Winter in Mauritius

It’s never the right time and so at the same time I figure, it’s just a good a time as any. Some people find it difficult to plan a trip (or any change) because they want conditions to be perfect – the weather must be faultless, things at work must be just right, finances must be the best they’ll be – all good and valid concerns. But sometimes overthinking things can stop you from getting started, getting going and just enjoying the ride. For me, half the adventure in traveling is figuring out how to deal with things that don’t go perfectly along the way, that aren’t always in our control.

When choosing when to go on an island holiday weather would be key, agreed. And although we’d never choose to go in monsoon season necessarily, traveling to an island in winter is not the worst idea. So we consulted the weather apps, the internet and contacts on the ground and decided to go for it.

Let me tell you, Mauritius is always a good idea! We would discover that heading to the island in the middle of winter. A small group of best friends boarded the redeye flight out of Cape Town, flying away from cold winds and rainstorms in search of sunshine; a balmy paradise…and that’s exactly what we found. We encountered a few windy and damp days but that did not ruin our stay in any way…we were only too grateful to be part of the easy going island life. Just days before had been covered in layers of clothing and sitting beside roaring fireplaces and now we had the aircons and fans on full blast and we fashioned bathing suits while enjoying all-day beach days. We indulged with much delight in the staples and treats of the local cuisine, meeting and chatting to the stall owners about their offerings while traversing the island from south to north and east to west.

Mauritius in winter was so much fun and the cooler temperatures were a bit of a relief for those who can’t deal with the summertime heat and humidity.  My highlights…how do I even choose?! We hiked up Le Morne, visited 2 different islands by catamaran, we did yoga on the beach, spent time at the fresh foods market in Port Louis, played volleyball on the beach, cooking lunch in the home of a local woman who couldn’t speak a word of English and needed a translator but was very keen to talk to me. To top it all off, I got to share all these amazing experiences with my best friends, my brother and new friends we made on the island; it was a blast!

Traveling continues to surprise me in wonderful ways. So I say we stop finding excuses not to go, not to do what sets our soul on fire and get going. Give it a try. Not because everything is perfect and all the ducks are lined up, but because time is something we don’t get back and because experiences mould and make us who we are and because there is so much to live, to learn and to love about our world, the people all over the planet and ourselves.

*gone to book my next trip…