For sure, travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer. Yes, richer in every respect as each journey means wonderful places, new people, good food, and some great memories.
Everyone longs for a journey where they can completely break free from studies or work and life's myriad of problems, and float on air.
And one indispensable cog of any journey is delicious food that tickles your taste buds no end. Eating to one's fill can only give a sense of self-confidence and self-respect, to say the least.
Travelling, obviously, takes a whole host of connotations for different people. For some, it could be a long journey breaking away from the mundane activities and for some, it could be a visit to a place nearby, may be a beach, during the weekend and get lost for a while.
Travelling on the iconic 28-km beach road from Beypore to Kappad along the Kozhikode beach, on your favourite motorbike, is something out of the world. Just imagine the cool salty breeze rustling your dress and the mesmerizing view of vast expanse of blue water on one side of the road. It can't get better. You could only be tempted to stop over and take a walk on the sandy beaches.
History of beach road
The beach road is the first road to be tar-paved in the Malabar region. About 92 years ago, mud pathways were in vogue, and bullock carts and horse carts were used for transporting people and goods. Travelling on those days was treacherous because thick plumes of dust would emanate from the mud pathways, and workers were roped in to sprinkle water to keep dust at bay.
The authorities started thinking of tarring the city roads in January, 1926. Though it was decided to first tar-pave the Mittayi theruvu in Kozhikode city, after much deliberations the corporation council took a call to first tar the beach road. The road tarring was carried out on an experimental basis in the Malabar region, and people had doubts over it.
Best & Co, the company that tarred the Ooty roads, was given the responsibility to tar the beach road, too. It is curious to note that the then municipal engineer visited Ooty to study the intricacies of road tarring.
Teashop on wheels
A walk down the memory lane brings you to the Thodiyil temple. A food truck, painted in burning yellow, is parked under a badam tree on the roadside near the beach. The concept of food truck is quite alien to the people of Kozhikode but it is very popular in the US. The food truck idea is simple. Delectable and mouth-watering food is prepared and served in a hygienic environment to the liking of the gastronomes.
The attractive and wacky graffiti on the truck with the tag line 'Njalla Koyikode nmlla chayavandi' (Kozhikode's our own tea shop vehicle) written in local slang stands out.
The food truck is owned by Suvin, a native of Palazhi, a suburb of Kozhikode city, and he was running the business under the company name 'Food Republic – the Teashop Private Limited.' Suvin owns supermarket and bakery and has been into food truck biz for the past three months.
