Ahmed Zahid
A question for Darwin
It is easy for one to daze into postcard scenes of these fantasy islands.
It is also easy for one to ignore the underlying realities behind these tiny specks scattered over large distances of a deep Ocean.
Someone couldn't have just scattered them?
They cover an area, roughly equal to that of UK!
Contrary to western belief, these islands do NOT float on water... "like swans on lakes".
See island basics story. www.flickr.com/photos/ahmedzahid/42612321/
So how on Earth?
Darwin must have proposed a theory.
The theory of coral island formation:
"These could have been leftover fragments from a huge mountain.
A volcanic mountain erupted here, and burned away to the bottom of the ocean... leaving thousands of these tall pinacles to form islands."
Hmmmm. Kidding? Right?
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
There are 1,190 islands in the maldives. Could be a whole lot more. (Someone has yet to come up with a defintion of island.
There are islands who peek in the morning and get washed off later in the day!)
While none of these islands rise above one or two meters...
the bottom is even a deeper mystery.
--------------------------
The good news first.
We have found the hide-out. The bad news is... well, read on.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Even the casual by-passers wow at the beauty of the island.
A dozen swaying palms by a bunch, and a slender sand-dune that stretches
to several times the length of the island.
Low vegetation and a huge lagoon all around.
Truly, the stuff post cards are made of.
This was during the hey days of Maldives tourism, a decade ago.
But there were no postcards of this once elusively exclusive resort.
No brochures. No stupid PDF'd sales stuff.
The guests who arrive in their private jets don't bother with cameras either.
No photos. No maps. No talking about it.
That's how they wanted it.
Private and secret.
A secret hide-away for the filthy rich.
And an unreachable dream for the remaining few who knew.
Recently, by a strange twist of fate, the local ownership of the island changed... and with it, the marketing policy.
The new, refurbished resort boasted a website, printed brochures and promised fairness and availability of rooms to the general tourist.
Finally, and about time.
Hooray!
Now that we have seen the postcard and visualize how mesmerizing good it feels down below, in the warm waters... it is only natural and tempting to reach the phone and dial.
(960) 6641818
Oh!
How I hate to be the one giving you the bad news.
Full house! Until April 2006.
A question for Darwin
It is easy for one to daze into postcard scenes of these fantasy islands.
It is also easy for one to ignore the underlying realities behind these tiny specks scattered over large distances of a deep Ocean.
Someone couldn't have just scattered them?
They cover an area, roughly equal to that of UK!
Contrary to western belief, these islands do NOT float on water... "like swans on lakes".
See island basics story. www.flickr.com/photos/ahmedzahid/42612321/
So how on Earth?
Darwin must have proposed a theory.
The theory of coral island formation:
"These could have been leftover fragments from a huge mountain.
A volcanic mountain erupted here, and burned away to the bottom of the ocean... leaving thousands of these tall pinacles to form islands."
Hmmmm. Kidding? Right?
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
There are 1,190 islands in the maldives. Could be a whole lot more. (Someone has yet to come up with a defintion of island.
There are islands who peek in the morning and get washed off later in the day!)
While none of these islands rise above one or two meters...
the bottom is even a deeper mystery.
--------------------------
The good news first.
We have found the hide-out. The bad news is... well, read on.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Even the casual by-passers wow at the beauty of the island.
A dozen swaying palms by a bunch, and a slender sand-dune that stretches
to several times the length of the island.
Low vegetation and a huge lagoon all around.
Truly, the stuff post cards are made of.
This was during the hey days of Maldives tourism, a decade ago.
But there were no postcards of this once elusively exclusive resort.
No brochures. No stupid PDF'd sales stuff.
The guests who arrive in their private jets don't bother with cameras either.
No photos. No maps. No talking about it.
That's how they wanted it.
Private and secret.
A secret hide-away for the filthy rich.
And an unreachable dream for the remaining few who knew.
Recently, by a strange twist of fate, the local ownership of the island changed... and with it, the marketing policy.
The new, refurbished resort boasted a website, printed brochures and promised fairness and availability of rooms to the general tourist.
Finally, and about time.
Hooray!
Now that we have seen the postcard and visualize how mesmerizing good it feels down below, in the warm waters... it is only natural and tempting to reach the phone and dial.
(960) 6641818
Oh!
How I hate to be the one giving you the bad news.
Full house! Until April 2006.