Varkala vibes

A decade to the day and we arrived back in Varkala…everyone said it had changed but we wanted to see for ourselves! We walked along North Cliff in the searing heat toward Black beach which has changed behind recognition with new developments. The weight of all the little shops (each selling identical dresses and shirts ) is contributing to the erosions of these spectacular red laterite cliffs.  

Jickys Nest is an oasis from the madness and mayhem of the crowds of young Indian boys who swarm in by early evening on their bikes, filling the place with a rowdy atmosphere while jostling their way down the red sandy pathways of the cliff. 

The locals resent this invasion which developed after the pandemic as the visitors just look and buy and eat nothing. 

We are peacefully tucked away in the peacock 🦚 room at Jicky’s, surrounded by tall trees, bird song, with a pheasant and a pair of mongooses for company! 

There is a Veg restaurant a stone’s throw away where we have explored a multitude of delicious dishes breakfast, noon and night! It’s managed single-handedly by a delightful Nepalese guy who says he’ll be retreating back to Kathmandu in March to escape the heat.

I’ve looked down at the beach in envy at the sea, but stone steps down are too hazardous and the waves and undercurrents 🌊 are too strong. We visited the temple and walked down to a beach that still has that ramshackle feel that we remember! 

But I’ve been able to swim every morning in a beautiful pool nearby. The day before yesterday an outline of a beautiful mural of goddesses nestling in a lily pond has appeared at the pool! Today I chatted to the artist and he invited us to his little studio on the hill down to Papanasam beach!