Fi Stevens

OK. I have lost impetus on this blog. I'm not in India anymore. I thought I could keep writing it in retrospect but its really hard! I have lots to add to the following, I have hand written notes and everything... and I may update this over the weekend, but people have been asking for the next chapter and the quickest way to give it is to plagiarise. And quite frankly, although it's not the same way I'd write it, Toby is a better writer than I am! (don't tell him I said that) So check these two out for the Mumbai chapter at the end of my trip (feel free to read the rest of his trip too - its quite interesting!). My mumbai-for-the-cricket summary is: It was brilliant, I love Mumbai, we had a ... read more

Have just landed back in sort of civilisation (Mysore) after the 4 days in Cochin and then 3 days in the middle of nowhere near a wildlife sanctuary (Tholpetty, in the Wayanad area of Kerala). The drive up was outrageous. 7 hours flew by (kind of) - no stopping, no eating, a bit of sleeping for me. Maddest driver in the country (quite a claim) with overtaking on hairpin bends at steep gradient - and several were buses. I loved it! Toby was less sure about its joys which is far more sensible. Its interesting to watch the changes as you go up the coast of Kerala and the changeover from catholic towns to mosque-filled villages. And at the top of the mountains, the most beautiful views I've ever seen and our first whiff of the ... read more

The flight from Mumbai to Cochin/Kochi in central Kerala is fine and uneventful. The arrival in Cochin is like hitting a hot wet wall of air, punctuated by mosquitos. Its humid. The Fort House hotel in Fort Cochin looks a little ramshackle as we arrive very hot and a little terrified by the driving (which rivals Mumbai's efforts) and some of the towns we've been through. Our first thoughts are for dinner (the restaurant at our hotel is known for serving the best Keralan food in the area) and a cold cold Kingfisher. With the food, we are certainly not disappointed. The fact they don't serve alcohol makes me sharply intake breath and make Toby worried for my health if not my sanity. The refreshing joys of fresh lime and soda will become important to us ... read more

First impressions on landing in India were probably the same as most people report... hot, humid, chaotic, dusty and dirty, a bit scary - and a little bit mad. Going into a little more detail, however... The hardest thing about that arrival, though, is that the route from the airport to South Mumbai takes in the worst slum areas of the city and therefore the country. It's pretty confronting. Lean-to shack things line all the streets - highways and main roads included and people clearly are living, sleeping, eating, washing, working, having babies, caring for families and going about their everyday lives... in what appears to be less than a half a square metre each. And as we drive along - thankful for our pre-booked airconditioned car - it seems like it will never end, with ... read more