Okay!! Initially, I was skeptical about sharing this post but doing it anyway. For most, this may seem like a trivial thing, but it's an achievement for me. 2018 has been very tough. It made me leave the city which I once loved. It made me quit the job and the people I liked. Whatever happens, happens for good (being Optimistic😋). Days have been pretty much the same since then. So, I thought I would do something which I have been procrastinating for years - "Solo Trip."
Being an introvert my entire life, the very thought of traveling alone scares the shit out of me. What if I get into some trouble? (apart from being chased by an Eagle😓, everything went fine) How & Where to go? What if I really don't enjoy it? Etc, like literally hundreds of thoughts suffocated my mind (seems silly, but hey, that's who I am). I enjoy traveling with a group because I don't have to worry about all these. Too much dependent on others for everything. All this has to change. I shouldn't be worried about all these silly things (or should I?).
I have clear goals in mind for this trip which are to explore as much as I can on foot and enjoy the self-company, and Gokarna seemed to be a perfect place for it.
After spending 2hrs in Murdeshwar, I headed back to catch my train to Gokarna. To my surprise, I was the only person in my compartment. I recollected the quote from the book "Secret" - "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." I asked for a solo trip and received it😂.
Around 12 pm, I reached the hotel, and I wasn't prepared for what I was going to see. It was pure bliss. I loved everything about that hotel, the common room, the cafe, and don't even ask me about the sea view (Gokarna beach). I slept in the hammock looking at the Arabian sea while listening to the guitar from a co-traveler; how lucky I am?.
After a hefty lunch, I went to Gokarna beach. It is very crowded, and this is the reason many people don't like this beach. I trekked to a nearby hill to get a better view. Sat there for some time, and headed back to the beach since it was really hot up there. While the way back, I saw an eagle sitting in its nest. I loved eagles till this point in my life. I thought I could take a picture of it. How stupid I am?. When I approached the nest, it suddenly started flying and signaled two other eagles and came really close to me. They didn't leave for the next few minutes. God, I hate eagles now😟.
Found a place from where I could see the sunset and settled down. Time was moving really slow. I started to think, "did I make a wrong decision coming here alone." "What should I do now sitting here with no one to talk to?". While I was in these thoughts, I heard someone start playing a flute. She is sitting right behind me with his husband. How pleasant is it to watch the sunset while listening to live music? All my thoughts vanished, and calmness filled my mind and heart.
At that moment, I realized that we don't have to plan everything. Good things happen all the time, all around the world. You just have to be in the right place at the right time. So, leave your comfort zone and move around.
After the sunset, I roamed around the streets of Gokarna. It's really a small village with narrow rounds and minimal street lights. Old people are sitting outside smiling at the tourists. Shops are filled with smoking pipes and hukka pots(is this even legal here? 😮) and musical instruments. The walls are filled with graffiti. This small village holds too many secrets waiting for us to discover.
Day - 2
"Hello Mister, Wake up. Come out and see how beautiful it is !!!!" she said. I forgot to mention that I stayed in a mixed dorm room. She checked in while I was sleeping. I opened my eyes and checked the time, and it was around 4:30 am. "Who is she? Is she crazy!! Oh wait, maybe she is not calling me. It could be someone else". I covered my face with a blanket and tried to get back to sleep. "Arey aao na, it's really amazing," she shouted. Okay, it's definitely me. I went outside and witnessed the beauty of Gokarna beach at its best time.
We sat there and watched the shore for the next 10 mins without talking anything, enjoying the sounds from crashing waves.
She: "I am really sorry, woke you up in your sleep," she broke the silence.
Me: Are you kidding? Thanks a lot, or else I would've missed it.
She: Can we go there now? I really liked it. It's amazing!!
Me: Why not?
She: Do you know how to get there?
Me: I was there yesterday.
Me: Accha, tell me. Why did you come alone?
She: Yesterday was my last day at the job, and planning to start my own firm. I thought I could use a vacation before starting it.
Me: Hmm, cool.
She: So, what's your plan for today.
Me: I came here to do the beach trek, which covers Kudle, Om, Half Moon, and Paradise beaches.
She: At what time are we leaving?
Me: We ??
We started at Zostel around 9 a.m. The first point is the kudle beach which is 600m away from my room. Reached there in 15 mins, can be reached by road. Kudle beach is filled with shacks. Backpackers prefer shacks over regular hotels as it costs less—such a peaceful place. Few people are doing yoga and meditation. At the same time, others are enjoying swimming, beach volleyball, and kayaking.
From kudle beach, ferries are available to go to the remaining beaches, or one can trek through the jungle and hills while capturing the spectacular visuals of the Arabian sea. We chose later.
We stayed for 30 mins and started to OM beach. Unsure about the route, we checked some auto drivers for the route. We followed the path for 45 mins, and we reached Namaste Cafe (located at the entry point of OM beach). Such an amazing place to have a good breakfast with coffee. I Sat there for more than an hour, looking at the beach and sipping my coffee. We realized that we were sitting there for too long when the waiter came for the third time to check if we needed anything else😂. Om beach got its name because of its shape(ॐ). At the end of Om beach, there is a way that will take us to the other two beaches.
Half-moon is really a small beach like anyone can walk from one end to another end of the beach in 30 seconds.
Reaching paradise beach is a little difficult as it is filled with narrow paths, steep and slippery rocks. But once you cross them, it is really a paradise. A lot of foreigners come here and settle for months. I saw a few foreigners preparing their lunch, a few practicing yoga and martial arts(i believe so), a few taking sunbaths, a few smoking weed, a few playing guitars and flute(same lady whom I saw in Gokarna beach). It felt as if I was in their country. How beautiful would it be if we could do the same? Like settling there for months. We sat there in silence and observed everyone.
Cheers,
Harry
Being an introvert my entire life, the very thought of traveling alone scares the shit out of me. What if I get into some trouble? (apart from being chased by an Eagle😓, everything went fine) How & Where to go? What if I really don't enjoy it? Etc, like literally hundreds of thoughts suffocated my mind (seems silly, but hey, that's who I am). I enjoy traveling with a group because I don't have to worry about all these. Too much dependent on others for everything. All this has to change. I shouldn't be worried about all these silly things (or should I?).
I have clear goals in mind for this trip which are to explore as much as I can on foot and enjoy the self-company, and Gokarna seemed to be a perfect place for it.
vaazhaa en vaazhvai vaazhavae,thaazhaamal maelae poagiraen..theeraa ul ootrai theendavae,inrae ingae meelgiraen..
Day - 1
Gokarna is a very small place which you can cover all the famous spots in a day. So, I planned to spend some time in Murdeshwar. I knew I made the right decision when I looked at the 123 feet Shiva statue and the 20-storied gopuram. Can you believe they have a lift facility to reach the top of gopuram from where we can have an amazing view of the statue and the beach? This is the only temple with lift service in Asia. |
| Fishing area |
 |
| Water sports |
 |
| Struggle to take pictures is real😅 |
 |
| Gopuram's lift |
After spending 2hrs in Murdeshwar, I headed back to catch my train to Gokarna. To my surprise, I was the only person in my compartment. I recollected the quote from the book "Secret" - "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." I asked for a solo trip and received it😂.
 |
| He looked at the clock for 20 mins standing in same position 😳 |
Around 12 pm, I reached the hotel, and I wasn't prepared for what I was going to see. It was pure bliss. I loved everything about that hotel, the common room, the cafe, and don't even ask me about the sea view (Gokarna beach). I slept in the hammock looking at the Arabian sea while listening to the guitar from a co-traveler; how lucky I am?.
 |
| Room view(Gokarna Beach) |
 |
| Common room |
 |
| cafe |
Found a place from where I could see the sunset and settled down. Time was moving really slow. I started to think, "did I make a wrong decision coming here alone." "What should I do now sitting here with no one to talk to?". While I was in these thoughts, I heard someone start playing a flute. She is sitting right behind me with his husband. How pleasant is it to watch the sunset while listening to live music? All my thoughts vanished, and calmness filled my mind and heart.
Hae yaaroaboal naan ennai paarkkiRaen.. aedhum illaamalae iyalbaay.. chudar poal theLivaay..naanae illaadha aazhathil naan vaazhgiRaen.. kaNNaadiyaay piRandhae kaaNginRa ellaamum naan aagiRaen..
At that moment, I realized that we don't have to plan everything. Good things happen all the time, all around the world. You just have to be in the right place at the right time. So, leave your comfort zone and move around.
After the sunset, I roamed around the streets of Gokarna. It's really a small village with narrow rounds and minimal street lights. Old people are sitting outside smiling at the tourists. Shops are filled with smoking pipes and hukka pots(is this even legal here? 😮) and musical instruments. The walls are filled with graffiti. This small village holds too many secrets waiting for us to discover.
Day - 2
"Hello Mister, Wake up. Come out and see how beautiful it is !!!!" she said. I forgot to mention that I stayed in a mixed dorm room. She checked in while I was sleeping. I opened my eyes and checked the time, and it was around 4:30 am. "Who is she? Is she crazy!! Oh wait, maybe she is not calling me. It could be someone else". I covered my face with a blanket and tried to get back to sleep. "Arey aao na, it's really amazing," she shouted. Okay, it's definitely me. I went outside and witnessed the beauty of Gokarna beach at its best time.
 |
| Taken with Gcam's night sight 💞 |
We sat there and watched the shore for the next 10 mins without talking anything, enjoying the sounds from crashing waves.
She: "I am really sorry, woke you up in your sleep," she broke the silence.
Me: Are you kidding? Thanks a lot, or else I would've missed it.
She: Can we go there now? I really liked it. It's amazing!!
Me: Why not?
She: Do you know how to get there?
Me: I was there yesterday.
She is a solo traveler, and it's her first time too. While she was telling me about how amazing the beach was, I started to take my phone out to take pictures. "Why don't people just enjoy the moment? All they wanted is take pictures and upload them. phh!!" she
frowned. I silently slide my phone into the pocket. (below pictures are taken when she was not noticing 😛)
Me: Accha, tell me. Why did you come alone?
She: Yesterday was my last day at the job, and planning to start my own firm. I thought I could use a vacation before starting it.
Me: Hmm, cool.
She: So, what's your plan for today.
Me: I came here to do the beach trek, which covers Kudle, Om, Half Moon, and Paradise beaches.
She: At what time are we leaving?
Me: We ??
We started at Zostel around 9 a.m. The first point is the kudle beach which is 600m away from my room. Reached there in 15 mins, can be reached by road. Kudle beach is filled with shacks. Backpackers prefer shacks over regular hotels as it costs less—such a peaceful place. Few people are doing yoga and meditation. At the same time, others are enjoying swimming, beach volleyball, and kayaking.
 |
| Kudle Beach |
From kudle beach, ferries are available to go to the remaining beaches, or one can trek through the jungle and hills while capturing the spectacular visuals of the Arabian sea. We chose later.
We stayed for 30 mins and started to OM beach. Unsure about the route, we checked some auto drivers for the route. We followed the path for 45 mins, and we reached Namaste Cafe (located at the entry point of OM beach). Such an amazing place to have a good breakfast with coffee. I Sat there for more than an hour, looking at the beach and sipping my coffee. We realized that we were sitting there for too long when the waiter came for the third time to check if we needed anything else😂. Om beach got its name because of its shape(ॐ). At the end of Om beach, there is a way that will take us to the other two beaches.
 |
| Namaste cafe |
 |
| OM Beach |
Half-moon is really a small beach like anyone can walk from one end to another end of the beach in 30 seconds.
Reaching paradise beach is a little difficult as it is filled with narrow paths, steep and slippery rocks. But once you cross them, it is really a paradise. A lot of foreigners come here and settle for months. I saw a few foreigners preparing their lunch, a few practicing yoga and martial arts(i believe so), a few taking sunbaths, a few smoking weed, a few playing guitars and flute(same lady whom I saw in Gokarna beach). It felt as if I was in their country. How beautiful would it be if we could do the same? Like settling there for months. We sat there in silence and observed everyone.
 |
| Paradise Beach |
 |
| High on weed ?? |
Me: Why can't we live a simple life like these people?
She: We are too scared to live alone. We are obsessed with clicking pictures that we may never look back at. We see the world through mobile phones. We are suffering from instant gratification. Need to be appreciated by everyone. Will anyone appreciate on social media if you live a simple life? We are obsessed with our social life than the actual one.
**beep** **beep** Whatsapp notification on my mobile 🙇.
Me: Sorry. (immediately kept in silent)
It's past 3 p.m, and we took the ferry to get back to Om beach as it's really hard to trek back the same way. Looking at the path we came, I couldn't believe how far we had walked. A sense of accomplishment filled my heart.
I went back to Namaste cafe again(who wouldn't?) for lunch. While coming back, we found a way which took us to Kudle beach in 5 mins. Screw you, auto drivers, 😤 . I watched the sunset, headed back to Zostel. Finally, it's time to bid goodbye as my bus leaves in a while.
She: Hey, listen, why don't you stay one more day. We can visit yana caves and vibhuti falls or scuba diving.
Me: Sorry, some other time. I have to leave now. By the way, what's your name?
She: **laughing** Meenakshi and your's?.
Me: Harish! Okay, goodbye, Meenakshi. Have fun :)
Meenakshi taught me a great lesson. People come into our life for a reason. Once it's done, no matter what you do, they won't be a part of your life. After all, no one will stay permanently in our life. If she didn't accompany me on this trip, maybe I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much as I did.
naanae, naanaay iruppaen.. naaLil pooraay vasippaen..
poalae, vaazhndhae chalikkum
vaazhvai maRakkiRaen…
vaagaay vaagaay vaazhgiRaen!
paagaay paagaay aagiRaen!
PS: I couldn't stop myself from using the lyrics from this beautiful song.
Cheers,
Harry
Great post 😋. Only thing i don't understand is that lyrics u idiot. Next time translate them 🤣
ReplyDeleteSure, but only when you dance for this song.
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nauk_scj9U
In your dreams 🤣
ReplyDeleteWhoa man! Nice post :))
ReplyDeleteThanks buddy :)
DeleteThat is some inspiring blog post for people who haven't enjoyed the bliss of their own company yet!
ReplyDeleteGood work :)
thank you goddess :P
Delete