Walking in Kovalam, with lively crabs!

 We thought ourselves rather lucky to arrive amid crustaceans, but when we began driving towards Thiruvananthapuram this morning, our true goal was to find a grand lunch served on a traditional banana leaf. And so we did, thanks to our expert driver.

You know how people sometimes say the best restaurants are the ones that slightly disrespect you—not obnoxiously, but in an oddly endearing way? This lunch stood as a testament to focusing solely on the food while every other distraction faded quietly into the background. Long after we were back on the road towards the beach at Kovalam, I still found myself dwelling on the savoury curries and beetroot chutney. Even now, the memory oppressively saddens my palate as I lament the distance, both in time and geography, between myself and that meal. And now, having brought it all back to mind, I shall let you share in my despair.

Speaking of downers, we arrived in Kovalam just in time for a cosy sunset, so we decided to stroll along the shoreline with its many colourful kiosks and little services. There were henna tattoo artists, fresh fishmongers, local silk textile vendors, and fruit juice stalls. We passed countless toys and plastic beach accessories, though I reckon I have long since outgrown their intended audience.

Eventually we made our way towards a quieter, less crowded stretch of the beach, and much to my delight there were plenty of rocks to scramble over and use as an excuse to invade slightly wilder territory. Behind us stood private hotels and seaside resorts; ahead of us lay nothing but the endless resonance of the waves.

Being part of the Arabian Sea and carried inland by its warm currents, the water never felt painfully cold as it crashed against the rocks. The waves, however, rose several feet into the air, often spraying us with salt water despite our supposedly safe position atop the rocky shoreline.

Close by, we were accompanied by eagles and crows, each calling out into the wind every so often. Between the sea before us, the birds overhead, and the surf breaking against the rocks, our attention was tested in all four directions.

But not for too long. As we spent the final hours of the afternoon staring down the sun, we were eventually rewarded as the sky surrendered to dusk. The air grew cooler too, but not wishing to find ourselves stranded among rising tides after dark, we chose to bid the sunset an early farewell.

Nonetheless, it was an afternoon far calmer than we had originally intended—and I suppose that is one way to make the rest of an eventful trip a little more breathable. An unplanned beach day, well worth every bit of its effortless charm.