American Girls in Reunion Island

Taylor and Bri arrived Tuesday morning at 11:00. I was like a little kid at Christmas, I couldn't even sleep the night before and I started running around at seven, making sure everything was ready. For the last month, Richard and I (and even his parents) had planned every detail of their visit, debating over which hike to do, what waterfall to see, and what weird things were absolutely necessary to taste. One week isn't too long when it comes to experiencing all that La Reunion has to show...and two of those days were already devoted to wedding celebrations.

They had spent a few days in Paris, so the jet lag wasn't too bad, but we decided to take it slow anyway. After getting settled in the apartment, we went straight to the beach at L'hermitage, well known for it's lagoon of coral and billions of fish. 

Richard, who had to work a little bit, came to join us with cheese, bread, wine, and smoked sausages for the sunset a few hours later. He was followed by his sister Aurelie, her husband and kids, and a few friends. We lit candles in little plastic cups and drank lots and lots of wine under the stars. Everything was going great--the French girls were trying their best to speak English and the American girls were trying their best to speak French. 

Then, rather abruptly, Aurelie and her friends got up to leave and there was a rumor circulating after that she was offended by my friends. This turned out to be untrue (or a drunken miscommunication) but it definitely stressed me out for the rest of the week, because she didn't answer her phone again until 11pm the night before the wedding.

But the adventure continued, and the next morning we woke up bright and early for an 8:00am dive at Cap La Houssaye. My normal dive guy, Wulfy was away on an advanced diving trip, so he referred us to his friend Gregory. It was Taylor's first time and as Gregory didn't speak any English, I got to play the part of translator, which I actually enjoyed immensely! The visibility was not great but at least a couple turtles came out to swim with us near the end. 

Richard in the middle of nowhere.

Taylor and Gregory in an awkward underwater moment.

Bri and her turtle friend

After that, we headed to the Comorant Basin a few minutes from the apartment for a picnic under the waterfalls. 

yellow watermelon!

On the way back to the car we caught sight of a cute little chameleon couple in the woods. This seemed to be the highlight of Taylor and Bri's life ;-)

For dinner we headed straight to Richard's parent's house in Le Tampon. They always have weird stuff to eat there. So the girls were introduced to such delicacies as wasp larva, blood sausage, passion fruit, and dragon fruit. Richard's mom invited over the Priest from her church, who is from Madagascar. He seemed thrilled to be in a room with so many Americans, and had great stories to tell about the Americans he met from the Peace Corps in Madagascar. He told us his first impression of Americans was that they were so adaptable and eager to learn other cultures...something he felt my friends were also demonstrating by eating wasp larva (also a first for him!!) I got to play translator again, and the dinner went flawlessly--full of laughter and picture taking.

wasp larva

First Bites...

Taylor had seconds! Bri was not a fan. Although she did keep trying the blood sausage...

They did a lot better than I did at first...I could never choke down this much wasp before they came here!

Passion Fruit! Miam miam

So then the next day, there's the hike...

Richard told me when we started deciding where to take our little tourists, that we absolutely have to go up in the mountains, since that is a big part of what Reunion is famous for. I agreed, but told him we should be doing a nice walk--not a deadly rock climbing hike like everyone else is used to here. He chose Mafate, and told me it was the (and I quote) "EASIEST HIKE IN REUNION." He also told me it would take about an hour and a half in the car to get to the beginning of a hike. Both of these statements are false. I kept asking him to take me on a test run of this hike all month, just to be sure my friends would like it, but something always came up. He assured me it was easy and quick and beautiful. Later, when I heard him retelling the story, he said "I've learned that when you tell Americans something, it has to be EXACTLY that thing, and nothing else!" Perhaps he was referring to the fact that his "hour and a half" road trip turned into FIVE HOURS up a winding, bumpy mountain with two severely car-sick girls in the back seat. (Granted, we did stop for lunch in the middle of that...) Or maybe that the "easiest hike in Reunion" was a steep downhill slope for two hours, making my friends completely pissed and completely against climbing back up the mountain the next morning...

At least it was pretty. And thank GOD we had good weather...

Richard told us the waterfall behind us is called "The Bride's Veil"

Reunion Island Adventures...

my handsome French cowboy!!!

When we finally arrived at the cabins in Mafate, the three of us were secretly fighting back tears--theirs from complete miserableness, and mine from the guilt of making my friends completely miserable--but we showered, got dressed, and cooled off. After a few sips of rum we were even laughing about it...but that did not change the fact that no one was looking forward to walking up the mountain together tomorrow morning.

As in traditional French cabin fashion, we ate very very well and bonded with all the other couples/families staying in the cabin for the night. After a few glasses of wine, we were all laughing together and sharing stories of the hike. Some of the other hikers spoke English and Bri was retelling the horrors of the last few hours. Somehow it was mentioned that there was a helicopter that flies in and out of Mafate every day. That's when Bri decided we would be on that helicopter tomorrow. She made friends with Davy, the 20 year old Mafatian running the cabin, whose cousin was the pilot. He told us that it was possible we could get a ride up the mountain in the morning, but he couldn't call until tomorrow at breakfast. 

Dinner was over, and Taylor went to bed while Bri, Richard and I went to the "after party" across the field in Davy's house (I think. The rest of the night is kind of a hazy memory...) I just remember the AMAZING view of the stars from up there, the chilly air, and running through the field laughing. At one point, we heard a strange chirping in the darkness that was getting closer and closer until a little mouse scampered across our flashlight stream, making Bri and I scream bloody murder while everyone else erupted in laughter. Later we found ourselves singing "Cotton Eye Joe" and square dancing with each other in the dark. The Creole guys did not know the words to Cotton Eye Joe, but they made a hilarious effort. Bri found a stray dog and tried to sneak it into her bed. That was followed by the night's finale: Davy and his friends playing with pieces of fire that wouldn't burn their hands. Thoroughly freaked out, we ran back to our bunkbeds, telling ourselves to remember this night forever. 

The next morning, Bri's first words were "helicopter?" I guess Richard thought she wasn't serious, but now it was clear. We went down to breakfast and Davy called his cousin. No answer. We ate, and he called again. No answer. We went to the cabin to bring Bri the bad news, and gloomily, we all started to prepare for the hike. Then Davy came to the window. "Are you sure? It's 250 euro for the four of you. He's just dropping you off, no tours." Bri was so happy she almost exploded. After some debate between us, we decided we would all be much happier if we took the helicopter.

Davy informed us that we'd have to wait for two hours. We sighed, but agreed it was for the best. We continued packing. Suddenly Davy reappeared in the window. "They are coming right now! Are you ready? You have five minutes!!!!" We're instantly moving in fast forward. We're out the door with panties and someone's shoe in our hands. Running, running, running past the other hikers who laugh and wave goodbye. Running past Davy and the dog Bri tried to steal last night. Running to the sound of helicopter blades cutting through frosty early-morning mountain air. It happened so quickly, they're shoving our bags in the side thing and pushing us inside. They're taking the money and suddenly we're in the air. They do this sudden dive-bomb move and we all scream--they're laughing and promise not to do it again. It's beautiful. The view is incredible. We pass the mountains, the waterfalls, we fly over the village with our hearts pounding in unison.

Then, we're landing...the pilots are motioning for the hikers to move so they can land. The hikers don't understand, they just stare with their mouths open and then it dawns on them, that a helicopter is going to land on them, and they run. We fall out of the helicopter and the beating blades are right over our heads. We're laughing and running away, like it's a dream and it didn't actually happen. 

After that little excursion, it was time to chill out and get ready for the wedding. When we finally got home, I sent the girls to the beach, and Richard and I went to the hotel where we were having the wedding reception the next day to decorate. His parents were on their way along with some of their friends. Everyone was stressed and nervous. I kept sneaking back to the apartment with Bri and Taylor for various "reasons" so we could escape the madness. We had a lot of rum.

At one point, after dark, I walked over to the beach by myself to steal some sand for the decorations. I took advantage of my first few minutes alone since I can even remember and I sat under the stars, listening to the waves. I wasn't particularly nervous or anxious or anything really...just kind of there. I prayed that this would work, that we would have a happy life and a solid marriage. That this would be the start of something new, something better than I could have ever imagined...

I can't imagine what this wedding would have been like if Taylor and Bri hadn't been there. Not only were they there to help me stay balanced the next morning when our apartment became pure chaos, but they were my photographers, my bridesmaids, my official witnesses, my stand-in parents, and everything else they could have possibly been. Mostly, they gave me the confidence to be myself...to laugh and make jokes and be silly and do all of the things that shy French Jen hasn't really done yet. Everything was completely different because they were there, standing beside me. 

Arthur and Charlotte LOVED the American girls...I'm not sure the feeling was mutual after a few hours haha.

 For their last day in La Reunion, we beach hopped--from Boucan and back to feed the fish at L'Hermitage.

The current was strong...we had to use each other to push away from the coral!

me, Bri, Taylor <3

Bri saying goodbye to her fishies

So, in conclusion: It was awesome. I didn't want them to ever leave. And also, everyone should come visit me now. Bri and Taylor were good guinea pigs. I promise I will never take Americans on crazy hikes in the mountains ever again!! (Unless it's via helicopter...)