1984 - Solo to Kenya and Seychelles: Tour of Mahe

Tuesday 1 May 1984 – Mahe #3

Unfortunately I left the air conditioner on cold all night so I woke up with a rotten throat which rapidly developed into a streaming cold. Of course I felt like death warmed up too but I battled on.

There were good views from the Moke

I had my Moke delivered this morning and off I thundered with a very nice Swede named Lars Bengtsson who was with Skandia and a young lady from his London office – Jo Navarre. Driving the Moke put a different perspective on everything and made the journey seem much shorter. The vehicles have a canopy over them, but this can be lowered quite easily for even better and more fun driving.

Once again the papers presented at the conference were quite good in the first session, but after the coffee break there was a discussion. Among the delegates present was one Madame Massignane who was one of the most boring and windy speakers I have ever heard. Most of the questions addressed to her were from the Francophone West African delegates who were also verbose to the nth degree. All in all a most boring two and a half hours.

 

View from the Reef Hotel

We went back to the Reef Hotel again and I gave the two lads from Swaziland a lift one was Charlie Faux whose brother used to work with me in Durban and the other was Ian Pitman who used to be with British Engine in Harare.

 

Another view along the way

The lunch was very similar to yesterday except that the flavours were different and there was a delicious pork stew. I ate very little because I was feeling crook with my cold. I went back to the hotel with the Skandia people and although I had organised a scuba diving lesson, I had to cancel it because of my cold. Instead we went for a drive around the Northern part of the island which was really lovely. It is a pretty high class residential area and some of the places have to be seen to be believed.

The sight that led to Lar's remark

Lars and I had a swim when we got back and had a beer at the beach bar. He is a really pleasant chap and I got on well with him. He made me laugh when he said quietly, apropos some of the topless swimmers, “I think if I had a choice between all wearing bras or none wearing bras, I would rather all wore them.” There certainly were some awesome  sights including, we were told, Madame Massignane who the American Pedro Petrocelli described as “…looking as if she had two flight bags around her neck.”

Since I was still feeling grim I decided to take the Moke over to the Reef Hotel where the dinner was being held as I could then leave when I wanted. Jo and Lars came with me. I only drank grapefruit juice – in vast quantities as it was very hot. The meal was again enjoyable. This time there was a variety of fish salads and so on so I was able to eat lightly again. A local band of singers and dancers put on a very good show of Sega dancing. Lovely music and then the Nightshades came on again – they were the group from the previous evening. It was a good evening’s entertainment and I enjoyed myself despite my thick head.

We left at about 23.30 so I was in bed just after midnight, making sure the air-conditioning was off!!.