Last year, four out of the six sunshine girls, went on a short trip to a place not too far, and stayed in a cottage by the sea side for a couple of days. The aim was to spend time with each other and jabber away to our hearts content. Good food of course, was always welcome.

In the last leg of our drive, we had to stop and ask for directions. It appeared to us as if we had reached a dead end. On one side of us was dirt road skirting a thengin thoppu (coconut grove) with a cow or two grazing. On the other side was a dirt road too, close to the edge of the cliff leading somewhere or other. Which direction were we to go? Yes, the man from the resort replied, the road to the left if you please, and you’ll soon be here. He was referring to the second one.

So we drove down the road (one of us sunshine girls was the designated driver) fascinated by the fact that on one said was the cliff edge with the sea battering mercilessly against the rocks down below, anything between twenty to fifty or even seventy feet below. Sorry, I am not very good with calculations of that sort. On the other side of the dirt road was a wall marking the boundary of someone’s property.

It was a short drive along the cliff edge and then the road turned inward, thankfully away from the cliff edge. Soon we were at our destination and settled into two adjacent cottages. After lunch we walked around a bit enjoying the blue sea and the foamy waves as it hit the rocks. It was sultry and we were soon driven indoors to our a/c rooms to have a siesta.

In the evening we were out again, driving on the same road to a different part of the cliff to enjoy the sunset and a relaxed dinner. After dinner and a leisurely walk, we drove back. When we reached the cliff side path leading to our resort, it was in total darkness, lit only by the headlights of our car. The roar of the sea could be heard down below, but nothing much could be seen though there was a pale moon, visible from behind the leaves of the coconut trees.

“You know something girls?” I mused idly, “I was just thinking of something.” Yeah, I am always one for thinking. “If,” I continued, “our car were to go over the cliff and crash into the sea now, no one would even know we are gone till tomorrow morning.” It’s another matter that even if they knew no one could do anything about it considering the treacherous rocks below on which the waves could be heard crashing.

“Why do you have to think of such things?” A friend piped up. “Stop worrying. Think good thoughts!” she admonished me.

“But..” I replied. I am a story teller, and imagination is an asset as far as a story-writer is concerned!” I explained.

I assure you these are not negative thoughts, more of the ‘what if’ phenomenon at work with me. What if something happened this way or that? How would people react? What exactly would happen to us? What would be our feelings if indeed our car hurtled down? What would our families say? What will the news be, and the people’s reaction to the news… I am not worrying, it is idle, curious thought. It is my imagination on overdrive.

I assure you, I was extremely sorry to have scared my friends by voicing the thoughts that raced through my imaginative head. I should have kept it aside for writing later. These kind of thoughts are nothing new for me. Imagining is how stories are born as far as I am concerned. Fortunately for everyone, by then we had crossed the dicey part of the path and were on the better lit part away from the edge.

But…. I wasn’t done for the day apparently. Sigh.

Late at night. after spending some time chatting away happily, we were back in our respective rooms getting ready for sleep. As I lay there waiting for sleep to grace me, something came up in my thoughts. There it is again! I turned to the friend who was sharing the room with me and asked her, “Do you think if a tsunami struck this coast at night it will reach our cottage and wash us away in our sleep?”

I know. I know! You are aghast that I did just the thing to make the poor girl lose her sleep, right? I asked her as much too. Luckily, she slept well in spite of my tactless query (And I did too, like a baby). By the way her answer had been that it is quite possible that we’d be washed away if a tsunami wave did come by.

Anyway, we all got back home the next evening with no more queries from me. Nevertheless, I am worried now. What if my friends decide to leave me behind when they go out next? I swear girls, no more. I’ll keep my imagination in check while with you girls! 😉

In the meantime enjoy some of the photos from the trip that I took:

©️ Shail Mohan 2025