South India: Down to the Tippity Tip

Like Canada, India is a vast country. There isn’t one India. The stereotypes of the country that we may have in the west doesn’t fit all regions. The climate in various regions is different, the scenery is different, the people are different, etc.

We took a 3.5 hour flight from the north in Delhi to the south in Trivandrum. The moment we disembarked, I knew this was my climate . . . . . hot, humid, close to the sea!

Southern India: Delhi -> Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) -> Varkala -> Azhimala Beach -> Kanyakumari -> Poovar -> Kovalam

*colourful . . . . and I see a glimpse of the sea!*

We landed in Trivandrum, but headed to Varkala which is about a 45min-1hr drive away. At this point it felt like there was no escaping being trapped in a car!

Varkala

the only place where cliffs are found near the Arabian Sea, and have been declared a national geological monument (geo-heritage site)
it’s believed that the waters here have healing properties and can wash away sins
Papanasam beach (a part of Varkala beach) is referred to as a cremation centre in the South because many people scatter the ashes of their relatives into the sea here.

Varkala is BEAUTIFUL!!! The contrast of the cliffs and greenery against the ocean, the blue skies, the amazing sunsets, the laid back vibe, people are friendly and . . . . I had the best massage I’ve EVER had in my life here!!!

First thing we did was eat! My roomie and I tried momo’s (Tibetan food) for the first time 😋 and from where we were sitting we kept watching these huge birds flying around. As we looked at them more, then googled them, we discovered that not only were they bats, they are one of the biggest bats in the world . . . . also called a flying fox! So cool!!

Next thing I did was dip my toes in the water. And selfies . . . . they were still happening here!

Varkala is also where the event that inspired this whole trip happened . . . I turned 50!!!! And it ended up being perfect! The forecast crap weather turned into clear skies, I had cake for breakfast, I swam, I had a massage (did I mention it was the best one of my life?!), I had some time to myself (which by this point in the journey was THE best birthday gift I could have asked for) and we had an amazing seafood meal with a spectacular sunset as a backdrop. My entry into the 5-0 club was pretty spectacular!!!

*I had three people at my party (and a side note – . those lights in the background weren’t put up for my party . . . they are the lights from fishing boats out at sea!)*

*A cat also decided to join the party too 😆*

Azhimala Beach

in Malayalam (the local language), “Akashi” means sea and “Mala” means hill
known for the Azhimala Shiva statue which stands 52 feet high and was constructed by a 29-year old artist over 6 years with completion on December 31, 2021
a popular spot for Ayurvedic treatments

At this location, we got to experience Ayurveda. We had an Ayurvedic massage and a consult with an Ayurvedic doctor. I thought it would be a good thing because at this point I was feeling slightly off. My stomach didn’t feel great (and I usually have guts of steel!!), but to be honest, I think I was simply exhausted. After almost 2.5 weeks of being on the move every 1-2 days, having almost NO time to myself to recharge, while managing the energy of those around me AND trying to protect my own, I simply ended up physically, mentally, emotionally and energetically drained.

I was able to check out the beach and did get a view of the 58ft Shiva statue that the area is known for. But, for the most part I tried (mostly successfully) to have the day to myself to sleep, be still and recharge. And though the Ayurvedic consult was interesting, with only a short time to talk to the doctor and no chance to follow up or necessarily understand his recommendations, it ended up like some of our other quick in and out experiences. Simply scratching the surface with no real sense of what the full experience might actually be like.

*The entrance to the temple with the Shiva*

*I didn’t have a chance to go into the temple, so this was the best view I got.*

*One of my friends was kind enough to pass along this pic of what this 52 foot Shiva looks like up close!*

*The kind hearted people who took care of us during this part of our journey ❤️*

Kanyakumari

sometimes referred to as The Lands End as it is the southern tip of the mainland of India
the Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean meet here
Mahatma Gandhi’s ashes were kept here before they were immersed

I started to get my groove back in Kanyakumari. It was such a pretty place, and as a tourist town, people were generally quite happy and fun-loving.

When we arrived in town, my roomie and I set out for lunch and spontaneously found a spot that overlooked part of the city, had a clear view of the point where the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal meet, and the Vivekananda Rock Memorial where we would be heading later that afternoon.

Remember how I’ve mentioned that we got randomly stopped to have selfies taken with people? As we were going through the cue to catch the ferry to the Rock Memorial (think Disneyland style winding, twisting and turning lines), it happened non-stop. We felt like movie stars!! 🤩

The day was beautiful, the ferry was fun, the mood was festive and the memorial was interesting. There was a meditation room which had the sound ‘ohm’ playing on a continuous loop. I sat in that room for quite awhile. It was calming and peaceful, and I started to really feel replenished there.

*Thiruvalluvar statue (in honour of a poet from the region) was closed for maintenance while we were there.*

The day ended watching the sunset at the beach and since it is the southernmost point in India, if we wanted to, we could have also returned to watch the sunrise on the same beach. How cool!

*Yes there were a ton of people, but it felt more festive than crowded.*

The next morning there was a plan to hike up to a temple for the sunrise with the option of going further to the top to see the view. There was a bit of a miscommunication and misunderstanding at one point and it didn’t seem like it was going to happen (I won’t lie . . . I was super disappointed and frustrated about this). But . . . . it was meant to be! The climb was actually steeper and a bit harder than I expected it to be, but 3 of us (the other 2 in barefeet!!!) did it, and it felt like an accomplishment! It was such a magical moment being up there and another one of those super special moments of feels for me on this trip.

*The first part involved a set of steep stairs.*

One of the neighborhood dogs joined us and ended up staying with us all the way up and all the way down. I called him Freddy 4.0 or maybe 5.0?! (at least one of you knows what I’m talking about! 😆)

*The stairs led to a small temple on one side, and . . . .*

*From there decisions were made as to who would go on, flip flops were ditched (it’s a gnarly trail) and we headed up for what seemed like a really long time.*

*Freddy was joined by a pup along the way.*

*And I could sense and see the personality of the mountain.*

After visiting the temple, we went to go to the cave, but both dogs were waiting at the passage and they growled when we tried to go near. We’re not sure what that was about, but we knew enough to listen to these animals who had guided us the whole way!

*So instead, we were asked for a selfie with some of the few other people we came across on the trail.*

*The mountain we had just climbed – Marundhuvaazh Malai also known as Hanuman Mountain or The Mountain of Herbs*

Poovar

the name comes from the Malayalam words “poo” (flower) and “aar” (river) referring to the abundance of flowers that used to be along the river banks
the area is a haven for birdwatchers
has an estuary, where the river meets the sea, which is an ecological wonder

On the way to Poovar, we stopped ate the Suchindram Shree Thanumalayan Swamy Temple. One of the people from the temple showed up and gave us a very detailed, very interesting tour. Some temples don’t allow you to take pictures inside, and this was one of them. Maybe because I only have pics in my mind/memory or maybe because of the amazing tour and explanation of things relating to the rituals and practices in this temple, but this ended up being one of the temples that stands out for me.

*Outside the temple . . . . good timing to get there during a downpour!*

*Suchindram Shree Thanumalayan Swamy Temple*

Poovar was an interesting place. Our accommodation had ocean on one side and backwaters on the other. It wasn’t the cleanest beach (which is quite heartbreaking), so my planned walk along the beach turned into a wander through town where I got a bit lost. School also let out around this time which led to lots of “hi” exchanges, chats and selfies with teenagers.

Around town

Not sure if I mentioned how surprised I was to see Christian churches when we got to the South (and there’s A LOT) . . . my stereotypical (and limited) image of India before I got here did not include Christianity

I ALWAYS make the effort to remember AT LEAST one phrase from the local language wherever I travel. Usually it’s the standard greeting and ‘thank you’ This time around I was taught a phrase by our driver in the north . . . . “aapka naam kya hai” which in Hindi means ‘What’s your name?’ It’s created instant connection and some laughs with most people I’ve asked. It did take me awhile to realize though that Hindi is not the main language down here (thanks to these teenagers for reminding me of this!) No matter how far and wide I travel, I am always humbled by my lack of global knowledge/understanding. There is ALWAYS something to learn about others and another way of life/living

In the evening we went on a boat tour on the backwaters. This is what we were in this region for. Unfortunately, they don’t use the traditional boats here very much anymore (or maybe they just don’t use them for tourists 🤷🏽‍♀️). The water in that area was very low at the time (so we couldn’t go through the smaller waterways) and there were a TON of boats going through. Though everyone was friendly, it ended up feeling a bit like a Disney ride.

There was some really good bird and nature watching though

*Also a good view of the moon on our way back*

Kovalam

Kovalam means ‘a grove of coconut trees’
considered one of the best surfing destinations in India
has a 17 km coastline consisting of 3 major beaches: Lighthouse Beach, Hawa Beach, Samudra Beach

Our last stop together as a group was in Kovalam. Finally, we got free time! A lot of this time was spent on the beach, swimming, drinking chai and watching the amazing sunsets. It was a cute city with different alleyways to meander through, three different beaches to choose from and a lighthouse to keep watch. However, it was also a city with aggressive, overly pushy, and not always kind vendors.

*The quieter beach was more beautiful and secluded*

*But the busier beach had better swimming, and*

*I’ve seen some pretty incredible sunsets in India!*

We spent a couple of days here, and then the full moon came and we went our separate ways.

It’s now been two weeks since we parted ways, and I have finally had time to reflect, to recognize the learnings that presented themselves to me over the course of those weeks, and to integrate. There were some extremely frustrating moments, but with those moments came lessons and ultimately solidifying what I know to be true about myself, how I travel and how I grow. And in the end, it is this experience/tour that finally got me here to India and for that I am so grateful!