[Dietmar]

Hi Titus,

reading your words and point of views is really interesting. And I like also differences in opinions and point of views.

"Reunion & Mauritius are close, but 2 different worlds."

Yes, definitely! One territory has european standards, the other one is a complete different world, a rapid developing country.
I think in the next 10 years, standards will be the same, or at one point Mauritius will surpass Reunion. What do you think about this ?

"I won't like living in Mauritius (feels like Bollywood). it's one of the most boring places I know."

When we went to Reunion in the nineties with my class group, at the end of the trip none us wanted to go back to Mauritius, we wanted to stay longer in Reunion Its not to say that Mauritius is Bad, but the nineties were also different, the time we were there was like 12 years ago, since then a lot has changed in Mauritius. But for some of us in the group, in Reunion, we felt like being at home Its not necessarily the infrastructure, but I did like the neat way and well sorted infrastructure, but also the people, mixed culture, open minded people. But you also get them in Mauritius to, you have everything here to. But for sure, I would prefer if mauritius would have some more of the neat infrastructure you have in Reunion. Like in many places here, there was no planning. Like in Grand Baie where I stay, it was a chaotic development where everybody wanted to get his share of the pie concerning tourism business. Afterwards it was difficult for the government to put some order, they had to crash some stuff etc. There was no vision either. Well thats how it is sometimes with emerging economies, but thats now something of the past, and new planned cities with proper infrastructure are on their way...

"Remember my first trip (1991 or 92) - hell, I ran away a few days before my scheduled flight. Luckily I took the last flight on Friday evening to Reunion (instead of a flight on Sunday evening) and i am sure I had much more fun over here than inMauritius during the weekend"

Have you not been in Mauritius at all since then ? I was still a small boy at that time. We only had 2 or 3 TV channels and the Reunion TV Channel. Unfortunately I didn't have that channel, there you had the best comics like Dragon Ball Z Now 16 years later lots has changed, you should come by again if you can

"The night clubs you are talking about were the Pussy Cat ( ) and Opera Bastille - I think they've changed names since, but they are still there."

Yes, EXACT! You are well informed

"There some more 5-6 night clubs in St.Gilles les Bains, a good place to stay for making party (St.Pierre too, there are also some 4-5 in St.Pierre)."

In Mauritius, you have also some clubs, but its not the clubbing place to be. You also have some good concerts here from time to time of local artists but they still lack some support. I remember being in Reunion that many people in Reunion like the local music of Mauritius, our Sega! And many Mauritian artists in that time used to go to Reunion to get their stuff recorded.

"St.Gilles and St.Gilles les Bains is the same stuff.
But there is also St.Gilles les Hauts = a few kms up the mountain."

Ok.

"The place with the "german sounding name" could be Hellbourg, in the cirque of Salazie. There's somewhere a trout farm where you can fish also.
There's also another fish farm, run by a German in St.Louis."

Hellbourg!!! EXACT! Man, you know Reunion like your pocket!

"Temperature: St.Gilles and the West coast is quite protected from cold wind in the winter time (les alizées) by the mountains.
That's not the case in Mauritius (no mountains = cold winds don t get stopped)"

Ok. Thats the case, yep.

"Yes, we have a relatively high "death rate" among surfers Somehow 4th or 5th place worldwide in Shark accidents. But it doesn t catch more than 1 or 2 max. a year - though 50% are surfers, 50% divers.
There hadn't been a deadly shark accident now for 2 or 3 years. But I remember 2 (non deadly) accidents some 2 years ago. One of them lost his leg) Compared to some 80-90 death on the road it's still safer beeing in the water than on the road."

Good point to go surfing

"Also: it always happens at the same spots that are known for sharks (but unfortunately also for good waves). But some people love exitement... and don't care. Always the same conditions too = after heavy rainfalls/troubled water, often a short time after heavy rains or a cyclone or a like had passed along (=that means also great waves for surfing)."

Yeah, like here, once there are cyclones coming my friends are happy 'cause of the waves, there are also some spots here. Very popular is Tamarin.
There is some more infos about surfing in the forum here.

"Bikes: Yes in Mauritius there's some kind of restrictions on imports of Big Bikes = almost any to find, but those Indian or Chinese 50 cc Scooters."

Now you see more and more bigger bikes on the road, and there are also some bike clubs. But there must be some restrictions, i guess in the form of very high taxes... Mauritius is one of those countries in the world where taxes on imported cars and bikes are one of the highest in the world, so sometimes it makes more sense to buy it locally. What I mean by that is, when you import on your own, those taxes are applied. The distributors here have different conditions. Yes, those indian bikes, and 50cc stuff, there is still to much of it here, makes a lot of noise, but I am seeing less and less of it, and more and more cars...

"Here's no import restrictions = 750 cc and up is standard. Scooters (50cc)are free of driving licenses, but most are boosted = running 80-100 km/h."

You also have great highways to drive them!

"You can also find a lot of Harley, BMW, KTM, Ducati, and all Japanese makes here. Don't wonder if you'll see them in a week or 2 also in Mauritius on the streets. A motorbike club from Reunion will make their yearly trip to there by Dec. 18th or 20th (They go once a year to Mada, or South Africa, or Namibia, or, like this year, to Mauritius)"

Ok, maybe I will see them tomorrow then

I've been in Mada, the roads there are more for the offroad bikes, not the sporty fast ones. But I love Mada, hope to go there again next year. You been there ???