Thir..uvan..an..thap.pur..am... AKA Trivandrum

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  Trivandrum, India
Friday, December 14, 2007

Oh, it was a long day yesterday... Long and sad. Started out with a bang, horrible pun intended, with the news of the "bomb blast" (not bombing, not bomb, but in India "Bombblast", one word), subsequent anxiety to GET OFF THE TRAIN, and then down to Paharganj in Delhi to write, pack, ship, eat, shower, and spend a couple hours with Kunal before leaving. As much as I got a little irritated by too much attention, I have to say we had a great time together, and I'll miss him. We went to the toilet museum, which actually turns out to be a branch of a social organization that is working to relieve (ha, pun intended, again) the class of people who are those cleaning up human waste. They are deemed "untouchables" and therefore have, basically, no hope at all of ever improving their lives. Caste system being what it is, they are shunned by society and are at the small end of the pecking order politically, socially, financially... Everything. So this institute was created to help, first, the people to have a better future (and societal understanding of the problem) and secondly, to improve the health and well-being for all India by providing very basic plumbing- or at least by providing upgraded sanitary conditions, which result in better water, etc. So as funny as it kind of was, it was good to see that kind of institution in place. In a way, I was hoping it would be funnier as I needed a mood-lifter on my way out of Delhi, saying goodbye, again.

So... Kunal came with me to the airport.. Where I was dropped off at the wrong terminal, but no matter, there was enough time and I have feet... Got to the international terminal (which you'd think.. Domestic flight.. Whatever) and then sat there, moping in my McVeg burger (I had to try it, it's true, I had McDonald's in India- first and last time. The McVeg is kind of McSquishy and not very McGood.).. And so.. Surprise.. Boarded the late flight to Bangalore, where I would connect with my Trivandrum flight. It was late, and also there was too much traffic, so we were in the air when my next flight was supposed to leave.. But they delayed that flight so that the passengers from our flight (and who knows how many others) could board.. And then we were eventually off. 3 out of 3 flights I've been on have been late. Again, no huge surprise, but I thought the airlines would be able to pull it off somehow. Oh yeah! So there was the bombing in the AM, and all, and you'd think security might go up to level maroon, or whatever the hell.. But at no time during my check in (personal and luggage) did anyone ever ask for ID. Well, whatever.

Getting off the plane in Bangalore (finally) brought a smile to my face.. The warm, wet air that hit me was a promise of warm beach to come! Yes. We (passengers that needed to get on other, now delayed, flights) were asked to stand on the tarmac, and they sent a little bus to come get us and shuttle us off. Oh, please, bag, please make it, I need you bag, I love you. Please.

No problem. Got to Trivandrum and my bag was there. Small airport.. My plan was to take a bus in to town (5 rp, 6k) but the stewardess said that at that time of night the buses were infrequent.. And frankly it'd been a long day of slight anxiety and fear, running around, toilets, crying like an idiot, and flying for six or seven hours straight... So I opted for the prepaid taxi which cost more than my room, but thought it would just be over sooner and it would be easier. ..No. Nobody ever heard of the guest house I had booked, and I tried showing them on my LP map, which is in English, and nobody (I am in a taxi with about 10 men outside of it eagerly trying to be the one with the most information... Helpful, but ..so not) can read it or will let me just show them where on the map the guest house is... Most likely because, I've found in the last 15 hours or so that I've been here- granted, most of it sleeping- because nobody speaks English, really. Anyway, I had a phone number, one of the men calls on his cell and got directions and finally I was on my way.. Made it, checked in- clean room, basically, with a fan, a hard bed, a pillow (with a clean pillowcase- I put it on myself) and a cold shower... I'm home. Really friendly help there, but with such heavy (different) accents that I pretty much couldn't understand anything, and they can't understand me... But managed to get a single room for one night. And when I paid for the room this morning and left to find tea (hard to do so far- not liking that part) the gardener waved and shouted, "I love you!" which I think really meant, "Nice to meet you, have a great day!". No, I didn't tell him I loved him back, I just smiled and waved.

I hope he's not heartbroken... Ha.

Okay! So now I get to figure out how to move north, to get HERE: www.riversideretreat.com

Two nights there and then I will head for Goa, and then be bound for Hampi for a couple of days. Apparently there are buses leaving for Alleppey (where I can get a rickshaw and then a boat to this place) every 15 minutes from the east fort bus station.. I guess I'll find out!

They won't let me upload photos here... No big news. Off to make some travel arrangements!