02.02.08 Kozhikode

out of hotel and down to ferry back to mainland by 11am. Half hour ferry trip and tuktuk straight to train station in Ernakulum. Train for 12;45pm for a 5 hour trip to Kozhikode. sometimes all the timing just falls into place and this was one such occurrence...it does make for a stress free time!The trip was uneventful except that we didnt have reserved seats and halfway through thetrip a tall robed chap claimed I had his seat and one of the other passengers quietly suggested i shouldmove which I did...and then he made a big fuss about cleaning my seat after I sat in it. I laughed it off but it was not at all typical behaviour and some of the locals promptly stood up and left the booth.

The trip once again was almost completely palm fringed , and some river crossings, with some other intensive cropping also and yes the constant masses of busy people washing working etc all the way. You never seem to find a view without some form of human activity in it.

Our train was on time and we found our hotel by tuktuk only to find it full as was the next so they rang around for us and by dusk we had a suitable spot. There was another pristine beach here but only had a quick view of it before being taken to the hotel. The locals make a habit of visiting the promenade at the beach at dusk everyday for family wandering ...all very pleasant.

We ate at the restaurant and planned the following days travel.

Interestingly this was the first occasion in all the three months that Paul and Julia had been here that there had been an issue finding accommodation.