Molly's Retreat Kovalam

Hello everyone,

After more than a week of being a beach bum I thought it would be time for something different.
After considering several possibilities and after a very gratifying Yoga class I decided to join a very famous Yoga Ashram(Retreat). Its very cheap(And I do need to save some money!), its in a wonderful place and its full on 5 days of Yoga and meditation. Some rules like no salt, coffee ...

... most hilarious fireworks display I have ever seen, as the guys from the restaurant lit them one by one they were going off left, right and center almost knocking someone's eye out and killing the dog. We rounded the evening off with some really good G&T's and a brain aching game of scrabble. The following day (our last day) Morgan, James and I had planned to go snorkeling out on a boat we just hadn't planned on the hangover ...

... more candles. The rain finally let up and we picked our way back with our flashlights. Martin and Diana had spent 18 months in Guanajuato on vacation after they retired. So I picked his brain and will try to get down there next summer. Lunch at Clafouti was again delicioius: tandoori chicken with pad thai. We went to the Hungry Eye Café, the one that goes up in levels, for some lemon cake and a cappucino, and both were good too

... be pushed inwards with gusto by the constant stream of chai, coffee & curry sellers. Being near the carriage door also meant that, as is the Indian tradition, there was a continuous soundtrack of men clearing their throats, readying themselves for the open window in the adjoining corridor to release the contents of their mouth like a missile. Spitting is a national pastime, it's often quite a coloured affair as on every street corner there are stalls selling betel-nut ...

... ook afscheid genomen van het SISP. Met pijn in het hart. Ik heb hier een super tijd gehad! Het is magnifiek om te zijn wat hier allemaal gerealiseerd wordt. Het is niet evident en het vraagt veel opoffering en vooral veel geduld. Geen idee waar mensen zoals Paul (de oprichter) de energie vandaan halen. Mijn respect hebben ze alvast allemaal! Bij wijze van afscheid werden er liedjes gezongen, dansjes gedanst en een speech gegeven. Opnieuw hartverwarmend en een emotionele ...

... restaurant in Trivandrum - The Kalavara - fifty metres down the side street opposite the BATA shoe store on MG Road. The food there is the best we have found in Kerala but they don't sell beer. I had an very edible Pork (first for at least two months) Manchurian and Alison her favourite Chicken Kurma. this being the only place where you can guarantee meat comes off the bone. Even the salt lhassi was excellent. We finished our grocery shopping ...

... but was not designed for a tiny flash of white light followed by a thick cloud of smoke and perforated ear drums. I see Diwali as a kind of Festival of Equality. In the second most populated country in the world people are constantly fighting to be heard, but here, in Trivandrum, during Diwali, all are equal. Young and old, rich and poor, man and woman, Indian and foreigner.... Nobody can be heard.

... it's not hard to find a quiet spot, and it's never hard to find some excellent seafood (best meal to date has been a tandoori 'pomfret') or an Internet cafe! All with gorgeous beach views. There's been a fascinating chap staying with his wife at the hotel. A Nepali Sherpa named Choemen. He's now a trek guide in Nepal, but used to be a Buddhist monk in N. India. He's been giving me all sorts of useful advice regarding the northern leg of my trip, and has even given ...

... starts with a sideways head turn and a smile, but soon you're returning the headbobble with a headbobble, or maybe eventually provoking headbobble reactions yourself. and as the headbobble because part of your normal speech, you start to understand its meaning. you've cracked its code. you've been in india for 3 weeks and all you got was this stupid headbobble. in jaisalmer, we headbobbled our way through an impressive sandstone fort isolated in the ...

... burned herself..1st day for crying out loud..and she's the intelligent one.. yer right..whatever.. Highlights of the first week have been.. arriving, Kingfisher BEER, Kingfishers, the boat trip, meeting Kardikans family (Sorry forgot to tell you that, we had dinner at his house too)The wonderful cuisine..for me Chicken Tikka from a proper tandoor for Jiff.. egg 'n' chips..where ever she can get it.. bless... Soon folks By the way, we think the Cocks go home tonight.. woo hoo..