DESPITE OUR ELATION AT LEAVING INDIA (I didn't even look out the window as India receded under our wings) I was reluctant to visit the Maldives. Only 200 of the 1200 islands bobbing in the Indian Ocean are inhabited; some are treeless spits of sand barely large enough for a lounge chair and an umbrella. Others sport insanely expensive lodges, some costing $4000 a day! Beaches are no longer "our thing" and it has been six years since our last SCUBA dive. It finally came down, as many of our decisions do, to “we'll only be here once.”
Affordable but it has growing pains
The Arena Beach Hotel boasted all the bells and whistles (WiFi, satellite TV, air-con) and a good location on Maafushi, the affordable island, plus a surprisingly good restaurant. But the power was out on the southern half of the island when we arrived and without air conditioning our room was a steam bath. When the power finally came back we learned the WiFi was only a rumor, even in the lobby.
The tourist beach
Forget the Ukraine, Russia is invading the Maldives, along with tourists from all over Eastern Europe: Slovenia, Romania, Latvia – even Bosnia-Herzogovina. We are the only Americans around. The morning call to prayer reminded us that the Maldives are predominantly Muslim. The populace even must be protected from bikini-clad women and flabby Russians in Speedos who must use the screened off ‘tourist beach.’ Protect us, too. Thursday was our 20th anniversary, two decades of marital bliss, and the beginning of our fourth year on this trip. Time sure does fly. If only we could get a decent bottle of wine to celebrate with.
Life's a beach
Maafushi reminds us of Isla do Mel in Brazil, very laid back with sand streets, no cars and lots of boats. The buildings are painted in Caribbean pastels and coconut palms rattle in the breeze. There is a dive shop on every corner and someone is always around to offer you a snorkel trip or a cruise to one of the other islands. Except for Maria, the Latvian manager of Arena Beach, the staff is either uncaring or incompetent. Our snorkeling trip, scheduled for 10 AM was changed to 1 PM then back to 11 AM – and no one thought to tell us! The fish on the reef were pretty good but the reef is in terrible condition, bleached of all color by rising ocean temperatures, we were told.
Life in the slow lane
A missed snorkeling trip is one thing but it was a surprise to learn there are no ferries on Friday, the Muslim holy day. And the morning ferry back to the Male airport (on its own special island) wouldn’t arrive in time for our 11:00 flight. The speedboat guys have a stranglehold on the tourists, charging $175 for the 30-minute trip. We shared the boat with a French couple who recruited us, then backed out to try the ferry, then came back when they realized how close they were cutting it. Maria, bless her, organized everything but wasn’t around when one of the speedboat’s engines sputtered to a stop. Somehow a replacement boat was found and we made our flight to Sri Lanka.
