Friday, December 28, 2007

Arrived in Kerala ... eventually

So my second day in Mysore (boxing day) was spent on an all day city tour. I turned up at the tourist office at 08:15 to claim the last ticket on the 16 seat minibus. Unfortunately I had to sit next to a 24 year old Swedish girl, Josephine! She was a lovely girl and we got on really well. Like other European youngsters, she had been doing a 2 month "Project" helping children in Goa. Now she was finishing off her 4 month stay with some free time of her own. Josephine - if you read this blog you must e-mail me, I've got some great pictures of the Mysore spice market which I think you missed.

So I took the overnight BUS (yes OVERNIGHT bus) to Cochin in Kerala. It set off at 18:30 and arrived at 06:00. Not a single minutes sleep. I sat next to a young law degree student who was going home to Kerala to his family at Christmas (he was a Hindu but all the religions get on really well here - they are rightly very proud of their multi cultural society). We swapped MP3 players for the journey - he listened to my Del Amitri collection (which he really liked) and I listened to his Pink Floyd/Heavy metal collection!

I hooked up with a couple from Italy on the bus and we made our way from the bus station to Fort Cochin (and Island peninsula) in a posse of auto rickshaws. Found a hotel at 07:00 and kipped for a few hours. Now I've had breakfast and planning on hiring a bicycle to look round this place. It's quite different to all the places I've been to in India so far - a lot more westerners. This is a bit of a shame cos I was quite liking the attention I was getting as a white person in a sea of Indians! On the plus side there will perhaps there will be more people to share experiences with.

Got to go......

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Forget my last comment just read todays! Julia x

Anonymous said...

Hiya,
Glad to see your having a fab time. Its worrying when you call 24yr old "youngsters" you are showing your age there....
Things in Bpool fine - the cats think its their lucky day now I've come to stay until New Year!! All 3 of them are fine - Jack is laid out on the keyboard whilst I'm trying to type this and cant work out what I'm doing with the keys and why things are appearing on the screen!! Jilly is sat on the floor next to me on your fleece....and Oscar on downstairs on his chair.
Think there is talk of a strike at Heathrow in Jan but it looks as though its going to take place on the 7th Jan so you should hopefully miss it. Have a curry for me...have a cold so I could really do with a curry right now!!

Michael said...

Don't go spoiling them cats. You Sunday parents are a nightmare!

Anonymous said...

Hello you

Glad to hear you are having a ball and still have time to chat up the locals and the students. Somethings never change . Tee Hee.

Went back to the bonnie land for xmas was lovely spent all my time running around after people as usual. 5 days was enough was glad to get back to some piece , quite and normality. Note i never mentioned San in the same sentence as San just doesn't seem applicable.

San has had a lovely xmas and sends her love.

You will be pleased to know that it is pissing it down here (surprise surprise)

Liz arrived home safely form her jollies and is most definately not asking for you. Can't give you positive feedback all the time or you will take it for granted.

Do they have snow flakes in the vehicles ?

Keep up the good work B and Q calls. Oh i have such an exciting life.

Speak soon

love Georgie boy x ( no tongues i know how that tongue a urs darts outa yer gub like a rattle snake pouncing on his next victim)

Anonymous said...

Hello
Sound like you're having a ball. I've just bribed Louise into letting me speak to you via her PC, she says to say Hi, just made her run 4,miles, she's been ill for days, just what the doctor ordered a nice cold run. You still taking the tablets? not the viagra! Speak to you soon, we've found a new spinning class, The Wed night teacher is off her head. We "span" to we wish you a wombling merry xmas last week, there's no hope. Good job there was only 3 in the class, I sang along. x San

Anonymous said...

Have a great 2008 Julia & Jed xxxx

Michael said...

Georgie boy. Me and you are hitting those gay bars when I get back - I'll have a sack full of Viagra (if you get my meaning). Glad you had a good xmas in Jockland. No they have icons that look like the sun - can't think what they're for.

San/Louise. I've missed the spinning so much!!!! You need to book me in for any sessions (earliest I can do is 17:30) in week 7th Jan or I'll miss out.

Julie & Jed. You too have a great 2008.

Miguel
xxxxxx