Day 78 of 102. Wednesday 29th March.

Written the following morning, 30th March, in the Kings Court Buffet over breakfast, and also in the morning of Friday 31st March, now en route from Le Port, La Reunion to Durban, South Africa.

This is the last of those ports where I have arranged to meet somebody I know, they being, a friend of the family (Abu Dhabi), a couple from my church in Buxton (Penang), people from a previous cruise (Sydney) and a further member of our congregation in Buxton (Mauritius).  Occasions such as these have added considerably to the interest in this particular voyage.  And Jo, whom I  mention quite frequently, is a good friend from my first World Cruise in 2018. 

Yesterday, the day in question, I was awake early enough, and in good time to have breakfast served to me in the Britannia Restaurant.  Despite unreliable communications (my wonder-phone is blocked from being able to make calls), with questionable WiFi, I was able to arrange meet John at the port entrance. Unknown to both of us, a brand new cruise terminal, and appearing at a distance to be functioning, was actually not yet open for business. Needless to say, John went there only to find it deserted!   We met up, just half an hour later at Victoria Metro Station from where we took the train to where his car was parked around 35 minutes away.  The railway is brand new, and is very similar to one of the new tramways opening up around the U.K.  It follows much of the original metre gauge railway, much of which had become a road before being reverted back as a standard gauge railway.  The maintenance depot is massive.  I understand much of the funding came from the Indian government.  I remember no sign of the beginnings of this highly successful line back in 2018.

While Mauritius is developing (or has developed) into an apparently thriving country, road construction and infrastructure evolution is having difficulty keeping up with increasing car ownership.  

The island is characterised by sharp, craggy volcanic hills, which rise, forming a dramatic backdrop to many views.  And these I would see from a golf cart on a tour of the fabulously scenic Avalon Golf Course.

Before visiting the Golf Club, we stopped off at a roadside take-away food outlet which created the most delicious and authentic Mauritius farates, a kind of chicken wrap, just one of which sustained me until a late dinner back on the ship, via the lovely traditional Gymkhana Club which caters for other outdoor sports including tennis, and presumably horseriding.

The day was extremely pleasant, and I have wonderful memories of my all too brief visit to Mauritius. As ever, leaving after such a short time was a little sad, but quite spectacular.

The part of the island I saw appeared thriving with much recent development and investment. However, there remains (I believe) a huge contrast between that and areas which remain untouched, which those on the shore excursions told me about.

Many thanks for reading, David 09.27 BST +2, in his stateroom, Friday 31st March 2023.