Hello, again?I feel as if it has been too long since I have last posted.My original plan was to make a posting nearly every day.Alex and I have actually tried to do this, but it is a rare occasion when we are able to get the computers here to visit the sites we would like.Our e-mail rarely works here, and the travel blog website is the same.The ability to load pictures is something that is even rarer.However, it seems that we have found a place that will allow us to do both (fingers crossed!).

The unfortunate part about not being able to make a posting every day is that it then becomes quite difficult for me to write about all of the experiences that we have had so far.It is not possible to forget any of them; it is simply difficult to find the time to dive into the detail that each experience deserves.So, for this posting, I think I will give just a brief overview of what has happened since the last time I wrote, which I believe was when we were in Pondicherry on the East Coast.

Alex and I are now in Kollam, which just like every other city and town in India has at least one other name that you might be able to find it under on the map.It is in the Southwest part of India (practically on the very southern tip) just north of Varkala.Varkala is actually where we stayed before this and was an absolutely fantastic place (more to come about that).

After Pondy, Alex and I took a bus to Trichy (also found under another name on the map that I forgot to bring to the café).From Trichy, we took a bust to a nearby temple called Big Temple where we hired a guide to tell us about the temple (VERY impressive place).We also visited Rock Temple in Trichy, where we made friends with some Indian students that are living in a hostel there to study physics.Just like all of the people that we have met here, they were extremely friendly people, told us much about there culture, were interested in ours, and even took us out for coffee afterwards.

From Trichy, we made our way to Trivandrum (spelling could be off here? and everywhere actually) again by bus.I believe it was on the 10 hour bus ride to Trivandrum that my camera died, and there were no outlets in our room in Trivandrum.This was pretty unfortunate because the bus rides (as crammed and uncomfortable as they are for anyone over 5'8") are some of my favorite parts since we get to see many things that you do not experience in the cities and towns.What was real incredible here was the change in natural environment.It was like going from Eastern Washington to Western Washington.There was a very noticeable temperature change, it began to rain, and the land became much greener.My favorite part here, as nerdy as this is, was that we saw literally close to a thousand windmills.I had been wondering how the areas we had seen got their power since we had not seen any generation plants, and to drive through this forest of windmills was absolutely amazing.It made me very happy to see so much green energy being harvested.

Varkala then came after Trivandrum.This was obviously a touristy place.Its setting is on a very beautiful cliff overlooking the endless ocean on the southwest tip of India.The people there were different than the Indians we had experienced anywhere else.Although just as friendly as other Indians, they were obviously influenced by the amount of tourism they had seen and had no problem trying to get us to spend our money.One example of this was a local, who was very kind and told us much about the culture of local India.It was quite apparent that he was trying to make us feel like he was our new local friend and that he could show us things others could not.He told us he could arrange an auto rickshaw to pick us up from our bamboo huts (looking over the water!!) to take us to a boat that would canoe us around and to an island that has a temple on it called Golden Island for $6.25.He stated that this included everything.We agreed and met him the next morning at our hotel.Everything was as he had promised.It was pretty amazing because the lake was in the middle of a coconut tree farm, which I had obviously never seen before.However, the trip ended up costing a whopping $13.75.Although it was well worth the money for us, it was still obvious that doubling the cost was his intent all along, which we didn't really mind since we knew that's what would happen coming into it.Varkala is a nice place, especially since it was off-season for tourism and we were pretty much the only ones there other than a British couple, two French girls that did not speak much English, and two German speaking Swiss girls.It being off-season for tourism also made our hotel stay be the cheapest so far and definitely the best deal.

And now, here we are in Kollam.Yesterday night, we took a backwater canoe trip through canals, a river, and a lake for $15, which is the correct amount since we bought it through the Indian government.Alex and I have found and agreed that the best food we have had here has definitely been the food in the backdoor restaurants that only locals eat at.The food costs $1 at most, usually around $0.50 and is absolutely delicious and all you can eat.We have been fortunate and not gotten sick yet.Also, I have been taking my pills religiously and not forgotten even once ;).

So, to everyone at home, take care, and I miss you all.