And so to Cochin

Trip Start Dec 26, 2008
1
10
27
Trip End Feb 06, 2009


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Where I stayed
(Kochi hotels)

Flag of India  , Kerala,
Tuesday, January 6, 2009

We left Goa on Sunday evening and headed for the Madgaon train station.  None of us had been on an Indian sleeper train before so didn't really know what to expect.  As it turns out, it wasn't as bad as any of us anticipated.  After a little bit of argy bargy getting on the damn thing - and after it rocked up an hour late, I like to think of that as being a legacy of the Brits....... - we found our couchettes and settled in. The majority of the occupants of the carriage were westerners, I guess because it's a lot pricier in Indian terms.  Ted and I shared our couchette with a couple of English folks, Carl and Rosie, who had also been in Goa for New Year and were heading south to Cochin.  They were much younger than us and with a completely different perspective on things - Rosie was actually travelling around India on her own for 7 months and all I kept thinking was 'lordy, aren't you a bit young for that!'  I'm clearly getting old.

The rest of the journey past fairly uneventfully - apart from my frequent trips to the completely disgusting bathroom, not something I wish to repeat again - and after 15 hours, we finally pulled into our destination.

This is where Matt's organised trip kicked in and we were met on the platform by our tour representative and driver.  My first impression of Cochin was that it wasthe cleanest and liveliest of the places we've been so far.  Lots of businesses, lots of shops, lots of hustle and bustle.  We are actually staying in Fort Cochin which is the old colonial part of Cochin, right on the harbour.  It used to be occupied by the Portuguese, then the Dutch, then the Brits I do believe.  There are many, many lovely colonial-style hotels in this area, one of which we are currently staying in. Our hotel is right on the water, and yesterday I spent the afternoon watching the boats go by and the odd mini-dragonboat pass through as well (which looked like dreadfully hard work in this heat).

Yesterday evening, we headed across the street to watch some traditional Keralan dancing - can't remember if I'm spelling it correctly but I think it's called Kathakali.  Very, very strange - it requires an elaborate application of make up to the dancers, taking about an hour, and then they act out scenes from local folklore.  Most of the story is conveyed by facial expressions and hand gestures (mudras) alone.  All very intricate, but all slightly surreal.  For dinner, we made our way to the Old Courtyard which is another example of the colonial style hotel that is in this area.

Today, I've taken it easy while the others have gone on a guided tour of the city.  I also seem to have been devoured by mosquitoes in the 10 minutes I've been sitting here, writing this so I think that's my cue to leave.  We are heading south to a tea plantation this afternoon and following that, we are spending the night on a houseboat.  I don't think we'll have internet access during that time, so I'm guessing our next update will be from Mumbai in 3 or 4 days!
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