Oh to be beside the sea again

The boat trip was long and boring and I wouldn't really recommend it unless you are desperate to stop of and stay at the ashram for a night or two hoping for a glimpse or hug from Amma a some what strange lady guru from what I have read. A few board the boat and inform us that Amma is here till tomorrow and we have seconds to decided if we should stay on the boat or disembark for a night at the ashram. We stay on board not sure I would survive the suffocating hugs or the peeling of vegetables I have been warned about. The young girls relay there stories of Amma as we set sail again.

coconut anyone

We jumped off the boat at Kollam, couldn't find any where even half decent to stay so we took a rikshaw straight to Varkala and finally arrived about 7.30pm. We spend our first night at Bamboo village - cheap and popular with backpackers and decide we will look for something else tomorrow.

so peaceful

It's end of season, accommodation is vast and cheap, cheap, cheap. We bag a room at Seawin Resorts (it's on your left as you drive up the dirt tack to Bamboo Village) and highly recommended). We got a first floor room with balcony; satellite TV and a bath for 250 rupees a night! It's quite a walk to the cliff top restaurants and shacks but worth every rupee so check it out next time you are there. I fill the bath with water and enjoy a nice soak my first in months - I really miss laying in the bath!

There isn't much to do and you can only walk along the cliff tops a handful of times before it becomes dull so we chill and relax for five days. Email is a problem and rarely working and we had a few power cuts too. We spend an afternoon on the beach, the waves are harsh. Ben swims I paddle. Ben gets knocked over by a big wave and grazes his head and chin. It's not a good place to swim but there are life guards around so you should be ok.

sun and moon

My dad is home back in England so we spend time on MSN chatting with microphone and webcam. He laughs at Ben now fully grown beard as does my sister and Sarah is hysterical. We stop of for a drink and head back to our room to bed.

Next day we take a rikshaw into town to book train tickets and bump into John who jumped of the boat to get his hug from Amma and tells us all about it over a beer or two.

Tomorrow we leave for Trivandum our last port of call in India.

To be continued. . . . .

sunset view

Varkala beach