Kerala
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Exploring Wayanad
I left tranquil Coonoor heading back into Kerala to visit the Wayanad region. Wayanad is another area of the Western Ghats (southern hills) and I had a beautiful drive through tea plantations and forests. I booked into Zostel Wayanad which had excellent reviews online. The hostel is located next to one of the Chembra Peak which is one of the highest in Wayanad. At first I thought Google Maps had made an error as I rode along the winding road up towards Chembra Peak but I came across a forest warden who told me I was on the right road. A bit further along I saw a sign to the…
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Varkala to Chennai
This evening I left Varkala after 1 month and headed to Chennai in neighbouring Tamil Nadu where I will stay with friends. I caught the overnight sleeper train which left at 6 pm and was due to arrive in Chennai at 10 am. I booked the 2 class AC Sleeper carriage. The train was quiet as it pulled out of Varkala but was completely full by the time it pulled out of Kochi. The sleeper carriage was very comfortable and I had a good nights sleep on the train. The train arrived into Chennai central station at 10 am where I caught the new metro to Shenoy Naga. I was…
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Last few days in Varkala
My time in Varkala is coming to an end after a month of chilling out by the sea. I have made some great new friends during my time here and my flexibility and strength has improved after practicing yoga at Joseph’s studio everyday. Joseph’s mantra is you can stay young if you practice back bends each day. It was fun practicing at the studio and I can feel that my posture has improved after years at work spending time bent over a computer. On my last weekend in Varkala I was invited to join the students taking the yoga teaching training course on a visit to Ponnumthuruthu (Golden) Island. Joseph’s…
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Beaches and temples around Varkala
My stay in Varkala has been extended whilst I wait for my international driving permit to arrive from the UK. I continue to stay at the Karma Homestay cottage and enjoy having my own little house. I did encounter a problem a few nights ago though. When I was covering the bed with a mosquito there was a big crashing sound as the leg of the bed went through the floor into the kitchen below! Termites had eaten away the floorboards in the corner of the room. Termites and insects eating softwood is a common issue in Kerala and is why furniture in India is typically made out of hardwoods…
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Pozhikkara Devi Temple Festival
I was invited by a local lad to join the festival at the Pozhikkara Devi Temple in Paravur is a 30 minute drive up the coast from Varkala. I met Amal on the last day of the 10 day celebration and the climax of the festivities. The festival started with a 2 km procession along the Pozhikkara – Paravur road to the Pozhikkara Devi Temple complex. The brightly illuminated street was lined with locals watching the procession. The procession included to majestic elephants who seemed unfazed by all the noise and crowds of people. Fireworks lit up the sky above the procession. Local people made offerings as the procession passed…
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Exploring around Varkala
I hired a scooter so I could explore the surrounding coastline around Varkala. I first travelled south to Anjengo district which is the site of Anjengo fort. The fort is one of the earliest British settlements in India. Anjengo is an anglicised name ‘Anchuthengu’ meaning ‘five coconut trees’. The East India Company established a fort here in 1690. The fort is also the one of the earliest sites of rebellion against colonial rule in 1721 with the local chieftain capturing the fort for 6 months after massacring all the British soldiers. Next to the fort is a 130 metre tall lighthouse. The original lighthouse guided in the British boats to…
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Chilling out in Varkala
Varkala is the perfect place to chill out and take a break from the travelling. It is a great feeling to stay in one place and to be by the sea. I checked out of the Lungi Vibe hostel after the new year celebration and found an excellent homestay where I plan to stay for a couple of weeks. I’m renting a simple cottage which has a kitchen and bathroom downstairs and a bedroom, desk and balcony upstairs. It is great to have a place to myself after sharing dorms in the hostels and even better that the place is costs less than £6 per night. I’m enjoying being able…
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New Year’s Eve in Varkala
I had a chilled out morning exploring the Varkala cliffs and beaches. A came across a litter of puppies who were exploring the beach. In the afternoon I returned to the hostel to chill out in the hammock to escape the mid day heat. At the hostel I met a couple of Indian guys visiting from Kochi who invited me to join them swimming and to watch the last sunset of the year from black beach. After the sun set we walked back to the hostel. All the restaurants and bars along the cliffs were bright illuminated ready for the New Year celebration. The owner of the hostel had organised…
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Vallikkapatta to Varkala
I departed from Vallikkapatta the day after the Chirakkal family gathering. I had a wonderful time with Hari’s family and it was sad to say goodbye to them all. I caught the bus from the Vallikkapatta to Tirur where I had a reservation for the train to take me to the beach resort of Varkala. Hari dropped me off at the bus stop where I caught the local bus. At Tirur I had a short wait before the train arrived. The train was very busy and I was glad that I had a reserved seat for the 8 hour journey. I relaxed on the train reading a book whilst the…
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Chirakkal Family Gathering
On December 28th all of the Chirakkal extended family came together at Hari’s home. Hari is now based in Singapore so the family all get together once or twice a year when he is in Kerala. It was great to be part of the family gathering and to see members of Hari’s family who I met at his wedding 23 years ago. The day started with a walk stroll through the paddy fields with the youngsters. We walked along the narrow ridges that separate the fields and had to balance carefully to prevent falling into the mud. After the walk we cleaned our feet in the river and received a…
