Upscale Playground for Golfers, Shoppers and Sun-Worshippers

 (Chriselle, Menaka and I rented bikes to explore Hilton Head Island)
Inching further up the coast, we arrived in the upscale beach resort of Hilton Head Island, long revered among Wall Street yuppies as the vacation destination of choice. And I could see why! Long before we arrived at the island itself, we passed by scores of outlet stores and designer boutiques, all captivatingly constructed to blend unobtrusively with the natural beauty of the island. Grove after grove of swaying palmetto trees, the state tree of South Carolina, reminded me of Mangalore, Chriselle of Goa and Menaka of Kerala, so that we felt deeply nostalgic for the more rural environs of our native country, India. Exquisite landscaping, endless golf courses, each manicured more lovingly than the next, Waspy vacationers attired in biker shorts, Birkenstocks and Brooks Brother T-shirts, oozing sun block in the warm mid-March air, made us feel as if summer days would never cease. As the mighty Atlantic Ocean’s waves broke over one of the broadest beaches I have ever seen, we dunked our toes in foamy surf. Unable to resist the urge, we stopped for fruity daiquiris at The Frosty Frog, a young hangout on the beach. Then replete with our heady aperitifs, we rented bikes and pedaled all the way to the Harbor town Lighthouse where enticing shops offered opportunities for endless shopping sprees. We could not have prayed for a more gorgeous day than the one we had at the beach. Thoughtfully endowed with special bikers’ pathways, Hilton Head is best explored with the convenience of a two-wheeler and we cycled to our heart’s content. At the Sea Pines Resort, I understood for the first time, why northeastern “Snowbirds” flock to the warm south during the winter months. Here is where one can enjoy the good life after a lifetime’s acquisition of executive stress. As we watched former corporate tycoons tee off over the emerald-green links, I vowed to return someday with Llew and try our own amateur hands at a few rounds.

The next day, we headed off to Myrtle Beach where we joined Irish revellers at a traditional pub to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Please join  us in our revels.

(At the lighthouse on Hilton Head Island)