Full Circle.....Again!

Despite nearly circumnavigating Mahe in the dark, we thought it best to try it out in the daylight. It is payday in the Seychelles, and Victoria is heaving with locals shopping at the markets and paying their bills in the bank. Direct debit does not seem to have arrived on these foreign shores.

Victoria is the capital city of the Seychelles and has a population of 25000, as at 2009. The principal exports are vanilla, coconuts, coconut oil, soap, fish and guano. Attractions ( if you can call them that) include a clock tower modelled on the Vauxhall Clock Tower in London, and the Courthouse.

The city is also home to the national stadium, the International School Seychelles and a polytechnic. The inner harbour lies immediately east of the town, where tuna fishing and canning forms a major local industry. One of the largest bridges in Victoria was destroyed by tsunami waves from the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.

Victoria will take about an hour to explore and make your purchases, with shopping on a shoestring being relatively easy; 20 small bananas will set you back 10SCR or 50p, some samosas and other Indian snacks about 31SCR or £1.50, a couple of beers and soft drinks (diet coke and fruit juice) plus ice lollies will set you back 140 SCR or £7.50. Our sandwiches were free, made from 1/4 chicken and flatbread acquired as take out from the previous evening. We parked for free at the Marina, so the day has cost £10 by midday. With our well travelled cool bag in tow, you can eat for free sat in the park at the marina and the view is incredibly pretty. You can watch the boats in and out and a few crazy Chinese tourists clothed head to foot so as not to encounter any sun (perhaps they should take up winter holidays only, surely more comfortable?).

The afternoon involves a re-run of the coastal road, this time taking in the view and beaches. We opted for an afternoon on Anse Intendance, where the £500-a-night Banyan Tree resort is based, in its beautifully manicured gardens. However, there are no private beaches on the island so anyone can share. It does say no swimming due to the huge waves but, as some had been brave, we joined in. It's a free activity, although the potential medical bill from secondary drowning might not be. 

Always planning ahead, we had taken our own glasses and Gin (purchased duty free at Heathrow) and found a wonderful local beach for sunset (the best so far) and so once more we find ourselves on the lookout for an evening meal location. Passing the previous nights offering and dismissing a repeat visit and finding nothing else along the coast road or mountain cut through, we find ourselves back in Beau Vallon, with a beach market and hawker stalls selling curried fish, chicken or beef with rice for about £3.50 each. Unfortunately, arriving back at 9pm, it would seem the evening is coming to a close and only the scraps are left, nothing for it but to head to the most renowned restaurant for flatline service and order fish and chips. The grand total for both being £10.00, with free side order of desire to slit your own wrists at the pace,1.5 hours for a pizza.....really!!!