We have arrived safely in the southern Indian state of Kerala. We spent our first four days in the city of Cochin where the remains of British, Dutch and even Jewish settlements still stand at many street corners. Due to the depressing heat of the middle of the day, our routine has been to read and write during the day and to explore later in the afternoon. In Cochin we attended a Catholic mass, enjoyed an Indian cooking class and strolled through several spice and antique markets, the last of which Christina thoroughly enjoyed. The Indian people have been incredibly welcoming and friendly and their food is unparalleled. We will write more after a one night houseboating trip in the Backwaters which we are to start in about one hour.