arambol last day

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we are leaving arambol this afternoon for bangalore. (real name alegedly bengaluru, but that sounds like it's in new zealand and no-one uses it!).

we are a bit releived to be leaving actually. not because there is anything wrong with arambol, not at all, we love it, but we had a bit of a nightmare booking a train ticket out of here!

in previous posts i have gone into some detail about the trains seating / sleeping arrangements etc, but i haven't yet discussed booking of the train tickets...

some people have commented that they are watching a program on telly about indian railways... well, if it gives any tips about how the booking system works please pass it on!

there are loads of different types of ticket... normal, tourist quota, taktal, emergency, waitlist etc etc some can be booked online only, some only by a travel agent, some you have to go personally to the train station to book. and then for any given journey there will be several trains at different times on different days and several different classes.....

we first tried to book a train all the way through to Kochi nearly a week ago, but they were all fully booked already. well, the 'normal' tickets were all fully booked, but the travel agent advised we wait until two days before we wanted to leave and get an 'emergency' ticket. he was pretty certain they would be available. well, they weren't, and i still don't understand how a train can be fully booked but seats magicaly become available two days before...

we might've been able to get 'tourist quota' but then you have to go to station with passport etc, and the statin is two hours away by taxi.

anyway, in the end we just decided to book whatever train had seats on it, and so we are going to Bangalore tonight and onto to Mysore on Thursday. hopefully in Bangalore we can book further travel on into Kerala. but if not i guess we will just go whereever the trains take us!

had a really nice night last night, impromptu fire and drum circle on the beach. people doing glowing poi and balancing crystal balls on their head etc.

actually earlier in the week we saw a show where this guy was balancing crystal balls on his head etc, and then we later saw him driving along the street, on a scooter, with a ball balanced on his head....

there has been loads of really good live music and 'jam' sessions here, arambol has a really good vibe (maaaan). earlier last night we saw a brilliant set by a guy playing that percussion instrument that looks like a UFO... (some of you will know what i mean...).

practically every second person has dreadlocks and is an 'artist' of some sort. if not an artist then teaching yoga, or massage, or breathing techniques. from all this to the trendiest, most technological city in India..... should be good....

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Comments

[Vicky]

Hi Karen, I'll be interested to hear what you think of Bangalore. I remember not being very impressed - too modern and too alike any other big city (although it might be a welcome break from the beach). I went to a nightclub there once - remember them playing U2's " Sunday, Bloody Sunday ", which was weird. Mysore I loved, but it was absolutely teeming with lepers. ( My sore, indeed ). Glad you're having a great time.xx Vicky.xx