Returning from a Trip to Mauritius.
When Things Go Wrong, they can go very wrong. After many years without serious problems, I experienced this first-hand. This article should have been a trivial one, serving as a yin-yang example. The yang part is my last article on Chinese minority peoples. The photos show their meager life and poor living conditions in the mountain regions. They also capture emotional depth with their black and white format from a long time ago.
(To complete the whole thing, I just noticed that it is not possible for my readers to comment on or like the article. Another bug on WordPress. I managed to correct it now as it seems.)
The yin-part
Today’s article should be the yin-part: sea, luxury, designer hotel, and paradisiacal surroundings. However, that was only partially true.
As mentined I originally planned a trip to Laos (Luang Prabang) this year. From there, I would travel by bus to Hoi An (Vietnam) and down the Mekong to Saigon.
For years, I organized and booked trips myself, usually through the most popular online portal. I basically was always satisfied. When I booked a room in a first-class hotel in Luang Prabang a year ago, I was pleasantly surprised by the low price. But a few months later, my room got canceled. Not only without reason, but cheekily with the message: “We are pleased to inform you that we were able to cancel the booked room free of charge.” The room was now available for more than twice the price. What the hell!
I mention this as it exemplifies our time. Contracts – including those secured with a credit card – can easily be violated by the stronger party. Who should I sue? Unfortunately, this principle applied to the newly planned trip as well. After two more annoying incidents during planning, I decided on a different destination. Mauritius seemed like a good choice. Especially as I had been suffering from a flu infection all winter. When I saw a picture like this on the internet, I didn’t think twice and booked.
A boutique hotel with an unusual design, focused on yoga, sustainability, fresh vegetables, fruit, and seafood from the immediate area.
And Then in the Other Direction
Two days before my planned departure, a cyclone warning was issued. The day before, everything not nailed down was locked away.
During the night, I received a message from the airline: the flight was postponed by a day. Then another day – a total of four postponements. Finally, the departure day arrived. Chaos reigned at Mauritius airport, and checking in took forever. Adding to the discomfort was the oppressive humidity. I felt close to collapsing and was finally relieved when I took my seat on the plane.
Shortly after takeoff, I noticed a commotion two seats to the left behind me. Several stewardesses approached, one ran to the phone, and another fetched a defibrillator. Shortly after, an announcement was made: “Is there a doctor or medical assistant on board? Please identify yourself!” Fortunately, there was one. After a while, I heard something that sounded like “shark – shark – shark – compression, shark – shark – shark – compression.” The cardiac massage had begun and lasted over two hours. I didn’t stare, of course, but I saw horror on the faces of some passengers who were standing and gawking. When I turned around, the deceased man had been put on a wheelchair and covered with a sheet.
The nightmare was far from over. I spent an extra day in Dubai, rebooked via Istanbul, where I only got a standby ticket. It seemed I might have to spend a night there too. However, with the Viennese charm I mentioned earlier, I managed to win over a nice, young Turkish woman. After an anxious half hour, she handed me a valid ticket with a beaming smile.
Self Reflections
During the fatal incident on the plane, I realized I’m a pretty irresponsible idiot. I fly alone, and nobody knows where I am. I didn’t even name a person to contact in an emergency. When I examine my behavior more closely, it’s even more sobering.
A Few Comments on Mauritius
Two weeks are, of course, not enough to fully judge a country, but one thing truly stood out to me. It was confirmed by my driver: a largely problem-free coexistence of different cultures and religions. Mauritius is a multiethnic society, drawing from Indian, African, Chinese, and European (mostly French) origins. Hindus, Muslims, Chinese, and Christians live together peacefully, and there is even a Rastafarian community. What I wasn’t aware of until now is the long history of the Chinese in Mauritius. Unsurprisingly, they were the first foreign traders in Mauritius.
The Great Night of Lord Shiva in Mauritius
During my stay, on February 26th, the Maha Shivarati Festival took place. It’s one of the most significant pilgrimages outside of India, with over 500,000 devotees gathering at the Grand Basin. I took my photos two days before the festival as it’s nearly impossible to navigate by car on the day of the event.
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