Paradise Found!

view from our breakfast spot

Wednesday and our first full day in the Maldives.  The weather had cleared overnight, so the ocean was even more sparkly and blue than yesterday.  Today’s fun was a sushi-making class at 12.30pm and, hopefully, a Dhoni sunset cruise in the evening.  I’d also booked a massage treatment at the spa for the early afternoon, so we had plenty to keep us occupied! 

Breakfast was as good as dinner had been the night before – so much choice!  It was set up in the main restaurant again, down by the water, and we bagged ourselves a table on the beach right by the water.  There were very few people around (other than staff, obviously) and that was something we noticed the whole time we were there.  It never felt crowded.  Talking with Visham, he said it was at 89% occupancy (so there were definitely people staying) but with about 40 villas, the max capacity for people is about 140 (the most at Christmastime).   We saw more people during dinnertime but – other than that – most of the time we went to the Overwater bar for lunch or pre-dinner drinks, it was almost completely empty! 

Main restaurant on the beach



Mumsie - you  would have loved the food!  so fresh!!

Breakfast bubbles!!

Ayuvedic shot for breakfast anyone?

Granolapalooza

Coconutpops

Curry for breakfast?

Honey from every type of flower imaginable!

Jamstravaganza!

Honey, honey?

HEAVEN!

Wine cellar downstairs - and cold cuts and cheese!

Cheese and champagne for breakfast?? Freaking LOVE this place!

Fabulously fresh sushi

Its very easy to pass time here.  After breakfast, we lazed at the villa until – suddenly – it was time for our sushi-making class.  We actually were late because we’d gotten the time wrong – to make the most use of sunlight, Gili Lankanfushi is on “resort time” that’s 1hr ahead of the main island, Male.   And Male was a half hour behind Sri Lanka so, net net, we didn’t really have any idea what time it was!  But they called us to find out where we were so, a quick bike ride later, we were at the Japanese restaurant, By The Sea.  The sushi-class was fun – we learned how to roll inside-out and outside-in rolls and then had them for our lunch afterwards.  We also got a Gili apron which was a fun souvenir – if a pricey one! (I hadn’t checked the cost of the class beforehand – it was not cheap!!). 

Our mission, should we choose to accept it....

ChefpanionTM

The beginning...

the middle.....

The end!

Ta-da!!  Was quite proud of myself - and
it tasted good too!!

The sushi restaurant

 After the class, ManpanionTM went back to the villa and I went directly to the spa, for my massage treatment with Sue.  It was sooooo relaxing.  Was a mixture of regular massage and hot stone treatment – and not too deep, so I wasn’t ouching my way through the whole thing.  As hoped for, there was a little porthole under the massage table where you could watch the fish swim by as you receive your treatment – however, in reality, you still end up closing your eyes anyway, but it’s a lovely idea.

After my treatment, I relaxed with a pot of gingery tea (they seem to be big on that here) and, as I sipped and chilled, the heavens opened!!  I’d texted ManpanionTM to come meet me at the spa so we could head down to the welcome drinks reception together at 5.30pm – however, I’d got the time wrong and it didn’t start til 6.30pm, so after he arrived we waited out the rain for a bit before making a dash for it on our bikes and heading back to the villa.  We obviously got completely soaked – but I don’t mind getting drenched in warm Maldivian rain! 

The drinks reception was hosted by the staff as a welcome to all the new guests and – due to the rain – was inside the main restaurant rather than on the beach.  There were a choice of 3 drinks – one non-alcoholic fruity thing, a brandy one  and a bright green rum one.  We both had the rum one which, to be honest, was more color than taste, but it was fun to be out and about and actually see other people!  We saw the honeymooning couple again that we’d seen at the sushi class, as well as another couple we’d met earlier at Tea Trails too.   As well as drinks, they had some musicians on drums with dancing, so it was a fun atmosphere.   
After drinks finished at 7.30pm, we headed over to the Overwater bar for dinner – tonight’s theme was Maldivian fisherman’s catch, so we split a very delicious and juicy tuna burger as well as a seafood platter, with an assortment of local fish to try.  All very yummy!     With that, it was time to wend our way back to our villa, cycling along the candlelit jungle pathways through the island and over the long wooden jetty – without falling off!  The brakes are a bit dodgy and very squeaky – so it all feels a little precarious!   Goodnight!!

Cycling path through the island

Overwater bar

Layout of the island for any map nerds out there

Gratuitous tea shot