1st Feb - Houseboat and Alleppey

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Woke up about 7 and decided that I actually really needed to wash a load of my clothes and I asked the guys what I should do. They told me just to wash them in the river. I decided to give it a go. When ever I have hand washed my clothes in the UK I have done it using a very different technique to the way that they do it in India. They first wash with soap on a flat concrete surface and then they beat the clothes my throwing it over their shoulders and hitting the clothes on a rock or solid surface. I gave it a go but I was really rubbish and the guys on the boat just ended up laughing at me :-)

They gave me breakfast on the ride back. We had not moored up far from where we started and so it did not take long to get back. They normally try to get back early so that there is time to take the next set of people for the day. Most people usually just do one day and so leave about 11 and return about 9 the next day. It really was worth doing it for the 2 days as you really get away from the other boats and having a full day on the boat rather than an afternoon, night and morning makes a massive difference and means that you can really relax into the experience.

I was going to leave Alleppey today after I got back from the house boat but I took my time in town and went shopping for some more Indian clothes. My cheap trousers had ripped when I was on board the houseboat and so I needed to replace them.

Fawaz called me to ask what I was doing and invited me for lunch at his family home and then said he would take me shopping for more clothes. I changed my mind on leaving today and biked back to Hotel and did some internet stuff for a while and then Fawaz came to pick me up and took me for a fish curry with his mother. His mum was really friendly and lovely but did not speak any English. According to Fawaz his family are very open and unlike other Muslim families in the area are more friendly towards Westerners. The lunch was extremely tasty. I am getting really used to eating Indian food with my fingers now :-)

They showed me the family wedding videos and all of the family photos - very cute. After lunch Fawaz took me on a grand tour of the area. We climbed up the local light house to look at the great views - shame it was a bit hazy today and so the photos were not as great as I was hoping. Fawaz had never been up the light house himself as it has only just opened to the public. It is a working light house.

We then went on Fawaz's motorbike into Alleppey shopping. He took me to loads of shops and was very patient as I did not find any thing I liked for ages. Eventually as I was giving up I saw a lovely green outfit. It was great to go with Fawaz as he translated for me and taught me loads about Indian culture as we were traveling round.

As the sun was setting he took me out of town to see the views over the massive lake that runs from Alleppey up to Kochin. He really took the time to show off his native area. On the way back we happened upon a massive festival at a local Hindu Temple. We asked if we could go in and they said it was fine. They made a huge amount of noise banging their drums and singing. There was a huge elephant all dressed up. It was so surreal just turning the corner and seeing this major event just by chance. I love the Hindu religion! It is SOOO loud, colourful, happy and in your face - such funky Gods. It makes Jesus and Christianity seem so boring.

We drove from the festival to Alleppey beach (just down the road from the homestay where I was staying). It was dark but I felt very safe with Fawaz. There were loads of other Indians there just chilling. We sat and chatted and watched the waves crashing. There were so many lights on the horizon that it looked like there was land in the distance and houses with lights on, however Fawaz explained that it was actually the lights from hundreds of fishing boats.


When we went back I tried on my new clothes and I was very happy. I was chatting with Fawaz and the others while I was on the internet when we got back and he suggested going to see his Grandmother and all of the rest of the family on the Keralan backwaters tomorrow morning. I thought that this would be really cool as we could go on a local water ferry and I would see the inside of the houses on the back waters.

We went back to the hotel and sat and chatted with Tony and ate Banana and Porotta for dinner. A fab way to spend the day and learn about Indian culture and explore with a local. Fawaz really is a lovely lad. He was taking me on a tour to try and earn money - just to practice his English and learn about a different culture.

31st Jan - Houseboat cruise on Kerala Backwaters

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Uploaded from Phone on the Day

I have now worked out how to blog easily from my phone and so I will be updating my blog daily in India even though it will not be the full entry for the day. This way I can easily let people know where I am :)

Right now I am on a lovely little houseboat cruising along through the Kerala Backwaters. It is absolutely beautiful. I am on the house boat until tomorrow mid day. After that I am planning on biking to the wildlife sanctuary which is about 100km in land.

Have a bit of a sore throat and funny nose today.... shame don't want a cold :(


Diary Entry

Woke up about 7 with the light. It was a beautiful morning. Had a slow morning. Breakfast was not great as it was their version of an "English" breakfast. It was white sliced bread toasted with jam. The bread was revoltingly sweet and the jam like pure sugar with red colouring (strawberry apparently). The omelette with it was good though. I bought some proper coffee power from the local shop. It was a extremely fine coffee power mixed with chicory. My coffee cup did not properly filter the coffee and so I had a turkish coffee instead. It was lovely anyway and the cook made it really milky and sweet and so it was great.

The shower was really rubbish and I was very tempted to have a swim in the river for a wash as the locals do but I decided against it as I thought it might be pretty polluted...

We headed off about 9. I really understand why taking a Houseboat cruise in Kerala is rated as one of the top 100 things to do. It is just incredibly relaxing and chilled. The boat that I was on is a small boat and only goes very slowly in comparison to some of the larger Houseboats - about the pace of a canal barge. The scenery is amazing and there is something absolutely lovely about just sitting and enjoying watching the world go by.

We stopped for lunch at a very quiet spot with no other house boats around or any houses. I watched as the local fishermen swam to place their nets around the fish in an area of about 50m^2 and then pulled in the fish into their boat.

As we went along I saw thousands of little ducklings coming towards me in a big pack. A man on a boat was herding them. Apparently they farm them. Interesting.

Spent the day reading a little but mainly just watching the scenery and people. I saw loads of people washing their clothes in the river.

This evening we did not tie up next to a village but instead we moored next to some rice paddies along with some other house boats. There was some relaxing Indian music playing on another boat and it was lovely to watch the sunset. They cooked me a lovely diner again - loads of food with fresh fish from the back waters. Both the driver and the cook slept on board at night at the back of the boat.

I really did not want today to end. It has been one of the most relaxing and enjoyable days of my life. So utterly calming and beautiful.

I was not sure if I would feel lonely or bored on a houseboat on my own for a couple of days with only 2 elderly Indian men that do not speak very much English. In fact not at all. I really enjoyed the silence and reading my book, taking pictures and just watching the world go bye.

For more pictures see:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=111298&id=1408960696&l=30616176b9

30th Jan - Houseboat cruise on Kerala Backwaters

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Up at 5 (stilled jetlagged) and tried to get back to sleep and eventually managed it but was then woken up by Sahail ringing the bell to my room. He just wanted to say good morning and let me know that he was upstairs. Bless.

I went out for breakfast at the restaurant round the corner - very hot chicken curry today. I wonder if my nose will stop running when I have been eating curry for 2 months in India?

I phoned around several houseboat companies to get the best price (got the numbers from the dockside yesterday). One guy said he would do 3500RS for 2 nights on the phone and I repeated this to him several times. He said "yes yes". This was definitely the best price and so I decided to go with him.

Fawaz came to find me at the restaurant and said that he had tea for me so I went back to the hotel. I packed up all of my things and showered and then said goodbye to Sahail, Fawaz and Tony and took pictures.

Sahail and Fawaz have made a real difference to how I feel in India. They really looked after me without expecting anything in return. I know that I need to be on my guard all the way round India but so far Kerala has been lovely. Several people have warned me about Northern India though and say to be really careful up there.

I decided to bike to the boat jetty to see the houseboat so that I have all of my things with me on board. It turned out that the best offer was only for 1 day and so I renegotiated with the guy from the house boat I saw yesterday. That houseboat was not available anymore and they said that they would do another houseboat for 6000RS for 2 days.

I got on the Houseboat about 12. In some ways it was a shame that I had not paid the £15 pounds extra for the other Houseboat that I saw yesterday as I was much nicer however, £15 is 2 days budget in India and so rather than thinking in terms of UK money I just need to think about it as 2 extra days traveling before I have to go home! I still get to see the same scenery, relax and eat lovely food and so it is not a problem.

On the houseboat there was one driver and a cook - both elderly, small, skinny Indian men. They were both really sweet but did not speak ever much English.

I had a fantastic afternoon. The boat goes really slowly and is really relaxing. There were loads of other houseboats for the first hour or so but then we turned off and went down a narrow part of the waterway and the larger houseboats could not fit and so it was really quiet.

The scenery was different to what I was expecting. I thought that we would be going to areas that were wetlands that could not easily be inhabited my humans. I thought it would be a bit like the wetlands in Australia. Instead for all of the day we where cruising along with houses on either side of the water. There is only a single row of houses next to the water front with rice fields behind. This is because the people need access to the river to wash there clothes, get water and for transportation. Most of the houses do not have road access and so get all of their supplies etc from the boats. Many people have a well for their drinking water supplies and they do have sewage drains etc. Many of the people that live on the water front houses work in the rice fields behind their houses. The houses often flood in the rain season. There is a path in front of most properties meaning that they can walk short distances to their neighbors and to a local shop but as most areas are separated by small waterways in most regions you can't walk very far.

It is very beautiful, quiet and peaceful. There are not many speed boats - only houseboats and local wooden boats transporting people and goods. There are also local water taxis which carry about 50 people. I did not realise it but you can actually see exactly the same on the local water taxis for a fraction of the price. The problem with this is that you need a good map of the area and to work out where you are going and getting off. It is also then a problem to find accommodation when you get off in the little villages. The water taxis are reasonably full with local Indian people and go much faster than the houseboats and so it is a very different experience.

I was served a massive vegetarian curry with rice and 4 different veg dishes for lunch about 2 hours into the day. It was very tasty. While I had lunch the guys tied up the boat on the side of the water way. A couple of young girls from the houses close by walked passed and wanted to come and say hello. I invited them on to the boat and they generally explored and tried to talk to me in English. They were very lovely and took me for tea with their parents. They did not want anything other than to say hello.

It was really lovely to just chill for the afternoon and watch the countryside do past.

At about 6 we stopped and tied up the houseboat on the side of the waterfront with several houses either side on land and a couple of other houseboats either side on the waterway. I took myself off for a little stroll along the path and through the village. The people were very friendly. I popped into a little shop and got some chocolates and pens for the local kids as several of them had been asking for them on he way past.

I was cooked a huge diner by the cook. It was fish curry made from fish caught in the backwaters. It was lovely to have some pineapple for pudding. I sat an read a book for most of the evening and then had an early ish night. The village where we were mored up is the village of the driver of the boat and so he headed off to sleep at home - leaving me with the elderly man cook. I found it very strange having staff and eating on my own while they ate elsewhere. I asked them to eat with me but they said the "staff" (their words) can't do that. The cook slept outside at the back of the boat under a blanket and I had my room - with my bike :-)

There were quite a lot of mosquitoes - which was frustrating but I had a mosquito net so it was ok while I slept.
A really lovely day!

29th Jan - Explore Alleppey

I will update this blog with more info and pictures once I have a good internet connection.

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28th Jan - Kochi to Alleppey

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Up early felt good and like exploring on my bike. I have decided to head South to Alleppey even though I am actually heading North on my trip. Alleppey has the best Backwater tours of Kerala and some friends have highly recommended that I include this in my visit to India. Had breakfast at the same local restaurant and then packed up and braved the crazy city traffic. I think that in the future for trips in the center of cities I will just put my bike and bags in a Ricksaw as I am less likely to die! It was certainly an experience anyway - nothing like a bit of adrenaline to wake you up in the morning.

I managed to pick up some basic maps of the area from the Hotel and I used these to make my way to the tourist information center. They were pretty useless regarding general information and did not have any better maps. Most people seem to say that there are no good maps of the area. Therefore I think I will mainly be using google maps on my phone. This should not be a problem as coverage is supposed to be good in India and I finally got the connection setting for my phone today and so have internet access :-) £1.50 for 2GB internet access on my phone! Yippeee.

I caught the passenger ferry across from Kochi to Fort Kochi. Fort Kochi is where all the old Portuguese buildings are and where the old town was developed. It is quite pretty and the architecture is nice. I found it similar to that of Goa's old ports. It was strange as when I stepped off the ferry there were suddenly loads of white people. It was definitely a "tourist" area. There were loads of restaurants with different types of food and really expensive prices (in comparison to what I had been paying). I explored the town by bike (a lot less traffic) and walked along the water front and saw the Chinese fishing nets. There were several Indians giving a demonstration to tourists and wanting a small tip in exchange. It was interesting to watch. The nets are lowered into the water by the men pulling on ropes with heavy stones on the other end. The weight of the heavy stones is then used to raise the nets from the water (hopefully with fish in them).



I left the main tourist area and found this fantastic little cafe called the Rainbow Bar. The people were really friendly and the served "Italian Coffee"! It made me very happy. John who works there was really interested in my bike as he used to race before he had an accident during a bike race and broke his arm and his bike.

I had lunch at a "locals" restaurant for 25RS - 36p. I had a "Meals" as they call it. It is vegetable curry, rice and about 4 other side dishes (like pickles, curried cabbage, chilli things, coconut milk with spices). As all restaurants do this food in bulk and a lot of people eat it everyday at each restaurant it is really cheap. Apparently it is usually made freshly everyday and is very healthy.
I decided to head South to get to Alleppey on the coastal back road rather than the main highway. It was quite difficult to find and took me a while but once I was on the right road I was a very happy bunny. It was fantastic! The road was quite and meandered through little villages with the coast on one side and the backwaters and villages on the other side. I saw loads of the Chinese fishing nets but this time they were actually being used to catch fish and not tourists!

The people along the way were really friendly and the kids kept on coming up to say hello. It was lovely to see 4 boys all riding on one adult size bike. The little shops and churches/temples on the way were very cute. One of the temples had decorations all around it and also on the stretch of road that it was next to. Just a lovely afternoon cycling in a very different country to England.
About 20km from Alleppey I asked for directions and unfortunately rather than them sending me on the direct route on the little back lanes I came out on the main highway. It was very busy but interesting to see. There were people walking along the side of the highway, kids riding their bikes, people pushing their carts, old men riding their bikes in the wrong direction, hundreds of motorbikes, tuktuks, the occasional car, busses with people hanging off the sides and lorries. This is on the MAIN highway. The people walking and riding their bikes in the wrong direction along the side were not on the dirty road part - but actually on the tarmac. The scariest part was the old men biking the opposite direction. When I was heading straight at them I had no idea whether they would go to my left or to my right.....

I managed to arrive in Alleppey in one piece. It was getting dark and so I stopped off at a few hotels on the way into town to find the best price. For a laugh I went and asked at this beautiful luxurious hotel with a big pool, beauty parlor, gym, restaurant - the whole lot. It was £22 for a night for luxury! I was soooo tempted - but it would totally blow my budget and was completely unnecessary! All I needed was somewhere for tonight which had a bed and a western toilet and I felt safe in. I was planning on organizing a house boat cruise for tomorrow anyway. It is amazing how much my view on what is a lot of money for a room has changed from 1 year ago :-)

I was biking through town trying to find somewhere to say when a couple of lads on a motorbike asked me if I needed accommodation. They seemed nice and so I went with them to look at the room round the corner. They gave me a very reasonable rate and I took the room. Fawaz is 17 and is the nephew of the owner. The other lad of the same age, Suhail, is Fawaz's best friend.

Once I had unpacked they invited me up to the cafe/restaurant on the top of the building. It looks out over the whole town as it is about 1 story above most of the surrounding houses. The cafe/restaurant is not open for food at the moment but is a nice place to chill as was access to the internet and friends and family of the owner sitting around and chatting. As it was closed the 2 lads walked me to the restaurant around the corner for dinner and then picked me up afterward. They took it upon themselves to be my chaperons and to tell me about the area.

After diner, I sat and uploaded some of my blog on the internet in the room on the top of the homestay (small hotel). It was fantastic as a few friends of the owner where having a few drinks and one of them was a amazing singer of traditional Indian music. They were quietly drumming while he was singing. The sound was incredible. I could not have had better music while I was tapping away in the office area. The owner bought me in a drink while I was sitting playing on the net. A great end to a lovely day.

Today I really feel happy that I have decided to visit India. The people have been really friendly has I have been biking though and the scenery fantastic :-)

27th Jan - Explore Kochi

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Todays thoughts:
I really am missing proper coffee right now however. I have only managed to get instant coffee and tea so far. It is always served with sugar and powdered milk in the same way for everyone :-)

I have not seen many women eating at restaurants like the men - maybe they eat at home more? In fact it is mostly men talk to me. Apparently it is because men are still the ones to take a roll outside of the home.

How do I stop my nose running so much when eating hot food?

Diary
Woke up about 8.30 having woken up at 3.30 in the night. I felt much better having had a good old sleep..... Everything is so much easier to handle when you have had sleep.

I went out to a Restaurant (they seem to call "Restaurants" "Hotels" and visa versa - both have
food and most "Hotels" do not have rooms) for breakfast. My breakfast cost 70p - fresh juice, tea and a plate of stuff. A big plate of mixed vegetarian stuff for lunch known as a "Meal" is 30RS - about 40p. I have a feeling that I will be often having a "Meal" for lunch as I travel round.

I was unsure first thing in the morning whether to head on to find a beach where I could just relax and catch up on some more sleep or whether to stay where I was for the day. The hotel is situated right in the middle of a very busy area with literally thousands of people milling round and very very heavy traffic (all beeping their horns every 10 seconds). It was not the most relaxing place to be. However, I did not much fancy packing everything and getting on my bike today. I just wanted to stay where I felt comfortable. I decided that I am here to experience the whole of Indian culture and so I would take in the city atmosphere and not force myself to move on.

After breakfast I bought some Indian clothes. I was not sure whether I was getting ripped off in a clothes shop when I bought 1 Indian outfit. It was £7 for a pair of trousers, a tunic and a scarf but when I then looked in another shop and saw the fixed prices and the fact that the other women in the shop were paying the same. I bought 2 Indian outfits from 2 different shops. I then felt much more comfortable going out from the hotel when I was dressed in the same way as everyone else. I saw no westerners today. It felt like people were much more friendly when I was dressed as an Indian but it might have just been because I was more confident and happy.

I had a little wonder round and bought some fruit and sweety things and a general explore of the area. There do not seem to be the slums in Kochi that I have seen in other areas of India but maybe I am just not in that place. The people do not have a lot of money but there is a huge amount of commerce and a very large number of small businesses.

I was quite tired after my exploring and shopping so I had a little nap in the afternoon. Afterwards India seemed much more manageable. I decided to head out to write this blog in a little cafe shop on a main street and watch the world go by. It was nice to soak up the environment and watch a totally different culture. I feel much happier to take it all in today and enjoy the experience rather than feeling daunted by it as I did yesterday. I was glad that I did not push on today to get to a beach and out of the town.

Had a great Indian meal again for dinner at one of the local restaurants. This time I was in my Indian clothes and had to eat in the Indian way again as there was no cutlery..... when in Rome and all that! The people seemed more friendly than yesterday. The food was really hot but very tasty. They do a great job of providing lots of different dishes all at one meal. Off to bed early.

26th Jan - First day in India (Kochi)

From Mumbai I transferred to Kerala and arrived at 7.30am. It was a long journey from Auckland especially with the 9 hour time difference.... 4 flights, over 37 hours in airports or on planes and I ended up only getting 8 hours sleep in 3 days (72 hours). It was most definitely the longest flight I have ever had. Round the world tickets are cheap but there must be a better way of getting from Auckland to Kerala than 4 flights in 37 hours. It is not the best way to arrive in India.

At the airport there was a parade going on because it is India's independence day - a national holiday. It was interesting to watch. The guys wanted to have their photo taken in their uniforms. Bless.





When I arrived at the airport I thought I would be meeting Steve from Couch Surfing. I thought that it would be best to stay with someone locally on the first day that was not a hotel so that I could settle into India with the help of someone not trying to get as much money as possible from me and without me having to haggle etc - which can be exhausting when you are tired from a long flight. I wanted to ask a local about the best sim card to get to travel around India, get some Indian style clothes, buy some coffee, sort out the best place to go for a house boat and some other small things. Steve is a software developer with his own business and so I thought that he would not want to sell me things and did actually want to meet people from different cultures as he said in his profile.

Neither Steve nor his driver met me at the airport (as he had said he would try to) and the mobile number that he had given me was switched off. I was not too sure what to do and so I went to an internet place and sent Steve an email and then waited for an hour or so and then checked it again. He had told me in previous emails that there was a bus to catch to go to close to where he lives and so I thought the best thing to do would be to head to there and then try his number and email again. As I did not have an Indian Sim card at this point it was difficult to call him and each time I went on the internet to check to see if he had left me an email it cost me and I had to cart around my bike box.

Unfortunately the bus to his area did not leave for another hour and so I ended up waiting some more. A kind Indian man let me phone Steve from his mobile and I eventually got through and Steve suggested that I catch the bus and then he would meet me where it drops me off. I rebuilt my bike from the box and then took the 45 min ride to the correct stop. I waited for 10 mins at the bus stop but he did not arrive and so I borrowed another mobile from a man in the street. The man in the street called for me and said to wait for a Ricksaw. I did and it arrived in about 10mins. I just about managed to get me and by bike and luggage into the Ricksaw and off we went. We drove for about 10mins to get to Steve's - by which time it was about 11 and I had been in India for 3.5 hours and only just got to where I was going. I had no idea where I was in terms of Kochi and the airport and felt completely alone and very tired. I also felt pretty grotty as I had not changed my clothes in over 42 hours and I had managed to get oil all over my trousers and really sweaty when putting my bike back together again. I only have one pair of trousers with me and I did not feel comfortable wearing shorts.

Steve has a really lovely big apartment which was nicer than most of the places that I said in when I visited India last time (2 years ago). He was welcoming and we chatted for a while and he got me some tea, bananas and some cake things and suggested that I have a nap. He woke me up at 2ish when I had been fast asleep. He introduced me to his father and Landlord. I could hardly string a sentence together I was so tired. In fact his father ask where I was from as I could not be English as I kept on saying "Umm". Steve then put me in the kitchen to eat a "parcel" lunch - it is known in India as a "meal". I felt it was a little strange as I was just left in the kitchen to eat alone - maybe just a cultural thing I thought. Although Steve was friendly with me his father and landlord were very off with me.

After lunch I discussed with Steve the things that I needed to get and he said that I would have to go 10km to get it. I was torn between going and getting more sleep. I want to change my body clock and so did no want to go to sleep in the middle of the day but I knew that I was so tired I could sleep in the afternoon and through the evening. However, I wanted some Indian clothes so that I did not feel so grotty and out of place and also a sim card so that I could activate the GPS and internet to check my emails and know exactly where I was. When I have the internet on my phone all of the time I do not feel alone as I always feel connected to the outside world and makes me feel safer. The GPS is also great so that I know were I am at all times and where I need to exit too should the need arrive. I decided that I was too tired to go the 10km to get these things sorted and instead I would go to sleep for a few more hours and then join Steve for some dinner.

I went to the bathroom and when I came back Steve and the landlord had disappeared and Steve's father said that I would not be able to stay the night as I was an unescorted female in a house with males and that there are some very lovely hotels. He said I could sleep more but then I would need to go. I could not handle the idea of sleeping there and then having to work out where I was in the dark and finding a hotel and so I just got my stuff together and left.

This would not normally have phased me at all but because I was really tired, in a very different foreign country and on my own with no idea where I was, I felt a bit unsettled. When I am really tired things look out of proportion verses the actual problem. Logically I was in no real danger. It was the middle of the day with loads of people around and I had all of my stuff with me and loads of time to find a cheap hotel and relax. It just took a bit to persuade myself of this today..... In fact I only had to cycle about 5km down the road asking people for Kochin to find the right road. The traffic was really busy though and I felt like I stood out like a sore thumb. I had not seen another westerner since the airport and I was very much away from the tourist areas.

I got a sim card from a little shop on the way. There are loads of the same type of shop every few hundred meters as you travel into the center of town. Unfortunately, I had to wait 1 hour while the guy at the shop tried to get the internet settings for my phone to enable GPS and email etc but the computer systems at the technical support center were down and so I did not managed it.

I stopped off at various hotels on the way and asked their prices. The first one I came on was
actually the cheapest and I should have just stayed there as I just needed to crash at that point but I wanted to compare the prices etc and carried on towards town. I ended up staying at the Star Hotel. The manager there was very friendly and they let me keep my bike in my room and helped me to the room with all of my things.

I headed out for an early dinner at a restaurant round the corner at 5 ish. I had a mutton curry of some description. It was very tasty and my whole meal cost me about £1 including tea. The people in the restaurant were not very friendly and I felt very uncomfortable in my western trousers and top with dirt and oil everywhere but I had nothing else to wear. I did not have the energy to shop for Indian clothes at this point.

I felt very happy and relaxed to get back to my room as it was getting dark and shut the world away and go to SLEEP :-) Today was not the best way to start the India part of the trip. No more couch surfing for a while - or until I have my wits about me again!

I am going to be able to stay in India pretty cheaply if I do not go to the tourist areas. I only need a cheap room where I feel safe and ideally where there is a western toilet. I paid 400 RS for a room in the central area of Kochi - about 5.70.

25th Jan - Flight from Auckland to India (Mumbai then Kochi)

I have now been out of the UK for 4 months! A lot has happened in 4 months. I am such a sad git that I have now created a spreadsheet with a summary of all of the trip so far....For each country I recorded where I stayed, the weather, the distances on bike, hiking, running and car and the activities I did. It has been such a fab trip so far!

Blog Link to add

I was up at 3 having only had about 2.5 hours sleep. As I was tired it took me a while to get my stuff together even though I had packed up most of my stuff yesterday. Left Lesley and Pete's at about 4 and biked to the airport. I had no problems finding it but was further to the airport than I thought and then I had issues at check in with the weight, at over -sized baggage drop off with a queue, at security with plastic cable ties and ended up running to the gate. My name was being called and they were saying that they were removing my luggage from the plane! Arrgggg. It was not the best way to start the trip. Turned up on the plane sweaty and hot and flustered. I was too high on adrenaline to sleep on that first flight but I thought it would be fine as I have many others. Oh well hopefully this is my last set of flights before I get to the UK.

It turned out that I am in fact only allowed 23kg with Qantas! A Qantas member of staff told me that I was allowed 32kg on my ticket type and that this is only for less than 1% of passengers. However, I was informed in Auckland that this is not the case. I have been incredibly fortunate so far as I have not had to pay any excess baggage and I am carrying so much weight on my bike. It is 32kg without my clothes, tent, books and electronic stuff. I hate to think how much weight that actually means I am carrying on my bike when I have water and food as well - probably close to 50kg. The guy at check in was smiling at me as he allowed though my bike box with 32kg and said pointedly "You do only have 7kg of hand luggage don't you?" to which I replied, while straining to pick up my bag, "Oh definitely". He very kindly did not ask me to weigh it :-) Once past the check in I could then take off some of the layers of clothes I was wearing and put them in another bag meaning that I was carting round one big pannier bag, a rucksac and my front pannier bag (my handbag equivalent). The Qantas people very kindly let me on to 4 flights with these 3 bags.... THANKYOU!.

I arrived at Brisbane at 7 am local time (3 hour flight) and then had to wait till 2pm for my next flight. I spent the time catching up on my blog, compiling statistics on my travels so far drinking lots of coffee and using my Aus sim card to phone my Aus friends.

I then got on my flight to Mumbai. I knew that the flight would stop in Singapore but I was told when I arranged my flights that it would just be to refuel. However, it turned out that it was a stop over of 4 hours. It really messed up my chance to get a decent sleep on the way from Brisbane to Mumbai. I did have some lovely sushi and some toblerone at Singapore airport though.

I arrived at Mumbai at 1am after a 5 hour flight from Singapore and then had to get through customs with my bike box and then get on an airport transfer to the domestic airport to then again check in for my flight to Kerala at 5.40am. It was strange arriving in Mumbai as I remembered what India is like - the smell (not bad - just different) and the heat even in the middle of the night. Carting a bike box and 3 bags round between 2 airports and on and off the buses, through customs and security in a foreign country, in the middle of the night having only had 5 hours sleep in the last 52 hours was not much fun. Coffee......