The receptionist and the doorman have already seen you coming. The hallway cameras have spotted you in the wee hours of the morning, tip toeing along the hotel corridor on your way to the lobby, unshaven, disheveled and very suspicious looking. You don’t have to say a word, they already know...you promised everyone that you were quitting smoking and now it’s two in the morning, all the shops are closed and you’ve changed your mind.

Luckily for you the hotel staff will probably keep your cigarette attack a secret and will be able to usher you into a taxi that will take you to “stores” that are truly “24/7” (meaning open 24 hours, 7 days a week). These Mauritian shopkeepers could very well have been the originators of this phenomenon which proved very lucrative for the American brainchild of the Seven Eleven stores.

I wonder if these Mauritian entrepeneurs of “extended shopping hours” even realize just how well known they really are. They would probably shrug off any approaches to exploit the niche market they have created for themselves. For them it’s business as usual, years and years of it. Ask any Mauritian where to get that late night cigarette and the names that come to mind...Gool in Beau Bassin, Disco-G in Triolet and Hotel Providence in Port Louis.

But don’t get all worked up. It will be a very lonely and quiet drive that takes you to Beau Bassin or Triolet at 2 in the morning. The dogs, goats and errant chickens have found a place to sleep by this time and there probably won’t be anyone else on the road. Don’t expect bright neon directions, flashing lights or loud music to make these places stand out.

Take for example the small (very small) sign that hangs outside of Gool. Called “Hotel Gool” it looks like one of the bulbs has burned out in the two bulb sign. If you squint into the dim light hard enough, you’ll find what you are looking for. Cigarettes, warm food or deep fried snacks and soft drinks. Disco G in Triolet offers the same basic fare (it got its name because it was situated near a local night club) and don’t let the title “Hotel” in Hotel Providence throw you, there’s no hotel, it’s just a term for a special place to go for food.

You might want to know that there are also all-night gas stations available in most of the larger towns over the island. You’ll be confused by the ones that display a “7/7” sign. This means they are open all seven days of the week. (They used to be closed on Sundays). You’ll find most open from 6 am to 10pm.

In the meantime, remember to change those fuzzy bedroom slippers before you go out to find these places. Though they’re open “24/7”, they still haven’t built their “drive throughs” yet!

<B>ngela KEESOONDOYAL</B>