Adam Barkl's Indialog

Down by the Sea

This week—thanks to cancelled classes and those I happened to miss—I went on a trip and visited India’s little paradise to the south. (I do study and go to class, honestly) The state is called Kerala, and it is an amazing place. I arrived in Cochin on Wednesday to a hot, humid city off the coast of the Arabian Sea. The first night turned out to be terrible, after I found out my financial aid was rejected by USD because neither it nor SDSU signed me up for credits (this problem has been fixed, thankfully). Before I got everything sorted out, my phone ran out of minutes, so I had to go search out a phone at the bus stop, surrounded by my own entourage of staring Indians. Finally, and after making my call to USD, I left the window open in my hot-as-hell room to air it out, and awoke to bug bites all over my body. Good thing I am on malaria meds, because I am pretty sure I fed an entire civilization of the flying parasites. /// Things from Thursday on were excellent. I took a backwater tour on the waterways of Kerala, which was 8 hours of green, luscious beauty. Saturday and Sunday were spent beneath the cliffs of Varkala on sandy, soft, European-speckled beaches. Varkala was gorgeous, and chilling on the beaches was extra relaxing. Add to that good seafood and a nice February-winter tan, and things couldn’t have been much better. /// One interesting story: I was looking for something to do Friday night, so I wandered my way to a clearing in the jungle called “Coconut Grove”. I received a flyer for an “African Trance” party at 11, but showed up at 10. After arriving to a crowd of aged, European pothead hippies who have retired in India, I found that I had stumbled upon a rave. This was much to my surprise, and made me a bit uncertain about my situation. But my better judgment lapsed and I decided to stay. Many other tourists began showing up from all over, so my uncertainties faded. Needless to say, I didn’t partake in any “rave-like” activities, other than dancing and a few drinks. Later than evening, or rather early that next morning, I vaguely remember making my way through the resorts and shops to my mosquito-netted bed above the sea. Oh what a night. /// Monday morning, I took the longest train ride of my life, and made it home to Hyderabad 29 hours later (for only $8.50). What a horrible, horrible thing rail travel becomes when your rear becomes one with a seat and you forget what its like to walk. That being said, Kerala was truly the paradise I was expecting. I have a feeling I may be going back.

Posted at 01:07PM Feb 05, 2008 by Adam L Barkl in General  |  Comments[3]