God created the world and But in this scintillating jewel called Réunion Island in East Africa, He must have decided to stay. Here, one communes with the Creator and nature in a magical— even mystical—polarity, as though this ethereal place has its heart and soul set as a magnet for enchantment. A dear friend suggested a trip toRéunion Island and, at that point, I had vaguely heard of such a place. She described it as an island paradise, a region of France located in the tropics where the euro first became legal tender due to the time zone. A place where one hears wind concerts in the bamboo groves and the
sweet scent of vanilla wafts in the air. This is a preserved sanctuary where a plethora of cultures converge in an exhilarating volcanic isle where waterfalls cascade, mountain peaks kiss the sky, and 40-ton humpback whales gravitate to during the winter to give birth.

I must admit, what started as a hobby for me has now become a passionate pursuit for the most beautiful, most exotic, unique destinations the world over. I travel the world like a maverick in search ofthat perfect Eden and try to make known how accessible, enriching, and even life- changing these destinations can be.The winsome explorers that we are, our rambunctious group anticipated our reunion on this island with great enthusiasm. Réunion is an island of contrasts and intensity forged over a dramatic past. It is a kaleidoscope of eclectic colors, aromas, and flavors, a unique sensory experience. We learned that it has only two periods: warm and humid season from November to April, and a fresher and drier season from May to October. The nippy weather accompanied us as we discovered Réunion Island. A trip to witness the grandeur of Piton de la Fournaise, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, can be done while riding an ultra-light plane, a helicopter, or an all-terrain vehicle. Other daredevils do
parachute gliding for an aerial view of the island that houses the intriguingly beguiling Piton de la Fournaise.

On a pedestal of its own, Réunion Island radiates a universal appeal, an innocent freshness that speaks of a timeless sensibility boasting of Mother Nature whose omniscient power and prevalence is astonishing. Such is life on the island where religion sweetens the people’s plight, as does poetry. An altar found by a verdant path near a dangerous precipice on the edge of a ravine, these blood shelters are testimonies to a culture of pagan rituals in the past,a colonial life where slaves once toiled the sugar and vanilla fields. Today, Réunion Island is a haven where its people are as free as its magnificent and powerful waterfalls and its active volcanoes with their molten lava, flowing furiously yet gracefully.My travels have taken me far and wide, but this trip to Réunion Island satisfied the insatiable. My account here is truly honest as I present sights and sounds as seen from the eyes of someone who finds poetry in unpredictable places. I’ve seen most of it—never-ending roads, solitary columns, dispatches of wisdom,and forgotten lives lived in the by-lanes of mighty metropolitan cities.