Mauritius feels very small compared to Madagascar. Where I am in a place called Moka, you are are about 30 mins in all directions to the coast. I'm staying in the central plateaux - higher up and therefore cooler than the coast and not at all touristy. It's nice to be in someone's home (I'm staying with my cousin Robert's Mauritian friend's parents who split their time living here and in the UK). So I didn't actually know the friend or the parents (Sam and Loga...

Tropical powerful thunderstorms for the last two nights, all very exciting. What with lemurs playing around with the odd squarky bark - its amazing how I get any sleep. But I still seem to be on the pattern of not being able to keep my eyes open much beyond 9 and waking up about 5. So have done a total of four dives while I have been here. Jacque is quite different dive guide, really takes his time and loves getting into the detail and pointing out incredibly ...

Much more my sort of place - is it because they speak English? But just feels more laid back - no locks on the doors, electricity for a limited time, lemurs playing in the tree next to my chalet and the dive master just came up to me and said how about 9.30 for our first easy dive! They mainly attract the South African market hence the English. I was the only guest all afternoon. I arrived and Isabel greeted me - in her 50s wearing dungarees and asked me if I w...

Photo was my breakfast companion enjoying my left over mango. I don't feel I've really explored the island of Nosy Be , but have felt a bit explored out, however i have enjoyed being here and at the hotel on the top of the hill- and I did what I came here to do which was dive. The owners are not as forth coming as I would have liked or has been mentioned in the reviews- probably the language thing although they can speak English (and I haven't really made an e...

After a 5 hour road journey with Etienne - but just me because the other guy apparently changed his mind, (so still no buddying up with other independent travelers). I arrived at the small but very bustling port of Ankify. Straight away my bag was rushed away, a ticket thrust in my hand and I was squashed in a boat with about 8 other Malagasy women, 5 pineapples, a sack of rice, bicycle, 3 big plastic bowls and a couple of baskets of other goods and 6 live chicke...