and a Happy New Year!
Greetings from warm (as in friendly) and sunny Kerala!
I spent 20 hours (including new year's) on an "express" train from Goa to Trivandrum. Bronwyn was sick the entire time, still is, and now we are making plans for the next weeks and a half. I'm heading to an ashram for a few days tomorrow, then up the coast a bit and finally to check out some significant sites before going to Delhi to fly back to Kuwait.
Tha mammoth train rides are tiresome but interesting. They are an opportunity to interact with locals as train riding is inexpensive. I've been on sleeper trains on which the bunks are just big enough and only slightly uncomfortable. I slept farily well all things considered. I'm not overly worried about theft though still wear my money belt all the time. Everything else I have is replaceable.
Travelling to India is as cheap as everyone says, and spiritually rewarding even if you were not to come for spiritual reasons. The scenery is incredible and the people are so friendly and helpful and curious. As I mentioned last time, I generally forget that I look different than the locals but they definitely notice me. I had heaps of new years' wishes and inquisitive smiles today as I walked about Trivandrum. One piece of advice on travelling to Southern India: really, only bring the clothes on your back and perhaps one change of clothes. The garmets you purchase here are gorgeous and inexpensive and you'll want to buy heaps of clothes! But you don;t want to be burdened with a big bag as the autorickshaws and motorbike taxis don;t have much room for baggage. That's right, my new preferred mode of transit is Motorbike taxi. There is something incredibly romantic about being transported around towns and to beaches on the back of a motorbike, hair blowing in the wind (yeah, no helmets), zipping around the aforementioned autorickshaws and buses. Not to worry, nothing goes faster than 60kms per hour here. No rush. Except now I must be on my way. All the best, everyone.
A most lovely 2006 to all!
I spent 20 hours (including new year's) on an "express" train from Goa to Trivandrum. Bronwyn was sick the entire time, still is, and now we are making plans for the next weeks and a half. I'm heading to an ashram for a few days tomorrow, then up the coast a bit and finally to check out some significant sites before going to Delhi to fly back to Kuwait.
Tha mammoth train rides are tiresome but interesting. They are an opportunity to interact with locals as train riding is inexpensive. I've been on sleeper trains on which the bunks are just big enough and only slightly uncomfortable. I slept farily well all things considered. I'm not overly worried about theft though still wear my money belt all the time. Everything else I have is replaceable.
Travelling to India is as cheap as everyone says, and spiritually rewarding even if you were not to come for spiritual reasons. The scenery is incredible and the people are so friendly and helpful and curious. As I mentioned last time, I generally forget that I look different than the locals but they definitely notice me. I had heaps of new years' wishes and inquisitive smiles today as I walked about Trivandrum. One piece of advice on travelling to Southern India: really, only bring the clothes on your back and perhaps one change of clothes. The garmets you purchase here are gorgeous and inexpensive and you'll want to buy heaps of clothes! But you don;t want to be burdened with a big bag as the autorickshaws and motorbike taxis don;t have much room for baggage. That's right, my new preferred mode of transit is Motorbike taxi. There is something incredibly romantic about being transported around towns and to beaches on the back of a motorbike, hair blowing in the wind (yeah, no helmets), zipping around the aforementioned autorickshaws and buses. Not to worry, nothing goes faster than 60kms per hour here. No rush. Except now I must be on my way. All the best, everyone.
A most lovely 2006 to all!
posted by Granola Girl at
2:48 AM
1 Comments:
Hello Mona. Not much to report these days. Weather has been unbelievably mild. Getting lots of fresh air.
Happy new year to you too!
jen.
By
Anon, at 10:25 AM
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