Apart from the people in my life my 2 favourite things are good food and traveling.
I was born and brought up in South Africa and as kids we frequently went on family holidays, however, the first time I travelled outside of the country was in my late teens.
We took a short, 4 hour plane trip to the sunny island of Mauritius and I was hooked for life.
South Africa is one of the most beautiful countries in the world but Mauritius was different and that was the appeal. In many instances the 2 countries were largely similar but it was the differences and learning about them that got me hooked. From the cascading waterfalls to the seven coloured sands and turquoise beaches, the landscape is quite surreal.
There is a strong Indian influence on the island so naturally the food culture is grounded in Indian tradition. One of the most unforgettable meals I had was on a road side stop to pick up a dhall puri, a buttery and soft indian flat bread, puri, stuffed with a thick lentil stew, dhall.
Rum is widely produced and so happens to be the favoured spirit all across Mauritius, the famous Tipo tinto R&R is incredibly refreshing in the Mauritian heat but packs a serious punch.
We visited over the Christmas break and the Christmas Eve dinner menu was a seafood feast, whole lobsters/cray fish, crisp prawn tails, chicken and prawn curries and the freshest sea urchin or Uni.
Some of the most exotic fruit
The island is quite small and the key sights can be seen within 2-3 days which is ideal for those seeking a shorter break. Summed up this definitely a place to visit if you’re longing for lazy days, reading books in hammocks and doing as little as possible.
