Friday, May 8th
After a nearly 11-hour flight, we arrive at Roland Garros airport on La Réunion at around 10:00 in the morning. A very friendly lady from the local tour operator greets us at the airport and gives us valuable tips for our stay.

Out of the airport, we quickly find the car pick-up right across the street — a French car, of course — a Peugeot 206 — small but perfectly formed, which would later prove extremely practical on the island.

Off we go:

First, a leisurely drive along the coast of the Indian Ocean on the impressive N1 motorway. Massive rock faces rise up along the roadside, secured against falling debris with enormous effort. Huge chain-link meshes cover the sheer cliff walls.

Curiosity gets the better of us and we make a short detour into the mountains. Our first stop is at a banana stand — trying the delicious mini bananas — absolutely scrumptious! After about two hours, we arrive in Saint-Gilles-les-Bains, our first base.

We check into our room at the Les Filaos hotel, drop everything and head straight to the beach for some well-deserved relaxation — our first sunbathing session. Around 6:00 PM, a heavy rain shower hits. Just the right time to pop into the supermarket around the corner and stock up on delicious provisions — cheese, salami and baguette.
With a bottle of rosé, it tastes even better! What a lovely, cosy picnic on our balcony, before we head to bed early.