South Africa

Before the trip started, so many people would ask me “Where are you looking forward to the most? What port will be your favorite?” I usually responded with Africa – South Africa and Ghana were the ones I was looking forward to the most. The history, I would tell them, is why it will be incredible. And yes, the history was incredible. But South Africa is so much more than that. It’s a living, vibrant, “rainbow nation” – as its flag indicates. It’s a country that has obvious ties with its contentious past but is making strides to live in the present and move forward with hope and grace.

As we rounded Madagascar coming into South Africa from Mauritius, we hugged the coast pretty closely. And for the few days prior to our arrival, we could see the coastline way off in the distance. It made everyone so excited, and it was a constant little reminder that there really is life out there as we floated through endless ocean.

In Global Studies during our week at sea we learned about a 26 year old woman named Amy Biehl. She was a Stanford graduate studying women’s issues in Cape Town during the most dangerous years of Apartheid in the late 1980’s. As the foundation for the systematic separation of races began to crumble, mass violence broke out throughout the nation, most notably in the townships on the outskirts of all the major cities, including Cape Town. Townships are the areas that black residents were relocated to during Apartheid, shunned from the inner cities and displaced. Amy Biehl was driving three friends home from school one evening when she was swarmed by an angry mob, associating her white skin with the repressive governmental regime. She was murdered as the mob yelled “one settler, one bullet,” the radical slogan of violence during the uprisings. The four men accused of her death were all found guilty and spent nearly five years in prison before appealing to the Truth and Reconciliation Committee for amnesty. The TRC was set up following Nelson Mandela’s election in 1994 as a way to forgive the evil violence of Apartheid and move forward on a trajectory of peace. Archbishop Desmond Tutu chaired the hearings. When I first learned about the TRC, I had mix feelings. These people that committed horrible crimes would just be given amnesty? Did they deserve that after brutally killing innocent people? What about justice? But as a learned and understood better I realized that while this might not be justice, it was forgiveness – and that was more powerful than any type of an ‘eye for an eye’ punishment. Amy Biehl’s killers were granted amnesty as her parents listened to the Committee. Following the hearing, her parents met with all four of the men, and their own process of forgiveness began.

We had the honor of hearing Amy Biehl’s mother speak on the ship the day we arrived. Instead of our usual diplomatic briefing, Mrs. Biehl spoke for nearly an hour about her love affair with Cape Town, which only began after the tragic death of her daughter. She described her daughter’s mentality on the violence, which struck me with such clarity I got goose bumps. Amy had told her that if anything ever happened to her, she would be a name in the paper because of her white skin instead a number listed like her black counterparts. She said “I want to be a number.” While her death was just that, a very profound name written in all the papers, her legacy reflects the spirit of what she intended to accomplish. Amy’s mother and father set up the Amy Biehl Foundation in Cape Town which provides after school services to children living in the townships, they created a soccer club and extracurricular activities to keep kids interested in school and away from the crime centers in the townships.

But the most amazing part of the entire story is that Amy’s mother forgave all four of her daughter’s killers, welcomed them into her home and now two of the four men work as leaders of the Amy Biehl Foundation. I couldn’t comprehend the magnitude of her forgiveness as I sat in the Union listening to her speak. She now works side by side with the men that took away her daughter. She said that only through total forgiveness could she be released from the cycles of grief. I was totally and utterly floored by this woman, her compassion and ability to forgive should be a lesson to every human being in the world.

Waking up in port the morning of March 31, 2010 we looked out the window to see Table Mountain in the distance. The landmark of Cape Town, Table Mountain is a very tall and flat peak that overlooks the entire city. It definitely was the best view our little window has seen so far on the trip.

During our week at sea, we worked hard planning out our free time in Cape Town. Unanimously, we all wanted to go shark diving. I had been thinking about shark diving for a long time – knowing that I would probably never get another chance in my life to cage dive with great whites off the coast of South Africa. I wanted to see the most dangerous predator up close, watch them swim right by me. This was definitely on the voyage bucket list. We had planned on going our last day in port; this was going to give me a little time to mentally prepare. But the night before our arrival we got an email from the guide saying that the suspected ocean swells for the last day would make diving unsafe and that we should come tomorrow instead. I wasn’t ready! In less than 24 hours I was going to be in a steel cage surrounded by sharks. It finally hit me that this was a little bit scary.

We cleared customs easily because there were no face to face immigration proceedings and made our way to the dock. Right away, we were met by our guides to take us to shark alley, in Gansbaai, about a two hour drive from Cape Town. We all piled into a big van and looked out the windows onto very eye opening landscapes for the next two hours. Right out of the port we drove by the first township. Miles and miles of little shanty houses at the base of Table Mountain. People were playing soccer in the dirt, congregating in open spaces and just going about their lives. Sadly, this was as close as I got to the townships – I really wanted to visit a family, explore the neighborhoods and understand about growing up there – but there just wasn’t enough time. We finally reached Gansbaai and were dropped at the headquarters of Shark Diving Unlimited, the company that we contracted to take us out. Unknowingly, I think we picked THE company to take us. We walked in to see a rerun of 60 Minutes playing, featuring “The Shark Man” – the owner of the company. It was him being interviewed by Anderson Cooper, who he had just taken out shark swimming (without a cage) for the day. On the wall hung pictures of Matt Damon, Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and Prince Harry all out on the boat that we were getting ready to take out. The Shark Man’s wife made us a light breakfast and then we had a short safety tutorial. All 20 of us boarded the small boat named “The Barracuda” and made our way towards shark alley, a section of the coastline known as a feeding area for the biggest great whites. It was about a 20 minute boat trip out through pretty rough waters. About ten minutes before our arrival to shark alley, the crew started to chum the water, leaving a long reddish streak behind to boat. We finally reached the diving area where the crew turned off the motor and attached the cage to the side of the boat. It looked a little less secure than I was expecting – the bars were pretty far apart. At this point I started to get anxious – what did I get myself into? Was I really about to jump into shark infested waters? We all put wet suits on and just waited for the sharks to arrive. It took about twenty minutes, but eventually they started to swarm. The cage held six people and the first group quickly entered the water. The crew put a weight belt around our shoulders to help keep us down inside the cage. We slowly would slide into the cage and place our hands and feet on little holds and wait for the signal. The skipper attached a large fish head to the end of a long rope and would drag it through the water in front of the cage so the shark would swim right by. Anytime a shark came near the skipper would yell “down!” and we would all dive deep into the cage, holding our breath as it swam by. Great white sharks are beautiful up close, the ruler of the ocean, the top of the food chain. We saw five or six during our afternoon there, some bigger than others – but all roughly 12 feet long. It was an adrenaline rush to be submerged in water as a great white shark swam straight towards me. But truthfully, it wasn’t scary. I was the most nervous right before getting in the cage, but once we were all in I felt safe surrounded by metal and other people. We would go in roughly 20 minute shifts, a group sitting in the cage waiting for one to swim by while the rest of us could watch them from the top of the boat. It was almost a better view out of the water because then I could really take in the magnitude of their size and body. What magnificent creatures they are, they demand the respect of the world – and rightfully deserve it. We all dove twice. Around the top of the cage was a layer of foam for the divers to rest their hands on when getting in and out of the water – it also served as a buoy when not connected to the boat. At one point, one of the sharks came out of the water, bit the cage and left its full teeth marks in the foam. It was by far one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. Luckily, my friend Kalyn caught the entire thing on her camera – the pictures are unbelievable.

Shark diving was one of my favorite days of the entire trip. It wasn’t cultural, it wasn’t historic, and it wasn’t a national landmark – but it was incredibly memorable. I will never forget the feeling of the wet suit, or how I felt as I entered the cold water, or my complete astonishment after seeing the first one. I was literally speechless when I came up for air after watching the first shark swim by. What a truly awesome experience. And it’s kind of fun to say that I’ve been shark diving off the coast of South Africa.

Later that evening, we were driven back to Cape Town for a much needed shower. All of us piled into a van, smelling like fish chum was really not that pleasant after a while. After getting ready, we had dinner and spent the evening on Long Street, in downtown Cape Town.

The next morning I had to get up really early to meet my group for our flight to Johannesburg for our safari! We boarded the bus for the airport around 4:30 am and arrived in Johannesburg later in the morning. We then had about a two hour bus ride to reach Pilansberg National Park. Pilansberg is a 55,000 acre reserve centered on the ancient crater of a dormant volcano divided by woodlands and elephant trails. Pilansberg is known to have one of the healthiest populations of the “Big 5” in all of South Africa. The lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant and buffalo make up the most essential safari animals and I luckily saw many of them during my time there. Pilansberg was exactly what I envisioned the landscape of the bush to be like. Miles and miles of savanna backed up to gorgeous red cliffs, it looked like the real live version of the Lion King. We checked into our hotel at the Kwa Maritane Bush Lodge and had a wonderful lunch. The food on the ship has started to get pretty repetitive and so any break from potatoes and pasta is great. The lodge was beautiful; it backed up right next to Pilansberg. We could sit outside and just stare out on the reserve, taking in the endless miles of sanctuary, listening to the sounds of birds and baboons. We had a few hours to relax and then headed out on our first game drive later in the afternoon. We were joined on our game drive by the Ambassador of Spain to South Africa and his family. They were very nice. Unfortunately, it was raining pretty hard throughout the afternoon and continued on the drive. Luckily, our safari vehicle was covered but the sides were all open. So not very long after we departed the Lodge, we all pretty much accepted we would spend the next several hours soaking wet. After I got past being wet, I just enjoyed the beauty of the wild, taking in every tree, mountain and animal. Almost immediately we spotted our very first member of the “Big 5”! The king of the jungle himself, the most beautiful male lion was resting right off the path of our vehicle – so our guide turned off the engine and we just enjoyed watching him for several minutes. Not minding us being there at all, he eventually strolled off into his lair under a big tree and we moved on. We spent the next three hours driving around the park, looking for any signs of animals – most had hunkered down out of the rain, but not long after seeing the lion we saw our first elephant. I couldn’t wait to see an elephant – it was the animal I was looking forward to the most. I couldn’t wait to see one in the wild, up close, to really put into perspective their size and aura in relation to me. Just simply standing in the bush, the big lone elephant seemed to not even realize we were there. It was seeing the elephant that made me really think of where I was. I was in a safari jeep in South Africa exploring the bush on an afternoon game drive! It was all so beautiful. And the recurrent feeling of luckiness rushed over me. We later saw a wildebeest, and a group of female antelopes huddling together to try and escape the down pouring rain. The guide took us towards a small watering hole where a lone hippopotamus was visiting. The hippo was the coolest animal I saw. Its mouth and head was huge – and I can now understand why they are considered so dangerous! We later saw a tall giraffe in the distance and a pack of zebra running. On our way out of the park we saw the same male lion again – nearly in the same spot where we left him. It was a very successful first game drive, especially in the rain. I loved every minute of it but was glad to return to the lodge for some dry clothes and dinner.

The next morning we had a 5am wakeup call to meet our safari jeeps for our early morning game drive and sunrise. Luckily, most of the heavy rains had subsided through the night and we were left with just a light rain. It was pitch black outside as we entered the park and slowly the entire bush sort of came to life with the sun. What an unbelievable site to see, the sun on the horizon overlooking endless miles of savanna, little signs of life springing up all around us. We were first taken to a big lake area where nearly ten hippos were playing in the water. At one point, one of the hippos totally came out of the water, opened its mouth as wide as possible, yawned and growled. We could see its entire mouth, it was fantastic. We later saw two giraffes in the distance, their markings were absolutely beautiful. Later in the morning we spotted another elephant and then many little animals of the bush including a jackal, warthog and baboon. Seeing all of these animals in their natural habitats was such an experience, their self sustaining ecosystem and environment amazed me. I wasn’t in a zoo, but within nature, that was the coolest part. We later returned to the lodge for a huge breakfast and had the next few hours to relax before our next drive.

The weather had cleared up substantially by the afternoon and we finally could really enjoy the landscape to its full degree. We drove around for nearly an hour without any animal sightings, the guide started to hint that it might be a slow afternoon and then all of a sudden we stumbled upon an area where many jeeps had pulled over and were very quietly sitting. And there, sitting in the grass, maybe 30 feet from our jeep was a cheetah. We had been told that morning that there were only two cheetahs in the entire park, and that our guide hadn’t seen one in over two years. He had told us not to get our hopes up. And there it was! We watched it very quietly for nearly 20 minutes; it seemed very content to just lay in the grass while people gawked in awe at its beauty. The cheetah is a gorgeous animal – it really does look like a giant cat. What a treat to see such an obscure animal. We all felt so special – the guide kept saying “you’re so lucky! You’re so lucky!” and we knew it was true. After that, I had no other hopes for the safari – everything I wanted to see I did. But it just kept getting better - that evening while riding through the bush we watched the most beautiful sunset, pinks and reds and blues all mixed together to make the most incredible sky. Right after the intense few days of rain, the opening up of the sky was breathtaking. After the sun went down we explored the bush at night, using big spotlights attached to the jeep to spot zebra, wildebeest and antelopes. Again, on our way out of the park that night, we spotted the adult male lion; our guide told us it was the same one. This time, he was with his brother and they both just strolled down the path next to us for quite a while. Their orangey mane shone in the light and I was amazed by the magnificence of their size and body – it was the king of the jungle in the flesh. We later returned to the lodge for our last evening together, we had a wonderful dinner and went to bed early to get ready for the last early morning game drive and flight back to Cape Town.

On our final game drive everybody really wanted to see a rhino. We were told that Pilansberg had a healthy population, and we should see plenty. So – that was the goal of the morning. Our guide, Voter, told us to continually look out the sides of the jeep, to keep scanning our eyes for anything moving. We trekked around for nearly an hour before taking a break and exploring a watering hole. I guess it is protocol for the protection of visitors, but no one was allowed to get out of the jeep at any point during our game drives except in designated rest stops along the way. So when we could finally get out and walk around a little (still in a very fenced in area), it was amazing to take it all in from the ground level. We saw probably fifty beautiful birds congregating on a tree limb in the water, hippos bathing themselves and the sun slowly emerging over the mountains. We then got back in the jeep to continue our search for a rhino. We kept driving and driving, asking other jeeps that we met on the path but we couldn’t seem to turn up any leads. And just as we were all about to give up, someone yelled “Rhino! Rhino!” and there he was, right out the window – disguised through shrubbery and grass was the most beautiful black rhino standing in the distance. The trees were blocking our ability to really take any pictures, but I kind of almost liked that better. We could only enjoy him for this one moment, and I think everyone appreciated it so much more because of that. It was the absolute perfect way to end the safari.

We then returned to the Lodge for breakfast and watched a short demonstration by the guides on the poisonous snakes of the bush. They showed us three deadly snakes, I can’t remember their names – I was too focused on making sure they stayed where they were. One of them puffed up when it was angered, one spit poisonous venom nearly five feet away and the other looked like an innocent black snake. This last one they said was the most dangerous; if a bite by him was left untreated it would paralyze a human in just a few hours. We later checked out of the Lodge and proceeded back on the bus to Johannesburg for our flight to Cape Town. On our way to the airport we drove right through downtown Victoria, another major city in South Africa – it was great to see another place and have another point of reference. We eventually made it back to Johannesburg where we had a few hours in the airport before our flight. Many of the other SAS kids on other safaris were also in the airport, so it was fun to meet back up with everyone and compare our experiences. We arrived back in Cape Town later that evening and I met up with Nicci and Mckenzie for a great dinner on Long Street.

Our final day in Cape Town also happened to be Easter Sunday. I love Easter, and truthfully – the day made me miss home a little. I love seeing the Bradford pear trees in bloom and greeting everyone at church in Galax. It’s a day to be with your family. Because of all of this, I felt this inner need to go to church. I found that so many other people felt the same. We decided to attend St. George’s Cathedral, an Anglican Church right in the heart of downtown Cape Town. It serves as the seat of the Archbishop of Cape Town, a position held most notably by Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Tutu served as the first black South African Archbishop of Cape Town and was an outspoken opponent of apartheid in the 1980’s. He now is a famous human rights activist and will actually be traveling on the entire Fall 2010 Semester at Sea voyage. But besides the Cathedral’s notoriety, it was also beautiful. Spanning a whole city block, St. George’s sheer size attests to how important a place it is. It is stone with beautiful stain glass throughout.

Colonized by the British in the 1800’s, South Africa is still impacted by its colonial legacy. St. George’s was built during the height of British imperialism; the land it sits on was donated to the Anglican Church by the colonial government. My favorite class this semester has been the History of the British Empire. We have learned the history of each of Britain’s satellite nations, many that we visited. The history of empire building struck me morally – so many indigenous cultures were lost with the arrival of the British, so many traditions and customs destroyed. Tutu is famous for stating “The missionaries came to Africa with a Bible and they said ‘Let us pray,’ and when we opened our eyes, we had the Bible, and they had our land.” It made me consider the implications of St. George’s Cathedral – what it meant when it was built in the 1830’s and how it has evolved over time since then.

I can honestly say it was one of the most beautiful, meaningful, and special services I have ever attended. At several points throughout the service, I felt a little lump in my throat – not because I was sad, but because I was so happy, so moved, and so completely and utterly touched by the beauty I was sitting in, listening to and experiencing around me. The service was conducted in English, Afrikaans, and Xhosa. I loved that it was all in different languages – I could hear the differences, but the amazing thing is that we were all hearing the same message. Religion has been a learning experience for me this semester. I’ve seen spirituality expressed through countless mediums, in a variety of cultures. It is used as a tool for social control, for personal fulfillment, for a way to connect with lost ancestors and to answer questions that don’t have answers. Yet, it has started wars, divided nations, and created prejudice and intolerance. I can’t define what is right or wrong in a religious sense anymore. I can’t determine that those people who dove in the Ganges to cleanse their sins were any better or worse than the wonderful monks in Vietnam who opened their home to us. I can’t state that the message I received on Easter morning in St. George’s Cathedral was any more correct than the one given to listeners at the Shinto Shrine in Tokyo on that cold afternoon in February. All I know is that there is a Higher Being, and I felt its presence that Easter morning. I felt a part of something bigger. I think I will always look back on my Easter 2010, sitting in Cape Town, South Africa. The church of Desmond Tutu, the living leader on human rights, only added to the experience. I hope that I don’t have to spend too many more Easters away from my family, but I will never forget the beauty of the entire day.

We later had a great lunch on Long Street and made our way back to the harbor. There we did a little shopping and listened to some music in the street. We were hoping to take a cable car to the top of Table Mountain, but unfortunately there were such high winds the entire mountain was closed for the day. It being Easter weekend, we were also unable to schedule a trip to Robben Island – the location where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years. These two things, along with a township visit are things that I must go back and do at some point in my life.

Another thing that was great about porting in Cape Town was the hype that is surrounding South Africa’s hosting of the 2010 FIFA World Cup this summer. Right near our port is the stadium where the majority of the final rounds will be played and the whole city, and nation, is just buzzing with excitement. Along the way, I discovered that engaging anyone in a conversation on football was an instant connection, so many people loved opening up about their lives following a little interest in the sport. Every taxi driver loved providing us with their predictions and seemed so excited to share with us which games they would be attending. There are not many things that I have found to be universal in the world, but on the second half of the voyage – soccer is definitely it.

On our final day, we learned of the murder of a prominent white supremacist and long time apartheid defender. The news made headlines on CNN, our only free news site on the ship and was mentioned in the Easter service as well. Killed outside Johannesburg by some of his workers, his death echoed throughout Cape Town and brought us all back to reality. We were in a country still facing harsh racial divides, the years of racial equality six years younger than me. South Africa paints a nice façade, the appearance of a nation marked by progress, change. And I think that there has been major progress and major change. Nelson Mandela led the way. But I think it is still very fresh. I could feel the injustice - I could see it in the townships, I could hear it in the conversations – and it haunted me. South Africa was the most Western nation we visited, so many times I felt like I could have been in the United States. But then I would be jolted back to reality. South Africa still has a long way to go and I look forward to the progress that I hope it continues to make in the future. I hope that when I go back to visit, I don’t feel the same divides I felt during this trip, that the residents of the townships will be provided with better living amenities and that the entire nation follows the path of Mrs. Biehl, towards forgiveness, tolerance and peace.

While I do hate that I missed a chance to see certain things in Cape Town, I don’t regret how I spent any of my time. Shark diving was epic and the safari was absolutely incredible. It was one of the first ports that I was really able to sit back and enjoy my experiences, not constantly worrying about traveling, picture taking or retaining information. I loved looking out onto the bush, listening to the sounds of nature and just taking it in. It was personal and introspective. I think there is so much in the world that we fill with incessant talking, stress and unimportant consideration. Having a chance to just look at nature – and the beings that survive within the wild, helped me put it all in perspective. My time in South Africa was incredibly special. I know that I will return one day, I look forward to that. Until then, I will reflect on the things I learned during my stay, the beautiful animals that I saw in the wild, the adrenaline rush as a dove into that steel cage, the magnificence of Easter Sunday, and the impact the act of forgiveness can make on an individual and a nation.

“You gather the idea that Mauritius was made first, and then Heaven; and that Heaven was copied after Mauritius” -Mark Twain, 1897

On March 23, we landed in Port Louis, Mauritius early in the morning. We had an on ship diplomatic briefing and then cleared the ship for two days in paradise. We ported in a beautiful new terminal and were greeted by local Mauritians in the port, singing and dancing as we left the gangway. From the port, we walked towards downtown Port Louis. Not really sure where we were headed, we were helped by the nicest port security guards who gave us great directions. After winding around side streets and back roads we eventually reached the downtown area where we exchanged our Indian Rupees for Mauritian currency. We explored the vibrant downtown area and eventually wandered into a wonderful little market. We spent the majority of the morning there, visiting little shops and talking to local residents. We had a great lunch outside on the boardwalk near the market. Later, we ventured back to the ship to meet up with our group that all got a hotel together in Grand Baie, another part of the island. It ended up being about an hour taxi ride to Grand Baie, and the lightest warm rain sprinkled as we drove. It was a beautiful ride, all us crammed into a tiny cab. On one side was the coastline and the other side were miles and miles of sugarcane – with a stormy overcast sky in the background. By the time we reached Grand Baie, the skies had cleared up and we checked into the Merville Beach Hotel – a wonderful little hotel right on the beach. We left our stuff there and walked into town, stopping at several points to take in the incredible views from the beaches. I don’t really know how to describe the beaches other than the water was clear, the sand was white and it looked like a postcard paradise landscape. I thought beaches like these existed only in pictures and in the movies until our day in Grand Baie. We eventually made our way back to the hotel where we put our bathing suits on and spent the next several hours swimming in the warm waters of the most beautiful calm little lagoon. We watched schools of tiny jumping fish swim through the water as the current changed and later we watched the sun enter the water as the afternoon turned to dusk. It was picturesque. We later had an amazing meal at a very trendy restaurant called Cocoloco – I had the greatest raw tuna I’ve ever eaten.

The next morning we woke up and headed to Flic en Flac Beach, on another part of the island. It was a beautiful clear day, the perfect weather for the beach. Our cab driver drove us through different sections of the island, describing each community along the way. I was glad to try and at least get a little of the culture, I felt a little guilty spending our entire time on the beach. But then how couldn’t we? We were actually in paradise! We had a wonderful afternoon laying out, swimming and taking in the gorgeous scenery. We eventually made our way back to the ship to depart for South Africa. Mark Twain’s quote is the essence of the island, and Mauritians know it – they are very proud to be residents of such a beautiful nation.

I had never heard of Mauritius before I saw it on the itinerary for Semester at Sea. I couldn’t even pronounce it correctly. And honestly, I spent the majority of my time there soaking in the beauty while lying on the white sand beaches and enjoying the company of the awesome friends that I have made on this trip. Yet, I still feel like I learned – I learned the history of the island, which included the fateful tale of the Dodo bird. Mauritius is notoriously known as the onetime home of the extinct Dodo bird. Dodo birds were killed off by settlers when the island was first discovered. Weighing nearly 40 pounds and standing a few feet high, the Dodo bird was typically clubbed to death and eaten. Instead of running away when they saw what was happening to their friends, the Dodo birds would just wait for themselves to be clubbed and were considered really stupid. That’s where the term “you’re a dodo” comes from! Anyway, for some reason, Mauritius likes the history of the Dodo bird and it is sort of their national symbol. I also learned that the people are incredibly tolerant. Home to several different ethnic groups with a wide variety of national languages, the people of Mauritius have peacefully learned to coexist.

I liked the attitude of the people, they were warm and friendly – but also exuded a feeling of pride and confidence. While not yet on the mainland, my first visit to an African nation was wonderful. I would have thought that by now I would get used to the ocean, seeing it out my window every day. But I don’t think you ever really get used to it. It shows me something new each day, a new tinge of color in the water, a different sun set each night. And the waters and shores of Mauritius cannot be compared with anything else in the world.