FREE? as in no money?

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there are two pages to this one , so scroll down and hit next

Andaman Islands for us was one of those places you felt so attached to, it was important you left before there was a chance of it being tainted. Simple is probably one of the best words to describe this group of islands. The tourist infrastructure is left minimal, and the nature and the tribes left relatively unbothered. Obviously the first thing on my mind when I got there was "what happened during the tsunami" but it's one of those things you left to be brought up. We learnt from the locals that luckily the damage to the actual islands wasn't that bad, more damaging was the corruption of aid and politics. There are 5 tribes in the nicobar island region, who all reached high ground long before the tsunami hit, using ancient traditions as a warning system, them and the dogs and cats from the rest of the surrounding islands were the only ones aware of it before it hit.

The islands are 1000km off the coast of India in the bay of bengal. You can take a 3-4 day boat or a 2 hr plane.....we opted for the plane. The first island you reach is more of just a port. We caught a ferry to Havelock Island the next day( as you can see in the pictures). We stayed weeks in a bamboo hut living ridiculously cheap. The island had 7 beaches on it, all numbered. No.7 was rated top 5 in all of asia, so naturally it was gorgeous! The best part is that at any time there were only a handful of people on the beach . Sometimes Indian tourists would come in large groups and wade in the water for a bit fully clothed, but not for long. It was so cute to see them sooo excited and swimming in saris. The one and only thing about this beach that was miserable were sandflies that bit at sunset. They leave the itchiest bumps that last for weeks.

Havelock Island is where we met our dear friends Sashil and Raman who are locals there. If it weren't for them it would have been another nice beach, but they really made it seem like a part of us. Sashil operates a resort off beach no 7, and at dinner one night after only a few minutes of conversation invited bobby and I and two other girls we were with on a 3 night 4 day all inclusive adaman island eco tour totally and completely free. Who ever said when things seem too good to be true they probably are was wrong in this case. It just got better!

We went on this camping trip with our friends along with two other girls from England ( one lives in India now in Auroville) and and Irish couple and everyday just couldn't believe how awesome and lucky the opportunity was. Everything from camping on deserted islands, kayaking through mangrove forests (crocodile infested), caving and snorkelling, to bonfires at night. The group of us, strangers at first, got along so well which just added to everything else.

One night I will never forget was when we had this GIANT bonfire, dried palm leaves almost light up the sky! The tide gradually came in and we kept trying to keep it at bay by digging dams around the fire, which is a battle in vain. so the tide relentlessly came up, surrounding the fire, but not diffusing it, so it looked as if it was floating. The battle between two elements, I wish I had pictures but it was one of those things you couldn't take your eyes off long enough to get up and get your camera. Cowboy TV at its best!!!!!! Luckily though there was a photographer and journalist with us who were capturing moments like these for their magazine OUTLOOK TRAVELLER INDIA, so we basically were there models. If you look in the January issue we are in it, along with a photo of the fire vs water. Every night the staff would cook up the best food I've had on the trip using simple cooking utensils over fire. Crab, fresh fish, and many things i don't know the names of, all equally complex and delicious. It would take hours for them to prepare, refusing any offers to help. I could go on and on, But i am sure i have made my point.

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Photos

ferry to havelock island
these guys were facinated with bobby..i think its the beard, they kept wanting to take pictures with him in different poses, turns out they are also carpenters

ferry
these guys caught a tuna fish off the back 10 minutes later

lonley mangrove tree
beach no 2

huge hermit crab
beach no. 3

Sea snake
Yes its poisonous, but only if it bites you between the fingers or toes. they live in the water, but at night we would see them slithering up the sand , probably to go lay eggs.

graveyard
beach no. 3 I would love to be buried here.

beach no.7
radhatnagar beach and bobby eating bananas

like pool water
if it wasnt for sandflies i would move here

beach no.7
we also took sequential photos of us catching waves, but i think it would be a little tooo much to add them all

the resteraunt beach no.2
this was the place we ate at which was operated by the same people as our huts

same place
another "dining area" a cement canoe table right on the beach

Carina the puppy
this was the only dog let come near enough to pet. she lived at our huts, the wife of the owner who was 16 and pregnant, would carry this cutie around with her like paris hilton, she painted his nails pink and he had a pink string on with two bells around his neck. i think she was practicing before the baby comes

catch of the day beach no.3
pomfret, i think. probably 20 oz, i think....

thali?
bobby loved eating at this street vendor, it was cheap and refillable, really good channa masala (chickpea curry)

Mud Volcano ( start of the eco trip)
info . this was one of the first stops after leaving havelock island, on the camping trip.

mud volcano
its cool to the touch but it bubbles at the surface

North passage island
the first beach we camped at

dungy to the beach
the boat needed to be anchored out passed the surf, so we took this to the beach where we were going to camp

this is how everyone should wake up
6 am, open the tent, drink some chai, and watch the waves crashing ( oh, and ipod )

opposite view
this was taken from my point of view from the previous photo

north passage beach
not a soul ( except the locals, which account for approx 7-8 men, they all lived together too, near the well. we didnt see any women, we had alot of assumptions and conclusions as to why, exiled perhaps? you decide )