Yarada Beach - 1 Nov, 2009

Was quite tired so I woke up at 11:30 to start off for Yarada beach. The RTC bus complex in the city is about 3-3.5 km from the train station and that’s where I headed. The auto quoted 300 bucks for the 30 km or so journey, which I laughed off (I later got to know its steep hill in the middle and very few buses plying on the route, so the quote was a bit justified). Since all the directions at the bus stand were in Telugu, I had to do the unthinkable as a guy, ask for directions. I sincerely apologize to fellow menfolk for this gravest of sins, but it was unavoidable. The traffic cop knew nothing, the people at the hotel knew nothing, finally the chap at the small, hidden enquiry center at the RTC complex helped me out.

So up I went on to the # 400 bus to a place called Scindia, next to the Naval base;7 bucks and 30 minutes and I’m there. Here another bus conductor told me to take the # 16, apparently the only bus plying to Yarada village. There are a few shared autos, but the ones I asked did not want to go to Yarada, and the non sharing ones asked 200! I waited for almost 50 minutes for that elusive red and white striped, 2 ton beast, and I finally sighted the rare creature at somewhere around 2 pm. (make sure you plan right, the #16 only comes once every 1.5-2 hours, I checked this with the conductors and the route timings pasted inside the bus, so if you don’t have your own conveyance, be sure to check these timings).

In scrambled all the people, who appeared out of thin air. Villagers with their daily wares, and a guy carrying a bi, dead hen, a smelly one to boot. I jostled and got inside, my days in the Delhi 100 # had prepared me for this. The only difference was that the latter one had a lot of good looking, nice smelling college kids, while this one, well, let’s say soap is an unheard of name here. The bus took 40 minutes to get to Yarada, most of it going up a steep hill, and then down on the other side. The road was so narrow that the bus had to back to the relatively wider bends once to let another vehicle from the opposite direction pass. The bus grunted as the driver kept it thankfully on the road, what with the overflowing capacity. At the top of the hill, there are a few apartments for defense personnel, and a small AP tourism resort, called ‘Dolphin’s cove’. The board here said 1.5 km to Dolphin’s nose, and timing for public 3-5 pm, strange! If you want to go to the nose, the bus drops you here as it carries on downhill to Yarada village. The bus stops at a couple of places at the village, doesn’t really matter, as the village road runs parallel to the beach, 10 meters away. There’s no sign of a bus stop, just a corner tea shop that signifies the bus stand here.

Whether it was the 3 pm sun or the distance from the city, there was absolutely noone at the beach. There were 3-4 villagers fishing at the beach, but that’s it. the beach was much cleaner than the usual commercial ones you get to see, with a large green patch that’s sometimes there on the beaches. The hills on the western side, and behind the village present quite a view, with the sun just above them right now.

I took off my shoes and started my walk on the beach. It’s quite relaxing, when the sand is not that hot, and there’s a little breeze, with nobody around t bother you. The beach further on curves to the left, with the hills right next to it. The sea next to the shore is filled with small rocks jutting out, and here is where I sat down and relaxed.

Amazing feeling, sitting on those rocks, with the waves lashing past you, getting a little drenched is fine that way. It’s a perfect place to sit and while away the time, you can recline either on these rocks or on the sand, and watch the green-blue water go back and forth. The small hill offers some shade as well, where you can lie down on the sand and forget everything. Further ahead you can see the Dolphin’s nose jutting out into the sea, with the lighthouse also visible.

I wanted to walk all the way to the cliffs next to it, but though better, as it would’ve taken some time and I didn’t want to lose my bus back. So I sat there close to the coconut trees lining a part of the beach, watching the waves come and go before I headed back at 5:30.

 On the way back, I did the idyllic activity that I do at most beaches, look for seashells, which were there in lots of colors at this beach. Had a tea at the bus stand as I waited for the bus to take me back to Vizag. It had gotten a little chilly too towards the evening, and the village folk were all staring at the lone guy in the shorts standing at the bus stand! The dolphin’s nose had to be given a miss, but the beach was one of the most peaceful places I had been to so far, and another tiring day came to its close with some sandwiches and on to the station at 8:30 to catch the train to Bhubaneshwar.