This is what it's like to be an Indian woman on a nude beach

Watching fellow women in itty-bitty bikinis wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. Photo Courtesy: YouTube/Dharma Productions

When people say travelling is a great way to discover yourself and learn new things, I can't agree more. Not because I think it's a great way to get over an ex; but because, it is indeed a great way to learn from the open-mindedness of those you meet along the journey.

My last trip to Thailand was quite a learning experience as well. It all happened when I went on a seemingly adventurous day tour of the famous Phi Phi and James Bond islands along with my family and friends.

If you're dizzy in the head trying to figure out how I could possibly find a nude beach in a conservative country like Thailand, here's a reality check: Firstly, illegal things happen all over the world, and not just in India. Secondly, those beaches are just as isolated as they are beautiful. Hence, people bathing in the sun without any clothes on is a common sight there.

Strangely, Watching Them Awakened My Hidden Mommy Instincts

When I saw people baring it all, sunbathing their way to a glorious tan, all I was worried about was them ruining their skin in the sun. Blame it on their lack of Punjabiness in life, but most foreigners crave for an olive complexion and blame it on my excess of Punjabiness in life, I completely forgot that. So, almost instinctively, I wanted to offer them a tomato out of my bowl of the bland and well, rare, vegetarian salad so that they could rub it on their skins to get rid of their tan, just as I was made to do by my mother every time I'd step out in the sun. Knowingly or unknowingly, I wanted to be that strict Punjabi mother to them and it freaked me out.

Also read: 6 types of annoying travellers we've all met on that holiday.

My Association With Motherhood Just Didn't End Here
Most women roaming around in bikinis and swim suits at the beach had perfectly sculpted bodies. And the ones who didn't were still so confident and comfortable in their own skin that it was inspiring to see them.

However, to be honest, it was quite a low-blow to my confidence too. All I could think about was my mother's ghee and milk oozing out of those swimsuits and fancy neon bikinis if I were to don them. So, there I was concealing her love in a comparatively modest, transparent kaftan over my black (for obvious reasons) thigh-length swimsuit.

But Amidst All the Chaos, I Did Manage To Find Something To Learn From The People There
Again, thanks to my mother, who has taught me to see the good in people, I did manage to see the good in Thailand too, despite the stinking food, the stone-cold attitudes of most people there, and their fake-ass products. I am referring to theirs and well--their tourists'--open-minded and non-judgmental attitudes. I mean, come to think of it: How freely can we sport bikinis or even anything that revealing at a beach in Goa, for instance?

Also read: Embrace your #bellyjelly: 6 body positive things you should start doing right NOW!

That's Not It. My Beachy Day Out Turned Out To Be a Preachy Day Out

For it taught me a lot about self-confidence. While I sat there, aspiring to be as confident as the women roaming around freely in bikinis, they were out there enjoying themselves without a care in the world. If only, I had shed my reluctance, I would have been writing about my delightful, liberating experiences at the beach instead of recounting how intimidated I was watching all of them. If only…