Wrong Turns

My sense of direction has never been my strong suit -- to put it mildly. So it’s no surprise that I have managed to get lost several times on an island that is only one square mile, even while carrying a map. (To my credit, it does not name all of the streets.)

Also to my credit, Maldivians don’t really need directions and therefore can’t help foreigners much. Places, not street names, are usually the points of reference, i.e. “I live next to the cemetery” or “The shop is near the Indian bank.”

Malé has a couple of “main drags” – narrow, two-lane roads – but is mostly a maze of small alleys. Even some of my friends who grew up here admit to getting turned around!

The thing about Malé is you don’t have to worry too much about taking a wrong turn – you’re going to hit the ocean or a recognizable landmark soon enough.

On my first adventure, I started walking around the periphery of the island (so that I wouldn’t get lost) before taking a turn inland (which I thought would probably get me lost but I did it anyway). Finding my way back took about five hours. It was a very hot and joyous expedition.

The second time, I went hunting for a dive shop and ended up far beyond where I thought I was on the map. I just can’t get used to how small this island is – and it again took me about five hours (including lunch) to find the shop and get to the hotel. Funnily enough, I ran into two places I need to visit. (Now if only I can find my way back!)

I’ve documented parts of my “wrong turn” adventures in these photos.

Last night, I managed to navigate my way through the back alleys and got from point A to point B. I’ve finally got a sense of direction -- just in time for me to leave. :(