Maldives - Breakfast

..and Getting Used to Service

I didn't order a butler and it didn't appear that everyone there had a butler but for some reason, our villa came with a butler. His name was Khartik - he was from Chennai, India originally. He'd introduced himself the night before and walked us to our villa and I thought that would be it, but no, everywhere we turned, there he was freshening up our room, looking to offer help, giving us a ride in a golf cart or asking to book us some excursion. Neither of us was used to a butler - it really threw us in the beginning.

We ate breakfast every morning on the beach under some palm trees. During our first breakfast we learned what kind of service we were in for. Don't even try to tuck in your chair or lay your napkin on your lap or pour your own coffee - someone would appear out of nowhere to do it. Matter of fact, they looked scared to death if you did it yourself, they'd practically sprint over if they saw you doing something crazy like reaching for the sugar bowl on the far side of the table. They even come and spray your legs with bug spray while you look at the menu - though there were no bugs to speak of.

The staff were a mix of Indians, Maldivians and Chinese. It was hard to tell the Maldivians from the Indians - they look pretty similar. The menu was skewed towards Indian food though they offered up a variety. The cooks would make anything you'd ask for we later learned. Dodo was particularly fond of the grapefruit with orange zest - she had it every morning.

At this time of year, Khartik explained, the guests were mainly from Asia: China, Japan, Korea and India. We noted a lot of Chinese couples, each with their one child. There were a few Japanese couples as well and an Indian couple who appeared to be on their honeymoon. In Jan-April the guests are more likely to come from Europe, which makes sense. I'd love to come back here in the dead of winter - what a shock that must be.

We ate well every morning. Always on the beach, always with fresh-squeezed juices and fresh fruit. And every single time we were done eating, Khartik would appear out of nowhere and ask us what our plans were. We struggled.... What plans? We have no plans. None. Read, nap, swim. Sorry Khartik.