On Friday, April 1, 2011 we arrived at Victoria on the island of Mahe in the Seychelles. The Seychelles are made up of one hundred and fifteen tropical islands, with white beaches, swaying palms, and turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. There are steep hills and mountains with lush tropical vegetation covering most of the island. The island is one thousand miles east of Mombasa and 600 miles north of Madagascar. The waters both north and south of the Seychelles are spotted with pirates as they have been since the 7th century. The beaches and brilliant waters truly live up to their reputations. The islands have many very exclusive small resorts. Some of these are on Mahe and others on neighboring islands accessible by boat.
We strolled from our pier in Port Victoria to the downtown area. Along the 1 ½ mile walk, we passed interesting stores, schools kids and markets. In one grocery store we saw a sign for minced buffalo meat. At the city center stands the Clock Tower erected in 1903. Cindy had to have her photo taken in front of an oversized bronze of the copra seed (a dried coconut kernel). The walk was great with two exceptions, the heat and the humidity. Victoria is only 4 degrees south of the Equator.
After an enjoyable day, our ship sailed away at 4:00pm, en route to Maputo, Mozambique. We will have four sea days before reaching Maputo. Once we arrive, we will disembark for a 3-day safari overland to Kruger National.
