On the 22nd of February, Saturday, the final day on Alifushi Island, I wanted to make sure that the last moments I spent on the island were memorable and valuable. So I headed to the eastern side of the island, trying to get a glimpse of the beach. However, I was disappointed to see that the island does not have much of a beach area.
There were a few children playing near the breakwaters, some of them on top of it, trying to catch fish during those early hours of the day. Even with the lack of a beach, the sight was overwhelming. There was a low tide and the water had dried up, leaving a pathway to walk up to the breakwaters.
I had an interview appointment with the Chair of the island council at 9 AM and a few minutes to spare before that. So while wandering through the island, I met these little boys who were so eager to tell me what they know about the Bermuda Triangle.
The speed ferry back to Male’ was scheduled to depart at 12:30 that afternoon. So during the remaining few hours, I visited a historical shrine that has been on the island for hundreds of years. It was a monumental shrine of Tabrizi, who is reported by some historians as the man who converted Maldives into the religion of Islam.
At 12:30 I got into the ferry after paying farewell to the many people I had acquainted with in the past two days. I knew I was going to miss the stress free environment of the island, but at the same time, I was eagerly looking forward to arrive in Male’, to see my family and loved ones.
The ferry made several stops in many islands of the Raa Atoll and I had my mind set on not dozing off during the five hour journey. And the reward for that choice was utter amazement. It was very sunny in Alifushi Island but as we began our journey back to Male’, I was fortunate enough to experience diverse weathers in different regions of the country. It made me realize the vastness of the Maldives, despite the few land masses.
At one point, the sea was so rough I thought I would throw up. There was a time when it was raining so heavily that we had zero level visibility. The islands and vessels just a few meters away were not visible to the naked eye. After about three hours of travelling, the weather had taken a completely different turn. The sun began shining brightly, and I had the chance to view triple rainbows over the islands. Flying fish and dolphins were also enjoying the sun and showing off to us “inhabitants of the land”.
We were lucky; the ferry arrived in Male’ an hour earlier than anticipated. Once again, I was surrounded with huge buildings and the non-stop traffic of my country’s capital. And I thought to myself, the inhabitants of Male’ are missing so much from their lives compared to the people in the island, but then again, the people living in the islands must be feeling they are deprived of the wealth and ease, common to the city dwellers.
Magey Dhuniye 