We visited Kanyalkumari, where the Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea all meet at the southernmost tip of India. It’s a stunning and beautiful place, and it’s easy to stop just about anywhere that has a glimpse of the sea to just soak in the sea breeze, sea view and glorious sunshine.
Of course, where there are tourists (Indian or foreign), there are people trying to sell things to tourists. In Kanyalkumari there is an endless supply of guys walking around selling sunglasses (and sometimes some other things). The market seemed supersatured to me, so perhaps that goes some way to explaining the following, frequent, interaction (which is typically happening while we are walking). It starts with an Indian salesman and alternates between him (as it’s invariably a him) and me.
“Hello Sir (holding sunglasses).”
“No thank you.”
“Sunglasses sir? (now holding sunglasses out to me)”
“No.”
“Good price.”
“No.”
“Sun cooling.”
“No.”
“Unbreakable (while stretching the sunglasses out to prove his point).”
“No.”
“Sun blocking.”
“No.”
“Very good quality.”
“No.”
“Sun cooling.”
“No.”
“Unbreakable.”
“No.”
“Very good…. (trails off as he gives up following, but still calls out his sales pitch)”
“No.”
