coming home.

What we didn't manage to blog was our change of plan. We ended up canceling the 27 hour train in favour of a night in Trivandrum, further south. And then a car back to cochi, and a flight back to mumbai today. What we didn't know was there is a general strike today, so we've been in a car with a tourist sign on it through demos etc. We're now at the airport in cochi but the flight is delayed. We need to get to mumbai by 12 or we miss the flight! J

christmas lunch

Despite efforts to find turkey and boiled sprouts. We settled for curry on christmas day, whilst on a house boat in alappally. J

picture for mum

The scene as i just spoke to mum on christmas eve jeremy

Happy Christmas

Sorry it's been a little quiet, have have internet problems (or lack of) a quick catch up, will post other stuff later.
Having explored Kochi, we moved on last Tuesday to the rain forest noth of Kochi, beautiful, breathtaking views of an 80' waterfall from the picture window in the bedroom, unfortunatly lots of other thinks about the hotel left lot to be desired, it looked like 'tracy island' with it's 1970s deco, but the pool was green with algee (J thinks this was meant) and cold, however the food was good, if a little comical in method of delivery, we made or last trip to Aripalam, did our family duties, and left having taken lots of photos & video.
Leaving the rain forest (where it didn't rain once) we set out for Alleppey, otherwise known as the ' Venice of India'
We have been make very welcome here as 'Motty's' home stay, although it's Chrismas back home, it's full on Temple festival time here, music dancing, street fairs with hawkers etc
well into the early hours, and then starting again around 4 am.
Agenda for the next few days includes a rice boat trip on the back water (canals) and canoes.
We're off to see the elephants tonight on parade at the temples.
Today is message for Maz & haircut for J
We wish you all a very Indian Chrismas
J& Maz on Motty's PC

We made it to aripalam today. The grave looks fantastic. We now have lots of new friends and we can return tuesday and pay the builder etc

Thursday 17th Dec

Thursday 17th Dec
Following a realy good deep sleap, after the so called "sleeper"
train, woke just before breakfast finnished. We embarked on (so
called) 1/2 hour walk Jew town to see the synagogue & tourist shopping
area, early on in our adventure we found empourium where maz purchased
new hat & matching handbag. We now look like audrey hepburn!
1 hour later having been through both rice & spice market we arrived
at the closed synagogue (lunch between 1 &3) tharted our 1st attempt
we decamped back to the hotel via tut tut ( picture to follow) for
swim & lunch.
More anon,
J& maz, sitting outside garden room & old harbour hotel, with a glass
of Indian wine & some duty free Jameson.

Sent from my iPod

Cochi 17dec

Cochi 17dec
The old hourbour inn is fantastic, and very welcome after our train
trip. Our new guide Dillep & his driver sabastian, (this is not as
grand as it sounds) meet us at the station & drive us go the hotel
where we both want to have a layer of skin removed to be clean, but a
shower, swim & date with a western style loo sorts us out.
We arranged with Dillep a car to take us to Aripalam on Friday,
tomorrow! we had not origionaly thought we would get there until next
week, as our next hotel is closer, but he said it's possible, it wil
be some 4 hrs, but it will be worth it. If the tomb is not finished,
it buys us the time to get the work done or do the work ourselves! I'm
hoping the second option is not the one as the heat is incredible,
great weather for pools & beer, not so good for working in.
Jeremy