For some odd reason I had painted a picture of Kannur as a small laidback town, and this very fact attracted me to pay the place a visit in June.
As the train chugged into God’s own country, the smell of new sprouts from vast paddy fields filled the compartment. Nothing can be a more delightful sight than this if you are coming from a big city.
But the excitement was soon taken away when the train reached Kannur Railway Station. Wrestling our way through the mass of locals hurrying to work in nearby towns, we emerged from the railway station to find a place quite like any other busy town.
Shops and malls rose up all over the place, and busy traffic completed the picture of a place on its way to lose its soul to “modernization”.
With a sort of disappointment in my voice I called the owner of the Kannur Beach House, who was more excited about the trip than I was.
We hired an auto-rickshaw to reach the home-stay and the friendly driver offered us a narration of the town's history.
The ricky took a sharp turn to enter a road which seemed never ending. I was so frustrated with the journey that I completely missed the sights until Lisa brought me back to reality.
The ricky had long left civilization and was negotiating curvy roads guiding us to the home-stay. My anger soon ebbed away when we reached a cliff and I could see a thick cover of coconut tress along the coast. Postcard perfect.
We paid the autorickshaw driver and were shown our rooms in the house by a quiet lady, who welcomed us with a warm smile and an open heart.
The sun hung gloriously over a tiny beach that lay squashed in the middle of the roaring sea and the gurgling river. Our weekend home overlooked this pretty sight, stark contrast to the dust and pollution of our cities.
After settling in we were soon greeted by the lovely couple Nazir and Rosi. It did not take long to feel comfortable and at ease. I have stayed in many hostels and home-stays, but what sets this place apart is the friendly nature of Nazir and his family.
One cannot write about Nazir’s place without mentioning the food. It is simple and doesn’t tickle your taste buds with too much spice.
The fresh aroma of the coconut and flavours of Kerala make you eat more than your stomach can take.
And if you are feeling bloated after savouring the coastal Kerala delights from Rosi’s kitchen, using the canoe to explore the backwaters is not a bad idea.
But I am not one of those fitness freaks and settled into one of the hammocks with a book. Trust me it’s divine, the mix of the sounds of the roaring waves and gentle flowing backwater is heavenly.
I did not even realize when I fell asleep only to be woken by Rosi for an evening cuppa. The walk on the beach is very different from other tourist hotspots in the state. You will hardly find a soul to disturb you.
As the sun went back into the clouds after a day’s hard work, we headed back to enjoy some more delicious food.
The sky had donned a beautiful blanket of stars giving us enough natural light to enjoy our drink and indulge in meaningless conversation.
Thank you Rosi and Nazir for the Kannur Beach House. I promise to return very soon.
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