Sunset on the west coast –Gokarna

Continued from Rafting in the Garden of Eden -Dandeli

Day 3:

So after 2 nights at Dandeli, we set off to Gokarna. We were up and ready by 6:30 even though we hit the bed only during the wee hours in the morning – and all our efforts were wasted as the bus lumbered in slowly by 8!!! We went to a place by name Ankola and then took another bus to Gokarna. The whole trip took us about 3-4 hours. When we reached Gokarna, we had 2 options – trek into the beaches to reach ‘Sunset Café’ our homes for the next 2 days or take an auto. Since we wanted to take it light, we decided to take the auto.

The first sight of the beach is breath – taking. As you climb down the hills to reach the beach, you get the first glimpse from high –up and you can see the varying shades of the water – the only other place I have seen such varying shades was in Lakshadweep.

While we had been reading about staying in huts, I guess none of us really thought they were the actual hut huts! A couple of the more “expensive” ones had cement walls, the other ones were fully thatched. To add to grievances of some of us, there were only common bathrooms for all guests and into the back. To be truthful, I was also taken aback – I have stayed in a “hut” in Rajasthan, but that was much nicer. What irritated me was the lack of aesthetics in that place in the sense that there was a lack of order, and signs of bad maintanence. Otherwise, I was ok about getting to stay in a hut. Anyways, some of us were opposed to this idea- but due to lack of any other available acco we stayed put. A nice heavy lunch of pasta, pizza, sandwiches and then we hit the sea.

The kudle beach is kind of framed between to hilly headland projecting into the sea. While we don’t get to see a vast expanse of water, the horizon and the ocean beyond looks much closer. That particular week, the currents were strong and I could see waves right from the end of the horizon almost giving you the feel that the ocean was rushing in on you with an unknown force. We spent about 4 hours in the beach, which got better when it started to rain!!! Another fun dinner with strains of Buddha beat perfecting the ambience of a beach dinner followed by a nap on the shores– we retired to our huts late in the night.

Gokarna gives you a similar feel as Hampi does – you find more foreigners than Indians. This place is a hippy haven is what I read in many blogs, and we did see some action there ;)...There was one lonely surfer braving the waves - the man and the board were an interesting sight i must say! :)

We woke up next day to a rainy morning- one of the bikers from a gang that had come from bangalore had an ipod – so breakfast was accompanied by smell of earth, sight of rain drops and psychadelic rock of floyd, a bit of bryan adams, eagles and def leppard. Sigh ! heaven!

We had to leave immediately after break fast to drop of my friend in gokarna road and to proceed to hubli - and back to chennai! The only regret I have is being robbed of the last day at Gokarna – we hadn’t realised that we would have to so early to get back to our trains and flights!!! And because of packing in too much, I didn’t get to feel the timelessness of Gokarna, one thing I had been looking forward to!!!!

On the way back to hubli

Well, I am glad I believe in next times !!!

PS: I never got to see the sunset!!!