Our Trip to Andaman & Nicobar Islands, India : Dec 4 - 30, 2004

This was the first time Subbu (my hubby) was visiting my beautiful islands - Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Man, we were so excited and I was so eager to show him my place - my hometown Port Blair. The place where I was born and brought up, had wonderful memories of my childhood, my frens and family, untouched beauty around, the sound of waves hitting against the rocks, the fresh salmon. It had just been so very long since I had been to Port Blair that I felt nostalgic every time I thought about my place. No matter how long its been and how cut-off Port Blair is, I will always have this great connection and attachment to my place. I could not wait to be there!
So, it was a beautiful Friday morning when we took our flight from Chennai to Port Blair (12/09/2004). Approximately after 1.5 hrs into the travel, I could see the emerald islands in the Bay of Bengal, lush green scattered in shimmering blue water. My parents had come to receive us at the airport. It was so good to be home! I gave Subbu a tour of my house. He was really impressed with how well mom had decorated the house. She is so much into home decoration and has great asthetic sense.

The first day we visited Cellular Jail, a historial monument and a must-see at Port Blair, a witness of the Indian freedom struggle. Anadamans was called 'Kala Pani' during the British rule because the prisoners of independence were confined to the seven wings of this Jail and there was no way of escaping the prison or the islands except swimming across the vast Bay of Bengal, which is practically impossible. But still the frightful imprisonment or the torture did not deter the enthusiasm of our nation's freedom fighters. Netaji Subash Chandra Bose, Veer Savarkar have all been a part of Cellular Jail. 'Give me blood, I promise you freedom' - Those were Netaji's words to spread the spirit of the freedom movement. Indian freedom sure was not won easy and the Cellular Jail is a testimony of that. The light and sound program at the Jail is not something to be missed. It very well brings out the pain and suffering inflicted on the freedom fighters who went down in history as the martrys of freedom. 'Sar faroshi ki tamanna ab hamaare dil mein hai, Dekhna hai zor kitna baazoo-e-qaatil main hai! '

Ross Island was our next stop, the island which was the British capital at Andamans. The island has ruins of the British church, courthouse, pool, cemetry, homes of the Generals etc. Walking through the remains, I was trying to picturise how it must have all been during the British era. Must have been very beautiful, for it is not a very big island areawise but almost everything lavish you can imagine in those times was present in Ross.

I took Subbu to the my favorite place of all, Marina Park and Carbyns Cove. Carbyns is a beach just 3 miles from my home. Carbyns is one of my fondest childhood memories, the ocean breeze, the soft sand, collecting shells on the shore, writing our names on the sand, jumping against the gigantic waves, coconut trees lining the beach, having coconut water and malai, sunset at the beach, waves breaking at the shore - nothing beats the ocean.... Subbu was all happy but said that we still haven't had any Hawaii kinda experience. I was like, honey wait till I take you to Havelock island.

Havelock is truly paradise on earth. We spent almost 1.5 days there and it was just blissful. Everything was just picture perfect, the blue skies above, turquoise blue water in front till the eyes could see, white shining sand. We sat at the beach and kept gazing at the water for a long while. Wish we had Corona around, would have made it perfect ;) Radhanagar beach @ Havelock is considered to be one of the finest beaches in Asia. At night we cuddled in our hammock by the water, listening to the music of the waves. Next morning we got up early for the sunrise and I'm telling you, there is nothing like a beautiful, splendid sunrise. Subbu and I loved our Havelock trip so very much.

We also visited Jolly Buoy and Vandoor. Subbu enjoyed the coral reef boat ride @ Jolly Buoy. Time flew and before we knew it our Andaman trip was over. Its been 12 years since I have been away from my hometown Port Blair, but anytime I miss my family or need happy thoughts to cheer me up, my mind wanders to my blissful childhood spent in the calm of these islands. Beautiful people, beautiful nature, beautiful culture and the beautiful waters....This is my place and its heaven on earth...