The End of India

I have seen the place where the Bay of Bengal meets the Indian Ocean meets the Arabian Sea.

I saw it today. I arrived today at the tip of India in a small, pretty boring town called Kanya Kumari.

We left Kerala early this moring after two nice days on the cliff-edge town of Varkala. There isn't much to report except a sunburned nose and a backpack that seems to get heavier by the minute. I am excited to watch the sunrise and set here. It's supposed to be amazing.

Back in my India

Finally, I am back in the real south. After leaving Goa, I took the train to Mangalore, got in very late at night and had to stay at a very nice hotel because the only hotel that had a free room didn't allow women. As Adis said "Goddamn Muslims..."

We got on a train the next morning, and hour late and at a different station than we thought it was leaving from, and then spent 13 hours getting to southern Kerala, to a lovely, reasonably sized town, right on the famous backwater, called Kollam. Deciding to splurge a little, we are staying at a nice guest house, a family home, with a huge bed room, private bathroom (with actual bath), a breath-taking view of the backwaters and a 20 something foot statue of a very busty lady. I am very happy to be in my own bed that isn't on the floor for two nights.

Today we went on a three hour boat tour of the village backwaters. They are the arteries of village commerce. We saw coconuts drying to make oil, traditional rope making (three old ladies and an old man making rope from coconut fiber), three Kingfishers, shrimp farming, and our guide climbed a tree. He was a very sweet guy, but potentially another person who would propose to me. He did let me steer the boat. It was driven with a long pole and oars. It was much better than the dolphin trip.

Funny Anecdote:

At the train station in Magalore, I was walking over to Kostas to help him with some tea, when an old aunty called me over to the waiting room window. She gave me a copy a medical dictionary and I think she explained someone left it and no one knew English so she gave it to me. I went to sit down and drink my tea, when she came up to me with this jar of Dabar (a food brand like Kraft) Ayurvedic (traditional south Indian medicine) powder. I had NO idea what to do with it, so I just nodded and looked at the boys. They were no help, so I looked back at her, thanked her, but didn't take it. So she said, I think, something like "Oh you don't want? Ok," and just walked off.

And that was all.

Goa-ing

I've been in Goa since last Friday. I am currently in the second of the little tourist beach towns we are traveling to, and am secretly hoping this is the last. The beaches are lovely, and the food in all the little western cafes is fantastic, but I am a bit tired of the thousands of people trying to sell necklaces, anklets, blankets, massages, space shuttles.... it's pretty difficult to relax or even concentrate.

The beaches are fantastic. I've swum much and sunbathed more. I miss Chennai very much, though. Adis and I miss it so much in fact that we are thinking about going back for a few days. Which would be wonderful fun.

The one main cultural highlight of this trip was driving on a scooter up to some ruins of a Portuguese fort. We couldn't drive all the way to it, but we did get very close. There is a lot of evidence of the old Portuguese days, especially in the way the women dress. The same sort of Anglo-Indian community that there was in Chennai exists here in Goa, but it is more of a Porto-Indian one. I haven't heard any Portuguese yet, but it I don't think it is out of the question.

I don't know if I wrote about it before, but I went to a really amazing modern art gallery n. There were some amazing pieces. A lot of it was quite traditional ; which is a multifaceted term because there were traditional Indian techniques with traditional Indian themes and some very traditional 20th Century Western Art pieces. The most interesting were the pieces that were western art techniques with Indian themes and a few traditional Indian techniques portraying modern Indian themes.

If you want to hear more, dear reader, just say and I will do another post by popular demand on "Art I have Seen."

Signing off for now. Missing home like Billio.

Goa-ing to Goa

I am leaving for Goa tonight. It's been a very pleasant stay in Mumbai. We are just about to head off to the Zoo which will be very fun.

We went to and Island called Elaphanta Island full of all these old man made caves and cave carvings. Yesterday we went to some markets and just wandered around the city for a few hours. It is very beautiful, but somehow a bit more calm than Chennai, even the real Indian bits.

One ancedote: we ate at Leopold's Cafe, which is quite a landmark. You can still see the bullet holes in the wall from the attacks in November. It is pretty eerie.

Oh, also! In Goa, I am planning to do my Padi diving certification. We will see if that pans out.

Arrived In Mumbai, All Is Well

We have been in Mumbai now for nearly 24 hours. From Chennai we wen to visit a friend of Louise's named Louise in a place in Kerala called Kovalam. That was a very nice weekend. But then we took at 31 hour train trip up the west coast to Mumbai.

It is a lot less hectic of a city than Chennai, or at least the little bit of it that I have seen so far is less hectic. We haven't done much yet, except dinner at the famous Leopold's Cafe. That was very nice, and almost worth the money. We are staying in a tiny but clean and tidy hole in the wall hotel right next door, so in the center of Colaba, the tourist district.

Adis is currently on his way back from the airport with his friend Costas which is exciting. Louise is leaving tonight which is very sad.

I am not sure what my plans are except I may be going to Kashmir sometime in May to visit Asif's family. I'll keep you posted.

An Unexpected and Annoying Happening

I am still in Chennai.

Because we missed the train.

And it kinda sucks.

But is ok, because we are leaving at seven tonight. So we are just having a relaxing day with Shakila, Tamilselvin, Oviyaa and Tejaas. Which is very nice.

I am very nervous and excited aabout this trip. I've never done this sort of backpacker travel before. We'll just have to wait and see how it goes.

Peace out.

Goodbye Chennai

This certainly is the last post that I will make in Chennai. That is a pretty sad thing since I think all the posts in the blog have been made in Chennai.

We've cleaned the appartment and packed up everything and are soon going to get on a train to Kerala. So more news next time.

That's all.

Last Day At Little Lambs

Well today was one of the top ten saddest of my life. It was nearly impossible to say goodbye to all my little darlings at the school. They all dressed up so nicely for school today. I was very, very sweet. I cried almost the whole school day, on and off.

Then I went to Shakila's and had a nice nap and had henna put on my hands and feet. And then we had dinner with all the teachers that we like. So it was actually a good end to what was a very sad day otherwise.

Now it's very possible that the internet will get shut off tomorrow, so this maybe goodbye for a some time. From here, I go to Kerala, and then to Mumbai and I the plans are a little not planned after that. I'll be leaving India in a little over a month. Well, just about six weeks. So my number still works for those who REALLY need to contact me.

It's been a fantastically wonderful experience and I cannot believe it is over. It hasn't quite hit yet.

Saddest Day

Tomorrow is my last day at Little Lambs. It is the saddest of all days.

I got all my things shipped off and am now almost ready to pack! It's going to be a rush the next few days. Also as of tomorrow I lose internet all the time. So post will become even less regular.

I've had a WONDERFUL last few days at the school. Absolutly fantastic.

It was Oviyaa's birthday on Monday. That was great fun.

Nothing Much

Now that exams have started, there hasn't been much of my normal activities going on. Which is nice but means I feel a bit useless. Also have been doing a lot of work for Leela Miss, the second standard teacher. But I really love her class, so I don't mind too much. Well, I like most of them.

I have less than a week left in Chennai, and only four days more at Little Lambs. It is very, very sad. I just had my last Saturday in town. Louise, Alice, Adis and I went out for the day. We bought some trinkets for presents for people, and then took a very long auto journey to MGR film studio. But it was closes. So we took a walk in 95 degrees to a very big, very nice children's park. Which was very fun. Then Louise left us to go and have dinner with a friend, so Alice, Adis and I went out for dinner at this really nice western place.

It's very strange to think I will be leaving in five days. I've been here for soooooooooooo long. I just can't imagine being anywhere but here. Alice asked me last night if I missed my home, and I do very, very, very much. But I REALLY don't want to leave Chennai.