The islands of non-mass-tourism.

Oh my graying-a-touch! Just the other day I turned the ripe old age of 53. And I was lucky enough to spend most of my birthday on a beach in a tropical clime, at one point – under palm trees. Just like for my 52^nd birthday, I was in sunny Seychelles singing ‘She sells sea shells on the seashore in Seychelles’: granite tropical islands, somewhere in the middle of the Indian Ocean, more than a thousand kilometers from any mainland, and far from intercontinental transportation routes (only one international flight flies past the isles per day (Dubai – Mauritius – Dubai)!).

So, why here? Well, if there’s one thing I really like about Seychelles it’s that it’s not into mass tourism. In fact, tourism regulation is so strict that it’s forbidden to build more hotels here; thus, they rather elegantly solve two things: they raise the islands’ overall income from tourism (since the exclusiveness brings in only the wealthy), and the natural environment isn’t spoiled by the presence of too many homo sapiens. Jungle is allowed to take over former coconut plantations, turtles emigrate here, and vermin like rats are eliminated so that the bird population is preserved. In short: a paradisiacal place lucky enough to be able to remain so.

Beaches with crabs:

Jungles with the respective wild beasts living therein:

Giant tortoises!

When you wake up of a morning the tortoises are outside your window having their breakfast! And for a small fee you can even name one of the young ones!

Some of the islands have several thousand different breeds of tropical birds living on them. That’s all very well, of course; but, boy, what a din they all make (unlike the tortoises, for example). It’s practically impossible having 40 winks here – there’s just too much avian screaming going on all the time! Still, shame to sleep here too much, so it’s just as well ).

Sure, Seychelles isn’t cheap for tourists. Still, here’s to hoping you all, dear readers, one day get here to check out these magnificent islands. So, to that end – now, ‘back to work’, so you can start saving for that dream trip of the future!

Meanwhile, greetings from… inner China!…

PS: I’ve missed out a post on Greek archeological digs. I’m just waiting for the permission to come through from the Greek Ministry of Culture…