There are two very good reasons to fly Air Austral. The air fare is $1,750 return to Paris, and the plane is only half full. Once on the plane, the food is very good and the service is attentive, relaxed and friendly. In addition I have found that, with advancing age, 24 hours in the air is just too long, and the deteriorating Qantas service – including the latest blitz on bag weights – is only bearable when cashing in frequent flier points. So a stop on Réunion Island in on the itinerary.
Réunion has spent most of its history as a French colony. That status is very different from the glory of being a British Colony. French colonies are part of Metropolitan France and so have the advantage of using French currency, having representation in the French parliament and having all the French institutions (including French bread) transplanted in the community. The British on the other hand tended to take from their colonies. I did not understand the difference in 1976 when travelling in Africa, but I could see the results then, and they continue today. Réunion has a modern airport, a modern functioning airline with new planes, a freeway all around the island, and what appears to be a safe, clean place to live. It also has the most active volcano in the world and a landscape that you would expect from a volcanic island with a sufficient rainfall coming off the Indian Ocean to support a rainforest.
As it is built on the sides of and in the craters of old volcanoes, the centre of the island is steep and rugged. Since it has a high rainfall and steep slopes, every where you go you hear water running. If you stand still too long something will grow over you.
It also has some beautiful, steep winding roads with deep drains on the side and a sheer drop of about one metre into the drains. Combine this with driving on the right side of the road after a 12 hour flight the day before, and you have a pretty clear description of today. Just to add spice, include French trained drivers and the threat of rain and fog, 25⁰, 90% humidity and no air conditioning. The scenery was impressive, but I only saw the edge of the road and the cars coming the other way or overtaking me on the hairpin bends.
One of the features of the vegetation is bamboo. I am not sure it is native, but is sure feels like it is at home! It is everywhere and comes in all shapes and sizes. In spite of the fact that it is strong, flexible and useful for all manner of things, I still thing of bamboo as the preferred material for Brother Richard's cane. I can't look at it with any positive thoughts!
Before we set off from St Denis, with the help of jet lag, we spend a few hours in the morning walking around the city centre. Our first stop was the cathedral where we discovered that it was First Communion Day. Everyone dressed up and happy, fine sunny morning and a lovely setting in the garden in front of the cathedral was all too much for Dominique to resist. She was there in the middle taking photos and talking to the kids.
We arrived at Hell-Bourg, a town of 600 inhabitants, in the middle of the island at around 1 pm on Sunday – French Fathers Day – and so joined in the festivities and tried the local Creole food. These Creoles make a fine chocolate mousse. The main course was fish or pork or chicken mainly curried or spiced. Coconut and beetroot feature heavily. We spent the afternoon walking around town taking pictures of the Creole houses for which the town was listed by UNESCO. Tonight we will try some of the local rum and try to shake off the jet lag before testing ourselves on one of the many (steep) walks around here tomorrow.
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