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Published: January 14th 2006
This may be the first blog in our journal without any complaints. Alright, maybe one-- the oxygen tank I used for my scuba lesson had a leak and ran out while I was underwater, leaving me for my first dive ever, to take in a half gallon of ocean and enter into a death panic (I think that's a pretty justified complaint). But that's it. Was I traumatized to the point that I will no longer venture underwater? Fawk no. I still had the best time.
After Port Blair, took the 4 hour ferry to Havelock island where we settled in for a week. Got a hut on the beach and a motorcycle for just $5 a day. The gettin is CHEEEAP. You can get a night's stay for a dollar, snorkeling equipt for a buck, a pedal bike for even less. Dining may be a bit pricey if you choose to eat at one of the nicer guesthouse restaurants and opt for lobster or the fresh catch of the day (maybe $10 for 2 people) but you can also find samosas and noodles for 15 cents. It's funny how back home people will always try to out-do you when
Monkeying Around
Long days-- sometimes you run out of things to do...it comes to spending: "Yeah I paid $130 for these jeans," or "this watch cost me $800." Here it's the exact opposite: "You're paying 200 rupees for your hut? Mine was only 50." or "450 for dinner huh? I bought fish at the market and cooked it on the beach myself." Whether you decide to live it up or go for more meager comforts, you can't go wrong. The beach, the water, the atmosphere-- the premium goods-- are all free.
We thoroughly enjoyed island life. Dined on fresh mackerel and prawns caught just that morning (and cooked by someone else), took a cool refreshing dip in the ocean when the mid-80's weather got just a tad too warm, marveled at the abundant sea-life in the crystal blue waters while snorkeling, explored the reef further while on our dives, hired a boat for a do of night-time ocean fishing (I came back empty-handed, Carolee caught 2). Had the best time.
But it wasn't the activity that was the highlight of our stay- it was the people that really made us appreciate our time on the island. You couldn't pass a single person without receiving a warm, friendly smile. And
it wasn't b/c they thought you were a target. The hassling and shiftiness that you may find throughout much of India was left on the mainland. Here, seeing a foreigner, people see an opportunity for a cultural (rather than a currency) exchange. They'll ask you questions about your homeland and you ask about theirs. And after a half hour, yeah you learn the facts you coulda just Googled in 10 mins whereby you could've then avoided the roundabout 30 min conversation you just had due to the lack of a common language, but then you wouldn't have learned first-hand of the openness of these people when it comes to welcoming outsiders. And it wasn't just the locals-- foreigners- from Sweden, New Zealand, Israel, Canada-- EVERYONE was cool. The island just had this mellow, open vibe that allowed everyone to click. We must have gone through 30 good-byes on our last day- to fellow travelers, our hotel owners, staff of restaurants that we ate at once, residents who neighbored the Guesthouse where we stayed.
Havelock may just have the rights to top honors when it comes to places we've visited. Because more than provide the simple contentment you get when
you visit a World Wonder or the awe you receive from a scenic landscape, a place like Havelock, where civility has found the rare habitat to flourish, changes your perspective on things. There's good folk out there. And sometimes you just need to get a dose of solid, healthy interaction to remind you that people can be alright.
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Joanna
non-member comment
No elephant ride?
How could you skip the elephant ride for 50 cents? At the circus here it costs so much more!!