So back to Havelock. Oh my gosh did it rain or what on the Thursday but nevertheless we decided to venture out. We could have borrowed an umbrella but by the time we got to reception we were soaked anyway so we continued to the beach. People must have thought we were real weirdos half dressed and half in our swim wear going off to the beach in the monsoon rain.
I wish I had taken my camera as we ended up at the Blue Lagoon. The sea was really quite strong. Every few minutes there was a moment of calm and then whoosh about a series of nine big waves that came right up to the top of the beach.
To get to the Blue Lagoon meant a little clamber over some rocks. MT told me to be careful and yes I went for my second fall of the holiday right on my back. I think I bruised like my tail bone if that's what you call the base of your spines as its still twinging a bit now. Glad there was no one else around to see my clown act!
Walking in the pouring rain when its warm is a bit odd because I usually associate rain with cold, well that's my experience of it. Also odd, was this little spot we found slightly back from the beach where it looked like there had been some kind of radio transmitter and some equipment. It was as if some one had been doing a science/research project. It was like it had been abandoned, as if someone had left in a hurry. They had cleverly used a fallen tree as a sort of ledge for their workstation too. Oh and there was an abandoned flip flop I guess it could have been a man flop.
The Blue Lagoon was sooo blue. It really was like something you see in a film and I was still waiting for a dinosaur to appear from the Jurassic Park jungle!!! You've got this amazing beach, with no one on it, then this blue lagoon, the monsoon rain and then this lush green jungle/forest with mile high trees. Really quite amazing! And my what a contrast to life in Bangalore!
I have been really rather lucky to see some amazing sites that I never thought I would. The Pyramids. the Taj Mahal, the Kremlin, Table Mountain, the Colosseum, the Statue of Liberty. MT asked me which one I thought was the most amazing and its so hard to choose, I don't think I can and I am not sure I should. I think I would like to see the Great Wall of China now especially having met Muhan here.
I read a book while I was away called Vagabonding. It really is rather good at putting into very practical terms that even if you have a mortgage and a family you can go travelling. There's a section however all about tourists which slightly annoyed me because I am a tourist and I like to think I have a little bit of cultural interest when I go to places. The author seemed to say that tourists just go to see the things they think they should see but when you have only got a short space of time you wouldn't go to Moscow and not visit the Kremlin or go to Paris and not see the Eiffel Tower, unless you had maybe already been there.
I understand the author is saying at least I think he is saying, that you should go and absorb the realness of a place but I don't think its fair to be critical of all tourists. Of course you will find the odd one or two that want to see the Pyramids and then go to an unnamed fast food joint beginning with M but each to their own and I don't think the author should have been quite so critical. Apart from that it's a really inspiring book and if you have ever had an inkling to want to go travelling but don't think you can because of responsibilities this may well change your mind!
Right slightly off piste there so back on now!
As the waves sucked back into the sea you could see the ledge where the lagoon deepened and became a lagoon. Washed up onto the shore was also lots of coral and sponge. I felt a bit like a kid in a sweetshop because they are the kind of things you read about or see at the science museum and to see them in their natural environment was just neat! There were shells too which I would have loved to have collected but we were told that we could not take them from the island.
Incidentally, when we were at the airport flying from back from Port Blair to Chennai there was a chap going through security with a whole carrier bag full of shells and coral and a knife! Everything he had was catalogued by hand and then I think he was fined. Didn't like to stare too much as I was actually trying to avoid a bunch of children taking our photos. It had just begun with one boy and then others seemed to follow suit. Its really quite embarrassing but I guess they are just interested because we are different to them.
Coming back to the resort we were a little more careful on the rocks not to slip and sort of weaved in and out on the sandy bits. We did take time to watch the crabs and little fish in the rock pools. Crabs are so funny the way the move sideways. Why do they do that? The rain was beginning to lighten and the sun just popped its head through the clouds. This did not last for long! By the time we got back to the hut yes you guessed it, rain!!
You know when you are at school and in Geography and you learn about tropical forests and the different layers of a rain forest and its hard to kind of get what its really like, well this was it, the Geography lesson came to life! I sort of looked up and was like oh yes that's what old lama man meant! That's what we used to call the teacher and you can probably guess why!!
We had a late lunch, at least I think we did but all I can remember about it is that I wanted dessert and so asked the chap if could recommend something and he said the cheesecake. Oh dear, it was not nice and I was so looking forward to it.
Never mind, the fact that Rajan the Elephant appeared at about the same time soon made up for my disappointment. Most of the time he wonders around the forest, sometimes he goes for a swim or gives rides but I think he's in his fifties now. When we saw him he was in a clearing in the forest and I was a bit upset to see he was attached to a tree by a chain around his ankle. However I do think this is just when he is at the resort which doesn't seem to be that often given that this was the only afternoon that we saw him. That now makes both an Indian and African Elephant I have seen.
Still waiting to see a wild cat although I did not expect to see one on Havelock! You wouldn't believe how much time I spent with some friends in South Africa one holiday in a reserve chasing the lion, not right on its tail but we would ask the ranger where we would find the pride, drive to the spot as fast as was possible and without knocking over a rhino en route and then they would be gone! It became a bit of a joke by the end of it all!
Just had a quick scan and I think I may well need to do another blog to finish the holiday. Its time for a cup of tea too. Had to buy a new kettle yesterday as I blew the fuse on the other one along with causing the power cut-whoops!! At first I just thought it was part of the daily series of power cuts but after two hours I was like no, something else is up! Went to the office and then they called an electrician. The new kettle sits on the hob so when the power goes today it will not be my fault!
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