The Lone Traveler on an Ideal Yatra

“Free as a bird to settle where I will.
What dwelling shall receive me? In what vale
Shall be my harbor? Underneath what grove
Shall I take up my home? And what clear stream

Shall with its murmur lull me into rest?
The earth is all before me.”

Wordsworth may have been delighted to leave the humdrum life of the city and settle down in the meadows that were home to him during his childhood but to escape the everyday grind of our mechanical life I need a vacation. And not just a vacation, I need a dream vacation. I need to feel the sand below my feet, I need the soothing sounds of the waves lapping at the shores, I need to wake up to the chirping of the birds and I need the mouth-watering aroma of food to tempt my dormant taste-buds. And I know the perfect destination where all my wishes can come true. Mauritius! Yes, that’s my dream vacation (of course I’m a Piscean, so I’m going to choose a beach destination)

With prior scheduling using the help of travel planning sites like Yatra and some meticulous comparison of flight prices it is possible to book international flight tickets at reasonable rates and cheaper flight tariffs mean more money for shopping. Yay!

Fortunately for me I can book a ticket with Emirate Airlines from Namma Bengaluru. But you know what I would desire to do? I would like to travel solo. Going on a vacation alone and exploring the world as a solo traveler- just thinking about it makes me feel exhilarated and nervous at the same time. It would be a new experience and I’d be checking off an item from my bucket list. So that decided, all that was left would be to plan my itinerary.

Ideally I would like to spend a lifetime lazing on the beautiful beaches, reading a book and taking moonlight walks in the night, but a little thing called reality creeps into these daydreams of mine. So I have opted to spend maybe 4 days on the islands of Mauritius (keeping in mind my budget constraints). One choice which wouldn’t be compromised for the sake of budget would be my choice of stay at a resort. Mauritius is home to some of the most exotic beach resorts and I would be spoilt for choices. I would want to stay in a room where I can be greeted in the morning with a view of a glorious sunrise. Now that’s some way of waking up, isn’t it?

The day would be spent indulging in various water sports and other water activities. The beaches of Mauritius are so pristine and clean that deep sea diving and snorkeling would be an amazing way to explore the marine life and the coral reefs. I have heard that the underwater sea walk is a unique experience that one must try out in Mauritius. The first day of the vacation would be devoted completely to beaches. The La Cuvette beach in the northern region, The Blue Bay and Belle Mare beach in the South East are perfect picturesque locations. The beaches are not very crowded and my plans to dip in the water for a swim and relax with a book fit in magnificently.

What better way to end the day than a drive in the Mauritian countryside with a wind tousling my hair and a drink in my hand. That is the way to live life, in my opinion.

The next day will be spent exploring the culture and the small, almost hidden, villages. The interesting thing about Mauritius is that the land is inhabited by Hindus, Tamils, Buddhists, Muslims and Christians and all of them peacefully cohabit respecting each other’s religion. In fact there is no “majority religion”, so temples, churches and mosques are all monuments that reside alongside with no violence. Maybe it’s time we took a leaf out of the Mauritian culture and learnt how to mutually respect each other?

This melting pot of land also has a mixed cuisine and the best way to taste the local cuisine is to hit the streets. The street food of Mauritius is a culinary paradise and one gets to taste the intricate flavors that are sure to titillate and fire-up the taste buds. Just yum!

Visiting Mauritius and not getting a spa luxury? That should never happen! So the next day would start with a rejuvenating spa therapy session. After all I’m on a vacation and I’m allowed to splurge a little. Mauritus is not just a beach destination but it also has lots of interesting museums and galleries. The La Vanille Nature Park is another tourist attraction which houses giant tortoises and crocodiles. The mystery of Chamarel, also called Seven Colored Earths because of the different hues of the soil is another must visit place.

The last day of the vacation would be completely devoted to lounging around the beaches and absorbing the mesmerizing scenes of Mauritius. What I wouldn’t give to have my own private piece of this paradise but all good things must come to an end and this vacation too would end. But the glorious memories would still linger in my mind until the next vacation. A new place to explore, a new land to visit and lots of food to eat!