The plan was to go to Varkala, or Munnar. I am instead, in Kochi with no intention to leave until my Sunday morning flight to Mumbai. After three weeks of fast travel, I just need to stop. There is plenty to keep me occupied, but even a day trip feels like too much right now. I want to eat, shop, go to the beach and get a massage. And that’s about it. Continue reading
There was no question whether or not I would spend time on the backwaters while in southern India, but I vacillated quite a bit about which mode of sight seeing I might use. The houseboats, while iconic and offer the option of an overnight stay are limiting in their ability to navigate the smaller canals that run deeper into the villages. They also aren’t nearly as environmentally friendly as their non-motor counter parts. So, in the end I opted for an all day covered canoe trip with lunch in a local village. I believe I made an excellent choice. Continue reading
Flying over Kochi, in India’s southern state of Kerala it is immediately evident, this is a vastly different place. The overbearing rust colored cities and dusty villages give way to such a vast array of greenery one might exhaust all adjectives to describe it. But one thing is clear, once stepping off the plane, it is humid, so humid you swear within seconds of disembarking that you’re already sweating. Probably, because you are. This is monsoon though, so I accept it as best I can and tell myself, at least it’s good for my skin. Continue reading
I’m starting to get used to getting up before five am, that’s not to say I enjoy it, or even tolerate it, but my body is now wide awake at 6:30, making early departures (such as 4:45am) at least a bit less awful. It was good to leave early though, our train ride to Pushkar took us 6 hours. To pass the time I they’d movies preloaded onto my iPad, which as always makes me nostalgic for home, this time I craved cucumber sorbet on a hot southern california night from Carmela in Pasadena. It’s the first real homesickness I’ve felt, and I blame it directly on the movie. As long as I’m not reminded of home it’s much easier to miss it less. Continue reading
Colliding With The Earth 