Andaman- Paradise on Earth

The one big Question that many of my friends and extended Family had when my wedding was decided was ‘So where is the Honeymoon?’ I found this rather amusing, that it has become a thing that newlyweds have to head to exotic locations for the so called period of Harmony (yes, that’s what the Dictionary says).  For me and my husband, we knew each other more than enough and hence it was more about exploring places together. Both of us have had a long burn desire to get our Passports stamped atleast once before it expires! Even if it sounds silly, I know a gazillion (ok, maybe less) who had renewed their passports without that one visa stamping. And hence, in the name of Honeymoon the ground work started with checking for places outside of India.

Though I was all the more excited, there was this nagging thought in my head that there was enough and more to explore in India itself. True to the thought, we convinced ourselves that the stamping can wait. Now was the most difficult decision to make. I cover myself in layers of clothing if the meeting room temperature is 21 degrees at work and for my husband, he loves to sleep in that temperature at night irrespective of the weather outside! With this being a major lock head, it was decided that a healthy me will do justice to the trip than seeing me under layers of clothing (with that additional baggage problem) and probably a running nose. And thus after some more searching, talking, it was decided, it will be Andamans. When we started planning this trip, never once did we expect the experience that Andamans gave us.

Pre-Trip plan: When I plan out a trip, I always prefer going through local sources than the many established Travel advisors. I have experienced that the ones who are living in a place know better than someone who operates through a service provider. Hence, I got down into finding a local travel advisor from Andamans. I took almost a month to zero down on a team but by then, I had my places to visit in Andamans finalized. (Thank you to all those travel enthusiasts for sharing their experiences online). We wanted to do a mix of both Land and water, and also ensure we do not miss out on any of the local specials. The 6 days was truly a feeling of Paradise on Earth.

After arriving at Port Blair, the first thing we realized was an absolutely no internet connectivity zone. This proved as a blessing and I would highly recommend to go to places where there is no internet connectivity to help us stay connected with Mother Nature (and also the advantage of not having to attend to emergency office work). We soon got over the no internet hangover and headed out to explore Corbyns Cove beach- the famous City beach of Port Blair. The first thing that caught my attention, was the clean and beautiful sea water which makes you feel like you are in a Fresh water zone. Wavering on whether to try the speed boat or not, we finally gave in and took a Speed boat to visit Snake Island. Snake Island has almost been washed out post Tsunami and hence you get to see whatever is remaining from a distance. This turned out to be a interesting ride for us, since our boat stopped due to a technical snag right in the middle of the sea (middle of the road felt more safe). There was a rescue boat sent and we were asked to jump from one to another. This was an added adrenaline rush moment and we both burst out laughing when we were taken back to the shore. We had a bonus time around the island due to the snag. We relaxed on the shores, gazing at the stars and moon for a long time, bursting out into laughter for no reason every now and then.

From there began our trip literally. We wanted to get a feel of the locals and hence opted to visit Baratang Island the next day, which was a place inhabited by the Jaravas- The Andaman Tribals. We started out on this exploration as early as 3 am in the morning but there was no dearth of surprises and wonders that was in store. We trekked to the Limestone caves after a beautiful ride through the Mangrove forest. We were also blessed with some light showers which made the island experience even more beautiful. The best part of it was meeting the Jaravas in close range, who stopped our canvoy. All of these, just when the island received a Tsunami alert due to tremors! Our ferry's were stopped for sometime, but we quiet didn't miss out on anything we planned out. The 3 AM start (suggested by the local travel team) ensured we had enough time in hand to relax for the next day to Havelock.

Day 3 and 4 have been the bestest and a mind blowing experience for us. HAVELOCK ISLAND! what a sight it was! We had a double bonanze, since our stay happened to be right next to the Vijayanagar beach and we had our own private access to the beach. Words fall short trying to explain the beauty of this place. Imagine being in the midst of Pure white sands, calm waters, crystal clear blue waters, and a slight breeze. We just did not want to leave this place forever and interestingly we met many IT professionals who had quit their jobs and settled down at this wonder on earth. We headed to the Radhanagar Beach from here for the evening and witnessed the day go by, admiring the beautiful sunset. Day two at Havelock, we visited the Elephant Island and had the time of our lives Snorkeling, trying out all those adrenaline rushing water sports. The best of it was the experience that Scuba Diving had for us. This will remain to be the best of times we have spent together, years down the line which both of us agreed to. It was Valentines day on the day we reached Havelock and we thoroughly enjoyed the candle light dinner date together though we totally laughed at the overdone table with rose petals, Red roses and what not!

With a heavy heart, we left Havelock on Day 5 back to Port Blair but we very soon got over the gloomy mood with the trekking to Chidiyatapu! This is a not much explored part of Andamans and the trek was every step worth it. Trekking through the woods, to the sound of waves, chirping birds and slow breeze!! We watched the sunset from the base of Chidiyatapu. Just like in a Painting, there was the Sun in all its glory, the evening sky in all shades of orange and the sea below with a small boat and fisherman! We stood there basking in the glory, taking in every moment and this topped the experience.

SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT

While this has been an experience of a lifetime and both of us are content and happiest that we made it, here are some things that we were baffled and totally lost our peace of mind
- PLASTIC almost everywhere. Even the hill top of Chidiyatapu which is not very much popular had biscuit wrappers, chocolate wrappers, plastic water bottles and we could see one portion of the shore from the top which was all but plastic.
- The carelessness at the beaches. From the handful of people around, there were still a few causing visible damage to the corals

So here is what you can do
- Carry a water bottle or recycle the same bottle for all days. We recycled the same bottle at all place. All the hotels have RO water purifiers or the bisleri cans. We asked for refill and this was more than welcome by the locals out there
- Before you travel, do a basic study to understand the locals and more importantly the Do's and Don't to ensure you don't mess up with things knowingly or unknowingly!

All it takes is a little effort to ensure we enjoy Nature in its true essence without causing any damage.

PS-Head to Andamans as early as possible. Sadly, we see this place turning into a commercial hub and may loose its charm too soon!

VIVE!
Me Myself :)