Ayurvedic Kerala


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December 9th 2011
Published: December 9th 2011
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K- We have spent the last 10 days in Kerala, South India. Our first stop was Kochi where we took a day trip in to the beautiful backwaters. The experience was so tranquil that nearly everyone on the trip fell asleep!However, as the tranquility is the whole point I guess they didn’t really waste the trip.

From Kochi we took a train down to Varkala, a beach resort set on high cliffs. At least it is at present - my memory has proved a little unreliable on this trip, (much to Marks amusement I have forgotten whole towns!) but I was pretty sure the cliff path is alot closer to the edge than it used to be. this was confirmed by some locals - there is a major erosion problem and I am not sure how much longer some of the resort will be left standing. We took the safe approach and stayed in a lovely little guesthouse a few rows back!

Varkala is a major site for Ayurvedic medicine, a holistic medicine deemed the worlds oldest healthcare system so we decided it would be a good place to try it out. Ayurveda means the "science of life" and works by creating and maintaining harmony between the body, mind and spirit, a balance that prevents illness and contributes to a long and healthy life.

Our diagnosis was that my Fire and Marks Fire and Water were out of synch. Our corrective treatments were over 3 days – an hours massage with herbal oils each day plus specific treatments. My favorite was Day 1 where pints of hot oil are dripped on to your forehead for about half an hour. It was incredibly relaxing. I hadn’t even been aware that my forehead had been tense until afterwards when it felt so relaxed. Day 2 and 3 involved muslin bags of rice being soaked in hot milk and rubbed all over. My skin felt great afterwards but the experience was a little like being smeared with hot porridge – which then went cold!

M- Actually I was pretty convinced the guy was just massaging his lunch in to my belly!

K- Our treatments were really just glorified pampering but we enjoyed them. Had we been more serious or had a specific ailment to be addressed then we could have undergone some more severe treatments involving purging and even blood letting! Like many non-traditional medicines Ayurvedic medicine has been around for thousands of years so there must be something in it but I think I would have to be pretty desperate before I let anyone put leeches on me.

Whilst in Varkala we continued our yoga training. Our teacher was a little more rigorous than our previous yogi and we spent a pretty grueling 90 minutes each day doing many asanas. We are still enjoying it and have both become far suppler and my strength is improving significantly. Mark however has even mastered the headstand which is a very advanced position. I am a little frightened of it and am nowhere near being able to do it on my own but Mark can virtually get into it without assistance and can hold it for ages. See photo. Fortunately I am better at some of the other stuff so marital harmony has been maintained!

We left Varkala after 5 nights to come further south to Kovolam – yet another beach resort. When I was last here this was the preserve of English package tours but I still liked it a lot. It is a lot
See - I can touch my toes!See - I can touch my toes!See - I can touch my toes!

I actually cant touch them from a standing position - not first attempt anyway!
quieter now as the package tours have ceased, apparently due to a dispute over taxes, and there are many more Indians than Western tourists. Unfortunately the lack of business means that the locals are struggling and the hassle quota has risen considerably. We try and be polite but walking down the beach is a complete pain with sarong sellers and restaurateurs trying to attract your business. It is a real shame but even though you understand why they are hassling you it doesn't stop it being very annoying. It is really interesting to me that the place I liked most in India in 2003 is now my least favorite spot and the place I disliked (Palolem, Goa) has become my favorite. They have both changed alot but I suspect that I have changed too and also that traveling with Mark is making the experience different.

It is hard to believe that our 7 weeks in India are nearly over - it seems like only a few days ago that we were waiting for Mum and Don in new Delhi. Its been a great trip but we are now entering the final days and tomorrow night we are catching a night train to Chennai in Tamil Nadu and we fly from there to Sri Lanka on Tuesday.

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18th December 2011
What Do You Mean My Feet Aren't Together

Wow!!! Feet Together
That's quite a photo. I could never do that! Guess I should travel around the world to do that too huh? :-)

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