Spar supermarket Archives - Escapes From The Little Red Dot

Our last day in Seychelles started at 8 when K woke up for milk and didn’t want to return to bed. We decided to go to Beau Vallon for breakfast and some beach fun. 5mins drive and we arrived at a carpark opposite Coral Strand Resort. Then it was a short walk to the car free path to the beach. Only realized a much closer carpark that was close to La Plage restaurant upon walking on the street.

There was supposed to be a bazaar but since it was still early there weren’t much stalls up and running. We walked past a few restaurants that were still closed until a La Plage restaurant that had brunch available and a beach side sitting area. Ordered an egg benedict, fruit platter, a bowl of honey pops and yogurt and iced macchiato, all for a restaurant price of 512rupees. The food quality wasn’t the best, the cereals had bugs and were not crispy.

After our breakfast that took awhile, almost 30mins of waiting, we proceeded to the Beau Vallon beach. The beach was long and had a lot of people but still there was plenty of space to run about. We liked the low water height even until a distance from the beach, the level was only waist high. At the same time, there were waves coming in that K thoroughly enjoyed crashing into them. Not much fishes we could see but as expected from a human dominated beach. There were enough shades, the sand was soft and slightly moist, good for sandcastles. Close proximity to food. We thought this was one of the best beach in Seychelles!

When K had enough of sand play and water, we went to the nearby burger stalls to takeaway a burger and chips for 50rupees and another to buy fried noodles for 50rupees too. Then we went to some stalls selling souvenirs to see if there were anything interesting before we went back to our car. The town was just starting to wake up but we need to go as there seemed to be a storm coming.

On the way back, K fell asleep but awoke when we tried to bring him to the bed. After drinking milk, he wouldn’t return to sleep so we had lunch first. Then when we were done with all this and went to bed, he wouldn’t sleep. It was kinda hot as the aircon didn’t seemed to work so well since the place was too huge to cool down. After struggling for an hour or so, we decided to just go Eden island for a visit. On the way there, I filled the gas to full with 300rupees so that there was no need to top up before our red eye flight on early Monday morning.

Driving the car to Eden island too half an hour but K fell asleep soon after. I parked the car in Eden Plaza carpark and went down myself to check out the place. However as it was Sunday, nothing except the SPAR supermarket, a yogurt store and a minimart was opened. I explored the surroundings and took photos of the yachts parked at the water front and returned to the car. We were unable to get packet milks as these weren’t available at the supermarkets.

Mommy decided we should visit the most northern point and so we drove along the east coast. There was STC hypermarket that we passed but it was closed as well by 430pm so we just continued on our joyride. Along the way, we saw a couple of nice beaches and people were all just enjoying them, spending time on the beach and water, family and all. I guessed this was what Seychelles was all about.

While we crossed the northern tip, K woke up and was feeling good. We went back to the apartment and spent some time utilizing the hammock overlooking the sea, welcoming the setting sun while role playing pirate ship. It was just fun time, precious moments before returning to harsh reality of rat race Singapore.

After taking a bath and peeling myself away from the beautiful sunset right presented on the veranda of the apartment, we drove back to closer carpark near La Plage restaurant and got off to look for dinner. Didn’t know if there was any restaurant but ended up buying street food, first ordering banana chips (50rupees per packet) to bring back home to Singapore and then BBQ fish for dinner, with rice and noodle and chicken on a stick for (200rupees). Mommy went back to La Plage restaurant to takeaway a scoop of vanilla icecream as promised to K and we then returned to the apartment.

Fed K his dinner after his icecream treat in the car and we had our fish which was really fresh and delicious and really worth it.

The night was spent packing the luggage and a day back for our transit in Colombo and more moments of pirate ship on the hammock before we called it a night. It would be a very tiring return beginning with a 530am flight to Colombo, and then a 1am flight on Tuesday morning to Singapore. K couldn’t get to sleep and I thought it must have been the heat. The overhead fan didn’t provide any comfort and was mostly useless against the mosquito net. Brought the standing fan over and finally the fidgeting stopped and we drifted to dreamland.

The iPhone alarm woke me up at 430am and I quickly got up to brush my teeth and awoken up mommy while at it. Changed K out of his PJs which was slightly wet due to pee leakage from his diapers and K also woke up. He was quick to adjust especially when I told him that we were taking another flight where he could watch the Little Pony again and became cooperative.

At 445am there was a morning call in the form of hard knocking on the door. We had to answer the door to acknowledge before going back to the packing. Then 5am again. We left the room at 505 and checked out, while we heard some conversation between the staff and our neighbors as they hadn’t check out yet.

Waiting at first floor were some other guests too. We guessed it right, the transfer was not only for us but for a few guests. While some like us did not really need the 3hrs, the others did. We boarded the 20 seater bus and it drove to another hotel a few distance down and picked up a couple before zooming through the quiet streets of Negombo. K was already tired and was lying across my lap resting before we arrived at the departure terminal of the airport.

We went through the bag checks and walked through immigration. Proceeded to the 2nd level where the shopping area was and had our breakfast at Coffee Bean, the total costs was 4000rupees. That took out half the amount that we changed the previous day but it was fine. There were also charging ports available and I had to plug in my dying phone. We all shared croissant, quiche and cheesecake and then took a walk around before waiting at the seats facing the runway where the planes were parked.

Before we knew it, it was time to board and after using the toilets, we quickly go through the gates for yet another round of scanning before entering a waiting area where buses brought the passengers to the planes on the runway for boarding. After we settled down, K started his video while we all rested and waited for the takeoff.

It was a smooth flight and similarly as the flight in the previous day, K got his breakfast earlier. This time around, the food was ok for both the spicy local and the international. K also took a 1.5hrs nap after his breakfast while I was napping for a bit and then got up to watching some episodes of Big Bang Theory (the movies were limited and I wasn’t interested in the rest). There were short episodes of turbulence that accompanied the journey but no drama too.

Soon we were descending into regions of calm waters and the plane landed nicely into the airport of Seychelles, on time at about 1030am! The temperature was also hot, hotter than Singapore comparatively at this time. As expected, it was a small airport and we had to walk on the tarmac to get into the immigrations. Got our passport stamped and proceeded to the luggage belt, hopping that the luggage had arrived safely, and it did.

Brought the luggage through customs and out into the arrival. Was hoping to see my name on the cardboard as mentioned in the email instructions from Absolute Cars rental but didn’t see any. So we figured that we settle some of our stuff first by going to the forex to exchange some rupees while mommy lined up at Airtel to get data plan. Barclays was the only one opened and I exchanged 100 Euros with them for 1:1.64. Nouvobanq next door could do slightly better but was closed for a short while. We got our data plan of 1.5gB for 30days at 25euros. We actually wanted to get a 2gB for 7 days at 11 Euros and 2 of them which would actually be cheaper by 3euros but the counter staff said that it would be activated immediately so it did not make sense to get that. I wasn’t in the mood to argue and just let it be.

Called the number on the email and was informed that there was a traffic accident in town and thus the car was late. One of the staff actually found us and brought us to the Skychef shop to wait. I brought some drinks from the store and soon after, our car arrived!

I moved the luggage into the Grand i10 which was smaller than my expectations (was initially offered the smaller i10 and I asked for a bigger one). Managed to squeeze one luggage at the trunk and one at the front seat. Returned the baby seat which was too small for K and signed off the contract as the staff was rather relaxed on the checks. Then with the GPS for the Sir Selwyn Clarke Market punched in, we were on our way.

Enroute we saw SPAR supermarket on Eden island and made a stop there instead of going to the market. The 1st hour was free in Eden Plaza and we proceeded to SPAR supermarket that we awfully familiar with while our time in Europe. The only difference was that we had to put our bags in lockers provided before entering. We got the chicken, the veggies, the eggs, the milk and the water. Even bought some biscuits for breakfast the next day. Just outside the supermarket was an exchange and I was surprised to see they would take in SGD but for a price of 10:1 SGD. Changing Euros was actually better and thus we changed another 200euros.

Punched in Sailfish Villas and we drove some 30mins to the location. As the road went up and down the hill, with many bends, K felt a little unwell and burped out. Luckily he didn’t vomited though we had plastic bags already on standby. The route we took brought us to a viewpoint that had a panoramic viewpoint of the Eden island. After stopping for a bit of photos, we continued on downhill. Once we saw the beautiful turquoise waters of the Anse A la mouche, we turned into the small road as indicated by the signs and parked at one of the sheltered carpark. A man helped informed the lady in charge and she drove her car and guided us to the correct villa. It was just a minute drive away.

We were then shown a 2 bedroom huge villa that had a great view of the bay, 2 bedrooms and one came with a huge tub, a good kitchen and big living room with TV. There was a laundry room outside and the whole placed was protected by security and motion sensors! Of course there was WiFi.

After we paid the remainder of 107euros for K who wasn’t part of the Agoda booking, we called Teddy glass bottom boats to make a reservation for trip to Moyenne island the next day before heading out to Anchor cafe for lunch. It was a short drive before we arrived at the cafe with its own private parking lot.

Ordered fish of the day and some chicken curry, a vanilla milk shake and fruit juice. K had some fun climbing up the huge anchor. The food was nice but quite expensive 693rupees in total. And it was really warm since there was neither aircon nor natural draft. After some last few climbs at the anchor, we returned to the villa to take an afternoon nap at around 4ish, trying to adjust to the new time zone.

The next thing I knew, I was awoken by mommy who had woken up earlier to prepare dinner. It was already 630pm and the sun was almost setting. Took a picture of the setting sun but it was a little cloudy.

The rest of the evening was spent in front of the TV and having dinner that mommy cooked. Seychelles was a country at nice and slow pace, allowing ample family time as there weren’t much to do in the evening. That was how we spent the evening, in front of the TV with a bottle of Seybrew and at the tub, nice end to a tiring day as the body adjusts to the 4hrs time difference.

Seychelles 2018 Day 10 – Beau Vallon beach

Seychelles 2018 Day 2 – Arrival into Mahe