Thursday 28th February
So, the last 12 hours in India. After three amazing weeks I can't
quite believe it's almost over.
My trip from Chennai was straightforward compared to the journey
over...no having to cross the tracks, no squeezing in with the
commuters for the last 40k. Delivered door to door, on time...another
trainful of satisfied customers on Indian railways. i was reading that
so successful are they that they're bringing the prices down. The
story just gets better!
i had just one roomy this time, Bindu, a 28 year old business man, who
was good company and had an amazing garageful of motorbikes.
Today I took myself off to Fort Cochin, a very beautiful old
settlement on a peninsula off Ernakalum. It's a ferry ride to get
there, which was another new experience...and a very cheap one at 250
Pais, which is about 20p.
I walked around in the sun, watching the fisherman manipulating their
Chinese nets, which were in use there as long ago as 1350 AD. Most of
the settlement is much more recent though, established in the 16th to
18th centuries by traders and churchmen.
After a bit of lunch, still taking it easy on the solids, I headed
back to Ernakalum. There are giant posters of Che Guevara everywhere,
and even more hammer and sickles flying...the Indian Communist Party
congress is coming to town. The whole Che thing is quite odd, I have
to confess I don't know if he ever came to India - something else to
check out when I get back.
This country has left huge impression on me, one that I don't think
I've even really begun to get to grips with yet.
I feel listless, unsettled. So many images - the red, red earth, the
insane traffic, the warmth of everyone I've met, the waving children
in every village. Yes of course the desperate lives that some people
are leading leave their mark, but so does the impression that people
aren't constantly hurrying on to the next thing because it's the thing
that's going to make them happier.
quite believe it's almost over.
My trip from Chennai was straightforward compared to the journey
over...no having to cross the tracks, no squeezing in with the
commuters for the last 40k. Delivered door to door, on time...another
trainful of satisfied customers on Indian railways. i was reading that
so successful are they that they're bringing the prices down. The
story just gets better!
i had just one roomy this time, Bindu, a 28 year old business man, who
was good company and had an amazing garageful of motorbikes.
Today I took myself off to Fort Cochin, a very beautiful old
settlement on a peninsula off Ernakalum. It's a ferry ride to get
there, which was another new experience...and a very cheap one at 250
Pais, which is about 20p.
I walked around in the sun, watching the fisherman manipulating their
Chinese nets, which were in use there as long ago as 1350 AD. Most of
the settlement is much more recent though, established in the 16th to
18th centuries by traders and churchmen.
After a bit of lunch, still taking it easy on the solids, I headed
back to Ernakalum. There are giant posters of Che Guevara everywhere,
and even more hammer and sickles flying...the Indian Communist Party
congress is coming to town. The whole Che thing is quite odd, I have
to confess I don't know if he ever came to India - something else to
check out when I get back.
This country has left huge impression on me, one that I don't think
I've even really begun to get to grips with yet.
I feel listless, unsettled. So many images - the red, red earth, the
insane traffic, the warmth of everyone I've met, the waving children
in every village. Yes of course the desperate lives that some people
are leading leave their mark, but so does the impression that people
aren't constantly hurrying on to the next thing because it's the thing
that's going to make them happier.
But this isn't the time for too much reflection...it's much too soon.
It's just the time to say that this has been the most incredible
experience in my life and it will live with me forever.
So, thank you for your support, for sharing my journey with me, and be
prepared to hear a lot more when i get back!
Mox
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