From Singapore to Mauritius from April 10 to May 4, 2026

Today we started the dream beaches cruise organized by Pfister Cruises. The evening flight took off from Zurich promptly at 10:40 p.m. and flew through the night. After 11 1/4 hour flight, mixed with short periods of sleeping as much as possible and one Dinner and breakfast on board. The seats at Swiss in Economy were ok. The leg distance from the front seat doesn't force me into it, even for my 180 cm height. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the width of the seat. You're constantly bumping into it the arm to the neighbor. And as long as you haven't herded swine with him, rather unpleasant, the constant touching and the fight for the shared seat back. But that too passed and in the end we said a friendly goodbye.

A total of 29 guests accompany me on the trip. I personally sent an e-mail to the travelers two days beforehand that they would recognize me by my red denim jacket. And yes, it shone throughout the airport and on the plane too. So it was relatively easy to collect the “sheep” and sniff each other for the first time.

We then quickly walked through the Singapore airport to immigration control. Thanks to the excellent work of the office from Pfister Cruises, which had already provided electronic entry information for the guests Entry into Singapore was carried out quickly. After turning the pass once or twice it was in the right direction you were scanned electronically and woof, the barrier opened and you were in the baggage reception hall.

The luggage also arrived relatively quickly, Kloten can still learn something from Changi Airport. The local guide was already blazing around the reception hall with his green lazer. So we went out and looked for him Transfer guide.

Unfortunately that was too quick because a lady had left her valuables in the toilet and then forgotten to take them with her. In Singapore you can't just go back to the baggage hall. This all happens according to a regular plan. First you have to go to information, forms are filled out there and then you send someone in to take a look. whether the found item is still there. Of course, this always takes a certain amount of time, including the person doing it mishap happened, is nervous and afraid. It's also not necessarily convenient to have passports and credit cards to leave somewhere.

All's well that ends well, the bag was still there and then brought out. But that meant at least 25 minutes. unnecessary delay. Thanks to the understanding of the other guests we went quickly to our hotel Capri in Singapore Chinatown.

I organized the check-in very quickly and after 5 minutes all guests were in their rooms.

Dinner was not planned for the group. Everyone then did this individually. Some went to sleep and some on your own. There are so many different restaurants around the hotel so this wasn't a problem.

I then set off alone to my favorite restaurant, Ding Tai Fung (Taiwanese dumpling restaurant). and came across a durian shop on the way there. There were the best stinky fruits from Malaysia. The King Durian. This was one of the best durians I have ever eaten. Not cheap, but great in taste when you get it likes. 3 pieces Sin$ 20.-- approx., CHF 14.--

After breakfast we set off. Our nice transfer guide, Aywin, led the city tour today. First we went past the Fullerton Hotel, the former Signapore post office to the Merlion statue. Hundreds of Asian tourists (few European ones) were already standing around and taking pictures. The journey continued by bus to the Gardens by the seas. Two covered halls with plants and trees from all over the world. The daytime temperature was 32 degrees the halls at almost 23 degrees. The 9 degree difference was extremely noticeable and Anyone who had a jacket with them was grateful for it. Awin shone with a lot of knowledge and humor, so that the morning flew by in no time. In Chinatown we had lunch in a large Chinese restaurant. The guests were enthusiastic about the Chinese food and enjoyed the 1 ½. With a full stomach we continued by bus to Singapore's new landmark, the Marina By Sands Hotel with the “ship” on the 3 towers and the iconic Infinity pool above the skyscrapers of Singapore.

The elevator took us up to the 48th floor and the guests enjoyed the panoramic view Sea with the hundreds of cargo ships and the skyline, which is somewhere in Malaysia disappeared. We walked through the hotel with over 2,500 rooms at a leisurely pace back to the bus. We now drove further south towards the bridge to Sentosa Island. On the At the same level as the bridge to Sentosa there is also the well-known cable car that connects the mainland with Sentosa. By the way, the cable car was built by Garawenta/Doppelmayer. We had a great view from the Mount Faber viewing hill across the strait to Sentosa and the ugly cheap rental apartments for locals from the Singapore Government. Back via Orchard Road, Singapore's shopping mile, we drove back to the hotel, where we met Arrived at 6 p.m. The guests were again able to eat individually. I took a guest with me was looking for a 15 year old cable for his old Canon camera. At the end we took the subway to Vivo City, one of the largest shopping malls in Singapore. This cable wasn't available there either and in the end the guest bought it a new camera.

Back at the hotel he invited me to have a beer at a Korean restaurant. Afterwards he said goodbye and I ordered a menu for 2, as there was no menu for one person. Of course it was far too much. But I do ate everything. It was wonderful and good quality meat.

The morning was free. I used it to sleep a little longer. Thanks to the night flight with Swiss to Singapore, the effect was very small. Around midday we set off on the short journey in a coach plus a luggage cart 15 minute walk to Singapore Port. There they stood, a large and a smaller ship. One was a Disney ship and next to it was the NCL Sun. After the luggage cart unloaded our luggage We stood in line for baggage drop-off. The luggage is picked up directly in the bus parking lot by NCL employees and it can then take up to 7 hours until the suitcase is delivered to the cabin on the ship. Afterwards, an armada of older Singaporeans stood 30 meters apart and directed the way to check-in. The port is relatively long and it takes about 5 minutes to walk with hand luggage. Then you were checked in by another armada of helpers and given one Boarding pass in the form of a credit card. I still had to reclaim the GST for a guest for the camera he bought has. That was super easy. Like an ATM, you enter the information and am At the end, the machine credited Sin$19.50 to the credit card. Then suddenly a couple came up to me and nervously told me that the passport had been lost, probably in the transfer bus. First of all, I asked the guests to thoroughly search their hand luggage again. In the meantime, With the kind help of Doris, the local transfer manager, I tried to reach the hotel, as there was a possibility that the passport was still in the person I checked out Hotel Capri was located. The bus driver was on the way to the airport and there was no chance of stopping, so we had to be patient and explore options: No passport on the bus, no passport in the hotel, trip to the Swiss embassy and one Have an emergency passport issued. If time becomes too short to get on the ship, Overnight stay and then flight to Phuket and then embark again. Luckily, the passport was found on the desk in the hotel room. The customer drove to the hotel with Doris, the transfer manager, and then came himself back to the ship and was able to check in on time and after the giant Start enjoying the cruise.

Check-in went quickly and the guests moved into the cabins. Then the first walk through the ship and getting to know the locations to do.

All suitcases were delivered to the cabins and we had our first dinner together with the whole group in the Four Seasons dining room.

After the initial teething problems, what is now included and what is not the food was served. Day 1 was probably the same for many crew members first day and so some things didn't work out as hoped.

NCL changed a policy regarding food served free of charge. You can now choose 1-3 starters, but only 1 dish from the main course, otherwise Since January you have been paying US$ 5 extra.

Then the first night on the ship was pleasant for some and because of the noisy aircon not satisfactory. In general the ship is getting old and the fact that it has already been sold to another shipping company will only The most necessary repairs were carried out.

Today was the first day at sea. Most of the guests threw on their bathing suits and lined up around the two swimming pools in the middle of the ship.

At 11 a.m. I gave a short orientation about the cruise ahead of us and the guests were able to ask questions.

From April 15th, I held the consultation hours at sea from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the observation deck, at the front of the ship Top on deck 12. A wonderful lounge that is usually a little quieter like the other venues.

The ship dropped anchor in sufficient depth off Patong Beach on Phuket. The harbor and beach are unsuitable for cruise ships and there is no dock. This meant that boats had to be used to tender. Fortunately, Patong Beach has a lot of large ships that were used for this purpose.

The meeting point for us was at the Windjammer Bar at 7:30 a.m. The group coordinator Jeanny was already waiting for us and within 10 minutes. We were then on the tender boat that brought us ashore. Right in the middle of the “Ballermann” of Thailand. Patong Beach. I was The last time in Paton was in 1993 when René Roogar visited, who worked here as a resident manager for Neckerman.

But during the day the “Ballerman” is empty. We wanted to go on our pre-organized trip to see elephants anyway and a typical Thai farm.

Moo was already waiting for us on the beach promenade and guided us to the waiting bus. Then we went up the hill to the elephant sanctuary, about 30 minutes from Patong.

The Sancutary was a great place. We were able to feed the elephants sugar cane, cucumbers, corn cobs and bananas. We were told a lot about the Asian elephants. Most elephants are former working elephants are retired here. You buy them from the owners and give them a nice retirement.

Then you could rub mud on the elephants and then hose them down. From the guests' perspective great place we enjoyed.

Afterwards the journey continued north to a wonderful typical Thai farm. There we first had a great Thai lunch and then a guided tour of the area Show Farm. We learned how to grow rice, were able to feed a water buffalo, learned about the Rubber trees and the plants and fruits that grow there. And then there was another nice one Piece of pineapple, which is considered a specialty and is grown here in Phuket. There was another one Demonstration of how to separate the rice from the husk and a tour of a typical one Thai farmhouse. Satisfied with the day we returned to Patong Beach and had Then another hour to explore Patong on your own. But most guests preferred to go back to the ship with the large tender ships to sweep. Departure from Phuket by ship towards the Maldives was at 5 p.m

Life on board is slowly settling in. The guests know where everything is and everyone has their own personal routine. For me it means working in the morning. Preparing trips, communicating with the agents, the wishes of the Edit guests. Afterwards I walk for an hour on deck 6 with lots of other guests around the ship. After that it still works 30-60 minutes to the gym, where I then lift weights and finally do a little stretching.

Then it's already midday and after lunch we do a little work and then the sun for 2 hours enjoy.

Then at 5:00 p.m. there is my “consultation hour” on the observation deck. They are always well attended Because the guests can get to know each other better there, because I always combine it with an aperitif.

The sea is extremely calm and absolutely no waves. A dream for all newbies on a cruise ship. You always see interesting things in the sea, such as dolphins' fins, flying fish, Unfortunately, there is always waste or polluted water surfaces.

Same process as the day before. Enjoy and relax.

For some guests this is already too much and they are looking forward to the country that we will then head to the next day the dream islands of the Maldives.

This time the tender was carried out with our own lifeboats. The NCL arrived at 7 a.m. and prepared for the tender. My group and I met at 7:30 a.m. in the Windjammer Bar, equipped with swimwear for today's excursion is a beach trip to one of the beautiful Maldivian islands. Ours with an underwater restaurant.

The tendering progressed extremely slowly; not only the tender boats docked in the small harbor of Malé, but also one second cruise ship and the many speed boats that were supposed to take the guests to the different islands.

We waited in the bar for 1 1/2 hours until it was our turn. They gathered in the middle of the ship Guests arrived, and we were lucky that we “only” had to wait 90 minutes.

When we arrived at the port of Male, we were met by the local agency. I also suggested that we... You should get the missing snorkels and diving goggles in the city, as these would certainly be more expensive on the island. They were also very expensive in Malé. But because we also have other highlights ahead of us like the Seychelles, In Madagascar or Mauritius it is certainly worth buying diving goggles instead of renting them everywhere. After the shop did the business of a lifetime, we took a short walk back to the harbor and got into our speedboat that was supposed to take us to the dream island.

The island was big and very beautiful. We were graciously welcomed with a welcome drink and I explained it Procedure on the island.

Most of the guests changed their clothes and then went to the beach. The water was about 28 degrees warm and you could very running far in on the sandy ground.

Then there was a huge swimming pool and an open bar where you could order drinks. These were in ours Excursion included and was also used extensively.

At 12:00 p.m. we drove to the underwater restaurant in golf carts. A wonderful spectacle and a very good one Have lunch surrounded by corals and fish. The guests were thrilled.

Afterwards we had another 3 hours to explore Baden and Sünnele.

At around 5 p.m. we took the speedboat 25 minutes back to the port of Malé, where we boarded the tender boat switched to NCL Sun and the tender only takes 15 - 20 minutes back to the ship.

Today was a very relaxed day. Some guests took the opportunity to go ashore one more time and join an excursion. The majority, however, once again chose to bask on the sun deck. It's incredible how recklessly people expose themselves to that risk just for two weeks of tanned skin. Until they get there, plenty of sunburned guests are wandering the ship in the meantime. In the afternoon we set sail again towards the Seychelles. When the cruise ship is stationary, the sun beats straight down on the deck and it becomes unbearably hot — a breeze while underway helps enormously. In the evening I enjoyed a lovely dinner with our solo female guest at the Cagney Steakhouse.

Here on the NCL Sun there are many specialty restaurants:

• Teppanyaki Steakhouse
• Sushi Restaurant
• Le Bistro (French)
• Churrasco (Brazilian)
• La Cantina (Mexican)

There is a surcharge of between US$40 and US$60, but it is always worth it.

By now we have settled well into the daily routine on the ship. Early in the morning the "hunt" begins for the best sun loungers on the pool and sun deck — following the international pattern, complete with the towel clips that are now ubiquitous worldwide. It's astonishing how many guests spend hours tanning in the sun. Some are reaching almost the same skin tone as our darker-complexioned fellow travellers. But jokes aside — it can hardly be healthy.

I myself have gotten into the habit of doing laps on Deck 6 after a few hours of work. Jogging is difficult because many health-conscious passengers are also out there. So I simply walk for an hour at a leisurely pace — one lap is 480 metres. After that I usually spend another 30 to 45 minutes in the fitness room. The belly needs to shrink again, even though it gets harder with age and the excuses never seem to decrease.

After that comes a refreshing shower, followed by a light lunch of salad and soup in the tropical heat of 33 degrees. You sweat it all straight back out. The biggest challenge of the day, however, is walking past the soft ice cream machine — almost harder than the workout in the fitness room. But a little sugar boost does make you happy.

Then there's more work before perhaps spending another hour on the sun deck to keep the vitamin D levels topped up. Around 5 p.m. my daily "office hours" begin during aperitif time. In a relaxed atmosphere, my guests can meet with me, ask questions, or simply sit together. This has become a wonderful tradition and is enthusiastically used. Over an Aperol Spritz, a mango shake with Zacapa rum, or a mineral water, guests also get to know one another better.

From 6:30 p.m. most people get ready for dinner. The choice of restaurants and dishes on board is enormous. After — or before — that, the daily show in the main theatre or a cosy evening in one of the many bars beckons. That is exactly how pleasant a relaxed sea day on a cruise can be.

The days at sea are truly restful and barely differ in their routine. You do what you enjoy — and that's exactly as it should be. A special spot on the ship is the smoking corner. You can tell when you're nearby because sunscreen takes a back seat to cigarette smoke. The beauty of the corner is that more or less the same guests gather there, and after a few days it becomes a tight-knit community. People know each other and fall into easy conversation. The waiter who serves there is called "anyway" and looked after the smokers superbly.

On our cruise we made two stops in the Seychelles. Today we visited the main island of Mahé. After tender ports in Phuket and the Maldives, we were able to dock directly in the harbour of Victoria — the capital of the Seychelles — for the first time.

Since our previous excursions had always started early, today's adventure didn't begin until 11:30 a.m. I went ashore beforehand to organise the guide and bus — no easy task among 30 to 40 buses and hundreds of guests. After a brief search I found our guide Bertie and safely got my guests to the bus. On Mahé there are no large coaches, only medium-sized vehicles for around 30 people.

After a short drive we reached Victoria. There we visited the local market with fruits, vegetables and spices. The Seychelles is a multicultural nation with Creoles, Hindus, Christians and many other faiths. Since local markets prefer payment in Seychellois rupees, we exchanged money — euros are more popular here than US dollars, incidentally.

Next we visited a handicraft park with historic buildings and local souvenir shops, offering fascinating glimpses into life 100 years ago.

Afterwards we drove to the Jardin du Roi, a beautiful spice garden in the mountains. The narrow, steep roads of Mahé put our excellent driver to the test — the final ramp was so steep that the wheels briefly spun. At the top, Bertie led us through the tropical grounds with exotic plants and giant tortoises. In the great heat we treated ourselves to a cold beer at the open-air restaurant — the Seychelles are definitely not a budget destination.

For lunch we drove via winding mountain roads to the other side of the island and the wonderful beachside restaurant Chez Batista Villas Rustic. Local specialities were served as a buffet. Afterwards there was time to enjoy the white sandy beach, crystal-clear water and impressive granite rocks — a truly unique setting.

In the late afternoon we headed back towards Beau Vallon Beach. Due to rain and rush-hour traffic in Victoria we arrived just in time for sunset. Many guests preferred to relax at the beach bar while some enjoyed the warm sea. The sunset was less spectacular than hoped, but the beach was wonderful for swimming.

After an eventful day we finally returned to the harbour of Victoria and back to our ship. All in all it was a beautiful day on Mahé.

As announced, I had offered my guests the chance to join me on a bicycle tour around the island — at their own risk, which I emphasised multiple times both verbally and in writing. A total of 17 guests signed up. I reserved bicycles for the equivalent of around CHF 6 per person. The condition of the bikes varied; the gears caused difficulties in some cases, so we had to swap out a few.

After a brief introduction we set off northwards. After the first photo stop we followed the coast to Anse Patates. Along the way, flat sections alternated with short climbs, including past a colourful cemetery whose graves are decorated with bright plastic flowers.

At Anse Patates we made our first swimming stop. The beach was breathtaking, but the waves were strong and more than one guest had an involuntary encounter with the saltwater.

After about 30 minutes we cycled on southwards. The combination of 33 degrees, sunshine and high humidity was beginning to take its toll on some guests. I therefore recommended that they ride back and rest at a beach bar while the rest of the group continued.

With around twelve guests we eventually reached Anse Caiman. From there a footpath over enormous granite rocks and through the jungle led to the Coco Beach Bar. The path was sweaty work, but the reward was waiting at the end: an idyllic beach bar, cold beer and a fantastic spot for snorkelling. To save time, we then took a boat back and cycled back to La Passe.

Along the way I gradually rounded up the scattered group. Some had already gone to eat, others had returned their bikes independently. With my remaining group of eight I continued to the famous Anse Source d'Argent — probably the most photographed beach in the world. But first we refuelled at the wonderful boutique hotel Le Repaire with delicious wood-fired pizza.

After that we passed through the L'Union Estate Park, where a ticket is required to reach Anse Source d'Argent. The park itself is already a highlight with giant granite boulders, vanilla plantations, an old coconut factory and impressive giant tortoises. The famous beach scenery with its unique rock formations was simply spectacular. The gently sloping water is also ideal for swimming, especially for older guests — beach shoes are recommended, however, due to seagrass and coral.

In all the excitement we somewhat lost track of time, as the last tender boat was officially due to leave at 4 p.m. We quickly jumped back on the bikes — and moments later were caught in a tropical downpour. Within seconds we were completely soaked, but still reached the harbour in time. That heavy rain shower was somehow the perfect end to a fantastic day on La Digue — an island I would visit again without hesitation.

Whether by bicycle, on foot, or by electric buggy — every guest was delighted by this little jewel in the Indian Ocean.

The sea was no longer as calm as on the other sea days. There was more wind and the NCL compensated more or less for everything with its stabilisers — retractable fin-like arms on the sides of the ship that reduce rolling motion underwater.

You could see it in the swimming pools: the water moving back and forth like a washing tub being carried over rough terrain.

I like to move it move it. King Julian from the film Madagascar made this island world famous. Everyone wants to see the lemurs.

There are over 120 species of them! And so we went ashore to visit them.

The tender went smoothly and we arrived at Hell-ville Pier at 10:30 a.m. After a few minutes we found our local guide, who led us to 5 vans — between 5 and 6 people per van, plus a second local guide who spoke English.

We drove through Hell-ville past hundreds of yellow tuk-tuks, which appear to be the number one mode of transport on the island of Nosy Bé.

The drive to the lemur park took about 20 minutes. There we were welcomed by a local guide who conducted the tour in French. Our German-speaking guide and I took turns translating into German.

The park is extremely interesting as you can observe the lemurs at very close range — either in the trees or on shrubs right beside the path. Truly like the animated film Madagascar with King Julian.

There were also chameleons, giant tortoises, crocodiles and snakes to see. The guided tour lasted about an hour, after which we also visited the distillery producing Ylang Ylang essence for perfumes, scented candles and diffusers. The machinery was impressive, though the explanations were rather sparse. There was also a small souvenir shop with local products, as well as juices and water — unfortunately the guide forgot to mention this to the guests.

We then drove in convoy for about an hour northward to Nosy Bé's most beautiful beach, Andilana. There we had lunch at a very attractive beach club that could easily have been on Ibiza. Cool lounge music and good food.

Afterwards I asked the guests whether they would prefer to stay longer, since the original programme included a visit to the local bazaar in Hell-ville. But it was Sunday and very few shops were open. The majority voted to stay, and so we extended by an hour — giving us enough time after lunch for a warm swim in the sea. There was also a freshwater shower and changing rooms available.

Around 5 p.m. we drove back towards Hell-ville and arrived at the port town at 6:15 p.m. There were huge numbers of people out and about and we drove past the market. It looked more like a dilapidated, dimly lit warehouse — so our decision to stay longer at the beach was 100% the better choice.

At 6:30 p.m. we were back at the port and could tender back to the ship.

Important note: On Nosy Bé you can hardly pay by credit card. Euros are a better currency than US dollars. Local shops also don't want small dollar bills, as they lose a great deal when exchanging them back into local currency. Their system works on the basis that the larger the denomination, the lower the exchange fee.

Bringing euros is therefore strongly recommended. If you pay in euros or US dollars in cash, you will receive change only in local currency.

All in all, another great excursion and a huge contrast to life in the Seychelles.

Once again we made the most of the final two sea days. After so much sun and food, both guests and crew needed to do something for their health again.

But then at 11 p.m. on the 28th of April came the Champions League match PSG vs. Bayern Munich — and all good intentions went out the window. To round off the trip I treated myself to a fantastic game, a juicy cheeseburger and a cold beer, just as a football match deserves.

Every voyage must eventually come to an end. And so did this wonderful cruise, concluding in the early morning in Port Louis, Mauritius.

The luggage had been placed outside cabin doors the night before and prepared in the ship's hold for disembarkation. The meeting point for the group was at 8:45 a.m. in our tender lounge, the Windjammer Bar. Disembarkation proceeded fairly quickly, but outside there was already a backlog of passengers and we had to queue for about 15 minutes before collecting our luggage. Fortunately everything was superbly organised by the ship and not a single bag was missing from the group. We duly lined up again with suitcases and hand luggage, passed through customs via the green lane, and made our way through hundreds of people in search of our bus and guide. Even that went quickly given the crowds, and within a very short time we were seated in our coach.

Since it was only 10:15 a.m. and hotels don't do check-in before 3 p.m. for large groups, we were sent on an interesting city and island tour. First we drove through Port Louis up to the citadel, known as Fort Adelaide, built by the British around 1840 to defend the city.

We visited the local market and the modern shopping strip.

Then the bus continued to the beautiful botanical garden, where we had an hour-long guided tour through the oldest garden in the southern hemisphere. Impressive and magnificently laid out.

We had lunch somewhat late at Chez Tante Athalie — a restaurant set in a hangar with many vintage cars in the garden. Very special. The local food was excellent and the guests loved it.

Afterwards we drove all the way north to Cap Malheureux. A beautiful view of the offshore islands of Mauritius. The brief 15-minute stop was worth it.

We then drove to our hotel, Trou aux Biches.

The hotel had everything beautifully prepared: a welcome drink at reception, check-in in the garden with key cards already laid out. The guests only needed to sign and received their room information. They were then taken to their rooms by hotel buggies. I waited another hour at reception to make sure everyone had their luggage and was happy with their rooms.

The Trou aux Biches is a vast complex with generous bungalow-style rooms. The word "vast" is no exaggeration — the bathroom is larger than an entire cabin on the NCL Sun.

Guests were on half-board and could choose between 5 restaurants. However, reservations had to be made by 2 p.m., otherwise only the buffet restaurant remained — which offered an enormous range of food. A buffet is always dangerous. You always eat — truly always — too much.

The guests now have 4 more nights to enjoy this magnificent property.

After the first night in the vast hotel, the sun was already greeting us early in the morning. But not for the whole day — suddenly the weather turned from sunshine to rain. Still wonderfully warm, though.

Time can be spent reading, eating, swimming and simply doing what you enjoy.

I, for example, went golfing with two guests. It was a real challenge for me, since I had never before conquered an 18-hole golf course on my own — only once as a rabbit, where you are only allowed to putt. I was so bad that we had to let four groups overtake us in total. But the day was enormously challenging, and towards the end of the 8-hour ordeal through heat and many frustrating tee shots it became genuinely fun — so much so that I'm seriously considering learning golf properly and obtaining my official handicap. Many thanks to my two patient guests, as well as our assigned South African caddy Nick, from whom there was much to observe.

But the work of a tour guide isn't always smooth sailing:

One guest was stung on the back of the knee by something in the sea. It swelled immediately and was treated at the reception with iodine and ointment. Everything seemed to be fine.

In the evening we had our farewell dinner at the specialty restaurant Caravelle. Then during the main course the guest suddenly became apathetic and briefly lost consciousness. Thanks to the quick response of several guests, the recovery position was applied. (In such moments it is important to stay calm, to ensure there is no panic, and to be aware that well-intentioned help can sometimes be counterproductive.)

The guest then vomited and still appeared apathetic and confused. We had a military paramedic in the group who made sure everything was handled correctly.

We arranged for a doctor, who examined the guest in their room. Based on the incident and the information we provided, the doctor recommended taking the guest to hospital for tests. The ambulance arrived very quickly and we raced at 120 km/h through the pitch-dark night with blue lights to the hospital — about 35 minutes from the Trou aux Biches hotel. It didn't exactly look like a hospital we would recognise from home, but it appeared to be a good one, as there were stickers from DER TOURISTIK, Elvia insurance and others outside.

Blood tests and a CT scan were carried out, as a stroke could not be ruled out. (It was hard to believe that this hospital had such a modern CT scanner.) A saline infusion with pain and anti-inflammatory medication was administered. It then took until 2:30 a.m. before the doctor had the initial test results. He recommended keeping the guest in hospital until 11 a.m. the next morning for observation, running the blood tests again, and — if all went well — allowing them to take the return flight.

Fortunately, the guest was back at the hotel by noon and was able to make the journey home.

It turned out that a stonefish was responsible. What was unusual, however, was that it stung the back of the knee — normally one steps on these small but highly venomous fish and they sting the foot.

Thankfully, the story had a good ending.

The guests were able to spend the morning at the beach one last time. I organised a late check-out as well as changing rooms for anyone who wanted to change or shower after check-out, as the meeting point for the transfer to the airport was not until 2:30 p.m.

The transfer guide, bus and luggage van arrived punctually, and before long we were on our way to the airport. Normally the transfer across the island takes about 75 minutes and gives you one last impression of the island's very well-developed infrastructure.

Check-in at the airport began at 4 p.m., after which we passed quickly through passport and security control. With a 13.5-hour flight ahead of us, we had something to eat at an airport restaurant and said our goodbyes already in Mauritius — after such a long flight, guests prefer to get home as quickly as possible. You could clearly see how well the guests had got on with one another. A truly, truly wonderful group.

The flight to Victoria on the Seychelles took about 2.5 hours, then another 90 minutes waiting on the plane for new passengers and refuelling. Then another 9.5 hours of flight and arrival on the 4th of May in the early morning at 6:20 a.m. The terminal train at Zurich airport has been operating at reduced capacity for months and part of the group was redirected through the terminal to a transfer bus — which arrived 10 minutes late. On the other hand, the luggage was already on the belt ready for collection.

And so a wonderful journey with wonderful guests came to an end.