When I was offered the chance to visit the Andaman Islands in February I couldn't book it quickly enough - just the name of islands conjures up images of white sandy beaches and a turquoise sea. Air India would be starting a new service from Bhubaneswar - a return flight for £80! In case you wondered the islands get their name from the skills the islanders have gained over the years. Carpentry, metal working, plumbing, roof repairs after cyclones etc. - you know the "Handyman Islands"! Sorry that's not really true, I apologise. Thousands of years ago the islands were only populated by women and then one day a plucky chap turned up and claimed the islands for Britain - that's how the "And-a-man Islands" really got their name.
I'd be joined in my Andaman jolly by Joanna & Laura - two hard working development workers from Trocaire (the Irish arm of Caritas). We'd also be meeing up with a couple of VSO volunteers - Orla & Juliet. I would be seriously outnumbered by girls - but I'm not grumbling.
As the flight would require a 7am check-in I made my way up to Bhubaneswar (BBSR) the night before - it's still a three hour train journey. It's strange how this now feels like a local journey - back home that would take me from England to Scotland! (although the distance in Orissa is only 100 miles). I've found that Indian trains are reliable and mainly on time. They are behemoths that ply their way across the subcontinent usually on journeys that last a couple of days. The one thing they are not is fast! Even though they're called an "Express" or even better "Super Fast" - rarely do they average much more than 40-50mph. I say reliable; on my journey to BBSR I would now experienced a rare delay of one hour at Khurda Road Junction, putting the curry that Joanna had prepared in serious peril. On arrival I then had the misfortune to get in an auto rickshaw driven by a moron. It's quite common for drivers to be so keen to pick up a fare they won't actually admit that they have no idea where you need to go. After much stopping to ask for directions I made it just - directing the taxi myself for the last mile or so.
Documentary evidence I'm only 36
We had no such problems getting to the airport the following morning. After the customary seven security checks: (i) ticket checks when entering the airport building (ii) entering the departure area (iii) getting baggage screened (iv) checking in (v) entering security check area (vi) going through the gate and then finally (vii) getting on the plane - we enjoyed a very pleasant 90 minute flight to Port Blair. We had arranged a transfer from the airport to the ferry that would take us out to Havelock Island. Of course when we arrived at the jetty we were told they only had one ticket - and it was for a forty year old lady called Mrs Joneso. Suspecting this was a scam we held our line until two further tickets arrived, without any additional cost - my name was spelt correctly but all of sudden I had become 36!
The government ferry took just over two hours to head the 50km north to Havelock. The sea was completely serene apart from the flying fish that would leap from bow of the boat and cover a distance that must have been several hundred feet. While scanning for fish we witnesses a pod of dolphins just behind the boat - by the time I'd switched my camera on they had almost disappeared.
When we arrived we had to once more endure a security check - this time all foreigners had to wait for their visitors' permit to be manually entered into a journal. As this was being done the names of the latest entries were called out for collection - complete confusion ensued.
The beach, only a few feet from my hut
We then headed off to our accommodation - from the pictures we'd seen we knew the Emerald Gecko would be special. I would be staying in a small bamboo hut - one room/washroom downstairs and then a bedroom on top. The hut was little more than seventy feet from the sea. As we'd had a busy day travelling (and there would be a birthday party the following evening) we decided to have an early night. I was also planning on a dawn sun rise beach walk - I wasn't sure how realistic this would be. As the islands are so far east (and that they also share Indian Standard Time) sunrise would be just before 5am. Surprisingly I did manage to wake (bamboo huts aren't the best for keeping light out) early and then spent an hour or so exploring the beach - with the local stray dogs. It was quite misty so no luck with the sunrise photography.
Hut number five, my home for two nights
One of Havelock Island's claim to fame is the location of the "best beach in Asia" (or at least one of them). We headed out for Radhanagar Beach first thing - it didn't look too far on the map - maybe 15km so we toyed with the idea of renting bicycles. Good job we didn't as the scale of the map was misleading - not to mention the climb over Saddle Peak, 732m! All the local auto drivers know this and charge a handsome price for the 15 minute journey - 350 rupees! When we arrived at the beach we weren't disappointed - amazing white sand and turquoise water for miles - the outline of the beach marked by huge Jurrasic looking Mahua trees. We had been told that elephants swim on the Andamans - I think this is more of a tourist attraction than a recreational sport (I guess they'd never forget their trunks). In the end we did see an elephant in the nearby jungle, not quite the same as a swimming one, as this one was busy providing rides for people. One other animal that we had to keep an eye out for was the salt water crocodile. Sadly in 2010 an American snorkeler was killed by a 20 foot croc on! There was a sign on the beach warning people of a recent croc sighting and that swimming was not advised - I got the message.
Radhanagar Beach, no crocodiles in sight (not many people for that matter).
That evening we would all be celebrating Laura's birthday - we'd have a little party at the Emerald Gecko's restaurant (the food so far had been amazing - lime garlic red snapper, huge grilled tiger prawns and even lobster!). Party poppers and Indian champagne (not bad either) had been specially flown in from the mainland by Joanna. A chocolate fudge cake arrived from the kitchen covered in candles - well just a few. Quite why we then decided to explore the sea by head torch still remains a mystery - the tide was out so we could walk a fair distance. The rock pools were full of life - crabs, sea cucumbers and other sea beasties.
A sea cucumber, in careful hands
We had only managed to acquire single tickets from Port Blair two days before - something we would soon regret. I now have a saying: "The fewer times you have to deal with Indian bureaucracy the better" - and ticket offices are their bureacratic temples. We tried to get ferry tickets the night before - "no we don't sell them come back in the morning" came the reply. We returned the following morning - "we sell the 3pm ferry tickets at 2pm come back then" and then at 2pm: "We've sold out of the 3pm tickets comeback later for the 4.30 ferry tickets". Again complete chaos. In the end we managed to get two tickets on the privately run high-speed ferry - the same ferry company that had told us they were sold out the previous day!
After an unremarkable stay at the clearly non "Eco Palm Grove Resort" (and we're using the word "resort" very loosely) in Port Blair we flew back to BBRS on Monday morning. I think this is the first time I've managed to sit in seat 1A - our flight would be continuing to New Delhi. As we deplaned (that's a proper word) I'm sure I heard an Indian say "you are getting out at the wrong airport". Bhubaneswar isn't really a tourist stop.
I'd be joined in my Andaman jolly by Joanna & Laura - two hard working development workers from Trocaire (the Irish arm of Caritas). We'd also be meeing up with a couple of VSO volunteers - Orla & Juliet. I would be seriously outnumbered by girls - but I'm not grumbling.
As the flight would require a 7am check-in I made my way up to Bhubaneswar (BBSR) the night before - it's still a three hour train journey. It's strange how this now feels like a local journey - back home that would take me from England to Scotland! (although the distance in Orissa is only 100 miles). I've found that Indian trains are reliable and mainly on time. They are behemoths that ply their way across the subcontinent usually on journeys that last a couple of days. The one thing they are not is fast! Even though they're called an "Express" or even better "Super Fast" - rarely do they average much more than 40-50mph. I say reliable; on my journey to BBSR I would now experienced a rare delay of one hour at Khurda Road Junction, putting the curry that Joanna had prepared in serious peril. On arrival I then had the misfortune to get in an auto rickshaw driven by a moron. It's quite common for drivers to be so keen to pick up a fare they won't actually admit that they have no idea where you need to go. After much stopping to ask for directions I made it just - directing the taxi myself for the last mile or so.
Documentary evidence I'm only 36
We had no such problems getting to the airport the following morning. After the customary seven security checks: (i) ticket checks when entering the airport building (ii) entering the departure area (iii) getting baggage screened (iv) checking in (v) entering security check area (vi) going through the gate and then finally (vii) getting on the plane - we enjoyed a very pleasant 90 minute flight to Port Blair. We had arranged a transfer from the airport to the ferry that would take us out to Havelock Island. Of course when we arrived at the jetty we were told they only had one ticket - and it was for a forty year old lady called Mrs Joneso. Suspecting this was a scam we held our line until two further tickets arrived, without any additional cost - my name was spelt correctly but all of sudden I had become 36!
The government ferry took just over two hours to head the 50km north to Havelock. The sea was completely serene apart from the flying fish that would leap from bow of the boat and cover a distance that must have been several hundred feet. While scanning for fish we witnesses a pod of dolphins just behind the boat - by the time I'd switched my camera on they had almost disappeared.
When we arrived we had to once more endure a security check - this time all foreigners had to wait for their visitors' permit to be manually entered into a journal. As this was being done the names of the latest entries were called out for collection - complete confusion ensued.
The beach, only a few feet from my hut
Hut number five, my home for two nights
One of Havelock Island's claim to fame is the location of the "best beach in Asia" (or at least one of them). We headed out for Radhanagar Beach first thing - it didn't look too far on the map - maybe 15km so we toyed with the idea of renting bicycles. Good job we didn't as the scale of the map was misleading - not to mention the climb over Saddle Peak, 732m! All the local auto drivers know this and charge a handsome price for the 15 minute journey - 350 rupees! When we arrived at the beach we weren't disappointed - amazing white sand and turquoise water for miles - the outline of the beach marked by huge Jurrasic looking Mahua trees. We had been told that elephants swim on the Andamans - I think this is more of a tourist attraction than a recreational sport (I guess they'd never forget their trunks). In the end we did see an elephant in the nearby jungle, not quite the same as a swimming one, as this one was busy providing rides for people. One other animal that we had to keep an eye out for was the salt water crocodile. Sadly in 2010 an American snorkeler was killed by a 20 foot croc on! There was a sign on the beach warning people of a recent croc sighting and that swimming was not advised - I got the message.
Radhanagar Beach, no crocodiles in sight (not many people for that matter).
An elephant on the Andamans, unfortunately not swimming
Majestic mauha trees, a few feet from the beach
That evening we would all be celebrating Laura's birthday - we'd have a little party at the Emerald Gecko's restaurant (the food so far had been amazing - lime garlic red snapper, huge grilled tiger prawns and even lobster!). Party poppers and Indian champagne (not bad either) had been specially flown in from the mainland by Joanna. A chocolate fudge cake arrived from the kitchen covered in candles - well just a few. Quite why we then decided to explore the sea by head torch still remains a mystery - the tide was out so we could walk a fair distance. The rock pools were full of life - crabs, sea cucumbers and other sea beasties.
A sea cucumber, in careful hands
After an unremarkable stay at the clearly non "Eco Palm Grove Resort" (and we're using the word "resort" very loosely) in Port Blair we flew back to BBRS on Monday morning. I think this is the first time I've managed to sit in seat 1A - our flight would be continuing to New Delhi. As we deplaned (that's a proper word) I'm sure I heard an Indian say "you are getting out at the wrong airport". Bhubaneswar isn't really a tourist stop.
