Bonkers Baga to Calm Kerala

Carolyn and Paul were really excited about meeting up with their friends Patsy, Gilly, Lisa and Shell and spending a week settled in one place; Bonkers Baga! Lisa and Shell have been here many times and say that his place has apparently really boomed over the years and is now quite a tourist honey-pot.

Paul and Carolyn forgot to take me out most days as they were distracted with their friends, but I hear they had some fantastic days on the beach sunbathing and had some amazing meals out (including a very special birthday dinner for Paul at a very swanky restaurant by the beach).They also had a few trips out, including a Spice Plantation tour, where they all learned how spices are cultivated and used in medicines as well as food.

They also visited the outdoor Anjuna and the Arpora markets; both of which supplied a colourful array of traders and wares.The famous Anjuna market was an unending line of stalls laid out in the scorching heat, with both tourists and cows strolling down the lanes. The Arpora Night market was more about the bars, outdoor clubbing areas and food than it was the shopping.

Carolyn was so excited to discover on a group trip back to Old Goa that Wax World had re-opened for business. The others went on a church ramble, while Paul and Carolyn hit the 'Big Fun Hall of Wax'. On arriving at the 'ticket office' Carolyn and Paul were asked where they were from. When answering 'London' the girls all squealed and repeating 'Madame Tussauds London' so when Carolyn said she worked there, they nearly fainted with excitement. Paul and Carolyn were treated as VIP guests, having a 'private VIP tour' (although they seemed to be the only visitors there) and had running commentary about the displays, which included detail such as 'Shiva's waxwork was broken on the way here from Bangalore, so that is why his leg looks like that'!! They were all 'displays' mainly of Indian and Christian gods, with the most elaborate being the Last Supper.

This was a unique portrayal of Michaelangelo's masterpiece, with their bright pink shiny faces and dodgy wigs, you felt you were present at the meal! When finishing the tour, they asked if they could return to take another photo of Ghandi's figure. Mass panic ensued when Paul and Carolyn started their return journey through the 'Fun Hall', the team ran off in different directions to turn all the lights back on, as they'd been turning them off as they'd moved around! I should imagine Carolyn and Paul were the only 2 visitors that day!

After a fantastic and fun-packed week with the gang, Paul and Carolyn were sad to say goodbye but got back on the road again and made their way to a train that would take them to the Capital of Kerala in 17 hours! The Sleeper train was an experience. This time the beds were 3 bunks high and Carolyn and Paul found themselves in the middle ones opposite each other (after some haggling as they were assigned booths apart).Carolyn settled in for the night and got a few hours sleep while Paul had one eye on the backpacks and slept for minutes at a time! They boarded the train at 11am and by 2pm the next day they had enough so decided to get off the train early. Carolyn had managed to refrain from using the train toilet and was at her bladder threshold. Paul had told her of the horrors of the long drop toilet and every time the train pulled in to a stop and emptied its load, it was obvious it was going to be a memorable experience Carolyn was keen to avoid.

They found themselves in a town called Kollam and bedded in for the night. This is one of the gateways to the famous Kerala backwaters; a stunning network of waterways of tropical paradise. Paul and Carolyn were quick to organise a 24 hour rice boat experience which would take through the backwaters, including a transfer to a guided canoe in to the smaller waterways, to see how the local villagers live in the Venice of India. It was an amazing experience, drifting along on this romantic setting, watching the world go by and being fed amazing meals by the on-board crew; pure luxury.

Life slows down massively in Kerala and Carolyn and Paul are enjoying a couple of really relaxing days in Alleppey in a guest house overlooking the backwaters and watching the world go by before the next adventures; tea plantations and fort towns in Kerala before a flight up to Northern India, starting with Delhi!

Wish you were here…

Judith (Carolyn and Paul) xx

(See 'Bonkers Baga to Calm Kerala' photo album for update)