Here I was, in the busy streets of a South Indian temple town, walking hand in hand with a man who looked very different from the crowd. Two men holding hands while walking is not an unusual sight in India. So, luckily, we didn’t draw any unwanted attention “I couldn’t have done this in my country so easily”, said Jon with a nervous smile on his face.
I replied with a similar remark as we walked towards the roaring sea illuminated by the soothing glow of the full moon.
It was the ninth day of my solo trip when I had reached Mahabalipuram, earlier that morning. I wasn’t expecting much from the town except an opportunity to take pictures of the impressive temples and monuments for a day. But the last eight days had worn me down a little, and I was looking for someone to unwind with. As a solo traveller, you have your fair share of lonesome days. Saving myself the self pity, like a true millennial, I took out my phone and began checking out the men in the neighbourhood.
The First Date
I found Jon on a dating app and after talking to him over texts for a while, we decided to meet in a cafe, nearby. I almost instantly liked Jon as I lay my eyes on him. Over beer and snacks, as we began talking, I found out that he was from Colombia and was pursuing a doctorate in medicine in Germany. He was in India to attend a friend's wedding when he decided to stayback and explore a little more of the temple town of Mahabaleshwar.
Conversation seemed to flow easily and I could tell that Jon too had begun to like me. While I could not stop myself from complimenting him on his cute looks, he too appreciated my beard. As the count of beers went up, we lost any inhibitions that we had and it was hard to tell that we’d just met a couple of hours ago.
On hearing some firecrackers, Jon was intrigued. Unable to respond to his curiosity,we decided to go check it out. Soon, we found ourselves amidst a huge crowd which had gathered around the holy pool next to Perumal temple. It was an auspicious day when devotees from far off had come to worship the deity at the temple. The steps of the temple were lit with thousands of diyas as a heavily adorned and illuminated chariot of the deity floated over the pool. It was exciting not just for Jon to immerse in the local culture but for me as well. I did not know anything about the festival or any of the rituals, and was left amazed by the sight in front.
Coming Closer
Experiencing the event together led us into starting a conversation about each other’s cultures. Jon started telling me about his hometown Bogota and his education years in Wurzburg. He was talking about everything – from complex things like what it meant to be a Colombian to things as simple as how he didn’t like to discuss the web series, Narcos. I was telling Jon a few mythological stories from India, how different regions of India have different languages, and that my knowledge of Tamil was the same as his, despite him being a foreigner. Talking about our rituals and beliefs, we walked hand in hand towards the beach, where the roaring sea stood illuminated by the soothing glow of the full moon.
The tides were high and the sea roared as the full moon shone bright in the sky. We sat in an empty boat on the shore talking to each other. Attraction changed into interest as we got to know more about each other. I loved Jon’s accent. English wasn’t his first language, and he struggled a bit with the pronunciation of words. We laughed at ourselves as we discovered these adorable flaws in each other. Immersed in the experience that both of us didn’t anticipate, time slipped away quickly.
The town that I was planning to skim through, click pictures of and escape was now holding me tight in its grip, as if almost mocking me for my ignorance. It was a reminder of what travelling brings, a staged effort to tell me how the beauty of places, like people, lie in their unpredictability. As the night turned darker and our conversations deeper, Jon asked me softly if we should go to my place. I agreed.
Getting flexible with plans
The next morning, I woke to drum beats. A huge procession was in progress as the temple deities were being carried from the pool to the beach. Thousands of devotees seeking the blessings of the deities had gathered on the beach. Apart from getting a taste of the local culture, it was a great photographing opportunity.
In a few hours the procession ended and as per my plan I had to leave for Chennai after clicking photographs. Even though none of us had talked about my plan, it was understood that we wanted to spend more time together. Of course, I gave in to what this trip demanded and decided to stay.
I waited for Jon to get ready, before we hit the beach again. Being an Indian, I have never needed to get tanned, but Jon wanted to make the most of the sunny weather. We sunbathed for a while after which he went surfing. The large tides were a delight for those who love surfing. Jon didn’t force me into getting deep into the sea as I had told him about my fear of water and that I didn’t know how to swim. However, that didn’t stop him from playing in the sea. I happily gazed, as he unapologetically goofed around and tried new things. This unabashed playfulness and zeal is what I liked the most about him.
Exploring Mahabalipuram together
A UNESCO World Heritage site, Mahabalipuram is dotted with thousand year old temples and monuments, and is a delight for history lovers.
We had lunch at a restaurant called Moonrakers where they were playing Spanish songs. Excitedly, Jon started singing along. Till today, he is the only guy I know who can sing Despacito correctly. Even if he didn't, I wouldn't ever know.
We continued exploring the city together on foot and visited Krishna's Butter Ball, Pandava Chariots, Shore Temple, ending the day by watching the sunset from the lighthouse. I had forgotten that I had any other plans at all. I was back to being the traveller I aimed at becoming and went with the flow, not regretting a moment of it. I loved my vivacious companion who had made this trip so light and fun with his jokes and antics.
Not strangers anymore
We walked barefoot on the beach watching the moon play with the clouds. We talked at lengths about each other's lives, the things that we love and the places that we wish to visit. Next up was having Jon's favourite Indian dish – Biryani. Jon had gone crazy about Biryani ever since he had it for the first time in India at his friend’s wedding.
I mischievously ordered only one plate, so that I could tease him by eating from his plate. The look on his face was hilarious whenever I would take a big bite from his plate. Just a day ago, we were complete strangers and now here I was, playing pranks on him at dinner. It was all bitter-sweet as we both knew the fun wasn’t going to last forever. After dinner, we went back to spend our last night together in my hotel room.
The end approaches near
It was morning before we knew it and we had to plan our return. Co-incidentally, both of our return flights were at the same time the next day, which meant that we could have more time together. We spent the first half of the day re-visiting the Shore Temple and the lighthouse as they’d become our favourite spots. Jon sent some postcards to his family and friends from the local post office after which we lay under a tree, telling each other how we loved every bit of our two days together. Neither of us wanted to go back. But of course, like all great, life-changing travelling experiences, this one had an end too.
We took a bus to Chennai via the beautiful East Coast Road running parallel to Bay of Bengal. I had to meet an old friend who had invited me for dinner. Jon and I had prepared ourselves for parting, and were unusually quiet. We promised to meet at the airport if we could, though I did not want to keep my hopes high. I left for my friend’s place as Jon found a cab to the airport.
The airport climax
After having dinner with my friend, I reached the airport a bit late. I was pretty sure that I wouldn't have enough time to return from the international terminal to the domestic terminal from where my flight was. Disappointed, I proceeded towards the domestic terminal. But surprisingly, I found that both the terminals in Chennai were just a few hundred metres from each other, and I could easily walk on foot to the other terminal.
I called Jon, but his phone was off. After trying quite a few more times, I was able to connect with him. By the stroke of luck, for the hundredth time on this trip, Jon hadn't gone inside the airport and was charging his phone outside. We spent the last few minutes we had together taking gentle strolls between the two terminals. I asked him if we could kiss. He scoffed," It's not legal in India. There are cops around us."
I gave a departing hug to Jon before he went inside the airport. As I made my way to the domestic terminal, I received a message saying ‘Goodbye, will always remember you’.
Looking back
It’s been two years since I met Jon but till date he’s one of my most cherished travel memories. Not often do we come across a stranger from a far away land who transforms our journey to make it more beautiful. Hardly ever you meet someone you would change your plans for. The two days I spent with Jon in a place that I was going to make a pit stop, changed the course of my future journeys. Wherever I travel now, I go with an even more open mind and let the place set the tone for my experience. I have visited a thousand places but Mahabalipuram will always be my favourite because of the perfect stranger I met there.
Have you ever had a romantic encounter while travelling? Tell us in the comments below.
