lost in the spice and dust of porbandar
porbandar. i landed here after a 7-hour train ride that smelled like cumin and diesel. the station was packed with families, chai wallahs, and one guy who kept asking if i wanted to buy a map. i didn't. but i did end up buying a samosa from a stall with no name, just a flickering bulb and a handwritten price list. it was the best samosa i've had in years.
i just checked and it's 28.6°c there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. the humidity's low, so it's not sticky, but the sun hits like a frying pan. wear a hat or become one.
porbandar's not huge, but it's got layers. the old city is a maze of narrow lanes where auto-rickshaws honk like geese and every corner smells like frying pakoras or incense. i got lost three times trying to find the kirti mandir, mahatma gandhi's birthplace. when i finally got there, it was quieter than i expected-almost meditative. someone told me that locals come here at sunrise to meditate before the tourists arrive. i showed up at noon and got stuck behind a school group.
if you get bored, rajkot and junagadh are just a short drive away. rajkot's got a great street food scene, and junagadh's uphills will wreck your calves but reward you with ancient forts and zero tourists.
overheard gossip: a guy at a rooftop cafe said the best seafood in town is at a place called blue lagoon, but only if you go after 8pm. he also warned me not to eat the prawns from the beach stalls unless i wanted to spend my next day "becoming best friends with the toilet." i ignored that advice and lived to tell the tale.
here's where i wish i'd brought:
- a reusable water bottle (the heat sneaks up on you)
- a scarf for temple visits (modesty rules)
- extra battery packs (gps eats power like a hungry kid)
i spent an afternoon at the porbandar bird sanctuary, which is basically a small lake with painted storks and a few confused ducks. not a safari, but peaceful. someone said the sunset there is worth skipping dinner for. i skipped dinner and watched the sun melt into the water like a golden yolk.
and then there's the beach. not the cleanest, but the sunsets are unreal. local families gather, kids fly kites, and the sea breeze carries the smell of salt and frying snacks. i sat there for two hours doing absolutely nothing and felt more recharged than after a full night's sleep.
random bolded advice: *don't trust google maps in the old city. it'll send you down alleys that are more like gaps between buildings. ask a local instead. and try the chaat at gokul chaat center* if you find it-it's a hole in the wall with no sign, but the bhel puri is legendary.
i'm already planning my next trip back, maybe during monsoon when the dust turns to mud and the city smells like wet earth and coriander.
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