Don’t Dream Your Life – Live Your Dream
Friends from our dance group told us that they had married in the Seychelles and that it had been a dream wedding and a wonderful holiday. Their stories inspired us to pursue the dream of our lives.
On 14 November 2015, we set off for Mahé with our family in tow and a wedding dress and suit in our luggage. We had 15 hours of travelling ahead of us, accompanied by tremendous excitement. After a six-hour flight, we landed in Abu Dhabi. The five-hour stopover passed in a flash. The airport was so impressive that we simply could not stop marvelling at it.
Day 1 – Arrival in paradise
At around 7 a.m. local time, we landed on Mahé. The airport here was the complete opposite of Abu Dhabi: small and tranquil. After passport control and a health check, a friendly lady from ‘Creole’ welcomed us, put us in a minibus and explained that someone would come by the following day to discuss the details. Then we were already on our way to Villa Kordia.
The road ran along the beach, giving us our first impression of the island. After around 30 minutes, we arrived at Villa Kordia, where Gervais and Fadette gave us the warmest of welcomes. The accommodation was wonderful and set in a magnificent garden, which we were free to explore at our leisure. We had arrived in paradise.
Day 2 – Exploring the local area
After we had all slept very well, we began the sunny day with a delicious breakfast served to us on the terrace. The supermarket was just around the corner, so we could easily stock up on everything that makes a holiday truly enjoyable: sparkling wine, beer and Takamaka rum, which tasted absolutely delicious over ice. Once we had everything we needed, the beach was waiting for us. It was idyllic. We crossed the road (remember, they drive on the left!) and found ourselves standing on white sand with the Indian Ocean before us. It was simply perfect: sun, beach, sea and palm trees, with no crowds.
Later, the friendly lady from ‘Creole’ arrived with brochures for day trips. We booked an island tour of Mahé and, as there were 6 of us, we had our own guide and minibus. We also chose an island-hopping tour so that we could discover Praslin and La Digue as well. Now we only had to wait for Jean Luc, our wedding planner. But just as you would expect, everything simply works out in paradise. Jean Luc arrived and drove us to Anse Royale. This was where our wedding would take place the day after next. We were overwhelmed by the sight of the beach and its rocks. It was the ultimate picture-postcard scene, and we were right in the middle of it. It was unimaginably beautiful. We discussed a few formalities for the wedding ceremony, and then it was dark. Back at Villa Kordia, a delicious dinner awaited us, prepared and served by the family who owned the property.
Day 3 – A visit to Jardin Du Roi Spice Garden
After a rainy night, the new day greeted us with sunshine once again. We had risen early to watch the sun come up over the sea. That too was a wonderful experience. The beach was full of crabs as the sun rose over the ocean.
‘Jardin Du Roi’ is a spice garden in the south of Mahé that continues the French tradition of the 18th-century spice trade. Set among the hills and valleys of Les Canelles, the garden features rows of vanilla vines, citronella, cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper and other spices. At ‘Jardin Du Roi’, we were greeted by giant tortoises contentedly munching on leaves in their enclosure. Their size and prehistoric appearance really were impressive.
The plants were equally remarkable: the towering palms, the ‘deciduous trees’ covered in magnificent blossoms and flowers that we had previously seen only in exclusive bouquets. The coco de mer is one of 6 palm species endemic to the Seychelles, and its nuts really do bear a striking resemblance to a rounded ‘woman’s bottom’. As for the male seeds and pollination, everyone should hear the legend for themselves. We also ‘harvested’ a few spices at ‘Jardin Du Roi’, including vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper and lemongrass. Then we set off back.
Day 4 – The wedding
The hairdresser arrived at the door promptly after breakfast to style my hair and do my make-up for the most beautiful day of my life. After an exhausting 2.5 hours, I had been transformed into a rather lovely little bride. The groom, however, had to manage on his own. He too had made himself look smart, and we were ready as bride and groom when Jean Luc arrived to collect us. He also brought a beautiful bridal bouquet.
Jean Luc took us back to the villa and promised to bring us the photographs and marriage certificate as quickly as possible. After 2 days, we had everything and were officially married under German law as well.
In the afternoon, we went snorkelling and were enchanted by the colourful fish, sea urchins and sea cucumbers. The most impressive were a lionfish and a pufferfish. As we were all beginners, we only snorkelled at ‘our beach’, but even there we were thrilled by the underwater world. That evening, a barbecue and passion fruit mousse cake awaited us. We brought the day – our day – to a close with a slow waltz on the terrace.Day 5 – Island tour
At almost exactly 9 am, our bus was waiting for us with our guide, Philippe. Anyone who thinks they can explore Mahé on foot is very much mistaken. There are no paths between the villages, and the roads are barely wide enough for two cars. Alongside them are deep ditches that channel the water down from the mountains. The traffic is quite an adventure.
Philippe first drove us to the south of Mahé and showed us more gorgeous beaches and coves, each more romantic than the last. We then headed north along the west coast of Mahé, passing luxurious resorts and some less luxurious ones. We visited a tea plantation and some ruins with a viewing platform where Queen Elizabeth had stood in 1972. Once again, the view was breathtaking. Below us were the treetops of goodness knows what sort of trees, while out at sea it looked as though a giant had randomly hurled boulders into the water. We had lunch on the seafront at Anse Boileau.
There were countless barbecue stalls offering chicken and various types of fish. Afterwards, we had a siesta on the beach, or rather in the Indian Ocean. With water temperatures of at least 25°C, even those who feel the cold can cope quite comfortably. Philippe then drove us 8 km across the island from the west coast to the east coast and on to Victoria, the capital of the Seychelles. It is a truly tranquil little town with an impressive Hindu temple and a miniature ‘Big Ben’. The market is impressive too. However, you have to watch out for the enormous spiders at the entrance so that your hair does not brush against their webs.
From Victoria, we travelled to the north coast and probably the best-known beach, Beau Vallon, where one resort follows another and where it is supposedly ‘all happening’. We did not notice any of that, but the beach really is idyllic. By then, we no longer felt like visiting the national park in the centre of the island. We were overwhelmed by all the impressions and could not really take in any more. Philippe drove us back to our villa on the east coast. Before that, however, he made a detour to Maison de Coco, an arts and crafts centre with a newly restored colonial manor house. We bought a few more souvenirs made from palm fibres, coconut shells and seashells.
When we arrived back at the villa, we were once again surprised with a delicious dinner. We ended the day relaxing on the terrace.
Day 6 – Relaxing, swimming and snorkelling
After the rather tiring previous day, we had decided to spend this one enjoying our accommodation and its surroundings. The garden offered wonderful opportunities to do just that. We were given freshly opened coconuts to drink from. Then we decided to try opening a coconut ourselves. It was very sweaty work. There was a special post in the garden against which you had to strike and split the coconuts to remove the outer husk. Then you had to tap the nut to open it and get to the flesh. We ‘slaughtered’ and devoured two coconuts. We did not have the strength for any more.
Harvesting the fruit in the garden, by contrast, was much easier. We picked star fruit, which tasted far better than the kind served on Italian ice-cream sundaes. We ate bananas that certainly would not meet EU standards, but were much tastier as well. The mangoes and papayas were ripe and delicious. We had great fun with the cheeky lizards, which were always trying to get hold of a treat. Watching the snails devour fallen fruit was very calming. They have lovely shells.
The geckos are quite amusing little creatures too, as long as they are not scampering around the bedroom. The only ‘noise’ came from the birds and flying foxes. The white tern looks incredibly elegant with its long tail, and the flying foxes have sweet little faces.
In the afternoon, we returned to the beach to swim and snorkel. Further out, fish traps lay on the seabed, and a fisherman was just emptying them. He pulled out several parrotfish and a few other fish. It was fascinating to watch how the locals catch their fish. We then had fun with lots of little fish, and the lionfish was there again too. We felt as though we were in an aquarium.
We had fish for dinner as well, perhaps caught in the same way we had observed.Day 7 – Island hopping
Today, we had to get up very early. At 6.30 am, we were collected by a ‘Creole’ bus and dropped off at the harbour in Victoria. Once again, a friendly young woman from ‘Creole’ was waiting for us. She was our guide for the day. We were a group of around 20 people, a colourful mix of different nationalities. That in itself was very interesting. After around 45 minutes aboard a fast ferry, and with slightly wobbly knees from the swell, we arrived on Praslin. We immediately continued by smaller boat to La Digue. At the harbour on La Digue, a ‘lorry’ was waiting to take us to a former coconut plantation.
The young woman from ‘Creole’ first showed us how to open a coconut. But we already knew a thing or two about that. None of the other hotel guests had tried it before. We were also shown how coconut oil used to be produced. The poor ox had to walk around in circles to turn the millstone.
We continued to an idyllic beach that has served as the backdrop for various advertising brochures, including ones for Bacardi. We promptly bought a bottle when we got home. We were also shown an old manor house where parts of ‘Goodbye, Emmanuelle’ were filmed. The young woman from ‘Creole’ blushed slightly, while a murmur ran through the male tourists, regardless of age, and their eyes all lit up. Only the women looked bemused. Me too!
We had lunch at a fantastic restaurant right by the sea, and the dessert buffet was outstanding.
With full stomachs, we returned to the harbour and travelled back to Praslin. Here, we were taken to the ‘Vallée de Mai’ park and were overwhelmed by its primeval plant life. The young woman from ‘Creole’ told us the legend of how the Coco de Mer is pollinated, which made us smile. These enormous, ancient palms with their huge fruit really are very impressive. Unfortunately, we did not catch sight of the black parrot, but the other creatures, such as lizards, geckos and spiders, were also lovely to see. Afterwards, we were allowed to relax at Anse Lazio, probably the most famous beach in the Seychelles. Shortly before nightfall, we returned to the harbour and travelled back to Mahé. A ‘Creole’ bus took us to the villa, where a delicious dinner was waiting for us.
Day 8 – Sun, beach and sea
Another day of rest and idleness awaited us today. We enjoyed the beautiful garden, walked along the beach until large boulders blocked our way, and had fun in the water.
Day 9 – Victoria
As we had only had a little time in Victoria during our tour, we decided to take another bus trip. Once again, it was an interesting experience. It was pouring with rain when we arrived in Victoria, and we had to buy umbrellas, which after about half an hour had become nothing more than an annoying burden to carry around. The sun had come out again. We revisited the market and the souvenir shops in the town centre, bought one or two more gifts and soon made our way back. The beach was waiting for us.
Day 10 – Expelled from paradise
It was with heavy hearts that we had to pack our suitcases, as our holiday had come to an end. We had experienced a completely different world and had been treated to the most delicious regional dishes. We were served tuna in every imaginable variation, as well as jackfish, barracuda and red snapper, chicken and plenty of fresh fruit. Our evenings on the terrace were often filled with stimulating and interesting conversations with our hosts. It truly was a dream holiday in paradise.
We would like to offer our heartfelt thanks to SeyVillas, especially Ms Flaming, for making this fantastic holiday and our dream wedding possible.
Serenity – life can be taken more slowly
Contentment – less is sometimes more
Balance – there is strength in tranquillity
and a dream:
To return to paradise!
