The North Island environmental managers, Tarryn and CJ, are awesome and have been on the island together, happily married, for 2 years. My first bit of insight was seeing the Rat Room, where every incoming item is checked for stowaway rodents. Rats ruled the island for 200 years until they were successfully eradicated, which was North Island’s first significant conservation achievement. This was after failed attempts of first introducing cats to the island and then owls. They eventually poisoned the entire land surface to ride the place of rats…
After a quick intro from Tarryn and asking questions at the rate of a 5 year old, I got taken to Villa 12 – one of many in which the Island’s management staff and consultants stay. I had my own room, en-suite bathroom, kitchen, Nespresso machine, a much-envied aircon, lounge area and outside deck. This was all far more than I was ever expecting. Accommodation and food is what was thankfully covered by Wildlife ACT.
“There’s Africa time, and then there’s Seychelles time”, CJ tells me as we glide around a soft corner towards the bistro in his golf cart. There is generally a very slow pace of life on North Island – something subjectively appealing. Transport on North Island is via foot, golf cart, or bicycle. I opted for the latter, before learning how the use the old-school, back-pedal brakes! It seems that one can forget how to ride a bike.
The days are relatively short around the equator. Sunrise and sunset around this time of year are at 6:30 and 18:30, and in the June winter temperatures can plummet as low as 27 degrees Celsius. Always prepare to sweat on tropical islands. I still couldn’t believe how many clothes I had packed – something that I felt quite embarrassed about… I really could have saved myself a wet arse on arrival.
Next: Seychelles #4: North Island Conservation
Previously: Seychelles #2: To North Island!
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