Varkala pt 1

After 2 days with the family, we say goodbye to auntie and uncle and the group splits.

4 journey back to the beach, 2 stay in the jungle, and 2 head back to the States. I’m part of the beach group – duh. So Cerrie, Chad, Lo and I hire a driver and settle in for the 2 hour (or 4? I don’t remember) journey to Varkala. I think it cost us around $4 to get there.

I had no idea what to expect. I had never even heard of Varkala until Cerrie told me that was where we were going.

Behold…

view from our room

Goa who? I’ve found my new love. And my legs dangle precariously off her cliff, while I sip a Kingfisher and watch the sun set into the Arabian Sea. Perfection.

The village of Varkala hugs the cliff, and you can walk along the edge – bars, restaurants, and shops to one side, and the ocean plummeting below on the other. It’s an enchanting place, and the best way to end our trip.

we are beyond happy

Lorelei and I have run out of money by the time we arrive. There’s only one ATM in town, so we grab our debit cards and start on the 20 minute walk through town. We arrive to find an ancient ATM machine housed inside a tiny building of glass. I see a glaring “VISA” sticker, mocking me. My debit card is Mastercard. Which means that Lo is now my sugar mama. She likes it.

Then, the next day, she leaves :(

goodbye breakfast

And then there were three. We spend from 12-4pm in complete shade, usually in bars drinking our way through extra strong Kingfishers. Never in my life have I experienced a sun this powerful, and I’ve literally stood on the equator. She’s no joke, that Varkala sun. So this is what we do when it gets too hot:

base camp for the next 4-5 hours

the view

Some of the bars are technically not allowed to sell alcohol, so you have to ask for “masala tea”.

just your standard beerpot

Bobby and Greg arrive a couple days later, and while on a walk through town we decide to pop into a temple. Only problem – I’m wearing a dress that hits at the knees. We walk over to the shoe guy and hand our shoes over for some tokens. I figure he will tell me if I am not allowed in dressed like that. He doesn’t say anything, so we climb the steps. I manage to walk around inside for about 15 minutes before an angry man comes running out of one of the buildings dedicated to one of the gods, yelling at me and telling me I had to leave. So, I desecrated a temple in India. Worth it.

these stairs…i had to see where they led…

Sun is setting. Happy hour time y’all…