The End of An Era

The time had finally come for the proverbial sun to set on my time in the Maldives. 

After a year and a half on the shallowest country on Earth, I was walking away with some incredibly deep friendships,

 

As well as an exorbitant amount of pictures of the lagoon surrounding my island,

 

And the ability to surrender to the sleepy pace of island life just long enough to stop and smell the roses [or rather smell that one rose I found growing on the island].

It was bittersweet to leave the leisurely life of the Maldives, but as they say, all good things must yada yada yada...

Lucky for me, my partner, Sanoon, won two free nights stay at the Four Seasons Maldives located in Baa Atoll, an UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, so we were able to go out from the Maldives with a bang!

I posed for a final goodbye selfie with my some of my dear friends,

took one last look at my tiny speck of sand in the middle of the Indian Ocean,

and happily strapped on my life jacket for the last and most ceremonious freedom selfie with Sanoon.

One speed boat and two seaplanes later, Sanoon and I arrived at the Four Seasons. As we entered the island through a quiet coconut grove, we were immediately transported to another realm of paradise [read: a paradise that we didn't have to work in].

Awaiting our check in, Sanoon and I got comfy drinking our welcome coconuts

And admired the outdoor lobby [which was nothing to sneeze at].

We were promptly driven to our over water villa where we were pleasantly surprised by the plush living room,

Faerie princess bed,

Walk-in closet,

Super sweet sundeck,

And a five star bathroom that included a jacuzzi tub,

Outdoor shower,

his/her sinks,

And a toilet/bidet combo with a see-through floor panel to the lagoon below,

(Because nothing says luxury like taking a dump whilst making awkward eye contact with marine life.)

Even the toilet paper was wrapped fancier than my last year's Hanukkah present.

(Just kidding, I didn't get a Hanukkah present last year.)

My lil backpack felt wildly out of place in these digs.

(Chin up, old girl!)

Without wasting any time, Sanoon hopped off our back deck for a snorkel.

(Is that a manta ray?)

(No, it's Sanoon!)

Even by Maldivian standards, Sanoon admitted the lagoon there was a pristine paradise.

Sanoon and I made the most of our weekend by lazing about luxuriating in the sunshine,

Eating way too much in the delicious and beautiful restaurants speckled about the island,

Hanging out at the infinity pool,

And playing water sports [read: jet skiing for 15 minutes and going on an underwhelming snorkel excursion].

Spending my final hours in the Maldives at the Four Seasons went above and beyond my expectations. For the first time in nearly two years, I was able to truly experience the luxury of being a guest in that country.

As the silver clouds rolled in on my final Maldivian sunset, a bittersweet nostalgia washed over me as I closed this chapter of my island life and prepared to embark on another unknown adventure.

So, without too much ado, I'll sign off with one final shameless selfie and the promise to be back soon with an update about the Land of Smiles. 

Shanti out, beaches! x