Trou Aux Cerfs, Curepipe Mauritius
The past is always a good place to start. So lets start a few million years ago. Trou Aux Cerfs (Google translate advises me that it means The Hole of the Deer. The translation merits a paragraph or two in its own but we'll wait for that as I am still digesting that thought) is a volcanic crater that was formed millions of years ago and is currently classified dormant but can erupt anytime within the next 1000 years. It didn't show any signs of erupting when we were there. But in case that happens when you are there, do think of me and remember that I warned you.
I would have liked to have walked around it and taken in the view of the crater from different angles and feel awestruck but the taxi driver + guide advised me against as we were on a clock that was defined by him.
We walked in the direction opposite to the one that was being taken by most of the visitors who were quite loud. But then a few of them saw us walk in that direction and decided to spoil it for us.
Perhaps they were not all that impressed by the sight and actually neither was I. In the foreground of my mind, Sir David Attenborough shook his head disapprovingly. That made me sad.
The place was right but the time was wrong. Like most places, Trou Aux Cerfs is place best visited early in the morning. The 15 km walk would be well worth it. It surrounds something that has existed for millions of years and perhaps not changed much. Otherwise its just a hole in a hill with a lot of stagnant murky green water, surrounded by dense green forest.
Another lesson learned - The guide doesn't know what you wish to experience. His idea of sight seeing is limited to you taking a picture. Or perhaps that is the expectation of most people - crash a few million years into a few minutes and quickly capture the moment with your smartphone and post on facebook and Instagram. The place doesn't matter. What matters is the fact that it shows on your wall that you were there.
Next time, I will set the rules. Of course with the blessings of my better half.
