I'll have a slice of heaven, on the rocks please
Trip Start
Jan 01, 2011
1
8
9
Trip End
Jan 23, 2011
Varkala, Kerala, India
Friday, January 21, 2011
Dropped me off at the local train station - and back into welcome reality. From the stares I receive,
its clear this isn't on the backpacker route; I am the only white
(alright, olive) face in a sea of intrigued staring Indian faces, most of which
reflect equal parts bewilderment and curiosity.
An elegant sari wearing local turns to see why the men in the male
ticket queue (in India genders queue separately) are gawping. It might
have something to do with me being head and shoulders above everybody
there and being dressed in grey (this colour doesn't exist in Indian
dress, ever). I feel like a big gangly baseball boot wearing daddy long-legs
compared to the petite bindi-wearing, silky, sari-clad babes around me. Clearly, I should have rethought the converse and
cargo pant ensemble.
Anyhow, I find myself on a train heading down to Varkala, a coastal
hippy town known for its reliable quota of Bob Marley and tempting
candlelit bars that teeter on a cliff face adjacent to a simple pristine
beach. The only commerce on the sand is in the form of tingling sweet
pineapples, which are monopolised by a divinely happy Indian lady who
carves these beauties up with a machete whilst singing a song;
"Yum yum yum yum pineapple, good for you, good for me, eat yourself a pineapple...yum yum yum. Yum yum".
Well, who can resist that?
Besides pineapples and eye-popping sunsets, Varkala has also presented
me with a fresh set of friends. Two perma-stoned French paragliders are
roomies, whilst a whole gang of Brits, Scots, Canadians and Italians
have quickly become good friends over countless games of jenga, swimming
and generally perfecting the art of doing very little. Varkala,
subsequently, is akin to the Hotel California; none of our gang can
leave.
Comments
Hi poppet! Reading your blog is making my chuckle with happy memories! I remember Chlo, FI & I standing on the ticket line wondering why everyone was staring, then realised that we were the only 3 blondes in the entire place!!!
So glad you like Verkala, one of my fav places, sooooo chilled. Are they still serving the Kingfisher in teapots?
We're in Ko Lanta now, having a fab time! I have acclimatised to doing as little as possible and sunbathing very nicely!! And I have officially become a beach snob - if it's not crystal clear turquoise water and white fluffy sand I'm not interested!! A girl has to have standards!!
I'm not, on the other hand, getting used to the bug/livestock situation. Last night in my room I had a frog, a huge cricket (which flew onto my face as I was having a shower in our outside bathroom), a cockcrotch, hermit crabs and one million mozys & unidentifiably flying creatures - I am useless with nature!!
Anyway, so glad your enjoying India, shes a beautiful country isnt she? Can't wait to catch up in March, big love xxx