We’ve hit Varkala, a clifftop resort on the west coast of India and as far south as we intend to travel. It’s hot here, damn hot and no sea breeze despite being half way up a cliff. That’ll be global warming for you I suppose. The place appears to be full of tourists on package holidays so it’s a bit of culture shock and I suspect we’re suffering a bit of backpackers snobbery. Ooh check you, been away for three […]
I’m writing this lying on my back on the deck of a rice barge in the Kerelan backwaters – 500km of winding waterways in the South of India. The banks of the river are fringed with coconut palms, around which dozens of fireflies perform a dazzling light show against the backdrop of stars above and beyond. The crew of three includes an expert chef who prepared a traditional Keralan fish curry whilst I watched the most breathtaking sunset I have […]
When I talk about buses I mean proper buses, not those pseudo train replacement services – coaches, which profess to do all those things trains do and singularly fail to achieve any of them. Think about it. A coach is supposed to speed you directly to you destination without all the constraints of railway tracks. The reality is they follow exactly the same routes, because the people who went to all the time and effort of building a railway line […]
See, there really isn’t anybody there… Lured by the suggestion of a beach with no tourists or touts we’ve come to another homestay, a beautiful Portuguese place – the Portuguese obviously knew how to pick a spot – which we seem to have entirely to ourselves other than the housekeeper/cook who has just rustled us up a Keralan fish stew. As suggested the beach in question is actually almost deserted, apart from a the fishermen lounging around smoking fags and […]
We're staying at johnson's nest, a Portugese homestay. As they say there wasn't any room at the inn so we've ended up in the stable, or more specifically the bamboo hut in the garden. It's actually a bamboo hut with a bathroom, so it's not too bad. A somewhat upperclass bamboo hut shall we say. The only trouble is it's only got a double bed and with the very necessary requirement for a mosquito net the sleeping arrangements are being […]
We're told that the mosquitoes in Kerala are not malarial which reduces them from a major health risk down to merely bloody annoying. Every day just before sunset you have to prepare yourself. Mosquito nets are hung above the beds, mosquito coils are lit and placed in strategic places around the room and any exposed areas of skin are doused with DEET. The moment around sunset I have christened "hour of the mosquito twitch" This is the time when your […]
Wish it was a fly catcher and mosquito catcher. I fortunately have some industrial strength repellant. Pat is also blogging in a highly intellectual way here for those who are interested. Here is a google map link.
Six people standing around watching the seventh one doing all the work. Oh sorry, the man at the back is holding the tarp up.