pondicherry solo trip (the last night of 2024)

PS: it's gonna be a long one. i've poured my raw and honest thoughts here (lots of photos tho:)

on the night of 30th december 2024, i was lying on my bed, throat hurting, mind tired, and out of nowhere i decided i wanted to leave. i don't know what triggered it, but i opened the redbus app, checked buses, and booked one to pondicherry. no plan, no packing list, nothing. i threw some clothes into a bag, set an alarm, and tried to sleep.

i think i barely slept three hours. the bus was at 6 am, and when i got in, there were only three passengers including me. i went straight to the last four seats, stretched out, and dozed off most of the way.

when i woke up, we were already near pondicherry. reached around 1 pm. i was groggy, hungry, throat still sore. my hostel was around 3 kms away, and i really didn't have the energy to walk. i found an auto and tried to explain where i wanted to go. uncle didn't understand english or hindi, i didn't understand tamil. somehow after a few gestures we settled on a price and he dropped me off.

when i arrived at the hostel, the hosts told me to wait since a few people hadn't checked out. i left my bag there and went looking for lunch. since i had a sore throat, i was craving something simple like dal chawal. after walking around a bit, i found this restaurant called bhatt's kitchen. warm & quiet place. i had rice, dal, and some sabzi. it is one of those meals that instantly makes you feel better.

when i went back, the hosts said there was no booking in my name. i opened my phone and realized i'd booked the room for 31st jan instead of 31st dec. i just laughed. luckily, the hosts were chill about it. they helped me sort it out with makemytrip and got me a room anyway. i finally dropped my bag and crashed on the bed for a while.

in the evening, i went out to explore. rock beach was about a couple of kilometres from the hostel, so i walked there slowly, taking in the streets. the french colony looked even prettier than i imagined. pastel houses, quiet lanes, yellow walls, plants hanging from balconies. i clicked a few photos, just roamed around exploring the streets.

also went to sri aurobindo ashram. the moment i stepped in, everything went silent. mostly elderly people sitting, meditating, praying. two of them looked at me and asked me to silence my phone. i think i was the youngest person there. for about half an hour, i just sat there doing nothing. no noise, no phones, no cars. just people breathing. that silence felt new. if i ever go back to pondicherry, i'd go back there first.

by the time i came out, the streets were lit, people were out, and there was a nice buzz in the air. i grabbed dinner on the way back, something light, and when i reached the hostel, the hosts were setting up a small terrace party for new year's eve. they'd arranged barbecue, some drinks, and music.

around 11 pm, i went upstairs. i started initiating a conversation with a few people something i'm getting better at, i guess. met two guys from pune, one of them had just gone through a breakup and had randomly come on a solo trip too. we ended up talking about life, work, relationships, random stuff. there was also this uncle from england, probably in his 60s to whom one of the guy was asking to return back kohinoor lmao

i don't drink so just had my barbecue chilling with the people, and singing songs. the vibe was light, warm, real. i think it was around 4 in the morning when we finally wrapped up. funny how you can meet strangers one night, talk like you've known them forever, and then the next day, everyone just goes back to their lives.

the next morning, i went exploring with the guy from pune. we had breakfast with the english uncle before dropping him off for his flight. then we rode to arikamedu, an old archaeological site from around 200 bc. not much there now, just ruins and trees, but peaceful in a quiet way. after that, we had tamil style lunch served on banana leaves. couldn't talk much with the staff, but the food was simple and really good.

later, he wanted to visit a temple far away, but i wasn't feeling it. i told him i'd rather walk around the city. so i walked for about an hour. this time i saw a different side of pondicherry. old houses, narrow streets, people living simply but smiling, some playing games on the roadside. i saw a group of men in their 40s or 50s playing a game with stones. they noticed me taking photos, smiled, and made space for me without a word. those small moments, they hit different.

in the evening, we met again for dinner. tried prawns, squids, and chicken. just chatted about random things. that was the last time i saw him. he had another night booked somewhere else. the next morning when i woke up, the hostel felt empty. the terrace that was full of people and laughter the night before was completely silent. i sat there for a while with one of the hosts, just talking about life and looking at the sky.

on 2nd jan, i had my bus back tto bangalore at noon. before leaving, i went to the pondicherry museum. they didn't allow phones inside, which honestly made the experience better. it was filled with french era furniture, mirrors, makeup kits, and war relics. walking around, i kept imagining how people must've lived here centuries ago. i left around 10, packed my bags, thanked the hosts, and went to catch my bus.

on the way back, i kept thinking about the last two days. this trip wasn't about seeing places or ticking off things to do. it was about slowing down. about being alone and actually being okay with it. pondicherry taught me what stillness feels like.

the sea didn't say anything, but it listened. and somehow that was enough.

traveling solo makes you realize how temporary everything is. people, places, conversations they all pass. what stays is how you start seeing yourself differently. i came back not happier or sadder, just lighter. a little more at peace:))

if you've made it till here, thank you for reading. i'm not consistent here, but this one felt worth sharing. see you soon:)

— chinmay 11.10.2025