Philippe Laurella: The layover that lasted over 45 years

It was sheer coincidence that Philippe Laurella came onto the shores of the Maldives.

In the 1970’s a young Philippe was on a voyage around the world in what was famously dubbed the ‘magic bus’. From Amsterdam to Kathmandu the magic bus took curious dwellers across traditions and cultures unknown to them before. Reaching Pakistan, Philippe came to the South of India, where he met a French couple in Kovalam. The invite by the couple to the Maldives for a stopover spanned out to 45 years and counting.