Blogs from Andaman & Nicobar Islands, India, Asia

The term “Island” itself makes us ecstatic. And this itinerary is about our own “most visited” island in Andaman-the one and only “Havelock Island”. Andaman and Nicobar Islands even though geographically isolated, is an integral part of our country. It’s like a beautiful princess kept secured and hidden from the eyes of the rivals. Its exquisite beauty is beyond comparison and still unexplored. Travelling is my passion and I had a craving for visiting this place from the day I learnt about it. I had started my journey to this celestial abode during the fall considering the favourable weather in that latitude at that time. And the day I landed there, it was one of the happiest moments of my life. The island was by far more beautiful than my fantastical imagination. We took our flights ... read more

Le Voyageur serait-il un voyeur âgé… VOYAGER, C’EST D’ABORD SE SOUMETTRE. Aux événements. Aux lieux. A l’inconnu. Aux comportements. Aux habitudes gastronomiques. Aux conditions climatiques. Aux émotions… A tout ou presque. C’est l’instant de départ, le point de passage souvent obligé, le stress nécessaire (pas toujours souhaité), mais aussi l’adrénaline, les excellentes surprises inattendues (pléonasme) lorsqu’on va voir derrière la façade, et parfois le dépassement de soi. Arriver dans une grande ville en pleine nuit, sans repère, fatigué après 10 heures de bus crapoteux et cahotant, puisqu’il aura bien fallu se soumettre à un trajet, à des horaires, à du retard… Cette ville, dans un premier temps, peut effrayer, saturée de bruit, abords quelconques. L’accueil est endormi, l’hébergement déçoit, la chaleur tarde à s’évanouir, la topologie semble compliquée, l’hôtelier se montre ... read more

It’s been a while since I’ve been able to write anything at all. But yesterday I had something of a religious experience. Such a day! The last time I had a religious experience was the first time I saw bioluminescence off the farm just after dad passed away. I honestly thought he was sending me some bizarre message from the other side. It was surreal! I was lying down on the pier he’d built us, watching the stars, making conversation with his spirit, and I turned to the sound of the water lapping against the pillars, when I saw it. It was like magic. Like I’d stepped into a fairy tale. I couldn’t believe it. Even after touching, collecting, experimenting… I went crazy. I’ve been chasing bioluminescence ever since. But this, was different. This was the ... read more

Le Andamane, isole sperdute nelle acque dell'Oceano Indiano a tre giorni di navigazione dalla terraferma (o due comode ore di volo, ma cosi' non vale...); e' qui che decido di concedermi un paio di settimane di meritato riposo lontano dai rumori e dagli odori della madrepatria, certo che qui, lontano da tutto e da tutti, la natura sia riuscita a mantenersi protagonista incontrastata, resistendo all'avanzata del progresso e di tutto quello che ne consegue. Ma sara' ancora cosi'? Marco Polo, nel suo leggendario viaggio in Oriente verso la fine del tredicesimo secolo, descriveva come "cinocefali" i suoi abitanti e, seppur senza arrivare a tanto, di prima persona nel non lontano 2010 ebbi occasione di incrociare alcuni degli ultimi rappresentanti del popolo Jarawa che, sprezzanti delle regole e di chi le impone, sbucarono fuori dalla foresta per ... read more

When we were doing the research on the Andamans, how to get there etc. we struggled to find any information on how to get the ship there and what it's actually like. This is in keeping with everything about getting to the Andamans. The Indian government really doesn't want this absolute paradise to go the way of Goa, who can blame them!? Since we're budget travellers we wanted to get to Andamans the cheapest way possible, this is by getting the ship from either Chennai, Kolkata or Vishakapatnam. The ship from Vishakapatnam is much more sporadic, and I’ve never heard of the place so obviously there's nothing going on there! According to the guide book and what little information there is online, the ship should sail roughly every two weeks. However, this is India we're dealing ... read more