My 8-week trip around East Africa ended with a country that I hadn’t even considered visiting, but quickly became my favorite place I’ve been on Earth. Over the course of my 62-day journey, my plans kept changing. I originally planned to visit Tanzania, Uganda and had considered Zambia and Zimbabwe. If not for visa restrictions, I was really close to attempting a whirlwind tour of West Africa across Ghana, Togo, Benin and Côte d’Ivoire for my final week. Seychelles (pronounced say-shells), the island nation 1,000 miles off the East Coast of Kenya was never on my radar at all. The only reason I ended up going was because I was in Kigali wanting to be somewhere warm, beautiful and affordable to get to. My friend, O and I had originally planned to visit Cairo, but the more I heard about peoples’ chaotic and stressful experiences there, the less excited I was to visit at that time. When O’s flight to Cairo was canceled, it felt like encouragement from the universe to call an audible and pick a different place. My time in Kigali and impending transition back to trying to figure out my life in the US had me wanting to go somewhere serene and natural. I was imagining writing, having creative brainstorm sessions, and relaxing with Mama Ocean. I’m a person who can feel pure joy just from observing and feeling some connection to nature, especially where water is involved. Even though I knew this was what I wanted, I also had to be practical, so I made a spreadsheet. Sitting in a cafe in Kigali, I listed on my phone the African countries that were visa-free or had visa-on-arrival options for Americans. Rwanda, for example, was easy to plan a spontaneous visit to since they have a visa-on-arrival option where you pay $50 at the airport for a 30-day tourist visa. So I made my list and looked at the weather, cost to travel, and time to travel to each destination and Seychelles was the clear winner.
When I landed in Seychelles, it was just after 4:00 am. The airport is pretty small and doesn’t have jetways connecting the planes to gates, so we had to deboard the plane by stairs and walk to the terminal. I’m glad that’s the case, because the moment I stepped outside the plane, I felt the warm, softly humid air and smelled the light, steady aroma of flowers. It was magical and I felt like I was on a cloud. If you’d told me I’d just stepped into heaven, I would have believed you and even today I consider Mahé island, Seychelles to be the most heavenly place I’ve ever been on Earth. Walking into the terminal and going through immigration was quick and effortless. To be honest, I was grappling with some very intense sadness and disappointment that I was there alone and not sharing the moments with O who was still in Nairobi. At the same time, I was aware that I was in an extremely special place and needed to savor every breath of that fresh, floral, warm air and be present where I was with what I had. After going through immigration and entering the main terminal to the airport, I was instantly reminded of Tahiti. The entrance to the airport with the check-in counters had an open-air layout with no doors, just a gateway into the space from outside. You could walk straight out to the parking lot, to one of the seating areas for the variety of restaurants and cafes, or you could sit in the waiting area. There were several booths that offered car rentals and tour packages (all closed at that time) and 2 booths standing side by side that offered local sim cards which were thankfully open. I got a sim card from the provider that was slightly less expensive, C&W. It was around $20 for a 10GB package. The service ended up being decent with C&W. I had some connection issues when trying to do wifi calls while out and about over the next few days, no major issues aside from that.
After getting my sim card and some cash from one of the several ATMs (take notes, KGL), I found a quiet corner with benches to lay down on and slept. Keeping my travel pillow honestly did much more for me outside of planes. Times like this, it helped me to get really comfortable. I was so tired, I slept until around 8am and woke up to a slightly more busy, but still pretty calm airport. I walked over to the car rental booths and asked a couple of them about pricing. It was somewhere around $50/ day. In hindsight, it wouldn’t have been a bad idea to go with one of them. Instead, I chose to take a taxi and use the car rental from the bnb I’d booked starting the next day since my host offered a rate of $45/day. It took about 40 minutes to arrive to the apartment I’d booked and the ride was scenic and beautiful with gorgeous turquoise water to the left and lush, mountainous forests on the right.
The roads were all 2 lanes and came to be winding and relatively narrow with roadside rainwater trenches once we got into the hills. Mahé island is very hilly and being formerly run by the British, everyone drives on the left side of the road. All of this + my low energy made me feel like I’d made the right choice to take a taxi instead of driving myself that morning. I was so wiped out from the long journey that my plan for the first day was just to relax and sleep as much as I wanted. I was still wearing the same clothes I’d worn to the Kigali Genocide Memorial and Kimoronko Market the previous day, so it was such a relief to finally make it to the apartment to reset. When I arrived, the owner, Sarifa, was there to greet me and get me checked in. In Seychelles, you see a lot of “self-service” apartments, basically apartments that you just rent out and live in during your time there. No front desk or anything, you just live in an apartment. There are self-service apartments ranging from basic to luxurious with a corresponding price range. The place I stayed was 100 USD per night and I found it on Booking.com. I ended up LOVING it there. The building had 4 units and was situated up a steep hill, which meant breathtaking views that I marveled at throughout my 4 day stay.
I was so blown away and thankful to have such a majestically beautiful place to rest my head for the next few days. Even better, it was warm and I knew that I wouldn’t have to worry about being cold during my time there at all which, again, my personal heaven. After getting checked in, I showered. I could swear I heard angels sing when I realized there was hot water (yes, I still prefer hot showers even when the weather is hot). Then I napped until I felt well-rested before venturing out. I went the first day without a car just to see how realistic it would be to not have one. The host told me the best route to walk downhill to get to some restaurants, a market and a small beach, so down down I went. It was hot outside and I was like oh, the walk back up is gonna be interesting… thankfully, my time in Kigali (and also Seattle now that I think of it…) prepared me for plenty of uphill trekking. Even so, I quickly realized I’d definitely want a car so I could get around to see any part of the island easily. The walk down to the beach was quiet and serene. No sidewalks, just walking the narrow road past homes with modest yards. The homes looked well-loved and lived in by locals, not touristy at all. It was open and sunny on the road for a little time, so I was thankful when I came to a stretch that had plenty of tree-cover. I saw my first wild jackfruit tree and I know I was looking crazy standing in the road taking photos and videos of the tree, talking to myself and marveling at how humungous the fruit was. The tree was pretty close to a house and I couldn’t help but wonder if damage to homes and cars from fallen jackfruit is a common insurance claim in Seychelles.
After about 20 minutes of walking, I made it out to the main road that spans the island of Mahé from the southern end to the northern end. Since it’s on the west side of the island, the road is aptly named West Coast Road. I walked by a small farm where I saw a lot of eggplants growing and a couple of men working. From there, it was a short distance, only about 1 min walking to reach a market stall where all the essential produce you could need was being sold. There was a small indoor market next door that was closed for the lunch hour. I walked over to the beach and felt really grateful to be in such a beautiful place. By then, I really needed to eat but didn’t feel like cooking, so I went to an oceanfront restaurant/ bar called Banana Sea Club where I had a sandwich and a smoothie. I knew the cost of everything would be higher in an island nation, but I couldn’t help but feel disappointed that the meal cost me over $20. Actually, the sandwich was 2 sandwiches, so it was plenty of food which was nice to take for dinner later and even some for breakfast the next morning. I stopped by the market for some fruit and water before venturing back uphill to the apartment. The walk wasn’t that bad. I spent the evening relaxing and enjoying the beautiful sunset and warmth of my little apartment oasis.
The next morning, Sarifa’s daughter and husband came by to drop off the car and get me situated with how to drive it. The car was a little Suzuki Celerio, which had an automated manual transmission. What I didn’t know at the time was that, even though the car could be driven as an automatic, the gear shifting is really slow, which made for some pretty terrifying moments driving uphill over the next few days. I took the day slowly, going out around lunchtime to get some takeaway food. So yes, Seychelles is expensive, but just like most anywhere in the world, you can find more affordable options and takeaway food is just that. They’re basically food trucks and there are many set up all over the island. For under $10, I had a nice lunch of fish with rice. I went to a market across the street to get a nice cold drink. After that, I went to a place called Pineapple Boutique that I’d found online. I thought maybe I’d get myself a new swimsuit because I was tired of wearing the same one that I’d packed. Even driving onto the property where the boutique was felt like entering a wonderland. I mean, the whole island to me was breathtaking, but the tall trees creating a tunnel effect and a small bridge arching over a creek really made the property feel so lovely and special. It’s the kind of place that makes you want to move slowly and it only feels natural to keep a gentle smile on your lips. I drove the car slowly onto the property and easily found a parking space before walking up the boutique on a grounds that had lovely, colorful tropical plants. The sun was shining and it felt refreshing to step into the cool shop, which was bright and smelled so good. I was greeted by Maria, who I would soon find to be such a compassionate and kind woman. I walked in and we casually chatted as I browsed the t-shirts, soaps, swimsuits, wraps, and other lovely pieces which were all designed and crafted in a workshop next door. I spent a good bit of time in the shop with her talking and bought a lovely wrap to wear to the beach. Our conversation got deep enough that some tears were shed and we connected on a very genuine human level. I was so glad I’d randomly chosen to go to the boutique and was obsessed with my new wrap even though I took zero photos in it. After leaving the shop and telling her I’d try to return before leaving, I headed out for my first beach visit. All around the perimeter of the island, there are stunning, world class beaches. I chose one called Anse Soleil for that day. (Anse is French for cove or bay and most of the beaches there are called Anse something) I was able to drive pretty close to the beach, walking through an outdoor bar to access the soft, warm sand of the shore. It was honestly the most beautiful beach I’ve been to in a very long time, possibly ever. The waves were gentle, the water was miraculously blue. My absolute favorite color. There weren’t too many people there and everyone was relaxing, minding their own business- mostly couples. The vibe was so calm and felt very safe, so I didn’t feel too paranoid about leaving my bag on the beach to go float and swim in the water. Of course I stayed close and kept my eye on things and thankfully no one even went near my stuff to make me worry. I drifted with the soft waves in the perfectly warm water, looked up to the sky, lounged on my towel to soak up the sun, and relaxed. I enjoyed a spectacular sunset as it fell behind the large rocks sitting out in the water. Every direction I looked, I felt that I was on the most beautiful beach on Earth. The verdant palms behind, the blue water in front, the orange-pink glow of the sunset to my left. Scenes like that are the most convincing reminder to me of how truly precious this planet and life on it are.
I was so happy to have found this incomparably beautiful scene in the motherland, but I was very disappointed and upset that I was the only non-white person on that beach. It made me feel profoundly sad, honestly. With mainland East Africa being the geographically closest region, shouldn’t I have been on that beach with more Kenyans and Tanzanians? Even as a Westerner, I’m always disappointed to see how much we dominate and tend to have nearly exclusive access to some of the most beautiful places on Earth. Being born when I was and where I was has given me a major advantage over a significant portion of the global population and even though I benefit from that privilege, I still cringe at it. Anyway, my point is that even though I’m glad I was able to take in that moment and that place, I feel and acknowledge the fact that many don’t and won’t get the chance to see and experience that kind of beauty.
At this point in the evening, I was ready to head back to the apartment, but not before stopping at a market for some groceries. I got pasta, sauce, tuna and wine for a balanced meal. I went home, ate dinner, did my laundry and turned in for the night.
I spent the next morning relaxing at the apartment and in the afternoon, headed to the airport to pick up O who finally made it from Nairobi. He’d had a long, dramatic journey that had a truly horrible start. To get a reasonably affordable flight, he had to go through Dubai, making the journey over 13 hours. So it was understandable when all he wanted to do was sleep and rest much like I did my first day. I went to a market to get more food and made some burgers. It was threatening rain that afternoon, so I decided to just stay in and rest since all the things I wanted to do were outdoors. It didn’t end up raining though and by evening, the sky cleared up enough to offer yet another beautiful sunset that I enjoyed from the balcony. Seychelles is made up of 115 islands and the island I was on, Mahé, is the largest one. Home to the capital city, Victoria, and the international airport, it’s the island that’s seen the most by default. Being in the middle of the Indian Ocean and being relatively small, it’s not surprising that there isn’t a lot of wildlife on the islands. The most interesting wildlife I saw was the birds. In particular, every evening, and even throughout the day, I’d see large bats with orange heads known as Seychelles flying foxes overhead. They always looked like they were on a mission, but in a cool and confident rather than hurried kind of way. That evening, sitting on the balcony, I watched the bats flying across the picturesque view and wondered, as I always did, “where are they going?”.
The next day, we headed out for a hike. I chose this one, Grand Major, because the most popular one that everyone talked about, the Copolia Trail, cost $10. Well, when we got to the trailhead for Grand Major, I learned that every trail costs $10 to hike, so we just paid it. We had already driven quite a ways uphill, so it only took about 5 minutes for us to reach a point that really felt like “the viewpoint”, that one awesome point on a hike that reminds you why you chose to go outside and walk uphill for however long. We were in really chill moods and so happy with the scenery that we sat down and broke out the snacks, talking, laughing and resting for nearly an hour- 5 minutes into the hike smh. When we finally started walking again, it only took about 20 minutes to reach the actual viewpoint which was gloriously, majestically awesome in every direction. From our place on a (mostly) flat, rocky cliff, behind us sat large green hills with dramatic rock formations. Before us sat the great expanse of the Indian Ocean.
I’m running out of synonyms for breathtakingly beautiful, but yes that’s what it was, even though it was starting to rain. We had a photoshoot – of course- and continued the hike. Within a couple minutes, we came across 3 women sitting beneath some trees, relaxing and enjoying the view out of the rain. I asked them, “wait, is that a fruit tree?” and they were like “yeah!” and offered me some. I wish I knew the name of it, but all I know is that one of the women said it’s like caddy munya, the jamaican cherry. It wasn’t though, because the flavor of this fruit was very mild, it didn’t really taste like anything. I haven’t tried jamaican cherry, but from what I’ve read, it’s supposed to be very sweet. The lack of flavor coupled with the fluffy texture of this fruit made it feel like eating a cotton ball. We shared a brief conversation and some laughs and were on our way.
In the next 10 minutes, we came across a couple of young men who let us know we might want to consider taking the taxi boat back since it was starting to get a little late and we didn’t want to get stuck out there in the dark. It was still a couple hours until sunset, but their consideration and care in letting us know was much appreciated. Finally, after a rough final few minutes – the trail became less defined and a little confusing – we made it to a little beach. Just like with the viewpoint, we thought we’d reached “the destination” or at least I thought we did, but then quickly realized the Grand Major beach we were looking for should have definitely been bigger. It was nice, though, to go swimming and enjoy the little beach we stumbled upon for a short time. There was a woman hiking with her kids there too, so it was nice to know we weren’t so far off the trail. It wasn’t long after venturing from that beach that we finally reached the end of the hike at a beach called Grand Major. It would’ve been lovely to have gotten there earlier. There was a bar and restaurant that was closed for the day and like all the other beaches on the island, it was just lovely. There were a lot of people there sitting under a shelter by the restaurant waiting for the taxi boat to come, but we walked around, talked to some really friendly locals and went swimming. When the taxi boat finally came, it filled up by the time we walked over to it, so we had to wait for it to come back again, which was actually really nice. We were left on the beach with 3 young professionals from the UK who told us they were there for work. It was actually a pretty crazy story – they worked for a production company that I’d assume makes nature documentaries. Some of their colleagues who were there filming recently had left a bunch of equipment behind and there was an open call in their office for 3 people who would be willing to venture to Seychelles to collect the abandoned equipment. O and I were both like tuh, ya’ll hiring?? It turns out they’re not. It was great though because they’d been at the beach for some time and offered to let us use their snorkel equipment since we were just drifting in the waves. I didn’t see too many fish, but the ones I did see were fun to watch and I imagined they were very happy living in paradise. When the taxi boat came back, we all boarded and headed back toward the trail head, enjoying another beautiful sunset from the water. We even saw a rainbow that looked like it ended on Mahé island. Once again, heaven. Please. Another beautiful ending to another amazing day.
The next day, we had to move from the apartment we were in to another one we’d booked. Before checking in, we went to visit Pineapple Boutique to see Maria. She wasn’t there, but her sister was working that day and she told us Maria had told her about me and how emotional she’d gotten during our conversation. She told us to come back the next day and that Maria would be so happy to see us. We ended up going to check out the workshop where everything was made and it was really sweet seeing the whole operation. They had a room for sewing, a large garage for screen-printing, and plenty of space for craft-making and even soap-making. Audrey, the woman who worked at the front desk of the workshop, also ended up being incredibly friendly and we chatted with her for some time. We were really just walking around chatting it up with everyone and it was fun and really cool getting to see the space and learning about how they grew from just a single building into a boutique hotel, shop, workshop and restaurant. From the workshop, we went over to the restaurant on the property and had some cold tropical drinks to cool off before getting back in the car to head to the next apartment.
On the way off the property, O saw a local guy that was eating a delicious looking meal and asked where he got his food from. The guy told us it was a takeaway spot about 10 minutes away, so there we went. We pulled up, ordered, and walked across the street to check out the beach while our food was being prepared. Yet another- more crowded, but beautiful -beach! After we got our food we headed to the next apartment and this is where trouble struck, It had rained, so the roads were kind of slick. Remember when I mentioned before the Automated Manual Transmission in that little Suzuki wasn’t the best? Well, it was a stressful nuisance before, but this stretch of road turned it into an unacceptable nightmare. I couldn’t get the car up the hill. The wheels were turning and the car was rotating side to side, but it wouldn’t go up the hill, and in fact, went slowly down unless I had my foot on the brake and had the parking brake engaged. I was freeeeeaking out and an ignorant man in the car behind me didn’t help the matter with his honking and yelling. After a very tense, stressful, and horrifying few minutes, we made the car back down the hill and parked it in someone’s driveway. I don’t want to get into details, but let’s just say there was a lot of yelling, crying, threatening and sweating going on at the scene where me, O, this crazy man named Charlie and several locals were dealing with what had just happened. Even in that situation, I could really appreciate that Seychellois people know how to be direct with each other and barrel straight through rather than around conflict. Eventually, we made it up that ridiculous hill and after checking into the apartment, I immediately called Sarifa and told her to come get her car LOL. She and her husband were there in the next 30 minutes to get the car and offered me another Suzuki and I was like no thanks. After eating, showering and napping, O and I were like ok we’re gonna need a car, so let’s go get one. There was a car rental place/ pizza shop (I know, funny combo but it worked) about a 45 minute walk away, so off we went. It was golden hour and being situated up on a hill, we had a nice view of the setting sun’s glowing reflection off the ocean.
I’m telling you, I’ve never been anywhere so visually stunning. The walk was relaxed and enjoyable. I saw more bats and a beautiful bird called the Paradise Flycatcher flying overhead. Between the warmth, the lovely views, and the good company, the stress of that afternoon’s drama had completely dissipated. At one point, we came across a couple of boys walking uphill with a soccer ball (football if you’re not American) and O jumped in and played with them for a few minutes. It was an adorable moment and the boys looked really happy laughing, running and trying to strategize how to get the ball around O. Not long after, we made it to the shop and found that they had pizza, but no cars available. So we called another place and the guy agreed to come bring us a car. We walked over to Banana Sea Club and I had a cup of tea while we waited. After getting set up with the new car (a fully automatic one which was MUCH better to drive), we went for a drive to check out a beach in the north and reconnect with some of the friends we made at the beach the day before. One of the guys was telling us he’d been working as a tour boat operator since he was a teenager and really enjoyed what he did – seeing people marvel at his home and being able to go out on the water every day. He was also clearly an extrovert, so being able to connect with so many different people seemed to offer him a real sense of fulfillment. O and I had talked before about how genuinely perfect the island felt and we’d both wondered if the locals were aware of how uniquely, supremely beautiful their country is. I wondered, does it feel like paradise and heaven to them? Or is this just normal? If so, what would heaven look like to a Seychellois person if not their own land and sea? Do Seychellois people dream of visiting any other destinations around the world? Because I couldn’t imagine experiencing those sunrises and sunsets daily and dreaming of going anywhere like Paris or New York. But of course, that’s my own completely hypothetical perspective. In the end, I think your circumstances and attitude work in tandem to make all the difference in how you see your life, your home, and the world around you. Of course, being in paradise doesn’t automatically turn all your circumstances to sunshine and plumeria. Seychellois people are human and humans still have to deal with painful, difficult elements of life. People find their outlets for their pain and often wind up slipping down a path they wouldn’t have consciously chosen for themselves. In Seychelles, two common paths, especially among men, are alcoholism and heroin addiction. So yes, we did see and hear stories of men losing so much in life because of their addictions and de-prioritizing the things and people that were genuinely nurturing to them. Even in paradise, everything isn’t perfect. It also makes you wonder though where is this heroin coming from and who all is benefitting (financially or otherwise) from its distribution to the local population.
The next day, we got up and went back to Pineapple Boutique to see Maria and she was there! She was so happy to see us and we were chatting it up like we were old friends by then. We caught up and talked about traveling and things we’d seen/ impressions of the island. She offered some suggestions on places to see and things to do for our last couple of days. We stopped by to chat with Audrey too and she told us we had to check out her favorite beach, Anse Forbans, a gorgeous (obviously), quiet beach that doesn’t get too crowded, has calm, crystal clear water and plenty of trees for shade. It was just over on the east side of the island, so no more than 15 minutes driving – and much less stressful with the new car. So we went to that beach and had one of those perfect beach days where you’re just lounging, taking in the views, snacking on banana chips and cookies, going swimming, talking, thinking, being. There was an older couple on the beach and eventually a woman came kayaking up to shore with her dog, but aside from that it was totally empty. The woman in the kayak was white and O and I were trying to figure out if she lived there or was a tourist. We asked her and she told us she was from Austria (I think… it was somewhere in Europe). The dog belonged to the Seychellois family whose guesthouse she was staying in. She was staying there long-term, going on multiple years, but she had to go back to her home country every 6 months to renew her visa. What a life. She looked really happy, comfortable and relaxed. So did the dog.
After we left the beach, we headed north to the capital city of Victoria. Maria and O were talking about a great tattoo shop up there and O was wanting to get another tattoo, so we went to see it. We were in a pretty dense area that had a lot of shops and fast food. It wasn’t too crowded, you could tell things were slowing down for the day. The traffic leaving the city was really bad, so it’s definitely a city that seems to thrive by day and sleep at night. We parked in a lot right by a beautiful Hindu temple called Arul Mihu Navashakti Vinayakar Temple, so we stopped in there to admire the beautiful architecture, statues and feeling of peace you get from being in a place of such intention. I don’t know much about Hindu deities, but there were a lot of beautiful, golden statues adorned with flowers and beads with candles and incense.
We walked over to the tattoo shop and when I realized we’d be waiting a while, I chose to go for a walk to check out the area. There was a fried chicken joint downstairs and lots of convenience stores lining the sides of a street close by. I got to chatting with one shop owner and he told me he was from India and had moved there a few years prior. Similar to the European woman, he would stay in Seychelles for months at a time then go back to India for months at a time. I walked around a bit and saw mostly closed storefronts, got a samosa for O and some pizza for myself and headed back to the tattoo shop. Soon after I returned, the tattoo shop owner was wrapping up with the previous customer and was really grumpy when he turned to talk to O. I was like uhh I don’t think you want this guy giving you a tattoo LOL so we left. We picked up some burgers from a takeaway place before leaving town and headed back to the apartment. We were running low on gas and when we stopped at the gas station, I noticed some fruit for sale that I didn’t recognize so of course I got it. Oh I forgot to mention, we’d moved back the the original apartment building that morning. It was nice to have the views back, but I have to say, the top floor unit I originally checked into was nicer. This was the last night of my journey abroad and it was really just calm, relaxed and restful. The new fruit I’d picked up and tried, cherimoya, ended up being just ok, but still a tame adventure in trying something new.
The final day, we didn’t need to head to the airport until later in the afternoon. So after eating the little food we had left, cleaning up and checking out, we loaded up the car and headed to Le Jardin Du Roi, a botanical garden I’d had my eye on. It ended up being such a lovely place to visit. We got there right around the time they opened, so it wasn’t crowded and we were able to walk through the well-kept, but not overly manicured grounds and explore the 100+ varieties of trees and medicinal plants. We walked through a wonderfully fragrant orchard of citrus trees with their abundant and aromatic blooms, saw cherimoya growing her lovely fruit, and I got to investigate the strength of a jackfruit tree. I loved how informal the space was, it truly felt like a playground to me as a plant nerd and I was really glad we were blessed with sunny weather for that last day. On the grounds, they had 2 major must-sees in Seychelles.
1. The Seychelles giant tortoise – truly massive tortoises that can live for centuries. As of today, a 193-year old Seychelles giant tortoise named Jonathan is believed to be the oldest living terrestrial animal on Earth. Unfortunately, Jonathan wasn’t there, but there were a lot of adults and a massive number of babies too. We stood and watched them for longer than I expected.
2. The Coco de Mer tree. Anywhere you go around Seychelles that sells souvenirs or is appealing to tourists, you will see keychains, t-shirts, even kitchen towels in the shape of a voluptuous booty with some juicy thighs. This is what the seed of the coco de mer tree, a genus of palm tree endemic to Seychelles looks like. Aside from the seed’s eye-catching shape, it’s also the largest seed of any tree growing on Earth, weighing between 25-55 lbs. The tree only grows naturally by self-seeding on 2 islands in Seychelles, Praslin and Curieuse- nowhere else in the world. So the trees we saw were not naturally grown by self-seeding, but they are incredibly rare and it was a wonder to marvel at them. There weren’t any mature seeds to look at though, sadly. So they were just tall, majestic palm trees.
It was such a lovely way to spend the last day, strolling the grounds, enjoying the vibrant colors and sweet aromas of flowers wafting through the warm air. Le Jardin Du Roi is quite a ways inland on the island, but being situated high on a hilltop, it still offered views of the water that made me feel like I was drifting on a cloud. We saw some fruit that O had grown up with in Nigeria, but I’d never seen before. Some European tourists, in true colonizer fashion, went ahead and plucked some fruit which looked underripe to me. As someone who’s stewarded crops for a food bank on public land and come to find underripe squash torn from the vines, I find this act to be so irritatingly ignorant and selfish. Obviously, I wanted to try the fruit too, so out of respect for the people who live there and care for the trees and land, I asked like a human with a heart if we could harvest. The woman who worked there kindly told me “no, we don’t allow guests to harvest but guess what we just harvested a bunch of that exact fruit, called water apples, and you’re welcome to try some”. She washed and gave us 4 red, bell-shaped fruits. Water apples, also known as wax apples, are about the size of an an apple and have waxy skin with juicy, green, watery insides. The flavor is almost sour, but not quite. We enjoyed our water apples with the crepes we ordered from the restaurant on the property. Sitting outside among the beautiful trees and enjoying the majestic view, I was savoring every little moment. I didn’t want to forget the feeling of absolutely peaceful bliss and I think I was successful at carving out a slice of memory to dedicate to that place, because here I am over one month later able to remember it like it was yesterday.
Before leaving the garden, we stopped by the gift shop to stock up on souvenirs. They had a really nice selection of items from coco de mer seed shaped earrings to spices that were grown there on the property. If I gave you a souvenir that was beach-related, butt-shaped, or had tropical vibes about it, this is most likely where your gift came from. Either there or Pineapple Boutique, where we stopped one last time to pick up last-minute souvenirs and say goodbye to our friends there. Maria and I exchanged numbers and still keep in touch. I’m thankful to have met such a sweet, kindred spirit and I don’t think its a coincidence that she lives in paradise.
My time in Seychelles melted away some not-so-positive notions that I just knew were true about people. The local population is so culturally diverse and almost entirely consistent of black and brown people. Everyone I spoke to about the ethnic and religious diversity on Mahé spoke proudly of how in Seychelles, everyone is accepted regardless of your skin color, religion or ethnicity. Much like Rwandans, Seychellois people don’t concern themselves with peoples differences. I saw so many groups of friends, families, and couples that covered the spectrum of skin color and hair texture. It wasn’t the American flavor of “racism doesn’t exist here” where there was very obvious segregation and socioeconomic castes. I didn’t see a trend of service workers having darker skin while white-collar workers had lighter skin. I didn’t see any crazy wealth disparities. I didn’t see people living on the streets or bothering any of the tourists. When we were on the water taxi coming back from Grand Major, we saw our first mega-nice homes lining the coast. Asking the taxi driver if he knew who lived there, he told us it was a Seychellois lawyer, not a Western immigrant. I would’ve expected the locals to be irritated by the tourists, but- just the opposite- I’ve never seen a society so collectively patient in traffic. It was common when pulling out of a driveway or making a turn onto a main road for other drivers to stop for you and wave you on. Eventually, I started doing it too. Me, a very impatient driver who believes speed limits should be variably dependent on driving skill. Of course, my perception is limited, but after spending 1 week on Mahé, my feeling that I had found heaven on Earth didn’t diminish, not even once. In fact, it only grew as I became more familiar with my surroundings and the people around me. Even the run-in with Crazy Charlie felt balanced, as his wild aggression was matched in kindness and support by the people there who comforted and helped us when we were struggling with that suzuki. I am 100% certain that I could not have found a better place to wrap up my first visit to the African continent.
So now I’ve now been to Africa, Asia, Oceania, Europe and North America. Next up, South America. As for Antarctica, I’m good – I don’t need to visit all 7 continents lol.