Cue the Jurassic Park Music! I spent most of today feeling like I had stepped into the Lost World, and half expecting a Velocir Raptor to come out of the bushes and have me for lunch.

Today's tour, (which I have been told all week was "Not possible" by the surly woman at the tour desk, I'll give you not possible, do you know who your dealing with?) all in French, started at 7am and we were going to Cirque de Salazie. We drove out past St Denis, everything was closed and I secretly wondered if anything was ever open there. We reached our first stop which was Cascade Niagara, some very high waterfalls with a few kids swimming in them.

We then drove into the Cirque (round crater like formation caused by volcanic eruptions) and I am almost a complete loss for words at how to explain it. I was surrounded by green overlapping, not mountains, but closer to green cliff faces in every direction with magnificent waterfalls (cascades) apparently coming from nowhere. I felt like I had gone back in time, there was not another soul around and this place was completely unspoilt and untouched by man.

We drove around in the 4x4 for about 3 hours, through many winding hair pin bends stopping every so often to admire the amazing views that surrounded us. We stopped in at a small town to shop and have coffee, I had tea. Regis our guide then took us into the mountains again and stopped and hiked off into the undergrowth. We followed and came out at this random lake in the middle of the jungle. We sat and looked at the lake for quite a while and watched local people fishing in it. The lake water was a deep green and it was difficult to tell where its green began and the jungle started. I don't think I've ever been in a more tranquil place. We left the lake and went on to the small town of Hellboug buried deep with in the Cirque for lunch.

We were again given a traditional Creole lunch, only this time I actually enjoyed it. They also gave us rum punch, which was like rocket fuel and a lot of wine. We also visited a traditional Creole house, which was interesting, but we had another guide who went on and on and on…..in French. So needless to say I was bored stiff. I sat in the exotic gardens and got eaten alive by African mosquitoes….more battle scars for me.

We had a bit of a walk around Hellbourg and hiked all the way down to these old thermal baths which had been ruined in a cyclone the guide said (amazing how much French I've picked up in 5 days). It was a long way down and even longer and harder on the way up. I think I'm going to need a holiday after all this exercise, I think I've filled my quota for the year! Every day its been something different, hike 5km up a hill in St Denis, walk 3km in the burning heat to find the hotel in St Gill, walk 6km and back out of town to have a look around in St Gill, hike up a volcano. It never ends!

After the baths we went to another view point and then proceeded to make our way back to St Gill via St Andre and this very colourful Hindu temple, which was magnificent, but a little bit random.

I got back to the hotel and thanked Regis (in French) for a lovely day out and went into the hotel to freshen up. I then went out to grab some cash for my trip to the airport and some dinner. The day must have taken its toll on me because I forgot my PIN number! I managed to get it right, but it was a real adrenaline rush waiting to see if the machine would spit out my cash or eat my card and leave me stranded at worlds end.

After that bit of excitement I went down to L'Hermitage beach and watched the sunset what a perfect way to end my 30th birthday. Off to Mauritius tomorrow….. at 5am!