SATURDAY 26TH MARCH 2015 - MY LAST DAY

So, today is just me and the beach. All has been completed. 

I am beyond words so far as how incredible this ten days has been. Many news articles have now appeared and family have been sharing these with me.There are apparently more but the High  Commission is collecting those to send to us all. And I hope to get a copy of the MBC Culture show for which Aunty Arlette is also going to be interviewed for. How great for our Mauritian family to be able to be part of the celebration of their family, history, the book and their part in it. So proud for them.

The trip has been fantastic. And now as I return home to life, I look forward to sharing the stories with dad, Larry and family. Can't wait to tell them all about it.

Thanks to all that made this happen. Yes one journey is now coming to an end. But I have the feeling another is just beginning. Time will tell.......

Thanks for showing an interest and wanting to share in the journey. 

Love to you all

Rob xxx

FRIDAY 27TH MARCH 2015 - THE BEACH

It was now time to recover. I had a late request from the high commission to attend a Flic en Flac school to give a talk. But I had already made plans with Lorna to finally catch up and spend some quality time at the beach. She was traveling down to spend the day with me. So I had to decline, sadly.

We headed to Flic en Flac beach over the road, once she finally arrived on the slowest bus in the world. Seriously she was so 'over it' by the time she arrived. She took a couple of hours on a trip that should have taken 30mins in a car. After that, every bus that drove past us we laughed and she said "look at him!!! look!!!" and the bus would be crawling past at no more than 10kms per hour. Lordy that would be a hell of a slow trip. So we both chipped in for her TAXI trip home at the end of the day.

The beach was glorious.We were both there strutting our stuff in our kinis. Lorna left me around 2pm. But I stayed on and on and on until the sun was setting. The crowd is still there until dark. I just didn't want to leave it. Thank God I had one more day to enjoy it.

THURSDAY 26TH MARCH 2015 -- THE UNIVERSITY OF MAURITIUS

Today's a big day. But first I go for a long long walk on the beautiful beach at Flic en Flac which is just over the road from my  hotel. The pictures don't do it justice.

I had a nice relaxing day and was then picked up about 1pm for my 2.30pm talk at the University. When I arrived and got to the auditorium, the MBC TV reporter and camera crew arrived to interview me for a culture show on next Monday night. This was nerve racking but exciting for book Promo in Mauritius.

They then stayed on to record the start of the event.

Next thing the MBC TV News arrived and wanted a quick interview for the news show. 

There was a great number of current students along with lecturers and the Chancellor of the University, along with the Australian High Commissioner, Marie France Chelin Goblet and Mr Abdool Cader Kalla, the latter two whom helped me with the book and research. It was great to have them both there. The talk was well received, and then I started another book signing -- selling, and sold quite a lot of copies. The Chancellor bought extra copies both for his Australian based son, and for the University library.

What stood out most is that Grampa's story across our cultures is of GREAT interest....the resilience and what they call the 'diaspora' of a family -- their movement across the oceans, how and where they settled, and the impact they had; along with the need for Uni students to understand what is expected in research, what can be achieved etc. It was good to share our story, but to also share my tips on how it should be done; what to be careful of; how to look; where to get help; the pros and cons; etc. The students were eagerly taking notes. It was great to see I had something to offer them.

This was my last official event.And it was fabulous. I am so very thankful to the Australian High Commission in Mauritius along with the University of Mauritius and the Mauritian Historical Society who together had organised and promoted the event and put it all on for me. AWESOME!

WEDNESDAY 25TH MARCH 2015 - REST DAY

Today was meant to be a rest and beach day, but at the Alumni talk last night, I made arrangements to be picked up by a lady named Anneloes there and she offered to take me down south to the area at Black River where Grampa's father James Peersahib, would  have arrived as an Indentured Labourer back in 1854. Wow. This was an opportunity I couldn't say no to. But also, very emotional. So I was picked up at 10am and off we went. what a journey. Powerful. I can't describe it and really, in the most part it's so spiritual and so emotional that I can't even begin to try. This area is extremely sacred land, and I can't say anymore than that.  






When I returned to the hotel, I had to race straight out and jump in the car to head up to Bagatelle shopping centre -- back up near Port Louis, to catchup with cousin Lorna. Then returned home with her for a lovely family dinner at Marie Lourdes home on the same block of land as Lorna, her parents, and Aunty Arlette. Marie Lourdes is Lorna's sister in law, and her hubby (Lorna's brother) passed away suddenly just on 3 years ago. It was and still is tragic. Marie Lourdes cooked a beautiful meal of Biryani chicken rice, which is a fave local and family dish. I was so full when I left. Made my way back in the darkness to Flic en Flac, and dropped into bed. I knew that tomorrow would be another full day, with my event at the Uni Of Mauritius and a TV interview. So I needed my rest.

By the way, this same night (Wednesday) there was a showing of Bran Nue Dae on, and Heath was central to this because although don't think he was in the movie, he was in the play version. 

 

TUESDAY 24TH MARCH 2015

Each and every morning I had been going for my early morning run and then to the gym, and today was no different. I had a pretty free day as my major event wasn't happening til that night at 5.30pm. BUT, because I was  heading to my usual hotel at Flic en Flac at the beach,  to stay that night, I had to check out of my room this day by 11am. Fortunately they allowed me to stay in my room until 1pm check out, then I just had to hang round for 4 hours. 

I went down to lunch where I was asked to join a table of Women who all either came from Australia (Expats) or had lived in Australia. This was really great because I met some lovely women, and many of them wanted a copy of Dharmalan Dana. Terrific. 

I then headed into a special room which is put aside in the hotel for business men and women to use a computer, and attend to business. A lovely  lounge area. I was doing final prep for my talk at 5.30pm which was specifically for AUSTRALIAN ALUMNI. These are Mauritian people who have previously studied and completed studies at university in Australia. Most at Curtin University in Perth, but also others in Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney. 

Once I finished my prep I went back downstairs to the flash bar, and sat in a huge lounge suit, relaxing looking out the window at this view to the right.  I was there for a couple of hours until it was time to head up to do my presentation.

There were a few people present and the group was really keen to hear about the story of Dharmalan Dana and Grampa. During the talk I realised that I was standing in the exact same spot where I stood in 2010 to talk at the Conference -- trying to generate interest and support for our search. Now I was there again with a new group to tell them about the journey. 

The Commissioner Susan Coles and Yasmina her staff member who organised everything, were there at most every event of the ten days. A huge effort. What amazed me was how 'hands on' Susan is. A fabulous woman. And Yasmina? she is very  terrific.

Some of the Australian Alumni there that night.

MONDAY 23RD MARCH 2015 BACK TO RADIO ONE

This day Krys Smith the wine maker, Yasmina from the Commission, and I, all returned to Radio One for a radio interview. This was a really good interview and gave us both a chance to talk about what we were in Mauritius for. It really gave us both a good plug, and we were able to promote the work and events we had on for the rest of the week. 

Black  Tie Event:
That evening we all (except Heath), went to a black tie dinner, to raise money for children that needed to travel to Australia for life saving medical treatment. It was an auction event, with people donating all sorts of things from fancy bottle of wine, artworks, books, etc, and people bid on them.

The evening was still only just getting going by 10.30pm so around 11pm I headed back to our hotel. I was buggered.

SUNDAY 22ND MARCH 2015 - THE HIRE CAR

Today is a free day and at 7.30am the hire car bloke arrived with my little car. Deadly. Now I had wheels I could get out and about. I have always driven in Mauritius, even from the first trip with dad. Mauritians are amazed that I drive in Mauritius. The traffic is afterall, unbelievably overcrowded, with no real speed limit from what I can tell. On the freeway, limits are posted, police motorbikes are all up and down it, but that doesn't stop locals speeding down the freeway at 120-140kms per hour in cars and on motorcycles, even past cops. So I  haven't worked it out yet, but I just do my thing.

Soon as in my car, I headed out to Bagatelle shopping centre to meet up with cousin Lorna, Aunty Arlette, Marie Lourdes and son Mathew. We went and had lunch at my fave little place where fresh seafood is great. We had a nice lunch together, and caught up, then I drove them back to the family home at Rose Hill, where I could catch up with Lorna's mum and dad. Her dad, Uncle Sydney was waiting for me at the door and so very loving with me. Soooo happy to see me. His so proud of the book, and has been reading it intently. His pretty chuffed that his in it too by the way. Very proud. 









I was so happy to see Aunty Joceyline and she was so happy to see me too, and we are all really close now. I am like another daughter, a sister to Lorna, which is lovely. 

At the end of the day, I headed back to the hotel, and rested up, calling in room service and just taking it easy to recover from the heat and humidity. It really wipes me out. But it was a great day.