All change!

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As the title says-all change! Firstly, the train was delayed by 15 hours from Goa to Kerala! The reason being that it comes all the way from Delhi and with the monsoons..... Anyway, eventually left Margao on another train at 1225pm, I should have been on the train that left at 1450. Got a little sleep but it's a definite skill sleeping on a train and I just haven't mastered it yet. Finally got to Alleppey at 1800 ish instead of 0700 so lost the day in Alleppey. Not that I missed much. The hostel was great, the elderly couple who ran it were great and the beach was fab but Alleppey itself, horrid. Unfortunately, I didn't get chance to do a canal tour either. Met a great guy, Godwin, on the train, his family are originally from Kerala but he has lived in Oz for years. Told me lots of stuff about Kerala, including pronunciations! It definitely made the long train trip more enjoyable. Train trip from Alleppey to Kollam uneventful for a change and arrived at Summer House Holiday Home early evening. Great place, beach hut with a tin roof, no glass in the windows, gaps above and below the doors and walls so you could hear everything your neighbours were saying but I loved it. Right next to the sea, fantastic seafood dinners every night, breakfast included as well and nothing but the sound of the sea. It was nice to get away from the noise of the city and the temples. Spent the next night in Trivandrum which was OK, typical Indian city, noisy and smelly but then flew to Chennai, where I am writing this from now. OMG! Chennai is horrid. Not only is it noisy and smelly but rip off city too, as bad as Delhi I would say. Got charged 220 rupees for a 10 minute ride in a taxi to the hotel, then the guy that came and took my trolley from me (I thought he was the driver) actually stood at the taxi door and asked me for a tip then looked unimpressed with 10 rupees. The taxi driver also then expected a tip and the porter and another guy who just went into the room and handed me the air-con controller also wanted tips. I could give them tips alright but I'm sure the website is censored. Anyway, only one more night in India then on to Malaysia. It does seem like I have been here forever, well 6 1/2 weeks to be precise. Sorry, no photos at this time. This and the last internet cafe I've been into don't exactly have the best facilities. Will try again in KL.

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Photos

Beach Hut!
My accommodation for 3 nights.

My room.
Very, very basic.

My view!
Nothing but the sea!