MALDIVES

DEPARTURE FROM FIUMICINO

WE BOOK THE TRIP WITH LASTMINUTETOUR.COM AND SPEND 1146 EUROS PER PERSON FOR FLIGHT, TRANSFER TO THE ISLAND BY SPEEDBOAT, FULL BOARD, 9 DAYS 7 NIGHTS IN A 4-STAR HOTEL. THE SUPPORTING AGENCY IS EDENVIAGGI, THE AIRLINE IS LAUDA AIR. CALLED AT 16:20 AT THE AIRPORT IN FIUMICINO, WE IMMEDIATELY DISCOVER THAT THE FLIGHT ISN'T DIRECT BUT STOPS OVER IN MILAN MALPENSA. WE DEPART FROM ROME AT 19:00 AND ARRIVE IN MALE (MALDIVES) AT 7:30....DOES 12 HOURS OF TRAVEL SEEM TOO LONG TO YOU TOO?? WE'RE ALREADY GETTING A BAD IMPRESSION OF THE AIRLINE, BUT GO AND SEE WHAT THE RETURN TRIP WAS LIKE.....

ARRIVAL IN MALE AND SETTLING IN ON THE ATOLL

AFTER THE SANTO DOMINGO EXPERIENCE, WHEN ALITALIA HAD ASSISTED US FOR 10 HOURS OF FLIGHT IN A BIG PLANE WITH PERSONAL TV AND MAXIMUM COMFORT, WE FIND OURSELVES IN A PLANE WITH NOT ENOUGH SPACE TO LIE DOWN, WITH MONITORS ONLY IN THE CENTRAL ROW, FACING 9, 10 HOURS OF FLIGHT...UGH! OF COURSE I GET OFF WITH ARTHRITIC PAINS IN MY FOOT THAT WILL MAKE ME LIMP FOR THE WHOLE WEEK, THANKS TO THE COMFORTABLE POSITION HELD FOR THE ENTIRE JOURNEY!! AT THE AIRPORT THE SPEEDBOAT AWAITS US: 3 HOURS OF BOUNCING ON A BOAT THAT DEFIES THE WAVES OF THE INDIAN OCEAN AT FULL SPEED! FINALLY AT THE ATOLL: WHITE BEACH, PALMS AND A WELCOME WORTHY OF THE NAME WITH A COCONUT DRINK. VERY PROFESSIONAL AND POLITE STAFF, STUNNING WEATHER, VERY IMPRESSED BY THE BEAUTY OF THE PLACE.

THERE ARE 3 HOURS OF TIME DIFFERENCE MORE UP TO MALE AND THEN AN ADDITIONAL ONE (SO 4 HOURS TOTAL TIME DIFFERENCE AT THE ATOLL): IT'S 16:00 LOCAL TIME WHEN WE ARE WELCOMED AT THE RECEPTION (THAT IS, 12:00 IN ITALY).

EXPLORING THE ISLAND

AT THE RECEPTION THEY ADVISE US TO LEAVE OUR PASSPORTS AND RETURN FLIGHT TICKETS IN THE FREE SAFETY DEPOSIT BOX. WE ALSO DEPOSITED THE EUROS WE HAD BROUGHT IN CASH, OF WHICH 120 ARE KEPT AS A DEPOSIT BY THE HOTEL. AT THE END OF THE HOLIDAY, PAYMENT FOR EXTRA EXPENSES WILL BE MADE IN CASH (EUROS OR DOLLARS, BUT LET'S REMEMBER THAT THE EURO IS NOW STRONGER SO IT'S BETTER TO PAY BY CREDIT CARD TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EXCHANGE RATE IN OUR FAVOUR) OR BY CREDIT CARD. ON THE ISLAND YOU DON'T NEED MONEY TO BUY SOUVENIRS OR DRINKS: YOU JUST GIVE THE ROOM NUMBER TO WHICH THE EXPENSES ARE CHARGED. WE ARE ACCOMPANIED TO OUR BUNGALOW BY STAFF WHO CARRY OUR SUITCASES. WE DISCOVER THE PLEASURE OF AIR CONDITIONING IN THE ROOM AND THE SURPRISE OF THE "MALDIVIAN" BATHROOM....OUTDOORS! TOILET, SINK AND SHOWER ARE OUTSIDE THE BUNGALOW IN A ROOM WITH WALLS BUT NO ROOF.

YOU SHOWER AND DO EVERYTHING ELSE WHILE LOOKING AT THE STARS! WE TIP THE PORTERS WITH A 5 EURO TIP AND THEY GIVE US DIRTY LOOKS: THE USUAL SKINFLINTS!

COMMUNICATING WITH THE CELL PHONE

AS SOON AS WE ARRIVE WE TRY TO LET OUR FAMILIES KNOW WE'RE ALIVE BUT IT'S AN IMPOSSIBLE MISSION: TIM MANAGES TO MAKE CALLS WITH DIFFICULTY, TO RECEIVE CALLS AND TEXTS BUT DOESN'T SEND TEXTS! VODAFONE SENDS TEXTS BUT THE FUNNY THING IS THAT THE PRICES ARE SUCH THAT WITH 3 CALLS OF 3 MINUTES EACH TO LET OUR RELATIVES KNOW WE'VE BLOWN THROUGH THE 75 EURO OF CREDIT WE'D STARTED WITH!!! IT'S BETTER TO USE THE PHONE IN THE ROOM: 3 CALLS OF A FEW MINUTES FOR ONLY 20 EURO. WE DISCOVER THAT THERE'S NO TV IN THE ROOM. LUCKILY THE WEATHER WAS STUNNING ALL WEEK, OTHERWISE WE WOULD HAVE MADE USE OF THE 6 BOOKS BROUGHT FOR THE EVENTUALITY OF RAIN. THE ROOM IS VERY CLEAN GIVEN THAT THE STAFF COMES BY TWICE A DAY WITHOUT EVER DISTURBING THE GUESTS TO CHANGE THE BEACH TOWELS, CLEAN AND MAKE THE BED. ANY BREAKDOWN IS PROMPTLY SPOTTED AND FIXED WITHOUT ANY INTERVENTION ON OUR PART!SPECTACULAR!

MALDIVIAN FLORA AND FAUNA

WHAT CAN I SAY! WHITE BEACH, BLAZING SUN! WATCH OUT: DESPITE THE SUNSCREEN, THE FIRST FEW DAYS I GOT BURNT WHILE ADMIRING THE CORALS IN THE WATER AND I HAD TO SWIM WITH A T-SHIRT ON FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK! YOU QUICKLY LEARN TO LIVE WITH THE ISLAND'S ANIMALS, PRESENT BUT DISCREET: GIANT BATS, GIANT ANTS, BIG LIZARDS, CROWS AND CRABS. THE ISLAND HAS TWO TYPES OF ACCOMMODATION: THE BUNGALOW ON THE WATER SIDE RAISED ON STILTS (MORE EXPENSIVE) AND THE BUNGALOW INSIDE THE ISLAND: WATER VILLAGE AND ISLAND VILLAGE. THE ISLAND IS 2 KM LONG BY 1 KM WIDE. THERE ARE 3 RESTAURANTS: ONE "INCLUDED" WITH OUR FULL BOARD PACKAGE IN ISLAND VILLAGE, THE OTHER 2 ARE PAID. WE ATE LOBSTER IN A FULL FISH DINNER FOR 30 DOLLARS A HEAD!

DIVING COURSE AT DIVER CENTER

THE ISLAND OFFERS THE CHANCE TO ADMIRE THE CORAL REEF WITH ITS FISH AND RAYS THROUGH SNORKELING BUT ALSO THROUGH LONG WALKS ALONG THE SHORE OF THE BEACH WITH MASK AND FINS. YOU CAN REACH PART OF THE REEF EVEN ON YOUR OWN. THE SKILLED STAFF TEACHES THE ART OF DIVING, WITH PROFESSIONAL COURSES AND ISSUING DIPLOMAS WITH INTERNATIONAL VALIDITY, UP TO 20 METRES DEEP TO SEE SEA TURTLES, FISH, ANEMONES AND SHARKS!!! THE 3-DAY COURSE COSTS 250 DOLLARS AND ISSUES A MORE LIMITED CERTIFICATE FOR DIVES; THE 5-DAY COURSE COSTS 500 DOLLARS AND ALLOWS YOU TO GO TO 30 METRES DEEP IN THE COMPANY OF ANOTHER PERSON WITH A DIVING LICENCE. A FASCINATING INSTRUCTOR CAN RENT YOU SURFBOARDS, CANOES AND SKATES OR SAILBOATS! THERE'S A MASSAGE CENTRE, SHOPS AND JEWELLERS FOR SHOPPING.

FISH WITHIN REACH

IN THE MORNING, THE LOW TIDE ALLOWS YOU TO WALK IN THE WATER UP TO THE CORAL REEF AND REACH SAND ISLANDS AS FAR AS THE ISLAND OPPOSITE THE ATOLL INHABITED BY FISHERMEN. IN THE AFTERNOON THE HIGH TIDE PREVENTS IT. A STAFF MEMBER OF THE VILLAGE EVERY EVENING LETS YOU ADMIRE THE RAYS, THAT WIDE FLAT FISH HE LURES TO THE SHORE WITH FOOD AND STROKES AS IF IT WERE A LITTLE DOG! WALKING IN THE EVENING ALONG THE JETTY YOU CAN SEE FISH OF EVERY SIZE AND IF YOU'RE LUCKY EVEN SMALL SHARKS...

LAST DAY

LET'S REMEMBER THAT THE BUNGALOW IS EQUIPPED WITH ADAPTERS FOR ITALIAN PLUGS AND THAT YOU CAN REQUEST THEM AT RECEPTION AS WELL AS A HAIR DRYER. VERDICT AFTER ONE WEEK IN THE MALDIVES: GOOD. LET'S SAY THAT MORE THAN 7 DAYS YOU GET BORED! REMEMBER: WE'RE IN A MUSLIM COUNTRY, SO NO TOPLESS!!SOME EVENINGS YOU CAN DANCE TO LIVE D.J. MUSIC ON THE BEACH. ON THESE OCCASIONS, IN THE FACE OF THE MUSLIM CUSTOMS, WHICH FORCED US TO VISIT THE MOSQUES OF MALE CITY WITH A SHAWL TO COVER SHOULDERS AND KNEES, THE FEMALE STAFF OF THE VILLAGE PERFORM EROTIC DANCES IN MINISKIRTS AND SKIMPY T-SHIRTS....

RETURN

THE EVENING BEFORE DEPARTURE WE SETTLE THE BILL AT 800 DOLLARS, INCLUDING THE DIVING COURSE AND EXTRA FISH DINNERS. FINALLY JUST TWO WORDS ON THE TRIP: DAMN YOU LAUDA AIR!!! WAKE-UP AT 6 (2 AT NIGHT ITALIAN TIME), SPEEDBOAT WITH CHILDREN THROWING UP DUE TO THE OBJECTIVE DIFFICULTIES OF THE MEANS OF TRANSPORT(!), ARRIVAL AT THE AIRPORT WITH NEWS OF A 4-HOUR DEPARTURE DELAY... THEY TAKE US TO SEE MALE CITY: MOSQUES, PRESIDENTIAL RESIDENCE, SCHOOLS, FISH MARKETS AND LOCAL MARKETS WHERE WE BUY THE DELICIOUS MALDIVIAN BOUNTY (OR MALDIVIAN CHOCOLATE WITH COCONUT, HONEY AND SUGAR!!).

SWELTERING HEAT AND WE HEAD BACK TO THE AIRPORT WHERE WE BOARD AT 16,00! DURING THE FLIGHT THE PILOT TELLS US THAT TO MAKE UP FOR DELAYS ON SUBSEQUENT FLIGHTS, THEY'VE DECIDED TO STOP OVER IN MILAN AT 22,30 AND ABANDON US POOR SOULS HEADED FOR FIUMICINO TO OUR UNKNOWN DESTINY! THAT IS, AMIDST VARIOUS COMPLAINTS THEY OFFLOAD US, MAKE US WAIT 2 HOURS AND THEN PUT US BACK ON BOARD FOR ROME WHERE WE ARRIVE AT 2,30 AT NIGHT...WE GET HOME TO PERUGIA AT 4,30 IN THE MORNING EXHAUSTED.... WELCOME BACK!