Man this celebration or whatever seems to be going on here in Fort Kochi is crazy. At 04:08am, I know it was at that precise time because I checked my watch. Firecrackers like machine gun fire followed by explosions going off what seemed like right outside our bedroom window. The night before these sounds to me and Allison were actual machine guns and mortar bombs, our guest house was coming under attack by roving Jihadi terrorists looking for a skinny pale westerner to behead (Allison needn't have been worried) but at least tonight we were prepared with the knowledge that it was just a sound to pronounce the start of their working day for a specific celebration they were having. Perfect timing for our stay as the next night the celebratory alarm clock was ceasing as their festivities were over.
At 08:00 when Allison's iPhone alarm sounded I felt like my head was full of mushy peas. I coaxed myself out of bed and we went downstairs to meet Lauren and Jesus for breakfast.
We got a taxi further down south getting stuck at a train barrier for 35 minutes whilst heading for our trip on the backwaters of Alleppey . I felt like I was melting whilst waiting for this single train carriage to pass by. Even the locals were getting impatient never mind me who struggles at the best of times especially in this hot, humid, sweaty weather.
On arriving we were shown to our houseboat, we had to trudge through two different boats until we reached ours. On inspection it looked nice and clean and was captained by an Elvis Presley looking Hindu. Second in command was a young looking man who had a moustache that was thick and black, who any man sporting one for Movember would be proud to have grown such a tache.
We cast off and headed out onto the backwaters, the calmness and serenity was soon followed by the urge to get some alcohol and to stem our hunger pangs. Elvis and Tache took turns navigating the boat and helping out in the kitchen to get our lunch ready. Our fresh fish and vegetable lunch was served with roti, (nothing like Mavis's though) without any alcohol. The alcohol selling laws out here seem rather strange. We made a brief stop to pick up some snacks and were stung for 3 bottles of beer. We paid (Jesus paid) English prices. They must have seen us (Jesus) coming.
We supped beer, played blackjack and Jesus ate snack upon snack after snack. I think the correct term is he had the munchies.
After dinner and a bottle of rum which Elvis went to buy on his scooter after mooring up, Allison, Lauren and me sat chatting whilst Jesus said he had to go and take a nap. A Mexican nap sure lasts a long time as we didn't see him till breakfast. Que Pasa Hombre.
We were up at 08:00 for breakfast and then dropped off the boat in the middle of nowhere. A Rickshaw finally pulled up at the bus stop we were waiting at and took us into town. Travel arrangements made we both headed off by train on our respective journeys. Lauren and Jesus to Mysore via Ernakulum, me and Allison to the beach at Varkala.
After some heated debate on the train we arrived in Varkala. The Indian gentleman wasn't keen on the History of us Brits ruling their country a few years back. If you ask me i don't blame him but I wasn't born at the time and nor was Allison.
At 08:00 when Allison's iPhone alarm sounded I felt like my head was full of mushy peas. I coaxed myself out of bed and we went downstairs to meet Lauren and Jesus for breakfast.
We got a taxi further down south getting stuck at a train barrier for 35 minutes whilst heading for our trip on the backwaters of Alleppey . I felt like I was melting whilst waiting for this single train carriage to pass by. Even the locals were getting impatient never mind me who struggles at the best of times especially in this hot, humid, sweaty weather.
On arriving we were shown to our houseboat, we had to trudge through two different boats until we reached ours. On inspection it looked nice and clean and was captained by an Elvis Presley looking Hindu. Second in command was a young looking man who had a moustache that was thick and black, who any man sporting one for Movember would be proud to have grown such a tache.
We cast off and headed out onto the backwaters, the calmness and serenity was soon followed by the urge to get some alcohol and to stem our hunger pangs. Elvis and Tache took turns navigating the boat and helping out in the kitchen to get our lunch ready. Our fresh fish and vegetable lunch was served with roti, (nothing like Mavis's though) without any alcohol. The alcohol selling laws out here seem rather strange. We made a brief stop to pick up some snacks and were stung for 3 bottles of beer. We paid (Jesus paid) English prices. They must have seen us (Jesus) coming.
We supped beer, played blackjack and Jesus ate snack upon snack after snack. I think the correct term is he had the munchies.
After dinner and a bottle of rum which Elvis went to buy on his scooter after mooring up, Allison, Lauren and me sat chatting whilst Jesus said he had to go and take a nap. A Mexican nap sure lasts a long time as we didn't see him till breakfast. Que Pasa Hombre.
We were up at 08:00 for breakfast and then dropped off the boat in the middle of nowhere. A Rickshaw finally pulled up at the bus stop we were waiting at and took us into town. Travel arrangements made we both headed off by train on our respective journeys. Lauren and Jesus to Mysore via Ernakulum, me and Allison to the beach at Varkala.
After some heated debate on the train we arrived in Varkala. The Indian gentleman wasn't keen on the History of us Brits ruling their country a few years back. If you ask me i don't blame him but I wasn't born at the time and nor was Allison.
Me, Jesus, Hindu Elvis and Tache
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