S1 E08 | Bugs in the Room, Beach Walks and Falafel

Good morning from Havelock! 🌴
Today started with a wild story—actually, five of them. Last night, our room turned into what felt like an insect hostel:

• A giant spider crawled across the floor (swiftly broomed away).

• A centipede wriggled in under the door (we caught it in a bottle and released it far away).

• A frog hopped straight inside and hid under the bed, leaving us awake half the night listening for it.

• Three lizards—brown, green, and black—moved in as long-term guests.

• And worst of all, a tiny flying insect flew straight into my eye, leaving it red and swollen.

Add a colony of ants and some monster mosquitoes, and you get the picture. One of us is handling it better than expected, but the other is officially traumatized.

After that restless night, we walked down to Vijayanagar Beach. The morning sun made the turquoise water pop, and at low tide, the seabed stretched out to reveal rocks, corals, and shallow pools. We took plenty of photos for Instagram and the blog. By midday, more tourists had arrived—likely because flights only operate 3–4 times a week—so the island suddenly felt alive.

Of course, even on the beach we weren’t alone—spiders crawled on our camera mid-shoot, reminding us we’re still in their world.

Later in the afternoon, after realizing just how sun-tanned we’d become, we freshened up and headed for Full Moon Café where we ordered:

• A falafel platter with three types of dips and garlic naan.

• Jacket potatoes (which were only average).

The falafel was the highlight—crispy, filling, and delicious. The café itself has grown bigger and more spacious since we last came, and remains pet-friendly. That’s a blessing or a curse, depending on whether you like being sniffed by dogs while you eat (spoiler: Shishira didn’t).

Evening brought us back to the water, this time at high tide, when the beach transformed—blue on blue, with small mangrove islets and even setups for romantic candlelight dinners by the sea. Fairy lights, flowers, and cabanas made it look dreamy. Shishira hinted at wanting one.

We ended the night with ice cream—yes, slightly over budget, but worth it.

Another day of bugs, beaches, and bites (of food and mosquitoes) in paradise.