The LHD does not help the situation, especially in the absence of shoulders, the slightest deviation leads to a deep ditch. The sidewalks are almost non-existent, therefore, avoid pedestrians, cyclists and cars parked two abreast while doing does not snatch the mirror from the bus arrives furious face. Listed
architecture is well ugly concrete air not over. The cities are ugly, fortunately there are still beautiful beaches and beautiful mountains surrounded by fields of sugar cane. Listed
population, the Indian side that is most visible, it reminds Rajasthan but without the charm palaces and shopping streets. The welcome is friendly, no stress, the relationship with the tourist is healthy.
in extremis a Lonely Planet Mauritius in a shop in the airport an hour before takeoff, which left us to prepare the flight, a little, we arrived.
landing at an airport in luxury, it's beautiful, it's clean, it is duty free. Here, we welcome the tourists with high-end program "all inclusive". The first thing we are asked is "what hotel you'll stay," we do not know, for the customs form will be a name taken at random in the guide.
entry also includes a health check where is the list of countries requested Asian, South American and African countries visited during the last six months ... the space is too small for us.
We tour the rental car to the airport, as often it is a local rental company that offers the price and terms that are most interesting. As we insist on having the lowest fare, it offers us a car that has just been restored by the previous client, it was not washed but whatever, plus it's an upgrade.
We start looking for housing, the first visit will be the right, a studio with kitchen and balcony overlooking on the beach and lagoon. What happiness!
reading news items in South African newspapers is still instructive.
Outside classics and many vicious murders and rapes, the criminals are innovating by exploding ATMs for withdrawals easier.
It seems that nothing is more natural than an act of barbarism like this woman burned alive on a beach because his "friends" had lost their cell phone and accused him of stealing.
In an article, a police officer welcomes the review of a great concert in Johannesburg last night: "No rape and said there was only one murder"
grin and heart, we console ourselves in a restaurant close to the guesthouse with a large pizza along with a good bottle of wine. The electricity being cut from 18 to 21:30, we eat very romantically candlelit. The server obviously a beginner, we take the wine bottle, the cap and massacre Uncorking awkwardly. It serves two glass bottom to let us taste the wine is sour and vinegary ... great time of distress for the server who has clearly never considered the possibility to taste the wine that had a link with any risk of replacement bottle. It fetches the boss who tells us, after having tasted the wine is quite normal, but agrees to change the bottle for another brand.
We discuss with him the power cuts, he says that without maintenance, two power plants in four are at a standstill, the production capacity is therefore too low relative to demand. These "cuts in consumption" are rotating throughout the country and the principle is likely to last several years, the time to rehabilitate the production tool ... The cuts are made in increments of 3-4 hours rotating 4 days on 5, so as to evenly distribute the nuisance. During these periods, there is no street lighting or traffic lights, well done for periods of rush in the morning and evening!
And South Africa is the country most developed on the corner, unable to import electricity.
We fall, what will happen there this winter when heating needs increase (temperatures flirt with the 0 ° C to Johannesburg in the winter and they had snow last winter for the first time 26 years).
Looks like the country begins to fall apart, confirming what we said a South African at the dinner the night before in Victoria Falls. It was in Zimbabwe to negotiate the import of coal in South Africa (for power plants?).
We drink the second bottle, the wine still has a slight taste maderized, we wonder if this is not us who have a problem ...
Back in the night to light the cars and stars, we try a few times before finding the entrance to the guesthouse. This transit will not forget.
The situation in Zimbabwe remains stalled, the results of the first round of presidential elections have still not been published but the government has already announced a second round. A court must decide if she has the power to force the declaration of results.
The people are calm, resigned? The opposition denies helping to procedures and statements. The situation gets stuck.
Hopefully they will find a peaceful solution.
We leave Zimbabwe with the satisfaction of having contributed something to the contribution of currency into the country, albeit slightly, it can not hurt.
Excellent walk of nearly two hours - at a very quiet, there is a beginner horse. The horse has the advantage of some meaning to take more than 4x4: the singing of birds is not covered by the engine noise or the smell of herbs and various plants by diesel. Moreover, we can approach the animal very closely - but as medium, this is not stable and there are countless photos to scrap! It still manages to save some of them.
Lorrie Our guests are the boss and George the bartender. George arrived from Cape to Vic Falls in 1954 when the country was still called Rhodesia (the country of Mr. Cecil Rhodes, millionaire megalomaniac as actually more!), It has now 77 years old and a form hell. It was he who, to our delight, ensure the provision of the lodge in most alcoholic drinks.
The lodge is only open for 7 years before it was owned by the family of Lorrie.
Hard times, political and economic unjustly tourists flee into Zambia. Lorrie then tries to create the event and to bring in money. She arranges for the white corner of a Sunday brunch. Tables and chairs in the middle of the shady garden, next to the pool and snack menu very british, classic rock music of Anglo Saxon.
The event is a success, the guests laugh, drink and forget their worries, the boss too. The bar is empty, Lorrie staggers, George is happy.
Such is life in Victoria Falls, white, imprisoned in their country, economically hostage, not much more to do but wait for a hypothetical improvement in toast, cool, in the garden of Lorrie.
My first meeting with Joel was in October 2005, at FNAC. He wanted a companion to visit southern Africa, I had everything to please her, small, economical, fast, powerful, it was love at first sight.
He then did visit many countries, South Africa, Namibia, Laos, Cambodia, Japan, Russia, Latvia, China, Patagonia and then finally round the world . I was still in his right pocket, available, happy to be helpful at all times in difficult conditions. Over time I gradually fouled fibers and dust have found the way to my bowels to the point that my vision was impaired. "No matter, as the memories are good" ...
Is this accident happened so stupid, Victoria Falls, a free fall of three feet on the concrete road. I saw myself from outside, his face against the floor, opened the box, the batteries in the puddle ... then I came back to life, a small scratch, nothing more.
Only two days later that I realized the obvious, I lost a part of my visual acquitted, the top right corner of my field of vision remains hopelessly vague. Added to this the many new spots and dust displaced by the fall. I felt increasingly weak.
My last photo dated April 7, 2008, was my photo 20890ieme, Zimbabwe. It's odd to finish his career where it started the two and half years earlier, in Southern Africa.
I'm blind now add as much good as dead for a camera, yet I still so beautiful memories in the memory. I will end my life alongside my ancestors, in a drawer before, one day, when nobody remembers me, made the grab with other antiquities.
Our base will be a luxury lodge in Kasane, on the banks of the Chobe River. This river marks the northern border with the Caprivi Strip, long (450 km) strip of land sandwiched between Namibian Botswana, Angola and Zambia.
We are three tourists on the bus, the arrival of a full Japanese portends for a safari-saturated noise triggers cameras and exclamations typically Nippon (oooooohh!) To the sight of each wild animal.
But no, the group left for a safari land as we embark on three more the guide on a small boat for an aquatic version. The boat is very maneuverable and the guide is very familiar with his work. The advantage the version on the water is that the river is the choke point of the animals to drink, and as the park is rich in wildlife, the banks are crowded. Another advantage, the boat can approach much closer to the animals that drink or take their mud bath (for pachyderms).
Three hours of sailing to observe animals and some adrenaline , a hippopotamus who pretended to load because we are too close to an elephant in an offensive posture. Fortunately, our guide is about control ... until he tells us that the Rhinos are poached for their ivory horns!
Meals at the lodge, amid the Japanese back from their safari tour but then re-ground this time. After the boat ride, the truck version is much less exciting especially since we are in the early afternoon, the siesta time for mammals. The guide, a little distracted, is less interesting, worse, it lacks hit an elephant by doing a reverse. The prospect of being crushed by an elephant annoyed we do not really enchants. Two giraffes will make us forget those little annoyances: it can only remain fascinated with such elegance.
Back in Zimbabwe on a bus ferrying passengers carrying some other food, rooms are going to shop on the other side of the border.
This will be the day's most expensive trip but it was worth the candle.