23.01.08

Well an early start for the intrepid travellers. big breakfast by 8;30 and packed and walked the 500m to the satation. train was already in ...it was one of the express trains about 500m long! trains here are wide 9about 1.5m0 gauge and long carriages so very smooth. We got sleeper seats so plenty of space. train was pretty much empty for a while then fillong with students off to the many universities paricularly in Thiruvananthapuram where most got off. It was a relaxing trip which followed thr coast north inti the state of kerala. The landscape was green all the way with loads of palms, banana plantations and fluorescent green rice paddies. And the inevitable villages along the way. we travlled opposite a young couple with a 2 yr old and they took a keen interest in us and she was unusually in my experience included in the conversation and contributed a lot to it. Got to verkala about 1;30 and took a tuktuk to the verkala cliffs 9about 2km). our preferred accommodation was full so we went for some great rooms just behind for 500R, and wandered off to the 'strip' for a late linch of ginger prawns and fresh juice. Then it was beach time. p&J couldnt wait..it'd been a long time for them but we stayed in the water til sunset. For those who thought fiji's water was warm ..well this was in a different league again,so so warm. great waves very clean and a lovely beach. The resorts and cafes are set about 50m above the beach on the cliff top so quite unusual. The food choice is necver ending and the keralan cuisine uses different spices then Tanil nadu and lots of fish. The days catch is displayed out front and i opted for tandooti butterfish and lemon ginger tea, phew.

This area is renowned for all forms of yoga, and every imaginable natural healing therapy plus reiki, etc etc and all the teeth work you'd ever want. As a result the beach is covered with contorted forms and people getting bknotted in their daily yoga rituals. The faces here have taken on a european tone as it's become a popular destination for all manner of therapy, including weight loss so there was a fair smattering of fatties. the locals only seem to use the beach first and last thing for cricket and just walking along after sunset....very pleasant.

We had three nights here in all and it was a great 'out' after thr relentless noise of larger places. We spent a lot of time swimming and dody surfing sleeping and eating and eating ..oh did I mention the meals! On day 3 I booked in for a Kerala Ayurveda massage...bit of a luxury at 1200r but but but...anyway it promised to rejuvenate my body, reduce mental tension, and sexual weakness, inproved vitality, but no mention of cad muscle problems. well I had a small Indian gentleman with large feet walk on me for 45mins...(I was so glad i hadn't had lunch) and then a second one worked my joints for 45mins to within an inch of their lives, curiously both gents found my elusive cad muscle and tried to redirect it without success! all in all a great experience for about 40NZ not bad value and the 5litres of oil was free. had my best sleep that night since arriving here. Julia went for a head and neck option and Paul went swimming, and we followed it up with a tibeten momo lunch. There's also a lot of craft for salwe here and a lot of Tibetan ware most of which is fundraising for a free tibet.

Varkala and and kerala in general is the most prosperous area of India and it shows. We have seen very little begging here (in town itself also), the exception being a totally legless guy who just goes up and down tyhe beach on his hands and parks himself next to you and smiles and moves on. literacy is high here and theresa town (city) close by which is the first in india to achieve 100% literacy. The area is also rich in rubber, coffee, pineapple and cashew nut plantations not to mention the great spice trade. Well unfortunately it's time to move on again and tomorrow we thought we might just take a tuktuk to our next destination.