Dreaming in Dubai

         

After spending an incredible four days in the Seychelles, I’m reluctant to admit that the island had never been high up on my list of places to visit. I don’t know what it is but I’ve found that the places I expect the least from always end up impressing me the most! This was certainly the case with the Seychelles. In the days leading up to my trip I wasn’t sure of how I would fill my four days on the island but by my last day there I found myself wishing that I could stay forever. From the moment my husband and I were greeted with warm winds and balmy sunshine on the tarmac of the airport we knew we had landed somewhere special.

              Once we passed the immigration counter at the airport we headed straight to our hotel, The H Resort Beau Vallon Beach. Taxis are readily available at the airport, and although they’re expensive, there’s no way to get around them. Getting from the airport to our hotel cost 600SCR which is about 165AED, much more than a 20 minute taxi ride would cost us here in Dubai. The good thing is that taxi rates are fixed throughout the island so you don’t have to worry about getting ripped off. On our taxi ride to the hotel we soaked in the gorgeous views from the mountainous roads. We found ourselves wishing that we stop and take pictures every few minutes! The locals in the Seychelles were so friendly and we quickly found ourselves in conversation with our taxi driver. He told us that in the Seychelles children learn to speak three languages in school – English, French, and Creole. The languages are staggered with Creole and English coming first, followed by French. This way everyone on the island is able to converse with one another and with the many tourists that come to visit. It’s also mandatory for all children to attend school from the ages of 4 – 16. I was curious to know about the government and he told us that the Seychelles is ruled by a socialist democracy but as with most countries, the population feels the government could be doing much more to for their people. Another really interesting fact we found was that food and imports in the Seychelles are very expensive because Somali pirates impose their own tax on everything that comes into island!

We were so entwined in conversation that I was almost disappointed by how quickly we arrived at our resort. There’s truly no better way to learn about a country than by talking to someone who lives there. After saying our goodbyes we entered our resort we were immediately taken aback by how beautiful it was. The lobby had an ethereal seashell chandelier that made the most melodic sound as it gently swished from the breeze. Because the lobby was open from two sides we could see the clear blue water and white sand of the beach right away. Even though we arrived at the hotel around 10:00am the staff was kind enough to let us check into our room two hours early. One of the funniest moments of our trips occurred when after finding out that my husband and I are ethnically Pakistani, one of the guys working at the reception desk eagerly exclaimed that Shakti Kapoor along with his entire family were staying at the resort. We spotted them a couple of times throughout our trip but decided against asking them for a picture in case they found it rude.

              After freshening up in our room we were starving and tired. Even though we couldn’t wait to jump into our pool and lay out by the beach we decided to find food first. We headed to an Indian restaurant nearby located at the Coral Strand Hotel that we had read about online but when we arrived we found out that they would only open for dinner. We headed to a nearby pizza place instead and had a really filling and delicious Cajun style pizza with grilled fish and spices. We were surprised to find that pizza was a very common meal in the Seychelles and almost all of the restaurants we visited had it on their menu.

 After getting back to our hotel we spent the rest of the day lazing on the beach and taking dips in our pool which was included in our room. The main pool at the resort closed at 7:00pm but we could use ours at our own convenience which made for an even more amazing overall experience! If you’re planning to stay at the H Resort I would definitely recommend opting for the beach villa which includes a private pool. The small difference in price is definitely worth the amenities you’ll receive in return!

When we had checked into our hotel the concierge had informed us that a local market takes place ten minutes away from our resort every Wednesday. We had completely forgotten about it until we ventured out to find a money exchange and walked right into it! The energy at the market was amazing. There were people of all different ages, locals and tourists alike. We couldn’t believe that so many people had come out to enjoy life and socialize on a weekday. It’s definitely not something we can imagine happening regularly in any of the cities that we’ve lived in. After sampling some local specialties including fried plantains and grilled fish we decided to call it a night and head back to our hotel. One of the most memorable experiences of our trip occurred on our walk back. The way to our room was along the beach and we couldn’t help but notice how bright everything looked. At first we thought there was a light coming from one of the nearby hotels or restaurants but when we looked up we were immediately greeted with the sight of what looked like thousands of radiant stars scattered across an inky black sky. The only way I can describe what we saw is to say that it looked like someone had thrown silver glitter into sky. I’d never seen anything like it, not even in rural Pakistani or New England. Had that sky been the only thing I saw on my trip, I still would have left being content.

              The next day was mainly spent in and around the resort relaxing. It was raining quite heavily and frequently throughout the day so we decided to postpone our plan of heading to Victoria, which is the capital city of the Seychelles. Victoria is actually the smallest capital city in the world and after seeing so many cute pictures of it on Pinterest and Instagram I couldn’t wait to get there and explore! When we asked people what the best way was to get to Victoria many recommended getting a taxi but a few also suggested that we try a local bus. A taxi would cost us 500SCR while a bus ride was 5SCR; needless to say we went with the bus! My husband and I always like to use local methods of transportation everywhere we go so figured this would be the perfect opportunity. As soon as we got on the bus I knew that this would be an experience I would never forget. The Seychelles is basically carved into a mountain which means there are lots of steep, winding roads with no side rails. Our driver was going around 80mph and I was sure that we would fall off the edge of a cliff. By the grace of God we arrived to Victoria safely and in one piece. Although I was terrified at the time I now look back on the experience and laugh! I’m so happy we tried the bus because it definitely gave us a taste of what daily life is like for the people who live in the Seychelles.

              When we arrived in Victoria we were eager to explore but the humidity was stifling. The rest of the island is humid as well but the heat from the cars and people in the city center made it extremely hot. After cooling down and buying some water at a small grocery store we began exploring. One thing we noticed was that people in the Seychelles are very laid back and friendly compared to almost anywhere else we had ever been. I think the fact that they live on one of the most beautiful tropical islands in the world probably helps! Victoria lived up to its reputation of being quaint and very small! We visited the Hindu Temple, the Clock Tower, the tourist market where we picked up a new magnet for our fridge and the admired the colorful exteriors of the colonial buildings. After about an hour of walking around we decided to head back and once again opted for the bus. The ride back was definitely a lot less scary compared to the ride getting there, probably because we were going uphill which made driving a lot slower. All in all, I would definitely recommend allocating a few hours to visit Victoria on your trip. I’d also add that before arriving we read online that the island is very safe and we definitely didn’t feel otherwise while we were there. Remember to keep in mind that everything in town closes at 4:00pm so plan to go early on in the day before the afternoon humidity sets in.

              All in all, I cannot recommend visiting the Seychelles enough. Prior to this trip I always preferred visiting big cities because I like having lots to see and explore. However, this journey taught me that vacations don’t have to be all about walking thousands of steps of a day and scurrying to see a new city in the timespan of a few days. I still remember around 8 or 9 months ago my husband and I were watching a travel documentary about the Seychelles on a channel called TravelXP. After watching the footage I was impressed with the beaches and views but I thought I wouldn’t be a fulfilling experience for me. Not only did I realize how I wrong I was, it’s also prompted me to add a few more tropical destinations to my travel list. If you have any specific questions about visiting the Seychelles, feel free to email me or leave me a comment below!