Backwaters

I just came back from the stunning beautiful backwaters of Kerala (I did a cruise for 8 hours) and it was really an interesting experience. First of all on the boat from Kollam I suddenly hear "Aaaleeex!" and when I look up it's one girl I met in Varkala a couple of days ago. I thought she went the opposite way, but she had decided to change her plans and went to Allepey instead. The boat trip was a very slow but nice experience, the top things were when a little toddler started to play with me, and finally ended up in my knee for half an hour (you all know how much I love kids! Especially this kind - happy, laughing, smiling, cuddling, chubby baby :) and of course the sunset. It was the most amazing sunset I've seen in my whole life, the colors were stunning! Bright red, deep blue, golden yellow... Lovely.

Finally in Allepey I decided to go with some German guys (really nice young guys who just finished high school and are now working in an Indian school in the countryside, as volunteers, for a year) and we went to find a cheap and nice hotel. We got a place for 150 Rs only, which is like not even 3 euros per night for a double room... However, the room and the sheets were dirty (but they changed them, luckily) and there was no mosquito net. The place is run by some Indian youngsters, and it really needs the touch of a woman's hand erhmm..... or at least a mother who can pinch their ears! All they seem to do is trying to get people to come, and then smoke marijuana all day/night long. It was still a nice stay though, and I met some interesting people. I was pretty happy to go back to Varkala today though :)

I start to get to know quite lot of people here in Varkala now, every where I go I bump in to someone I know and who invites me for a drink or similar. It is really nice! You are never alone while traveling, actually you must fight for some alone time sometimes!

Hope all is well at home, now I have a couple of days left in Varkala before I go to the ashram.