Travelling Article

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The sun sends its rays over the flamingo pink sands and manicured lawns of the Anse Source d’Argen beach club (Minelli and Polly, 2009). . These sands felt like talcum powder and as I looked straight ahead of me, huge granite boulders formed the backdrop of the attractive beach (Mair and Beckley, 2012). On the right side of the beach club, the wooden clubhouse sits by the turquoise water surrounding the Anse Source d’Argen beach club (Stern, 2006). The swaying palms gave a soothing breeze and the exotic birds flew from tree to tree creating a flurry of color and beautiful sounds as they chirped (Stern, 2013). Neatly cut bushes of rose flowers and a few palm trees lead to the entrance of the resort beyond which lies an ecosphere of tranquility. This is Seychelles a land of beauty and exotic birds and almost extinct animals.

The beauty of Anse Source d’Argen beach club is undeniable. The lawns undulate in a gentle manner and are intermingled with tropical bushes and palm trees. As I walk through the paths of the resort, various birds of different colors fly past me. There are immense numbers of bird species in Seychelles than in my country. The sun appears as early as nine in the morning and the heat is enough to scorch my pale English skin. I had been under a blanket of cloud for a year, so the merciless glare of the sun was not welcoming. I find my way to the poolside, where competitions of games such as table tennis take place on a daily basis. The previous day, I beat one of the resort staff at the game. He gave me an incredulous look one would think I used some tactic to cheat. I responded back with a cheeky smile because I beat him at their game. This morning, only the birds and quietly chattering sunbathers can be heard within the walls of the resort. Past the pool there is a golf course where the monkeys occasionally gibber and bound across the paths.

There is a red flag above the Anse Source d’Argen beach club, which flaps to inform us when the sea is dangerous to swim. When I arrived, another tourist told me that the flag is always up, so I decided to take the risk. Snorkeling was also common in the region (Carillet and Masters, 2010). I sought permission from a lifeguard and enjoyed my first swim in the waters of Seychelles. I walked across the pink sand and entered the water. Al this while I ensured that I was between the two flags, which were a spitting distance from each other. The feeling was similar to that of a lukewarm bath. The sea gave me the usual groin-numbing chill that refreshed me. Despite the temperature, I felt some danger when the turquoise water deepened so rapidly. All of a sudden the waters were above my shoulders. I realized that the place was not safe for casual dip when a fierce rip pulled at my legs. I decided to go back to the resort for some laps in the pool.

The next day I got an opportunity to visit outside the boundaries of Anse Source d’Argen beach club, to the nation’s capital Victoria. The weather broke while waiting for a ride. Thick sheets of rain covered the slate sky. When the taxi driver arrived, I climbed into his ride and headed towards the exit of the resort. Outside Anse Source d’Argen beach club a different world started to emerge. The car rolls along the dirt road, which has plenty of muddy potholes. On either side of the road, many huts with rusty corrugated iron sheets are haphazardly built along the sides of the road. Under the crumbling roofs of the huts, there are individuals with solemn faces. They all fix their eyes on me as we drove.

All colours seem to disappear from the land as we drive into Victoria. Grey concrete buildings stand beneath the grey clouds in the sky. The colour seems to contrast with that of the sea waters and this creates an unpleasant view. On the harbour, there is a group of people surrounding a pile of silvery dead fish. They shout and gesticulate as they barter for the products because their lives depend on them. As the degree of the poverty in Seychelles dawns on me, I realise that the image painted for the outside world hides a lot about poverty in the country.

At the heart of the town, there is a market place in its full swing. All the colour of Victoria is contained in this chaotic market piece of land. Surrounded by strange odours and noises I wander naively into what is believed to be a place for tourists to purchase exotic foods and products. I take a look at what the market has to offer me and I could see a stand with some mangoes and unappetizing apples, several stalls of jewellery and carvings made from wood. There were also woven items such as mats and baskets, and a variety of foodstuffs, which I barely recognized. Within no time, my face stands out in the massive crowd. Voices bombard me as traders try to convince me to purchase their products. They all thrust their hands in my face in a bid to showcase their items. Some cry out to gain my attention while others rush over to show me their wares. I thought that saying know would be a simple matter but these people proved me wrong. They all followed me as I tried to run away. Their churnings and swellings were proof of their persistence. They were not going to give up. I managed to acquire three interesting paintings and a wooden chess set that was hand-carved, by the time I reached the exit of the market.

As the golden rays of the sun descend like a blurry oil lamp through the cloudy Victoria sky, I return to Anse Source d’Argen beach club. The sunset cast its rays over the golf course. The walls of the resort and the gentle hiss of a sprinkler that watered the lawns blocked off the uproar from the outside world. A break in the cloud allowed the evening light to dance through the magnificent arrangement of the palms, although billowing banks of darkness rolled in other directions. As I sit on the couch in my room looking at the things paintings, I wonder whether equality will ever exist in the region. Will the world outside Anse Source d’Argen beach Club look similar to that on the inside the resort? I lie back in my couch sipping a drink from the minibar and suddenly I fall asleep.

References

Carillet, J.-B., and Masters, T. (2010). Mauritius, Réunion & Seychelles. Footscray, Vic: Lonely

Planet.

Mair, L., and Beckley, L. E. (2012). Seychelles: The Bradt travel guide. Chalfont St. Peter: Bradt

Travel Guides.

Minelli, O. and Polly P. (2009). The Ethical Travel Guide: Your Passport to Exciting

Alternative Holidays. New York: Routledge.

Stern, S. B. (2006). Stern’s guide to the greatest resorts of the world. Boca Raton, Fla: Stern’s

Travel Guides.

Stern, S. B. (2013). Stern’s guide to the cruise vacation. United States: Xlibris.