Surprises.

by Mrinmayee Shelgikar (India)

I didn't expect to find India

Having grown up with conservative and protective parents, my 25th birthday gift showed me the real meaning of surprises. A 5-day solo trip to the most remote, relatively unexplored islands of India awaited me – Andaman. I set out to Port Blair on my birthday – the fact that it was my first flight, my first solo trip made it all the more special. We reached Port Blair and checked in to beautiful Nikobari style huts. They were simple, cozy and comfortable. In the evening, we visited a beach nearby, and I sat there alone, watching the waves crash at my feet, and the sun disappear at the horizon. This was by far the best birthday I had had. Over the next few days, we explored the azure waters dotted with emerald islets. Visiting islands like Ross, Havelock were a treat to the eyes. Beautiful white sand beaches, green peaks, red stone colonial buildings that were left to ruins over the years, and the calm blue that stretched all the way till the eyes can see left me with dizzying happiness. Even though I had seen beaches before, this was the first time I saw islands, and I wanted to never leave! Havelock was an amazing experience in itself. Apart from being the most beautiful beach in Asia, the place also boasts of gorgeous marine life that is worth exploring. My first scuba dive was here, and my doubting mind was put at ease at once. I had no intention to dive when I signed up for the vacation, but that peaceful moment when you hear nothing but your own breath, that excitement when you have a clownfish come and nibble on your fingers and toes, where you dive into the infinite blue only to find an explosion of colours underneath, is something that can only be experienced, not explained. The dive brought me immense peace and the restlessness to dive again at the same time, never to be cured, I believe. On our way back, we loftily sailed into the sunset to romantic music being played on our cruise, while some dolphins raced with us. Andaman, due to being largely unexplored until recently, is home to many indigenous tribes that have resisted human contact for years. While some of the hostile tribes like Sentinelese still avoid all contact, other tribes like the Onge and the Jarawa have warmed up to outsiders. While passing through some of the protected areas, we were instructed not to engage, interact or meddle with the tribals, if we came across any. We met a small family, however, and even though the adults seemed agitated at the attention they got because of their appearance, the kid with them, not more than 2-3 years old, smiled and waved shyly at us. That gesture of friendship, innocence and acceptance wasn’t huge, but it was sure a surprise for us, after hearing the stories of their violence and aversion towards outsiders. I once again realized that maybe we are not really born different from each other. We only decide to make that difference apparent as we grow up. The last leg of the tour, however, brought with itself, surprises of the bad kind. Due to heavy rains and floods, our flights were cancelled, the airports on the mainland closed, and we were stuck on the islands an extra 3 days. The rain only receded enough to allow us to visit a couple of more beaches, and the famous cellular jail. This was also my first experience of visiting a real jail, and seeing all the stories I had heard come alive through the vibes of the place. An architectural wonder in itself, the jail was designed to break the mind, body and spirit of the prisoners in every way possible, and I was torn between the wonder and the despair I felt there. After finishing my 5-day trip about 8 days later, I came back to the mainland, reluctantly, with beautiful pictures, amazing memories, a heart full of a range of emotions I experienced throughout, and a tan that refused to go for a long time!