One of the best things I have inherited from my parents is my innate love for visualizing, planning and executive family travels. I have seen my parents do it year after year since last 40 yrs and so the love for travel leads me to go to dear Google to look out for wholesome family experiences for my lovely cherubs and hubby.
Figure 1: 20yrs back at Singapore with my parents and sibling.
For any parent who is running around errands throughout the year with a full time job (that pays) and millions of chores(that dont pay), you would understand that a family vacation is the only time to stay together 24*7 without many errands to run around. Every time I take a vacation with the kids and hubby, I realize I get to see so many aspects of their personalities that I wasnt aware of. Also there are many likings of my own that I explore and identify during breaks and so it becomes a spiritual experience too for my soul!
Andamans this year was one such experience. How would you feel if everything you know was just a perception? An alternate reality somewhere may seem strange to you but normal to them.
There are 562 islands that compromise the archipelago called Andamans and Nicobars. Estimated only 37 have inhabitants. It is the eastern southern part of India, a part which we never depict when we draw or visualize the Indian Map. But I saw more patriotism on display here than anywhere I have been in India.
Figure 2: Indian Map sketched and lighted up in a big Public Garden
The Andamans have native tribal communities like Jarawa and Sentinelese settled here since thousand of years. They have isolated themselves and refrained from contact with other humans. They are said to have their own alternate life away from Modern technology, Modern Medicine or amenities. They are hunters and live in the forest. They even have language of their own. Years ago in the 18th century a Gujju Businessman (You know how relevant is that to me!) established contact with some of this tribe and started trade here. He taught them the barter system and would bring essentials in exchange for the treasures of this Island!!
The ocean here has mountains as high as some of the Andy Mountain ranges. Andaman is the untouched beauty of India. But that too is a perception.
A Land called 'Kala Pani' or the Dark Sea was anything but beautiful for the captives or political prisoners brought here.
Our first day began with a visit to the Cellular Jail and Light and Sound Show. This Sea Shore Prison made with the soul motive of captivity and torture of the prisoners brought from far off parts of India By the East India Company shook me to the soul. In years and years of History taught in our schools we are repeatedly taught about non violent freedom struggle and the role of Mahatma. The little violent parts were always shoved under the carpet and silenced in those text books. But the walls of the jail screamed with the stories of pure violence seen there. People were held captive for years on hold for reasons as petty as editing dailies writing about nationality and unity. There was so much isolation maintained that Veer Savarkars brother, already a captive of the jail came to know only 2 months later that his brother is also in the same jail, in spite of being only 100ft apart. When the prisoners protested about their ill treatment by going on a hunger strike, they were force-fed with tubes and many died on the same night the force feeding started. This place speaks of our own Holocaust. Though its difficult for a young child to understand the totality of it, they must understand what hate can do to the human mind. We kept telling him that its not that British people are bad, but when cruel intentions get together wrong outcomes can come of it unless you Introspect.
There is a Veer Savarkar Park just opposite to the Jail, where there are statues of many freedom fighters with their stories. With young children you can spend sometime in the park. Our hearts ached on seeing public quite callous and disrespectful in the Jail. People laughing, screaming, chatting, taking selfies, peeing in the jail all was disturbing to see. To see a place in our history, where young adults gave up their life to see their countrymen free being so frivolously photographed just make me think as to how wrong our education is? Do we just read History to write exams and forget to put things in context and relevance?
We stayed at Hotel Sinclair Bay view.
The rising sun with its brilliant colours of Orange, Saffron, Golden, Red coloured the brilliantly blue sky. The water in the Sea also caught the colour of the sky and so became Dark with a cloudy sky and Blue with a blue sky.
The journey to Havelock island was booked by a private cruiser called Makruzz.
Having a the first time experience of a sea port which like the airport has security check, army officers manning the check point, to boarding a ship instead of an airplane was an exciting one. It would ofcourse have been better if the Port could have been maintained well. The cruise was smooth. Well maintained ship with inhouse entertainment and a small cafe. 2hours journey went off well. In the private cruises they do not allow the passengers to go on deck and the windows are also shaded off, so the experience of being on sea is an incomplete one. The first glimpse of Havelock Island though would make you smile from ear to ear.
Figure 3: At Havelock Port just after docking of the ship
The white sand, clear blue water and sight of fishes swimming in the clear water speaks of how Paradise is described in the scriptures. We had done all our travel booking through Barefoot Resorts and so pickup from the airport to all the travel in between through road and sea was arranged by them. This prevents lot of hassles for tickets. Car Transport in the island is also difficult to get. Either you can hire a 2 wheeler or you have to prebook a taxi. So if you have transport already arranged it makes life much easier on the island.
Barefoot Resorts and Spa is a property right on the Radhanagar Beach No. 7. It is a property in the middle of a forest and had cottages and tents that make it a complete jungle safari experience. No cars are allowed beyond the reception area and so everyone walks with the bags to the cottages. These cottages are completely made of Natural Wood. Placed on stilts with water surrounding the cottage to keep reptile away. There are huge Poster Beds, cosy sofas convertible to a single bed, large bathrooms with open sky glass roof give a very warm feel.
There are no lights on the pathways. The guests are given torch lights to use but mostly the stars and moonlight radiate the forest and in few hours you stop using any artificial light. The sounds and colours of the forest silence you for once. The constant sound of crickets, croaks of the frogs, chirping of the birds, colours of leaves from brown, red, yellow, green, The huge, tall, massive, untouched trees each supporting long creepers, with branches strong enough to house some swings, Colours of birds from red, maroon, green, pink, white, grey treat your visual senses.
A 100 mt walk to the forest and you start hearing the waves. And Lo and behold another 100mt away is the beautiful Radhanagar Beach. A Private Beach is what this resort offers.
Figure 4: The Private Beach at the Barefoot Resorts
Quiet, pristine, clean beach. The resort offers Beach towels and a mattress with showers and changing facilities for the guests. We had a great time with the beach completely ours to run, laugh, splash, chase waves, follow crabs, collect sea shells, squeaking when the sea shells move with the Mollusc inside, Making Sand Castles (well, the boys made a tunnel which looked like a dungeon). Do not forget Dollops of the Sun screen (I had spray bottles, caps and shades for all 4 of us in my bag!)
There is Elephanta beach on Havelock Island which is 20 min away by boat ride. This beach offers water sports like jet sky, snorkeling, scuba diving, glass bottom boat, banana ride and parasailing. Due to younger children who were not eligible with many of the activities, we weren't able to experience all, but managed to see corals and fishes through the glass bottom boat and our elder one had his trill moment on a jet ski.
The evenings were spent in the activity area in the reception of Barefoot Hotels with indoor games, light music and wooden sit outs with in house bar.
The restaurant serves excellent food to suit all palates. The courteous staff makes conversations during the meal which makes it a warm experience.
Reliance Jio has no cellular network in all Andamans. Airtel and other providers also have very broken network. WiFi connectivity in the islands is quite poor. So if you want a complete no gadget holiday for you and your kids this is the ideal vacation.
The only issue with travel to Andamans is Time Management. There are many islands that you can visit like Ross Island, Viper Island, Neil Island, Barren Island(with an Active Volcano site!). Each of these islands offers a variety of experiences! But there is a different kind of time management required. Many of these Islands are closed post 2pm(No Human life exists on the island post 3 pm. Can you Believe that??)
The Accessibility is only through boat, so you need to book from the jetty (reaching which is another task as you have to pre-book taxis) and then wait for the boat! Many islands do not have resorts so you may have to visit and come back to main island in a days trip (Which with younger children is difficult)
Also, if the weather worsens, the boats stop and then you may have to be marooned for sometime and many islands do not have proper food facilities.
So for professionals wanting a short break (we didn’t visit any of above) covering everything will be tough but soak in how much you can.
Also be prepared for the unpredictability too in your visit and read and plan well in advance (Because in absence of internet access- no Google or Google Maps to rescue!)
Of course what I soaked in my Peace on the Holidays. Until the next one here’s to Live and its experiences!!
