Birthday parties? Beat this!...

Sunday, May 08, 2011
Bodu Hithi, Maldives
I love so much about Singapore and our dear friends there that it is always sad to leave. I love the brilliant train system and watching the carriages snake around through the open full length of one. I love the wide range of shops from bargain stalls to haggle in to top end boutiques to gaze at. I love diverse range of things to do and the safety. And I love that this time, we had sunshine every day - when here should have been rain... An omen perhaps?
We had a great time and thanks so much to Wayne and Becky for allowing me to invade (again) AND bring a stranger along.

But we climbed onto our Singapore Airlines A330 full of excitement about heading for our next destination - a 4.5 hour flight to Male then 45 minutes by speed boat to Bodu Hithi resort in the North Male Atoll of the Maldives. The airport is a reclaimed strip in the ocean, so planes land with unbelievably blue water on either side, and you exit the terminal to your taxi boat just across the road.


Indications of what to expect on the island lay in the welcoming line of five on the jetty, including Mario, the GM - from Australia! An orchid around the neck, an iced peppermint scented towel then down the boardwalk to reception... We were escorted to our golf cart by "Mr Mario" who explained he was upgrading us to a Club Villa for a night so that we could experience the over-water option before moving to the Island villa that the prize had supplied. The Club Villas come with their own bar and restaurant, a private butler and more privacy.

Oh, and a foot bath on arrival. And a complimentary bottle of champagne. Fruit? Of course. Silk sarongs for you to take home? Naturally. Another bottle of wine and two mineral waters with the turn down service? Shouldn't even have to ask. Ditto returning from dinner to find all your clothes picked up and refolded... Complimentary cocktail and canapés at 6pm before the GM's cocktails by the pool at 7pm? Wouldn't any resort?!!

And another champagne with dinner from Mr Mario along with four staff singing "Happy Birthday" and doing the cake thing after dinner completed the day's attention to detail! We are going to have a GREAT time here, I suspect...

Shame I don't drink really...


In between all this opulence and delightful buffet dinner outside watching the sun set into the Indian Ocean, we snorkelled in the warm and aqua water down the steps from our deck. It teems with tropical fish life - and a stingray, according to Angela! From schools of neon tetras through zebra and parrot fish to some 25-30cm long bright green blokes. And Nemo and Dory. All colorful and none afraid of us as they fossicked amongst the various corals which are mostly browns with some fluoro blue varieties here and there. Some serious underwater photography is required to document the beauty of it all tomorrow.

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