Placid Puri

After a long train journey from Delhi and being inland since leaving Mumbai, I welcomed the ocean. Puri, in Odisha state, wasn’t a large town when we visited. Most hikes we took were over sandy lanes or along the beach that stretched well past the town. But it was relaxing after the buzz of Delhi and Agra where it seemed impossible to avoid crowds.

Mamallapuram’s Beach

I rambled past buildings that must have been constructed over sand and reached a long stretch of beach. The sand was hot so it was a relief to wade in the luke warm ocean.

Pondy’s beachfront

I cooled off in a beach side restaurant because it wasn’t only the thirty-two degree heat that had me wilting, but the high humidity drenching my skin. I sat talking to a Mumbai visitor while the Bay of Bengal beckoned.