After the Maldives, I travelled to Mauritius, running my workshops at Belle Mare & Le Morne. LUX* Le Morne was the last of the two resorts I visited, and was a beautiful way to end my stay in the country. In the car from the island's north-east to south-west, I was captivated by the changing landscape as we drove closer and closer to the mountains. This is what makes LUX* Le Morne unique—it's a resort that sits by the sea whilst having a mountain as its backdrop. Le Morne Brabant is a baby in comparison to the mountains of the Rockies, with its summit being 556m, but it certainly has a backstory (and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site):
The peninsula was notorious in the early 19th century as a refuge for runaway slaves. After the abolition of slavery in Mauritius, on 1 February 1835 a police expedition was despatched there ostensibly to inform the slaves that they had been freed. At the time the slaves had been using Le Morne summit for many years as a look-out point to spot military despatches from Port Louis being sent to re-capture them. On previous occasions when these attempts had been carried out they had been spotted by the look-outs, the warning issued to the rest of the slaves who chose to leap to their deaths from the rock, (into the area now known as 'The Valley of Bones'), rather than be recaptured back into slavery.—Le Morne Brabant, Wikipedia
The warmer weather here in comparison to the north of the island meant I felt more inclined to be outside. There was so much to do, and none of it was anything I'd be able to do in the Rockies. So I snorkelled amongst coral and tropical fish, learnt to sail (and sailed poorly, but there's a first time for everything), kayaked across crystal clear water, and most memorable of all—I swam with dolphins for the first time. I look forward to the day being waterproof is just a standard feature of DSLRs, because using a GoPro simply didn't do it justice for me.
Beyond being a collection of new experiences, there were new connections to treasure as well. Conversations on sand after snorkelling and exploring the local reef. Photographing new friends as they taste freshly caught sea urchin (but none for this vegetarian, thanks). Walking by floating bonfires and listening to live saxophone. Sitting on a beanbag on the sand while enjoying the Mauritian version of a mulled wine while a woman sings and plays acoustic guitar. Talking about our lives back home and people-watching. What better way to form new friendships than in a setting where you're experiencing something new?
As always, more imagery below.
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