January 2-3rd: A Resort Weekend Excursion

Hello! I'm Caitlyn and I blogged about our weekend excursion to the Estuary Island Resort in Poovar!

Our group left for our first weekend excursion on Saturday.  Our destination: a beach-side resort near the southern tip of India. We were all excited for some beach and relaxation time. It turned out to be that and much more. The trip, however, got off to a somewhat rocky start. The anticipated 3.5 hour drive turned into more than 8 hours, including stops. While the extra few hours was a little frustrating, the view on the drive was unbeatable. Lush mountain tops, colorful towns, and (surprisingly) a wind turbine farm kept us engaged. We were split into a caravan of several large vans, and the students each van had an equally entertaining story of the ride and the bonding experience they shared.

When we finally got to the resort, the sun had just set. It was an absolutely beautiful campus settled deep in the jungle. It was on a river that met with the Arabian Sea. Fittingly, the resort was called Estuary Island. With two pools, a hot tub, and a dozen hammocks among palm trees and sand, we felt like we were in a movie. Unfortunately, we couldn't see much of the grounds because of the darkness so the group settled in to a meal at the river-side bar and restaurant for dinner and socializing.

On Sunday morning, some of us woke up early to watch the sun rise over the water. In the background, we heard the early-morning chanting of devoted Muslims in prayer. It was a beautiful way to start the morning. After taking many pictures and laying in the hammocks, we had breakfast and then went on a boat tour of the river. In little boats that sat 7 people and the driver, we cruised through small nooks of the river and saw plants, animals, and people of all kinds. A particularly memorable moment was seeing an old man standing in the river with his cow, cooling it off by splashing water gently on its sides.

The last stop of the boat tour was the beach that separated the river from the sea. It was perhaps the most beautiful view of the weekend. The beach bustled with local people selling fresh coconuts and pineapples, offering horseback rides, and chatting with the tourists. Our group took countless pictures by the water, with the waves washing over our toes. We had several Indian families ask to take pictures with us, and we enthusiastically obliged!

After the beach, we reluctantly loaded the vans to head back to Madurai. The drive back was just as beautiful, but we were all exhausted from the long weekend. Lots of us spent the drive sleeping.

Perhaps the most important lesson of the weekend was to expect the unexpected. It seemed like everything was a surprise, and it all went swimmingly. A perfect way to kick off a week of hard work at Aravind.

Our love goes to everyone at home! We are all thinking of you. Wish us luck this week!

Curry on.

-Caitlyn