Sunday, April 17th, 2011

Outside Our Accommodation

Goodlands, Mauritius

Outside our accommodation in all directions the roosters crow at 1 a.m. Their cry throws off the sleep Thierry and I needed for this last of days walking in Mauritius. Once up and out we counted thirty five pilgrims including young children. That’s pretty good for starting at 3: 30 a.m. once again.

Each morning the moon has been eyeing us. His waning eye lid and the sporadic hiding behind the clouds makes him appear shy form the town of Goodlands to Mon Choisy, a 21 kilometre stretch. You always feel his presence in rural districts up until his eye companion, the sun, becomes prominent. It looks like they do shift work.

As in a perfect pilgrimage you finish feeling cleansed. You can’t help having that sensation especially with the serious swim in the end. The beach invited us. It’s a fabulous swimming place. Water frivolity brings out the best in everyone. Sadly it is not a cultural norm anymore for many countries. Hey, we’ve got computers now.

I would say most emphatically that there is nothing that technology has to offer that creates a beautiful bonding like the trekking in the wee morning hours and the swim to follow. We tolerate the barking dogs, we may step accidentally on a fallen passion fruit or slide on a slug yet it’s all this “real stuff” and not the fantasies of the mind or the screen that provides adventure and fun sport from the spiritual component.

We feel we are kings of the road and at the same time are very much family, enjoying each others’ company.

Thierry who is a native French Mauritian is so much loved by all the community. With a colourful fire ceremony to highlight Thierry’s initiation or diksha his new name now is Kala das referring to his punctuality. Kala means eternal time.

21 KM