As one of the few countries that accepts vaccinated travelers from the USA I jumped at the opportunity to visit, regardless of the distance and expense. It had been a long time since I encountered a new country.

Seychelles is known for its beaches, reefs, giant tortoises and beauty. It did not disappoint. In addition to the lush surroundings I luckily happened upon a taxi driver who expertly answered all my inquiries about the culture and lives of the locals. While tourism is their main industry they also rely on fishing and offshore business. Education is free and compulsory; Creole is the local language and Covid-19 definitely hurt their economy.

The first inhabitants were the French who came with some African and Indian slaves. It wasn’t long before British control until 1976! Today there is a mix of cultures that include European, Indian and African, creating a delightful society in this archipelagic island country.

It sits approximately 700 miles East of Kenya in the Indian Ocean and only 3 of the 115 islands are populated with any density; there are a few private islands with homes or resorts.

I stayed on Mahe with it’s lush mountainous vegetation overlooking clear lagoons and many beaches. It is also home to the capital, Victoria. The government is commited to preservation of its biodiversity by creating parks and sanctuaries.

In my next blog I will describe living the beautiful resort life!