10 Nov. ‘11
Off to catch the 8 hour boat from Alleppy to Kollam. My stuff was loaded on to the little canoe to cross to the waiting rickshaw as there were no roads on “our” little island. Ana, Thomas and Matthew saw me off, see them in photo above.
No problem reaching the ferry port and the 2 decker boat was not full at all. Watched all the life along the rivers as people washed their dishes, themselves and their clothes. The boat halted for lunch and later for tea but the stop at AMMA’S was only to allow people to disembark. If I had known that I would have arranged to spend a night there even though she is not in residence. She goes to Europe each year at this time. I couldn’t stay as the first night in Varkala is booked. Arriving in Kollam I made a rush for the train via a rickshaw. What a crowded experience, most of the compartments have only sleepers and one cannot sit there with a regular ticket. Since it was just half an hour ride I was told to just walk ahead of the Inspectors so they didn’t catch up with me before Varkala. Now to another rickshaw and finally arrived at the beach.
I was booked in to Club 40, a quite expensive place, on north cliff. It didn’t have the expected sea view although not far from the water and the strip with many restaurants, shops of all kinds, internet places and travel agents. Touristy but not as bad as Kovalam where all the French people on the boat were going. The nice rickshaw driver introduced me to a guesthouse with a sea view that cost 500 rupees a night as opposed to 1400 where I’m staying. I felt so unusually tired probably because of having had a sore throat and cold since I left Ireland plus the heat here. Ate some Mumus at a Tibetan restaurant and had my first beer in a week. Here there’s all the usual encouragement to look and buy everything from Bongos to the usual Indian bright jewelry and clothes.
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