If you get married in winter months or more precisely, January:
# Family and guests do not dehydrate sweating while carrying the heavy jewelry, extravagant clothing and makeup.
# You rather feel quite cozy sitting in front of the warm holy fire.
# You end up dismissing the mountain-half of your options when deciding on the destination of your first trip together as a couple.
# Fortunately, you learn to stop being a know-it-all judgmental snob and start having an open mind once you reach the destination. For us, it was Andaman Islands.
The Havelock Chapter
The first thing to notice about Havelock Island is its all encompassing green blanket. One of the most luxurious of greens I have ever seen. The air had the vibe of simple living which completely cured me of the sea sickness (I did not know I had). Sticking your head out of the window and filling your lungs with the purest possible air seemed like the only thing to be done on our way to the resort.
It feels funny when you have an exotic destination in your mind, a place very unfamiliar, almost undiscovered, but you end up using your mother tongue to converse with the local people. The islands of Andaman have a funny mix of Bengali and Tamil speaking population which you do not see anywhere else - may it be Chennai, Kolkata, not even New Jersey or San Francisco.
That way, thankfully ,the Andamans did appear very (very) exotic to me. A one of a kind place.
My photos don't do justice to the place (not usually at least). I confess having said this enough, and yet I repeat (again). This time for The Radhanagar Beach. An ivory coast with its aquamarine water, lush green forest on its other boundary and no other sound for miles except the smooth sound of the jolly waves. You cannot ask for a better morning.
Not just children, even the warm waves seem to frolic on the beach with its sand. Walking ankle deep (at times deeper) in those waves and letting the sand cover and wash your feet at the same time, you realize, you would not want to be anywhere else in the world but this place.
The sunset, again and like always, appears to slow down the time in the midst of everything else humdrum. You can do away with all the photo filters in your phone and see how stunning the colours can be on their own. The glittering waves, the silhouettes of mysterious objects, the useless collection of empty shells in your pockets and the company of that one person who makes you feel so very rich.
The Elephant Beach Chapter
Will not divulge much on how the sport of snorkeling became just a walk in waist high water! With one or two occasional dips struggling to appreciate marine beauty, all I can state that I cannot suddenly stop breathing through my nose - and start gasping through my mouth - and put my head partially under water - and lift both my feet and start believing in buoyancy - and be comfortable with all these at the same time. Sorry, too much pressure.
The high point was the sea walking. Only wearing a 25 kilo non water-tight helmet and with the help of two divers, you go mesmerizing-ly close with the vibrant marine life of the equator. (Yes! The person grinning in the picture below is me). For a few moments, the setting made me recall Tintin's adventure underwater in Red Rackham's Treasure (minus the shark, thankfully!)
You will look like (sound like, feel like) a moron wearing that helmet outside water. But once you are in the deep, in spite of the piercing ache inside your ear, your first few minutes will certainly be spent soaking in (soaking, literally) the surreal realm around you. Everything is blue and every ray of the sun visibly dispersing. The fishes accept food from your palm, but you are not supposed to touch any coral or vegetation. With no foot wear or any other diving gear, the feel of the white sand of the ocean floor and the warm clear water embracing you from all direction relaxes every cell in your body in a single instant.
The Rest
You might fancy yourself as an adventurer, an explorer (even a Columbus-ian discoverer too), but there are very few things which match the satisfaction of the feeling - "Ya! Things are certainly in place. Even I am in the place where I need to be. No movement required". A strange sense of "okay-ness" in the whole unpredictability is probably the part of the charm. 
That's what, I think, the sea does to people. It heightens the power of acceptance. It makes one see the beauty, the individuality in spite of the rough and dubious edges. The wind it carries, is high. But, again, the best way to stand on its shore, is just to stand. Quietly. Facing it.
One knows that the journey has only begun. There are going to be a lot of dawns and dusks on the way. Few of them might be powerful enough to change someone as a person too. May be for good, may be for... well, not so good. But the thing one can cling on to, come hell or high water, are some of the souvenirs taken back home from the first beach. The sound of the waves, the tickle from the moving sand beneath your feet, the golden trail of the setting sun, the clear sky, the endless bird songs from the woods, the abundance of colours.
The perfections are someway gifted already. The pledge of its preservation is probably the biggest reason why there needs be a first beach together.
Well... See you soon.
Cheers! :)
! Travelers tips:
-These islands have very poor internet connectivity which means no active social media-ing or Google Map-ing.
- Carry cash. Credit/Debit cards need internet. Even best resorts/restaurants struggle with it.
- Remote places have very little mobile phone reception. Ask locals for the best spot to make calls home.
- VERY IMPORTANT: Plan as per weather forecasts and stay updated on its changing conditions. Talking to you resort employees is always a convenient way to stay updated. These islands are in cyclone prone region on the Indian Ocean and even with the promptness of the Indian Navy's efforts, the evacuation process may take days in case of anything worse.
