SOLO TRAVELLER & ADVENTURE MAKER
                                        

Category: Travel

In search of Mantas in the Maldives

Having a blast as a solo in a honeymooners paradise

As a solo traveller, the last thing you want is to find yourself stuck on a paradise island surrounded by honeymooners!  Looking back on my first trip to the Maldives three years ago, I avoided the crowds (and the honeymooners) by going slightly out of season and had the time of my life searching for mantas.

I have never arrived anywhere by seaplane before. It really was quite special. And after around 24 hours of travelling from London, I was about ready to see Reethi Beach Resort, my Maldivian home for the next 7 days.  I’m in The Maldives – or more precisely – Baa Atoll – for a week of diving and specifically a week of searching for the elusive manta. In all my years of diving holidays around the world, I have only ever seen them once and I am itching to see them again. I have even faced my extreme aversion to photographic advancements and bought a Go Pro just for this trip.

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Does my bum bag look big in this?

How that first, scary solo trip can turn into the time of your life.

I’m not quite sure why I decided that I absolutely had to have a bum bag for my first ever solo trip. Not just any old bum bag and certainly nothing like the stylish, classy ones that are all over the high street at the moment. No, this was enormous, boringly brown and very practical. It had hundreds of slots and partitions into which I stashed all my travel documents, money, cards, passport, and lists of places to see; you name it, it was in there.

Certainly, when I travelled with my ex I didn’t see the need to have one but then this was my first holiday alone; no group just me, and as I sat nervously at Heathrow T3 waiting to board my flight I spent my time opening, checking and rechecking the contents hoping that it would in some way make me feel less anxious. It didn’t.

Prior to my divorce, I had booked a ‘must-do’ trip for two to Borneo including a hop over to Sipadan Island, which is on every divers hotlist. As there was no way that I was going to lose my deposit, I suddenly decided, sod everything! I was absolutely going to go on the trip that I’d already planned, and I’d go by myself. I remember sitting at the airport feeling absolutely petrified, looking and feeling like a nervous wreck with my great, big bum bag, wondering why the hell I had thought it was such a good idea. I called a couple of friends and my sister and then I was off. (more…)


Wrapping things up

It’s my final week in Rio as a Social Impact Consultant with _SocialStarters and time to wrap things up with my client, Horta Inteligente. Over the past six weeks we have worked together on a number of things – defining the product offerings, pricing, market research, website,  business presentation – and this week we need to get everything finished, or at least into a state where I can be sure that Elisa can complete any outstanding elements when I’m gone.

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Morro Dois Irmaos – The Two Brothers

I have been looking at The Two Brothers from the comfort of Ipanema beach for the past six weeks. They’re impossible to miss, rising majestically from the sea with the favela, Vigigal, clinging to the slopes. But as I slogged up the last steep section, I did wonder at the wisdom of deciding to make this famous trek a) nursing a slight hangover from the samba party the night before and b) with two athletic young ladies half my age and with legs twice the length of mine. Don’t let anyone tell you it’s easy. It is definitely a tricky ascent, but when you make it to the top you are rewarded with a view of Rio that will stay with you for the rest of your life.

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A weekend in Buzios

Buzios is a beautiful fishing town set on an ocean peninsula 105 miles east of Rio de Janeiro. My flat mate had spent a weekend there and recommended that I go check it out and so last Friday afternoon I set off with my overnight bag to Rio’s enormous bus station, Novo Rio, to get the air-conditioned coach for the three hour journey out of the city.

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Let the games begin

Arriving in Rio around 5 weeks ago, I could have been forgiven for thinking that the Olympic games had been put on hold. There were a few metal structures abandoned on the Copacabana beach and if you looked very hard you might see a shop selling some official merchandise, but that was about it. There was no Olympic buzz, no excitement, it all felt a bit gloomy – just like the weather. Fast forward to a week ago and it’s as if someone has turned on a switch and the city has jumped into action. There are workmen everywhere, trimming trees, replacing street lights, repairing roads, completing grandstands; the sun is shining on Rio and the games are about to begin.

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Top 5 things to do in Rio

When in Rio you will, of course, want to visit the famous attractions such as Sugarloaf, Christ the Redeemer and the Copacabana beach. Once you’ve done all of that, here are my top 5 tips of things you really should do before you leave.

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A little overdressed for the beach

After a bit of a grey week, wall to wall sunshine on a Sunday can mean only one thing: a day at the beach. It’s great how quickly I’ve become a regular at my particular part of the Copacabana. My chair guy waves to me as I stand waiting to cross the road and my lounger is waiting for me by the time the lights turn red. At around £1 for a days rental, plus £1 for my chilled fresh coconut, a day at the beach is very inexpensive. No sooner am I comfortable in my spot, than the beach vendors approach. I am constantly amazed at the selection of items for sale. All of the usual beach paraphernalia – glasses, hats, sarongs, jewellery, swimwear – plus selfie sticks, paintings, whistles, T-shirts, bags and even rugs. Even more amazing is the vast selection of food and drink – pies, pasties, trays of watermelon, crisps, nuts, prawn skewers, beer, cocktails, sandwiches, ice cream, acai  – and even guys dragging around small charcoal BBQs to grill cheese kebabs. Everyone approaches and everyone moves along if you are not interested. It’s very polite and very friendly and that’s because people do buy and the vendors make sales and it all just works without being pushy.

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Bip Bip – a Rio institution

Bip Bip is not much more than a hole in the wall, but since the late 1960s it has been one of Rio’s favourite spots to catch a live roda de samba (informal samba played around a table). It was a bit chilly as we made our way over to the venue, wrapped in raincoats we were better dressed for a wet night out in Brighton, but obviously the weather is no deterrent for those wanting to be part of this authentic experience and we had no trouble finding the place as it was one of the few bars showing any signs of life on a miserable Tuesday night.

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Who ate all the pies?

Pies and pasties, it seems, are a main stay of Brazilian cuisine. I had no idea! Before arriving here I imagined that I’d find lots of fantastic tropical fruit, which is certainly the case, and plenty of places serving grilled meat in all its forms: also true. But it seems I have landed in pie and pastie heaven with every conceivable variation available morning, noon and night.

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