Fish Market in Tellicherry

Proud owner of an 1936 Austin 7 in Tellicherry. My Mum and Dad had one like this in New Zealand, except this is a convertable model.

Varkala Beach, where I am now, sun sand and tourists!

Thalassery or Tellicherri ... take your pick

From Mysore I headed west to Madekeri, a hill station in the Western Ghats. The reason I headed there was to break my journey back to the coast, and to visit the Golden Temple at Namdroling Monestary, nearby. See pictures below.

Today I got the bus to Thalassery (also called Tellicherry), on the coast, whose claim to fame, among other things, is as the birthplace of Hermann's Hesse's mother - god bless her.

Today, however, was a bit trying ... it started last night actually.

The hotel room was actually not bad ... and the TV had a gizillion channels. I watched the movie The Dream Team (pretty good - Michael Keaton) and the power stayed on for the WHOLE movie!!! Great. I'd just put the light out when there was a knock at the door - would I please pay my breakfast bill? Geez ... I paid the 30 rupees (.75cents) and went to sleep, only to be woken at 4:30 by slamming of doors, and loud voices - apparently, as I later found out, a group checked in at that time ...

I have to tell you that Indians can be some of the noisiest people you will ever meet.!

When I did get up, there was no hot water. Now normally this would not annoy me, but when I had checked in, the room they showed me had no shower, so I shelled out an extra $3.00 for one that had one .. with promises of 24 hr hot water.

So bleary-eyed I headed to the bus station and found the bus to Thalassery. As usual, the seats were spaced about 2'' closer than I needed have room for my knees ... but what the heck, it's only abt 100kms to the coast - how long can that take?


6 hours is the answer. 2 1/2 hours of tha to cover 26kms coming down off the hills, on one of the worst roads I have ever been on ... and that's a lot of
roads.! Not that the driver was being over cautious .. he was a speed demon! .. people were throwing up, those at the back of the bus literally rising off their seats! The last 20kms or so, on a fairly good road were insane ... full speed, horn blaring, passing everything ... I was scared to look.
Quite a ride for $1.50

I headed for the hotel I had researched on the net from travellers sites, The Paris Residency ... When I looked at the room it didn't sound at all like the description I'd read - it was pretty basic, but at least clean (by Indian Standards) so I took it - after all it was only 120 rupees ($4.00)

It was only after I'd checked in and went in search of some food I saw the hotel I was supposed to have found .. The Paris Presidency ... a swish looking place with an elevator no less! I bet they even give you toilet paper there!

Then it was on to the train station to make some onward reservations to Varkala ... only to find that the reservation office closes at 2:00 ... ahhh well .. go with the flow. Manyana.

On first inspection Thalassery looks like most Indian towns. Some of the words that come to mind are shabby, decrepid, squalid, faded, fetid or one of my mum's favorites, tatty ....

India is like that. It's only after you have been in a place for a while you see the other things .. the amazing architecture, the elegant women in their silk saris, the flowers growing in the garbage, the call from the mosques at sunset, temple bells ....

It seems whatwever conclusions I try to come to about India, as soon as I come to them, I get contradicted.

Anyways .. that's all for now .... off in search of dinner ....


























Temple at Sera Jhe, a large Tibetan Monastry in Southern India

Mysore Pictures

Sign near my hotel in Mysore .. good to know help is close at hand!
















The Mysore Palace .... by night
..... and by day
Hotel Dasaprakash .. a very cool Art Deco hotel with a boat on the roof!!

A bit of a strange day ...

Today was the day of a general strike in Karnataka to protest the decision of a tribunal regarding water sharing between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The streets were virtually deserted, everything was closed. Fortunately the restaurant in my Hotel (an extremely funky old place built around a large courtyard) was open - mainly I think because the large military and police presence were using it as a bit of a base and as a place to eat. When I went to breakfast, the place was filled with military people - halfway during breakfast a senior officer came in and everyone jumped to attention - as the only tourist in the place it felt kinda weird.

I went out a couple of times for a walk .. it was very quiet, except for one street where young marchers were walking .. all very peaceful and good humoured. At one point I saw a cop pull over an auto rickshaw to check that he wasn't carrying a paid passenger - the police apparently were supporting and enforcing the strike. By dusk it was all over, and the streets filled up again.

The other excitement today was my meeting with the hotels "astropalmist" I went and saw him yesterday, and he took a print of my hands on which he had squeegeed ink, took my 500 Rs ($12.00) for the "extended" prediction, with instructions to come back today at 12:00.

Our session lasted about half an hour - he was quite remarkably accurate in his assessment of my past ... ie marriage, divorce, two children, career, finances etc ... as for the future ... well I'll keep that to myself ... all I will say there are some surprises ahead. As I was leaving I was invited to give hime more information .. names of children, parents etc ... and more money .. for a puja, prayers and intercession on my behalf for the future ... I passed.

I've just come back from supper ... I decided to treat myself at the roof top cafe of a rather plush looking hotel that advertised "continental cuisine" I ordered a tossed salad and vegetable cannelloni. The salad consisted of big chunks of onions, carrots, tomatoes and cucumbers "tossed" with very hot chili powder .... too hot for me!!Thee cannelloni ... well ... it looked good, but consisted of strips of pasta filled with potato and some other green vegetable (fennel?) smothered in a tomato looking sauce - which was a bit sweet and spicy with a spice I didn't recognize. The garlic Nan was great ... Next time stick to Indian food.

I had hoped to head off tomorrow to Sere Jhe - a Tibetan exile community a couple of hours from here, but discovered I need permits to go, that may not be able to be arranged immediately ... further investigations required.

Weekend in Bangalore

India's Tallest "Christmas Tree" in Bangalore Botanical Gardens
Karnataka ladies in traditional dress - worn daily ...

Sulatan's Palace - made all of teakwood

Blessing a new car at the temple

Traditional Transportation right downtown

Photos from Hampi

Goa Glue

It's call Goa Glue, a lady said to me the other night ...





I had been explaining how it was hard to leave Goa ... Life is very comfortable here, and I know if I don't leave now, I could get sucked into the vortex and never leave. I could see myself making a home here.

So today I leave my idyllic little beach and bamboo hut headed for Hampi.



Hampi's one of those places traveller's talk about - the ruins of and ancient Hindu city that is said to have rivalled Rome at one time.


It's a 10 1/2 hour overnight "Sleeper Bus" from Panjim ...

It's been good here ... the sound of the surf, amazing fruit salads at the Smiling Buddha, frolicing in the surf, watching the parasailers, zipping down to Wendy's on the scooter, visiting a spice farm, going to a concert ... and such great food ...



Last night Kate, an American woman, travelling with her Rajistanian boyfriend Guddu, organized an elegant dinner on the beach in front of our huts ... such style!! amd a lovley way to spend my last evening at Sweet water beach.