Bakers Hotel Kovalam Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum)

... side note here, as I think the perceived importance of this is lost. One of the things I hope to accomplish in India other than volunteering of course, is personal growth. Perhaps on a spiritual vibe, or maybe just as the same old getting to know the real you sort. Those who know me know that I have been trying to write a book for several years now, as it is a dreadfully slow process. This book is not just any book; it is a catharsis in which I need to deal ...

... in the Carribean. Sometimes this guy would wear a bright purple, pimp style, purple suit that i think he had made at an indian tailors. We were allocated Karma Yoga (selfless service) duties which are jobs we did daily that helped everything run smoothly in the ashram. Nadine was on food service and i scored the toilets in the dorms. Nice one. The backbone of the yoga vacation was the physical yoga itself and we had two, two hour sessions a day. Our beginners ...

... is my birthstone and I wear a lot of green, and the rubies were a gorgeous color. Irresistible. I have to go back to pick up the ring, so will not take my credit card as that is dangerous. To process a credit card his helper took me to an all purpose internet/phone/travel arrangements/money exchange place, which also functions as a bank. They put through the transaction, and gave him the cash. Our peaceful idyll is ...

... 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 ...

... t think they were too impressed cause the captain said afterwards that ladies in kerala don't drink beer!! Woops!! The food was delicous, but what i thought was green beans turned out to be chillies- i ate 3 huge ones and then had to sit with my jaw wide open whilst the pain subsided! That's what you get for being a pig! The following morning i dropped my phone down the toilet, whilst trying so squat a fly! to make matters worse the the toilet was ...

... woman who is separated from her American Secretary of Defense (haha) husband. She undertakes a project to expose the human rights atrocities around the world, and risks her life to raise issues and awareness. I was told by Chayan that my role was an American Journalist, turns out it was not a journalist, but a Human Rights Activist .. which of course is a little different! Either way I was happy to play it, and in real life if I had guts I ...

... through them. We then got served calamari, kingfish barbecued in a chilli, lemon and butter coating and blue marlin cooked in banana leaf with the aforementioned coconut paste. Bowls of rice and salad provided the perfect compliment and a couple of ice-cold Kingfishers washed the whole lot down. We agreed this was our best meal yet - whilst eating we looked out over the sea and chatted about how lucky we both are to be here. Today's been quite typical ...

... and fresh, but meager portions, we had to raise our voice to be fed a few more chicken bones). OK, you may think it is a good deal, but ,by Indian standards, it is at least a week of accommodation in a nice hotel. Sooooooo, there they are, the famous backwaters of Kerala, a vast area of lagunas connected by dug out canals, lined with micro villages where the life takes place half on dry land and half in the water. In particular, any personal ...

... floor every night or wearing clothes that cover us from head to toe even when it is scorching hot outside). One thing I do know; if I am fortunate enough to come back to India in the future, I will come to pay my respect to Amma, because it is here that through meditation, inspiration and education, I became more aware of my own inner goddess and the sacred divinity of the universal feminine spirit. With that, I send love through this computer screen to all of you; love ...

... and humorous - all manner of subjects were discussed whilst the price for my rickshaw journey steadily got lower. At one point the shop-keeper announced that they were happy that I took the time out to talk to them since tourists never do. I thought about replying along the lines that the reason being, was that I was not a tourist but a traveller - but stopped short! I draw the line at crassness (try to) and such a comment would have been cringe worthy. Anyways - thinking back ...