22 February 2005: First Week In India

Hi everyone,

Just a not-so-quick email to let you know that I'm well & actually have made it India. It did take me having to go to London to deal with the Indian embassy directly (&learn about the Indians & queues!), and but I managed to my visa & passport back. Martin was less lucky, and had to beg & plead the day before the flight for someone to post it back to him. It arrive at the post office 7am, and our train was at 9am - so he just made it, madly running along the platform to join me as the train arrived. From that point it was great - inflight movies & good food. Martin still hasn't recovered & there is a huge time-lag when it comes to any decisions. Experienced Indian autorickshaws (it's like being in SuperMarioKart), and stayed in a fantastic room in Fort Cochi. Apart from helping the local fishermen, watching Katharkali dancing and heading to the palm-lined Cherai beach to swimming in the warm Indian & flying a kite - we're being lazy. The natives are all pretty friendly, I'm doing plenty of enjoyable reading & loving the heat. We headed South to Alleppey, to stay for 2 nights & go on a backwaters tour. Incredible that we could afford to hire a boat, chef, mechanic & captain for a day to see the waterways & local villages in style. A fabulous experience, travelling along the palm-lined backwaters (stopping for a swim along the way) until we reached a local village - were taken to the chef's home+family, and then to a local festival. By the way, is it really snowing in Sheffield?
The next day we took the fast ferry to Kollom, but have stopped at the Ashram just before it. It's a very, verystange place. Twin 15 story pink tower blocks rising from the jungle. On one side the Arabian Sea, on the other seemingly unending palm trees.
I've queued for a meal from the Saint of Kerela, Ama (- meaning Mother) & for dascha (a hug). A strange experience. It took about 2.5h for everyone to get one. And then she gave me a sweet.

http://www.amritapuri.org/Mother-page.php

Very strange. However the westerner here as well as the Indias are a very zeaous bunch & put a whole lot of meaning into this dascha. Its best just to nod & say that's interesting... I may be in the Ashram for a week (it's very cheap), and have done some seva (selfless service) in the form of making sweets, and will be up at 7am peeling veg tomorrow. This all contributes to feeding the 2000 refuges made homeless in the region by the Tsunami.

And here are a few photos, if you fancy seeing what it's been like.
http://www.whereismark.fotopic.net/c436983.html (1st Week in Kerela)

It'll be a while before I can write again, but I hope you're all having an excellent time.
All the best guys,

Mark