Pointe Des Galets (Reunion Island)

Re-Union Island - Pointe Des Galets

Day 42   Sunday, 1st March 2020

Re-union Island is a French State, operating under that French Government, where Euro is the currency, French is the common language, Creole, German and English are distant second, third and fourth and vehicles drive on the right hand side of the road. The longest domestic flight from Charles De Gaul airport in Paris to Roland Garros airport here in Re-Union Island over 11 hours and 10 minutes. It certainly beats Perth to Cairns!

There is an active volcano ‘Furnace Peak’ which spews ash and lava on the south eastern side of the island where Princess Tours will take those willing. I wonder how many will take this tour, considering what happened on White Island, New Zealand late last year.

We are here on a Sunday when most shops and offices are closed, so there wasn’t much appeal of heading into the main town of St Denis. Instead I chose to join a ship’s tour to visit a vanilla plantation and then traveled inland to drive following the path of a river as it made its way between high peaks to view several waterfalls. The most popular cascade being Bride’s Veil Falls.

On return to the ship DH informed me of the drama the shuttle service between the Port and St Gilles (at a cost of $30 return). As the buses tried to leave the gates of the port, protesters blocked their path, threw rocks at the bus and set fire to some tires nearby. Police and Fire Service arrived to quell the protesters with tear gas and douse the fires. Apparently people were protesting against crew and passengers visiting the island thinking there is a possibility of infecting the island with Corona Virus.   The service ceased until after noon when it restarted at no cost to passengers using the bus. Apparently the cost of the shuttle will be refunded.