Well after the upset of the last few days (see tragedy strikes page...) and the usual first week back at school headaches for Jane (Bethany was fine) we were all glad to be able to escape for the weekend.
Having been in Mahe for 2 years Jane and Stephen are very familiar and knowledged about the other islands that make up the Seychelles and having visited several of the other islands they suggested we might like to take a look at Praslin and La Digue, two very different islands but each unique enough to give us a flavour of a different experience again to that of the busy and industrial island of Mahe.
We readily agreed and with accommodation booked for 2 nights bed and breakfast at a holiday villa in Praslin we just needed to secure the travel arrangements. There are two ways of travelling to Praslin either a short plane ride or a trip over by Catamaran. Stephen is not keen on boats but having considered the price difference and with assurance that I had some travel pills should he need them we all decided to brave the ocean and go over on the Cat Coco Catamaran ferry. http://catcocos.com/#Scene_1
We arrived at school, picked up Bethany and Jane around 4pm ready for our 4.30pm crossing.
In terms of distance Praslin is to Mahe what England is to France so an hour long ferry trip shouldn't be too bad I thought. Oh how wrong could I be. I discovered a Catamaran is no ordinary ferry, as the south easterly winds blow across the sea the boat moves at a rate of knots that boasts a fast crossing but at what price? - the price of your lunch maybe! I was able to maintain my dignity and my lunch but vowed after being thrown and bounced around for an hour I too would take a travel pill on the Sunday return journey!
Having borrowed a car for the weekend we drove to our holiday villa which was lovely. Boasting a kitchen/diner, large central living area with two double bedrooms both with en suite bathrooms we truly felt we were on another, albeit mini, holiday.
We ate in the local restaurant that evening which was excellent although the menu choice was somewhat limited, all the dishes were fish of one sort or another with the exception of chicken curry.
We took to our beds at a reasonable hour as we were travelling to La Digue on Saturday and spending the day there. Oh no not another boat trip! Only a 20 minute journey this time but I wasn't taking any chances as I popped a travel pill in my mouth.
The boat across to La Digue was fine and calm and as we were foot passengers I was concerned as to how we would get around and see the island as we had only taken swimming things with us. Jane smiled and said "bikes". "What! you mean bicycles?" I said. In my mind I was thinking "no way, I haven't ridden a bike in 30 something years (apart from the stationery kind at the gym, occasionally) I will never be able to manage that, and especially not up any steep mountain roads."
It turns out that La Digue has very few motorised vehicles, the main mode of transport being either ox & cart or bicycle. Having been reassured that the parts of the island we would be visiting would be flat, shaded and paved I was convinced and hiring bikes was our next stop after a take away lunch.Getting on and off the bike proved more problematic for me than the actual riding of it. I can now testify that you never forget how to ride a bike, however with my advancing years and limited physical ability I discovered I can no longer balance with poise and dignity! My focus instead was on staying upright, keeping the bike moving and being able to stop successfully whilst travelling in something resembling a straight line!
MAJOR ACHIEVEMENT... I am really glad now that I recaptured and have mastered, of a fashion, this particular "lost skill".
We rode for about 20 minutes and arrived at a place known as L'Union Estate where we saw and fed giant tortoises, rode through vanilla groves, parked our bikes and found a secluded spot on the beach, where hidden by giant granite rocks we could read, rest, relax and dip in the sea when it got too hot. And yes once again the local beach hound in the shape of a brown and black dog found us! 
Sunning and swimming over we headed back towards the ferry port for our crossing back to Praslin but not before we had stopped at the one large(ish) by Seychelles standards general store to buy provisions for our evening meal and where to my delight, shock and surprise, I found of all things a box of 160 ROOIBOS TEABAGS (red bush). Of all the places in Seychelles this was the last place I would have expected to find them, as the island has to import everything it sells and with only 2000 people on the island of La Digue I wouldn't have considered it a viable item for them to want, but I was not complaining and promptly bought a box as a souvenir for myself.To top off this amazing day, as we travelled back on the boat to Praslin we saw dolphins, only briefly but enough to say today has been very special and well worth the saddle sores.
http://www.ladigue.sc/
Sunday morning as we packed up from our temporary home we stopped off briefly at the Praslin airport to take some pictures of a large concrete fountain that depicts the male and female coco-de-mer. The coco-de-mer is unique to the Seychelles and boasts the largest leaves, the largest nut (female) and the largest catkin (male) in the world. The trees grow at a rate of one leaf per year and at a height of 37 metres it is estimated that the oldest tree which is to be found at the Vallee De Mai on Praslin is over 200 years old.
We settled for the rest of the day on another beach which was sandy and soft underfoot where Bethany and me were determined to do a bit of snorkeling. Having had a quick lesson from Jane as to the best way of using your mask (top tip - rub the inside of the eye mask with toothpaste then wash it off this stops the mask fogging up) then with faces in the water we looked for signs of life below us. Unfortunately the winds had churned up the water making it cloudy and not possible to see anything, but at least we had a go.
The day was soon over and our journey back on the Cat Coco was rougher than ever. I counted my blessings for having taken a travel sickness pill and as Bethany slept it occurred to me that the pills actually work as all around me I tried to drown out the sounds of other peoples distress.
Back on dry land at last we all acknowledged what a thoroughly enjoyable weekend break we had had and how God really is true to His name as the restorer of our souls. :-)
