Well you would have read in previous blogs that Jelle is a social worker here at Sebastian Indian Social Projects and Jimmy and I have joined him in taking the kids to the Zoo and swimming a few times. Now that I'm in full Yoga mode (daily practice ... except those days when it's too damn hot or I'm too damn lazy) I really need something else to do during the day... you can only sit on the beach for so long. So I spoke to Paul who runs S.I.S.P. to see if I could help out in any way ... [View Full Entry]

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With Jimmy leaving us soon, Jelle going back to Belgium in a couple of weeks and the weekend upon us it was time for an overnight trip on the bikes to Varkala Beach. Jelle and I were on an old Enfield motorbike which was really cool but a bit temperamental and just before we arrived at Varkala we got caught in a downpour. When it rains in this country it really rains! After stopping for Chai and when the rain had stopped we couldn't get the bike started but have no fear 'cause we're in India and there's always someone that [View Full Entry]

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The hardest part about travelling is saying good bye to people you meet along the way... but it's a good excuse for a party! Jimmy returned from a few days touring throughout the south and we said goodbye to Wannes who was heading to Mumbai. Needless to say... I didn't make it to Yoga the next morning! [View Full Entry]

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Today Wannes and I took a day trip to Ponmudi, a small hill station about 80km from Kovalam. I may not be able to ride a scooter or a motorbike myself... but I love being a passenger! Once we got out of Thiruvananthapuram city the ride was relaxing and the scenery beautiful. The road wound up through the hills with more than 20 hair pin turns which was exhilerating! It's a little cooler in the hills which was a nice change from the beach and our mission was to find a cold river to swim in ... and we were successful. [View Full Entry]

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The Yoga Goddess within has been released!!! Have found a fantastic Yoga teacher called Shiva and for the past 10 days have been bending and twisting in ways I never thought possible. Each day I see a little improvement but then Shiva gives me new postures that seem impossible to do. Some days are much harder than others, especially the 6.30am wake up (bloody hell I'm on holidays) then the half hour walk to the class then 1 and an half to two hours of yoga, a swim at the beach and half hour walk back to the house. 1 month [View Full Entry]

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With the arrival of Jelles family (Mum, Dad, Brother and his girlfriend) what better excuse to throw a party on the roof top. In India ... you can't have a party without food. Mani, Imam and Abrahim prepared the most delicious BBQ with whole fish, dahl fry, prawns, spicy chicken and parotta. It wasn't long after the food had been cleared away that the dancing began. I've never seen anything like it... I was exhausted just watching! It was a great night ... so good in fact we ended up with 6 additional house guests sleeping on the floor. [View Full Entry]

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What a little piece of paradise Kovalam is with beautiful beaches and a chilled out atmosphere. When we were in Goa we met a group of Belgian boys, one called Jelle, who is living and working here in Kovalam. He's renting an awesome house with a Belgian girl called Charlotte at the top of a hill overlooking coconut palms and a lake, with 5 big rooms, 4 bathrooms and only a short walk from the beach... and for the past week we've been staying with them. It's been so wonderful to stay somewhere that feels more like a home than a [View Full Entry]

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17 hours on a train and finally we arrived in Kerela (the most southern part of India). What a crazy journey ... we had the snorer from HELL in the same berth as us so sleep wasn't an option and to keep you company ... the ever present smell of the toilet in the next berth. Plenty to see and do though ... in fact ... never a quiet moment with buskers, food sellers (shouting chai tea, coffee, banana ... and many other unpronounceable fast food items), people trying to flog you CDs, perfume, books, fruit, peppermint oil (used to disguise [View Full Entry]

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After 10 hours on an over night train, a quick shower and repack of our bags, we were off to Delhi airport. Of course our flight was delayed so we didn't actually arrive in Goa until the late afternoon - tired and hungry! First impressions... is this India? Feels more like a tropical island or what I imagine Fiji would be like. Loads of palm trees and of course the obligatory cows. Seems to be a bit of money here too ... which is probably attributed to the shitload of tourists here. Our first night we stayed in Calangute (which was [View Full Entry]

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Another favourite on this tour! It was a bloody long bus trip to get here, but Pushkar is spectacular. It's a small mystic town on the edge of the Rajastan desert that's built around a holy lake - said to have appeared when Lord Brahma dropped a lotus flower. There's over 400 temples built around the holy lake, 52 bathing ghats and alcohol and meat are banned. Doesn't sound very exciting??? Well it was actually. There's loads of shops and great places to eat ... and we went to a concert in an old temple that was a definite highlight of [View Full Entry]

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