fredag 30. september 2011

Uppdate

Looooong time since I wrote, I have been wondering how to manage to tell about everything that happened the last two and a half weeks...... Ill try to describe the highlights.
- Onam; Celebration of a old king, its like celebrating Christmas, he gives candy to kids, and charge 10 rupees for a picture with him under his umbrella. everyone having a governmental job gets double months pay and shop like crazy 10days holiday for most people in Kerala. meaning food orgies with families. And bombarding the beaches.
- Rice with 8 different curry on a banana leaf. pretty colorful. Its called Tali or something.
- Train to Alleppey, a team of super funny people playing Frisbee and trying to keep their pride beach clean from trash and plastic. Picture of us in the newspaper, they wanted me to promote their case.
- Relaxing days; Having fun with friends, Playing cards all the time, eating food all the time, raining all the time.
- ckiken, curry, chiken masala, chiken tikka, chiken tanori, ginger chiken, + thons of spicy fish food :)
- Cattle brain..... mushy grey thing, regret after, thinking of mad cows disease :)  
- Tying on expensive Shari to 8000Rs without buying, thank you guys :)
- Sitting on the back of a motorbike, extreme feeling of freedom!!! thank you guys :)
- Buying 8 Tulidars, thak you Kaleel :) I know you have a sistere :)
-Bowling with Kahn, that newer had tried this sport before, but still beat me, thank you :)
- Beautiful evenings at the beach, my name is Sheela or Leda, im confused.
Learning, Malayalam, thank you Ansil :) Enda peri Shila, Nanny, :)
- Loads of kids waving at me and want to shake my hand, Im same as much amazed by them as they are by me I think. I even got to hold a couple of babies :)
- Beautiful backwaters, cruise on the water, watching people wash clothes, doing dishes, fishing and swimming in the water.
- 3D Indian movie ;0) COOOOOL
-Weekend trip to Munnar:
Tea plantations, tea factory, high up in the mountains, huge waterfalls, beautiful view and flowers,  monkeys running around on the street, passing by an elephant that got a nice needed scrub in a pit.
National park, supposed to be beautiful, but the view was more beautiful than being in the alps, supposed to be wild animals there, found only one wild shy goat :P
The best think up there: Temperature like a Norwegian summer with nice cold wind.

torsdag 15. september 2011

Varkala

Another tourist place. At this time of the year it is not so many tourists, but on the cliff topp with only hotels and restaurants still more tourists than natives. My direct buss from Kovalam to Varkala did not arrive 2.30 pm. So I had to go to a larger city to find another one from there. Walking around in Trivandrum was my first real experience of India. Too many people, too warm and to caotic traffic. I asked my way to the bus station. But they told me the buss i was looking for was on the opposite side. It took 15 min to cross the toad. No matter who I asked the bus was always on the oposite side.... after crossing the road 3 times I gave up and asked for the way to to the Trainstation instad. Next train was at 7pm. 4 hours waiting. I bought a ticket and was not happy about arriving so late in a new place. It gets dark at 6pm. So I gave the bus one more try. I took a ricksaw, and apperently, there are several buss stations!!!!!!!!! How could i know. Also I learned later, no Indians can say they do not know. But they always say something, so you end up walking in wrong directions. Finally the luck was on my side, an AC bus was about to departure. Happy happy on the bus with load indian music and severely dehydrated. The busride that was supposed to take 1,5 hours took 3,5 hours. Happy Onam!! Largst holiday and festival in Kerala state. Everyone in the cities we passed was out in the streets, dressed very nicely and shopping like crazy.
On the bus I met a nice guy and a lady from germany. Guess what, they owned a guesthouse where I could stay. It was an amazing place, and since its low season, I got a good price ;)
I met lovely girls from Denmark and Germany that was also traveling alone. Good food, good times, too warm in the day time, and a beautiful beach.

fredag 9. september 2011

The women who saved me at the airport.

My new Swedish friend. We had a nice dinner together my last night in Kovalam.

The view from my balcony :)

The view from my bed :)
Kovalam Lighthouse
Me on top of the Lighthouse. Very windy and scary steps.

My bike broke

On the harbor, while I was taking pictures, the front wheel collapsed. All the 3 fishermen next to me looked at me and laughed. I blushed and laughed as well. But I did not feel like going into town any more with this bike. It was crazy warm weather. 
Luckily there where some nice goats to look at on the way home. I did not dare to take picture of the local people living in some huts. Thay where all starring and waving at me. Loads of children running around me wanting a school pen or two.


On the harbour in fish town

This is where I wanted to go. Met many people when i stopped to take pictures. Where you from? Norway. Tried to look away. What your name? Solvee Are you married? Yes! Kids? Yes. ........ Bike away.

On the way to fish town

I got a bit lost, dead end road.

Bike trip to fishtown.

After 2 hours waiting in the morning, the promised bike showed up, correction... its called cycle, if you say bike you will get a Motor-bike.

onsdag 7. september 2011

Kovalam

I arrived 4am, my plan was to got to Varkala, I had arranged by e-mail that one dude from a guesthouse, not want to mention the name of the place, was going to pick me up and drive me there. Could not see anyone looking for me in the arrival hall. Only 200 Indians starring at me. Felt a bit lost and tired. Luckily I had med a Swedish elderly women that had someone to drive her to where she was going. So I went with her and ended up in Kovalam 5am in the morning. I could not care less about where to sleep, but the guesthouse she had stayed at before was lovely. As i wrote on facebook: It was amazing to watch the ocean from my bed, a huge balcony and fresh wind through the window. Wanted to stay 2 nights, but ended up staying there 3 nights. Not many tourists in town, the more eager they are to sell me stuff. The first two sellers was hard to say no to, but then it just got annoying. A women tried to sell me fruits, i said one banana, then she peeled two mangoes, and forsed me to taste. Was good, but  I was more concerned about her dirty hands and knife, so i only ate 2 bites. She charged me 200 Rupees. I understood that was too much, but I had no Idea about the normal price of a mango. I had to ask someone on the street, they told me 30 Rs. She got angry at them, screaming so that thr whole street was looking. I gave her 100RS. And ran away. Was more relaxing to lay on my balcony reading my book than being hazarded on the streets the first day.