We caught andcooked barracuda in herbs and spices
we had moved home and rescued an old house that was falling down, and wanted to lay down some memories there. We figured the best way to do that would be to tie the knot in the garden.
After our special wedding, we needed something extraordinary for the honeymoon, so we decided to go to the Maldives – and we took seven people with us.
As much as I love Paul, after 17 years together I didn’t think we would want to stare at just each other for two-and-a-half weeks, so we invited our friends Vicki and Arthur and their three children, and Beau brought a friend, so there were nine of us on what we called our ‘familymoon’, and it was brilliant.
Our Maldives hotel was the Park Hyatt Hadahaa, a resort situated almost exactly on the Equator. After flying to the capital, Male, we took a 90-minute flight to Kooddoo airport, which is on another island. So we were in quite a remote location in the Maldives, which is itself a pretty remote place.
But we wanted a feeling of remoteness, a sense of being deserted on a faraway island, somewhere it was impossible not to relax. And as soon as we arrived at the resort, we were enveloped in welcoming luxury.
We first visited the Maldives 10 years ago and I had always wanted to return. Paul took me that first time to celebrate my 40th birthday. Beau was tiny then, so we couldn’t stay in an over-water villa because we thought she might fall in the sea and drown. But this time we had the full over-water villa experience, and it felt as though we were in the middle of the ocean.
The villa had everything, which meant we didn’t really need to leave it at all; for the first few days we spent nearly all our time there sunbathing on our own. And of course the children, who were aged from 10 to 15, were quite happy to take care of themselves and escape their parents for a while.
We chose the Hyatt because we were impressed by the way it looked on its website. It wasn’t the most scientific approach to holiday planning, but the pictures didn’t lie: it was glorious.
With all those children with us, we couldn’t lounge around sunbathing and drinking cocktails every day. Beau and Paul were really interested in diving, and so were Vicki and Arthur and their lot – so getting into the sea was going to be a big part of the holiday. However, I hadn’t the least interest in stepping foot in it. My idea of a honeymoon is lazy relaxation.
But, incredibly, they persuaded me to take the plunge. They convinced me that if I didn’t take the opportunity in such amazing surroundings, I would probably regret it.
So we went on a wonderful diving trip with fantastic diving instructors. There was the chance to swim with dolphins: I didn’t actually dive but was eventually talked into going snorkelling and it was incredible.
However, I hate fish and I was
terrified of them. If one brushed past me, I immediately had to put my head above water. It’s a really stupid thing. I’m from a council estate in the heart of London – it feels a bit wrong to me to be underwater with the fish.
Among the other wonderful things we tried were cookery lessons. We went fishing and caught some little barracudas and wrasses, which we were shown how to prepare with herbs and spices.
Piquet was a brilliant chef who gave us a masterclass in spices and how to flavour fish without overpowering it. The dish we made was absolutely delicious, and not a bad attempt given that all the food at the resort is excellent.
For example, the restaurant served Wagyu beef, which originated in Japan and is renowned for its flavour and succulence. It’s my favourite kind of beef – a little expensive but it tastes different.
One of the highlights of the holiday was the Journey To Island Creation day trip which consisted of a day on a boat during which we were taken through examples of the geological processes that formed the Maldives.
You see how an atoll is created, then move on to see how an atoll grows into a little deserted island, and then you see an inhabited island and its people working and fishing and earning a living.
Marine biologist Kira taught us all about the Maldives – by the way it’s a myth that they are sinking. She took us out on her boat and we had to swim to a deserted island, where we took some great photographs.
I snorkelled with Kira. She took my hand and reassured me the whole time. She helped me spend a lot longer in the water than I’ve ever done on any trip.
Back at the resort, spa treatments were romantic little punctuation marks throughout the holiday. Paul and I had massages together. There’s something about the Maldives with its accent on the spiritual – yoga is a popular activity – that makes it a great place for massages.
We all did aqua-yoga – apart from Arthur, who simply refused – and it was hilarious. It’s much easier than normal yoga because your body weight is taken by the water.
We were never bored for a moment. It was a party from beginning to end and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
If you want a completely genuine Maldivian experience, without all the chintz and glitter and ‘footballers’ wives’ element that you sometimes find in other resorts, then the Hyatt is definitely the place to go to.
The service was of an incredibly high standard, the staff were genuinely nice, and everybody found the time to sit down and talk.
One of my favourite things was to sit on the end of a sunlounger and chat to the staff because they all came from the neighbouring islands. The locals either fished for a living or they worked at this hotel.
You’re sharing their island and they are happy to welcome you. It’s a unique and wonderful experience.
It’s genuine – with no footballers’ wives aspect