I'd just like to start this post by giving a massive thank you to Anoop, Arun and their family for letting us stay and looking after us over the past few days. They provided us with some amazing food! Indian food is the best cuisine in the world and when it's home cooked, it's even better. Secondly I want to thank Arun's (Anoop's brother) friends for keeping us occupied, there would've been a lot of boredom and confusion without them. Anoop had loads of things to be doing before, during and after the wedding so we didn't really get the chance to see him properly, so at some point in the next few weeks we'll be heading to Chennai to stay with him again. Anoop was staying at his family's in Kayamkulam, about two hours south ... read more

The trip to Munnar was a mixed bag. The friends we went with were staying in Kochi while we were at the beach and more ideally located for booking and looking into the trip to Munnar. So having looked at all the options, they decided the best value option was to book a package for 2750rs down from 3500rs. This included, or was meant to, the taxi there and back stopping at certain attractions along the way taking about three hours, taxi around when we arrived, a room for the night, three meals, entry into all the attractions, and two hours of trekking. The company told us that they'd pick us up at 7.30AM, after getting our friends at 7AM. An impossible task given that it took an hour to get from Fort Kochi to Cherai, ... read more

So I've set off on my second adventure, as you can see by the title I’m going back to India. My mate Dave's coming with me this time so hopefully I can par some of the stress off onto him!. Unlike last time India isn't the final destination, Nepal, Bhutan?, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia are all on the cards, budget dependant of course! Eventually me and Dave will go our separate ways with me going to Aus for a working holiday, and Dave either staying in Asia or going home....I guess it'll depend on how much the lady boys hit his pocket? Haha. We've flown into Cochin, Kerela in the south to start the journey. This has mostly been planned around the fact we're in the area for Anoop's (friend from ... read more

The train from Thrissur to Chennai, via Tirunelveli is one of the busiest in India as there aren't many that go in a day. To get a bed in sleeper you need to book a month in advance, so i'm back to facing the reality of sitting in general class for 12 hours! Fuck sake, not again! I get on the train in sleeper as usual hoping I can upgrade when the Titi (conductor) comes, there's nothing available in sleeper, not even with a bribe! So I end up in A/C 2, which essentially 1st class, 700rs later and i'm in a compartment closed off with a curtain with an Indian family who're all staring at me....brilliant. Being in 1st class you'd expect top quality comfort etc, you do get a bed sheet and blanket, but ... read more

So it's another bus ride from Hampi to Gorkarna, luckily I'm making the journey with a friend I've made in Hampi. There was no sleeper tickets available for the bus, so I'm sat upright all night trying to fucking sleep! No chance! We have to change bus at 2AM, and get onto what from the outside was a minivan, inside they'd managed to cram as many seats as a small airplane, goodbye knees. What I didn't realise before starting the journey was that it's only two hours on from this point, so we pay an extra 100rs each to get dropped at Om beach, meant to be really quiet and so named because it's in the shape of the Om symbol. We arrive in Gorkarna around 4/4.30AM, it's still dark and there's no one around. Collectively ... read more