Blogs from Varkala, Kerala, India, Asia - page 13

So the funniest coincidence happened the other day. - you may need to "stick with" this post - it gets a bit difficult to recite, retype and remember. A friend from work (Dee) said a friend of hers (Ali) and her friend (Conleth) were going to India for Christmas. Dee thought it was funny that now there were four of her friends going to India at the same time, and wouldn't it be funny if we met up!. In conversation, she asked Ali where in India, its a big place, and her friend said Varkala - its a small seaside place, you'd never hear of it. Well, said she, "not only have I heard of it, but; a) I was there ten years ago and b) the two guys I share office space with are going ... read more

Varkalan paivat alkaa olla luetut. Ostin junalipun huomiselle. Suuntana seuraavaksi Goa. Rannalta toiselle siis. Aika huvittavaa. Meikalainen ei ole mitenkaan suuri rantailun ystava. Taallakin olen saanut rantauduttua vain kahdesti. Uimassa kavin kerran. Vaan ei se haittaa, kun muutoin on mukavaa. Ravintolassa tai majapaikan terassilla istuskelu ja kirjan lukeminen on oikein kivaa. Kolme kirjaa on luettuna ja neljas meneillaan. Mitapa muuta tassa nyt sitten kirjottaisi? Kun ei oikein mitaan tee niin ei ole mista kirjoittaakkaan. Tai no voisihan sita kait kertoa, kuinka vaikeata aurinkorasvan levittaminen omaan selkaan onkaan. Yksin matkustamisessa on tosiaan omat haasteensa. No onneksi hiusharjassa on sen verran vartta, etta silla voi levitella kertoimia niihin osiin, mihin ei muutoin yleta. Yksin reissaamisessa on myos se harmillinen puoli, etta paikalliset urokset tuppaa kaymaan li... read more

Valkoinen valas on rantautunut! Kochi jai taakse jo aikapaivia sitten, ja nyt olen Varkalassa. Junamatka Kochista tanne kesti nelisen tuntia. Hienostelin ja ostin lipun ilmastoidusta makuuvaunusta. Miten taa oikeen tahan on mennyt? Varkalan junaasemalta hyppasin riksaan, joka toi minut rannan tuntumaan Sky Line hotelliin. Tilava siisti huone, omalla kylpparilla ja tuuletimella kustantaa 350 rupiaa/yo. Edullisempiakin loytyisi, jos vaivautuisi etsimaan. No paikka on viihtyisa, kiva puutarha ja mukava henkilokunta, joten en vaivaudu. Ilmat on olleet taala jokseenkin huonot nama alku paivat. Vetta on satanut oikein urakalla ja pilvet on olleet matalalla. Aika on siis kulunut lahinna ravintoloissa istuskellessa ja kirjoja lueskellessa (kolmas jo menossa). Vaan mikapa siina - ihan rentouttavaa sekin. Toissapaivana oli vahan vahemman sadetta, joten tein pikku kavelyn lahistolle. K... read more

Today is the 7th November and Joy's birthday. We decided to do something special so we went for a bike ride around Varkala. Varkala itself is a beautiful place and by far the best place we have visited in India so far. The beach is protected by high cliffs with restaurants and small gift shops perched on top. Behind this facade are numerous small hotels and guest houses. There are no roads in this area only a small path which runs along the cliff top and even smaller paths leading back to the hotels. Coconut trees are everywhere. There must be a law against cutting them down as many of the restaurants are built around them e.g. the trees grow through the roofs etc. We were originally going to stay here until today then move north ... read more

Set off back to Varkala and on arrival Pete set off to find a new room - he seemed quite proud of himself upon his return having secured quite a spacious room after looking at about 6 or 7... I'd been waiting in the cafe for him with the packs and couldn't really hide my shock when he showed me the room - it was like a tomb! Dark wood panelling (a feature of Keralan architecture) which made it really quite strange to sit in. Anyway I agreed to stay for the night and got settled into my sleepsack, making sure it was over my head! It was like a shroud really and in the tomb like room I felt a bit freaked out! The following day we looked for a new room - Pete didnt ... read more

I cant believe we have been here a week almost. It's been really relaxing and we've got used to doing nothing and I really mean nothing. We eat, sleep, walk on the beach, eat some more, watch the sunset...you get the idea. Whilst walking the other day we chatted to a lifeguard (they really have them here!) who asked if we wanted to see dolphins. We were disappointed thinking 'oh no' even the lifeguard is trying to get us on a trip but he pointed just off shore and there was a school of dolphins playing and jumping. It was lovely to watch them. Different people we have met have referred to 'the Varkala Vortex' and it would certainly be very easy to stay here. We're thinking about moving on tomorrow to Kovallam - not far ... read more