December 16, 2009 – Day 356 – Kanyakumari, India

The ominous looking grey blue sky made a dramatic backdrop for the bright white church sitting just near the rocky pier. The water front is crammed with small fishing boats bobbing gently with the ocean’s waves. Their peeling paint is still a bright contrast to the almost black stinking water and the darkening sky.

Boats in the bay

December 15, 2009 – Day 355 – Kanyakumari, India

Today was a blow-out sort of day. Slept in, ate a spicy thali for lunch, and spent much of the afternoon trying to get a train or bus ticket to Chennai. Kanyakumari is not the sort of place that you really want to spend more than maybe a day. While prices are very cheap compared to everywhere else in India, the only attractive factor is that it is in fact, the very end of India. Nothing profound really to see but a kind of cool thing in itself. The town is small and full of unusually sketchy characters and domestic Indian tourists (the reason things are so cheap here). At any rate, we will be staying here tomorrow since that is when we can get a bus out!

Dark and light

December 14, 2009 – Day 354 – Kanyakumari, India

The tip of India. We finally made it after a much longer than expected travel day. Though it was 6pm and getting dark, we definitely got to see the end of India. From the jetty we could see this huge statue in the water just beside another little island with a brightly lit church. Even better was the view from the roof of our hotel across the city and toward the sea!

At the tip of India

December 11-13, 2009 – Day 351-353 – Varkala Beach, Kerala, India

After a travel day and not getting to Varakala late afternoon, we spent our afternoon settling into the pretty cliffside beach town and enjoying the sea air.

Varkala beach

December 9-10, 2009 – Day 349-350 – Alleppy, India

Spent the 9th hanging around town and home, not doing much. The 10th we took an awesome boat trip through Kerala’s famous backwaters.

On the river

December 8, 2009 – Day 348 – Alleppy, Kerala, India

Today was another travel day but we stumbled into a bit of luxury when we arrived to Alleppy. As usual, there were touts waiting for us when we got off the bus but today we were lucky to be greeted by one who had a great place on offer.

Empty bus

December 7, 2009 – Day 347 – Fort Kochi, Kerala, India

A full day of “sightseeing” in Fort Kochi is really all it takes. It is a pleasant little town and would be a wonderful, quiet place to spend 2 or 3 days. We are running a bit short on time and decided to do a day-tour.

Chinese fishing nets

December 6, 2009 – Day 346 – Fort Kochi, Kerala, India

Around 2pm, we arrived at the Ernakulum Railway Station. A rickshaw, a ferry, and a 1 km walk later, we arrived in the center of town of Fort Kochi. It is a small place and easily walkable.

On the train

December 5, 2009 – Day 345 – Palolem Beach, Goa, India

It was a long day of waiting. We had to check out of our room at noon so we couldn’t go to the beach today (who wants to ride an overnight train covered in sweat and sand?). Instead we took very long meals and spent a lot of time at the internet cafe and walking around town. Finally, it was time to catch the last local bus into town at 7pm.

Samosa!

December 3-4, 2009 – Day 343-344 – Palolem Beach, Goa, India

Spent a couple of nice days walking around town and going to the beach. Lots of sun, some good samosas for breakfast and fish thali for lunch, and enjoying the rare luxury of a TV in our room during the evenings. We are heading out of Goa tomorrow on the night train and into Kerala.

View down the beach