Hot and Sticky in Kerala

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Mumbai for a few hours on Monday and it was obvious even in the outskirts - where we stayed, that they have been shaken by the attacks and are determined to get up and dust themselves off.
Went to Juhu beach and strolled as the sun set to a magnificient shade of dark orange. Had a bit of food and a couple of beers and still had change of EUR10. There was an attempt to fleece us in the cab fare as arranged by the hotel, but with a bit of steely determination and a will of iron (thats me), we refused to be overcharged . You need to stay very much awake when you are dealing with money in India!

An early early morning 3 hr flight took us to Trivanrum and then a great 50min taxi ride through miles of palm trees brought us to Varkala.

Having been here two yrs ago we knew what to expect and decided that after the year we have put in, it would be as good a place as any to lay on the beach and forget about life for a few weeks.
We are staying in a round house set amongst swaying palm trees at the side of the ocean in Odayam. Its a good 20 minute step in the 30 degree heat along the sea front to the flashing lights of Varkala - but that is its beauty. A tuk tuk - wheelie taxi takes ten mins by the back lanes so if its too hot or we are tired than that will do the job.

Yesterday morning while having breakfast a school of dolphins swam by in the surf line. There was one really active one very close to the shore and another smaller pod of about four close behind. I was transfixed. This beach is a 50 second walk from our porch! It is the beach I have been dreaming I will roll out of bed and into that surf. and now there are dolphins in that same surf! I may burst with excitment. It surely is worth it.

We asked Chechelia - at the guest house to arrange a tuk tuk that we could call any time we needed.

Enter Faizill.What a character.

We were going to dinner last night and he asked if we wanted music while we drove.

Why not - a bit of bollywood pop will sure add to the holiday atmosphere! He picked up his mad mad friend who brought the music. We thought this is great - maybe yer man is a DJ or something.

So the big build up to the cassette going in and ..... "Daddy Cool" by Bony M iin a hi NRG remix played at full volume.
Such a funny sight and sound with us all hanging out the tuk tuk (driver included) singing like drag queens on cheap fizz. Im still laughing now.

He will become a good friend to us while we are here. I asked him to find three things for us to look at - and avoid the touristy route.
1) a baby elephant or a temple elephant - either will do.
2) a Hindu festival
3) backwater photo ops.

Lets see what he comes up with.

It is extermely hot and sticky and at night it only cools a degree or two. Well it probably cools more but it doesn't feel like it!
We are woken every morning at 4am with the call to prayer from the nearby mosque. Just when you get back to sleep from that at about 6am the rooks and crows overhead start to scramble and caw for what seems like an eternity.

I got up this morning and threw my sarong on and took the camera out for a walk. The groups of fishermen were sitting watching the sea. Suddenly they spring into action as a dot appeard on the horizon. Its the outrider on the back of a very very long drift net. The men on the shore - up to twenty on each side of the rope drag the net to shore. It takes a good hour and a half. The catch is made up of mainly barracuda and swordfish - lots of little baby sword fish - so cute.

So today the weather is a bit mixed with a little soft warm rain and plenty of powercuts. But I wouldn't be anywhere else.

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Comments

[miss p]

i can't believe you didn't mention the lovely peanut soup I made you before you left !