Lazy Days

Ok Alana and Mum, here is another post for your veiwing pleasure... But I like the comment encouragement - keep it up! Well, to be honst, i can't really write much about where I am at the moment, for that is in Verkala, still in Kerala (the state), on a beach. Amen. The guesthouses and huts and restuarants are on a rocky cliff overlooking the sea, and the beach is a couple hundred steps below (only fifty, but when you walk up it after a long day in the sun with sandy wet feet squidging in thongs, it feels like forever). Life around here consists of lazy afternoons reading Douglas Adams, and deciding where to go for dinner. Thai or Italian? Indian or Chinese? Tough choices.

So let me get back to Cochin. Far more exciting. Cochin is a city/village that one can lose oneself in. And if it hadn't been for a time limit, well... my new address could have very well been Fort Cochi, Cochin, Kerala, India... at least for another couple weeks. The pace is slow and lazy, the sunny afternoons melt into pink dusks and the fish is just so tasty! Yes, that's right, I thought I was fished out in Greece, but no, Kerala has the best fish in all of India (which should be easy, as its one of the few states on the coast of the Arabian Sea). How did I spend my time in Cochin. Well, one day I organised myself on a day trip to the infamous Backwaters of Kerala. These are tiny canals and rivers that bend between villages and lush jungle - it was so peaceful and relaxing on the houseboat that I fell asleep! Since I missed out spending overnight on a houseboat with Nechama and the Brits we met in Goa, the daytrip was my special time. Pity though, that the rest of the group was made up of couples - and I was the only single traveller! Each couple would whisper between themselves, careful not to disturb the quiet. We ate lunch of banana leaves and drank the milk from coconuts freshly cut from the palms in front of us. It was a nice relaxing day.

The next day was too hot to walk around, so Nechama and I indulged ourselves and had tea at a gorgeous teahouse named Teapot. Now, this shop was so tastefully decorated, the layout and menu so nicely designed, that we felt that we were transported back to Melbourne, or Europe, or America. It was wonderful. When Nechama asked the owner if he had spent any time outside India, he said no, that he's never left Kerala. Well. We met somebody yesterday from Fort Cochi and when enquiring about Teapot, apparently the owner had spent quite few years abroad. You never can know what people are really like around here. Or anywhere, I suppose, but I feel that I'm not as lied to in other places as I can be here in India. Not that I mind. For I'm lucky I've been long enough here to catch them out. It's the package tourists that come from Britain for a two week splurge in India and then shipped back home that really get caught out. We met some Brits that were on their way to Thailand via India - they wrote Nechama an email saying that they found Thailand to be SO MUCH CHEAPER than India... What the?? Even Vietnam is cheaper than Thailand, and India's cheaper than that!

But I'm not here to talk about money. It's all in the attitude. As I will explain to you now.

I never really finished telling you about our wonderful travelling partner throughout Rajasthan. She was a Brit who constantly compared India to England. Yes, that's right. It's impossible to compare India to ANYTHING! Especially England. Worlds apart. Perhaps the only thing in common with the two countries is cricket. But I guess thats what most Commonwealth countries share. And i think i'm beginning to like the game. (Gasp!)

So our new friend was roadtripping around Rajasthan with us- but she didn't have the right attitude. That's all it is - what makes or breaks a trip. Apparently religion and religious symbols intimidate her (then what the hell is she doing in India?!?!!?!?!?) and she doesn't like to be pressured or have people invade personal space when touting... Erm... Welcome to South East Asia, baby. To cut a long story short - we ended up in a hospital in Udaipur, babysitting this clueless toddler. After eating all the same food, sharing the same snacks, we tried to rack our brains how she got sick and we didn't. Especially this young un here with the sensitive tummy.

And you know what? It's all about the attitude.

Oh, and luck.

Udaipur was beautiful though - the palaces, the markets, the hotels in the middle of the lakes... Labelled the most romantic city in Rajasthan, I wholeheartedly agree - it was absolutely beautiful.

Next time - I promise pictures.