Mon Choisy Beach, Mauritius

Hi Guys,

Happy New Year!! Can’t believe its 2016…..!! Today, I decided to do a post on the Mon Choisy beach here in Mauritius. Sorry I have been missing for the last couple of weeks….but I’m back now and hoping to do more regular posts. On another note, I would like to know from you guys what kind of posts you enjoy more…your inputs will help me decide my choice of topics because obviously, I want to be focussing more on stuff that you guys would like to read. So do let me know in the comments below.

Last weekend, I visited one of my favourite beaches in Mauritius, Mon Choisy. It is located in the north western coast of the island and I believe, is the longest beach in Mauritius. Just like all other beaches in Mauritius, Mon Choisy is also characterised by its pristine, turquoise waters and white sand. There waves are very gentle and in general, like other Mauritian beaches, the sea is very calm here as well.

Hiking in Mauritius: Signal Mountain (Montagne des Signaux)

After my first hiking experience in Mauritius at Mount Le Pouce, which I shared with you earlier (Click here to read), I must admit that I have become quite the adventure seeker waiting to discover more and more exotic locations on the island. Needless to say, when my friends planned another hiking trip up the Signal Mountain, I jumped at the opportunity!

Signal Mountain or Montagne des Signaux (in French) is located in Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius. It is a very easy trek as there is a tarred road leading all the way to the summit. The way is quite picturesque with beautiful views of the buildings in the capital city, the harbour, the Champs de Mars racecourse, the western coastline and other neighbouring peaks. The summit is at 3000m and can be done in an hour (one way) or less if you are a pro (unlike me)!!

Hiking in Mauritius: Mount Le Pouce

We recently went hiking in Mauritius up the mountain Le Pouce and I wanted to share the experience with you. Le Pouce is the third highest peak in Mauritius. It is located in the Moka District and is part of the Moka range of mountains. Le Pouce, which in French means “The Thumb”, is so named because of its thumb shaped peak.

The majority of the hike is considered to be fairly easy and no climbing gear is required. However, the very last part, about 75 metres to the summit can be slightly challenging; especially for newbies like me, due to the steep ascent. But let that not deter you; you only need a few good friends: some to push you from below and some others to hoist you up to the top!!

Travel Diaries: St. Aubin, Mauritius

I recently visited the St. Aubin Plantation in Mauritius and decided to share my experience with you. It is a beautiful estate with a lot of different attractions; including the St. Aubin Residence, the Restaurant, the Vanilla Plantation, an old sugar mill, the tea route, a farm and stretches of green undulating slopes of Southern Mauritius.

The St. Aubin residence is a beautiful colonial style mansion with open verandas and wooden beams. It stands as a magnificent remnant of the colonial era in Mauritius. It is surrounded by lush green gardens which forms a habitat for several species of exotic birds. There are many exotic plants and flowers, too!

Travel Diaries: Port Louis, Mauritius

Port Louis is the capital city of Mauritius. Located on the North Western coast, it is one of the liveliest places on the island. It showcases a fusion of cultures, traditions and ways of life deriving their roots from India, Europe, China, Africa and the Middle East. 

The city is always bustling with energy: employees travelling to their respective work locations, street vendors selling their produce, tourists and of course, ones like me; documenting it all!

Skin & Hair Care Goodies from Lux Grand Gaube, Mauritius

My birthday just went by and any excuse to celebrate is welcome in my land. So, to generally chill out, the hubby and I decided to spend a day at the Lux Grand Gaube, Mauritius. It is one of the island’s premier hotels and is quite amazing, to say the least!

Anyhow, the staff there is just fabulous and in addition to having a great day, I was spoilt to the core by being gifted this amazing bag full of goodies from the Lux Me Spa.

Inspirational thoughts - My tryst with Rainbows

It was a warm sunny afternoon and I was driving through the city, soaking in the sunshine. Even though it was a beautiful day, my mind was occupied with the grave intensity of the situation I was currently confronted with:  a new place, new people, new language and no familiarity in sight. All that I knew, loved and was comfortable with seemed to have been left far far behind. How was I to go on? What would I go on with? Why was I doing this to myself? These questions seemed to go on relentlessly and my mind, given a so-called reason to be entangled, was happily obliging me with its usual games: This was a wrong decision! You are meant to be doing other things…..You are wasting your time….!!

Time…the irrefutable sovereign…who can be a friend and an enemy at the same time! How strange is its influence and how vulnerable we are to its prowl! Thinking of what I had left behind was overwhelming me to the point of feeling claustrophobic.

Inspirational thoughts - The Secret Sunset Point

Okay, so nothing fixes a bad day as well as a sunset does! ! I mean however rough, tiring, stressful or hectic the day has been, how can the spirit not be lifted if you just happen to witness the magnanimity of a sunset?

On the other hand, if the day has been good already, I believe witnessing a magnificent sunset just adds that extra magical touch.

For me, the sunset signifies a lot of things:

• A moment to let go of the past; of whatever has happened already
• A moment to appreciate the magnanimity of the sun: of its relentless energy
• A moment to connect with nature: realising we are part of the grand design and reposing in the contentment that this very thought brings
• A moment to appreciate the grand painting that adorns the sky
• A moment to relax completely, breathe deeply and believe that just like the sun will be up again tomorrow, so also everything is going to be alright ultimately.

Recently, while driving randomly along the northern coast of Mauritius, the hubby and I discovered this almost unexplored dirt road leading to a tiny island just off the coast. It’s so near that under low tides, you can walk over to it. And it was there that we experienced the most incredible sunset that blew my mind away!

Even though the pictures do not really do it justice, I do hope you can still get the idea.

Let's Begin...!!!

Hello there!!

As this is my first blog post, I thought it would be worth while to take a few moments to introduce myself and my blog. My name’s Nirupama; am an Indian currently living in Mauritius.

I consider myself to be someone with a keen eye for detail and in the process, I often come across things which are startlingly beautiful and inspiring and which we may not really notice in the hustle and bustle of our every day lives. Through this blog, it’s my attempt to bring to you something beautiful and inspiring out of everyday things.

I will be sharing real experiences with you; ones that have inspired me and would hopefully inspire you too. I will also share with you titbits revolving around beauty, fashion, lifestyle and travel…again, anything that makes me happy.

My idea is for my blog to offer a word of inspiration or add a touch of beauty which may just lift your spirit, even if just a tiny bit. And if it happens to make you smile, then I would consider my mission accomplished.

And oh, regarding ‘CatchPressions’: well, this is just an attempt to catch those expressions which lift my soul.

And thus begins our journey…

xoxo