An oasis on the weary journey home
It is possible to do the Mangalore-Goa coastal stretch in a day
itself, though it would be a day of marathon driving. We had decided
to find a beach where we could break the journey. Our quest for
such a beach sent us off on several false leads. Filthy lodges
and hostile government rest-houses are the hallmarks of the tourist
industry on this stretch. Maraventhe, where the highway makes
its way between the pounding surf on one side and a placid lagoon
on the other, is home to the Turtle Cove Tent Resort.
Though this place is scenically located, there is no electricity and facilities
are almost primitive. Needless to say, it was deserted.
But there was a surprise in store. Murdeshwar, roughly one third
the distance between Mangalore and Goa, is a temple town on the
sea. A promontory juts out between two coves, and on this promontory
is the temple, and unbelievable but true, a great place to stay.
The R N Shetty Trust Hotel is a mecca for the weary traveller,
a category in which we now firmly belonged. Each room overlooks
a stunning vista. The hotel is at a height, and you can look down
over a luxurious blue bay, with an endless stretch of white sand
and mountains. The water here is so clear that from our balcony
perch we could see a good 20 feet into the sea.
The hotel itself, fully tiled both on its exterior and interior walls, is like one
huge, spotlessly clean, bathroom. Ask for the corner rooms and
for Rs 250 you are provided with a huge room with balconies
and windows on three sides, surrounded by the sea. The food is
strictly vegetarian, which is tragic, because the view from the
rooms would have much more appreciated if accompanied by a platter
of grilled prawns.
Return journeys are never as much fun. Suddenly the road drags
on forever, it is unbearably hot, your clothes are filthy, your
stubble is an irritation and you can't decide whether you should
go back or just drive on forever. But of course you do go back, if
only to develop your photographs.
What fun it is to spend hours
sharing your travel tales with unsuspecting friends and family.
What joy to show them your photographs as they silently choke
in the background. What sheer ecstasy to discuss every detail
of your trip in analytical detail, while those around you plot
your murder.
All Photographs: Nader Parakh
|
