The joys of Kanyakumari

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Just a bit about this place.

Lonely Planet is fairly scathing about Kanya (the reason for all the different spellings is (a) I can't always remember the correct one, and (b) neither can the Indians).

They are wrong - it really is well worth a visit, and we are so glad we went. Our original choice after Madurai was Ramesvaran, a peninsula between India and Sri Lanka. We only changed our plans because we would have had to return to Madurai again, and spent more time there before we could get to our next stop.

Madness, of course - this is India, after all! Our hotel was right next to the temple down by the beach. And at 4.30 every morning, they started blaring Hindu chants from a massive speaker system; enough to rattle the windows and almost shake you out of bed. And it appeared to be on a continuous loop, turned off about 7am. On our second morning, we were really pleased when the daily powercut came at about 4.45. Our happiness was short-lived - they had allowed for this, and the massive generator they started up was twice as loud as the music!!!!! We were actually pleased when the power returned and all we had was the chanting.

But that's just how it is. But I talked about the villagers in the last entry. On the second day, we walked the other way, up the Arabian sea, to a gorgeous little fishing village about 3 miles up the beach and, yes Chris, Baska walked too). They had suffered badly from the tsunami; there was alot of destruction of property, but happily no loss of life. But again the people were so warm and welcoming, it was just so lovely.

On the third (and last) day, we decided to retrace our steps through the village we had visited the first day. and we were delighted to be recognised so often, and greeted like long lost friends. At one stage, we stopped outside a beautiful and immaculate house, which had a guard dog on the roof terrace. I was calling him, and he wasn't best pleased! Then a guy came out of the house to talk to us. He was very warm and friendly, and I asked him if this was his house. He said it was, and we told him how beautiful it was. Immediately he invited us in to look around. We went in (not sure Tyson (the dog) approved). He introduced us to his wife and his brother-in-law, sho told us he remembered us from 2 days before. We were given big glasses of freshly made mango juice, deliciously cold, and we chatted to the family for about half an hour. He was a retired bank manager, who was just enjoying life.

After taking our leave, we headed back to the hotel to pack and check out, then into a tuktuk for the few minute ride to the bus stand. There was another scam attempt. A very respectable looking gentleman asked us where we were going. We told him we were heading for Kovalam, and he told us we had to buy the tickets from him, and they were 600 rupees each. Well, no mister, we are getting wise to these tricks. It is a normal bus, the number is 452, it leaves at 14.00, and the tickets are 40 rupees each, and we buy them on the bus! He didn't bat an eyeled, but told us that as he liked us he would only charge us 500 rupees each!! You have to admire their cheek!

Anyway, we got the bus, got seats in the front, and headded off for a pretty tiring 3 hour trip - but fascinating, as they have all been. And the tickets were actually 50 rupees - about US$1, so I'm glad we didn't go for the expensive option!

Next entry - Kerela, a different world.

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