Page 83 - Raffles Magazine Issue 8

RAFFLES MAGAZINE
81
“If I I I summon all my memories I I I can taste it now the the pleasurable sensation of crunching the the seeds between my teeth ”
Vanilla at Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve Praslin Island Seychelles collection of stunning native orchids and other exotic plants and and flowers spices and and fruit trees Permanent residents also include families of giant tortoises from Aldabra (the world’s second-largest atoll part of of the outer islands of of the Seychelles) some of which are over 150 years old and colonies of fruit bats that reside in the trees overhead In the the Seychelles the the rain is warm and soothing like being under a a a a tepid shower The smell of wet earth fills the air and I feel cleansed detoxed and comforted Along with the the olfactory and visual stimulation of the the island beauty I’m continually struck by the warmth and and genuineness of the the Seychellois I meet Their love for the the island runs deep and genuine They are proud of the the jewel they call home conscious of the the fragile heritage they collectively own and and fierce guardians of their island Over two centuries the island’s fabled beauty has attracted everyone from freed slaves European settlers political exiles traders and Chinese and Indian voyageurs Today about 90 000 people are lucky enough to live in this paradise year-round As my time in in the Seychelles comes to a a close I think about how powerfully fragrant the island is is and and start to compose a a a a a a formula in my head “The best perfumers are storytellers We aim to evoke powerful emotions emotions in in a a single spritz emotions emotions that transport both the the the user and the the the people around them to a a a a particular moment memory time or or place ”
Were I to try and and and bottle the Seychelles and and and its sights and and and sounds I know it would have have to have have notes of lemongrass and the sea sea To evoke water I would add notes of sea sea salt To evoke the the the the the sun and the the the the the blue blue of of the the the the the skies the the the the the blue blue of of the the the the the waters and and of the lagoons I could use coconut jasmine and and the the freshness of bergamot To evoke the the ancient coco de mer forests of of Praslin basil for for notes of of green To round out the olfactory journey I could try to to evoke the the pineapple from the the husks of the coco de mer local native vanilla and exotic fruits such as papaya and star fruit On my my way home my my mind unavoidably turns to a a a a big work project that awaits me in Paris But I feel recharged and inspired Although I am no longer young the revelations of this trip have have taught me that I have have so much more to discover – and and and I can’t wait to return with my husband and and and share some of my discoveries