I’ve now met and hung out with some really interesting people in the last couple of days. On my first night in Kochi, I went drinking with some local dudes which was fun because I really needed a drink. In India, I’ve noticed that the bars are full of men, so I am the only female in the bar and end up annoying the bar manager as he has to escort me to the ladies every time I need to use the bathroom because it is upstairs and it is always locked because there are never any females. Anyway, one of guys that I am drinking with offered to show me around town the next day, so I thought ‘Why not?’ since hanging out with the locals give you the benefit of doing things that you perhaps wouldn’t get to do on your own. I got to operate a massive fishing net with the local fishermen (called the Chinese fishing nets), paddle a small fishing canoe and generally get off the beaten track.
Thing is, all this time I’m thinking that we are just hanging out as mates until he takes me to a really nice beach to watch the sunset (also really nice) but when we go to have dinner, he takes out his little hamper of ice, drinks, candles and all that and I’m thinking, hmmm, this setting is a bit too romantic for my liking. So when he picks a flower and tries to put it in my hair, I realise ‘Now’s about a good time to do a Cinderella’. I nicely tell him that its time to go home and before I know it, he’s sulking like a big baby! He then tells me that he’s really upset with me because he planned this whole day as a date and the next day he wants me to hang out with his family! Stupid female traveler got duped into a date! But this time, I had no friend to pretend call me to say that a family member had just been taken into hospital. Needless to say, the journey home was a little awkward and quiet. That’ll teach me to be so naïve.
But equally with that experience of the little misunderstanding, I got also meet someone that would teach me the basics of yoga and meditation and show me how to practice my breathing. I actually did my first head stand pose on the beach (yep, that famous one that Geri Halliwell was pictured doing back in her skinny yoga days) but with some help of course. This guy had just spent 2 months in an ashram and had also qualified as a yoga teacher. I spent about an hour practicing yoga with him on the beach and I don’t think I have ever experienced being so chilled from breathing and stretching. I’m converted now, when I go back to London, I’m going to practice Hatha yoga. I also got to ride on his motorbike through the winding roads that are beautifully lined with tall coconut trees and feel my hair flapping in the wind. I have to say, quiet a few of the lone travelers that I have met so far are super chilled and open minded, seems like people generally come to India for some spiritual awakening or have experienced it whilst being here.
Now the food, South Indian food is teamed with other flavors such as coconut. I think I prefer South Indian food over North Indian food. The food is lighter so the curries are less oily and not so thick, they use lots of seafood such as king fish and pomfret and I seen whole prawns bigger then the size of my hand which is just tasty! On top of that, the coconut alcohol is actually pretty good but is only about 3 or 4% so it’s pretty harmless.
So tonight, I’m back on the night train for 12 hours heading south towards Madurai to visit a temple and then having spoken to a few travelers, I’ll be heading back up north to Hampi to spend 3 or 4 days there.
Thing is, all this time I’m thinking that we are just hanging out as mates until he takes me to a really nice beach to watch the sunset (also really nice) but when we go to have dinner, he takes out his little hamper of ice, drinks, candles and all that and I’m thinking, hmmm, this setting is a bit too romantic for my liking. So when he picks a flower and tries to put it in my hair, I realise ‘Now’s about a good time to do a Cinderella’. I nicely tell him that its time to go home and before I know it, he’s sulking like a big baby! He then tells me that he’s really upset with me because he planned this whole day as a date and the next day he wants me to hang out with his family! Stupid female traveler got duped into a date! But this time, I had no friend to pretend call me to say that a family member had just been taken into hospital. Needless to say, the journey home was a little awkward and quiet. That’ll teach me to be so naïve.
But equally with that experience of the little misunderstanding, I got also meet someone that would teach me the basics of yoga and meditation and show me how to practice my breathing. I actually did my first head stand pose on the beach (yep, that famous one that Geri Halliwell was pictured doing back in her skinny yoga days) but with some help of course. This guy had just spent 2 months in an ashram and had also qualified as a yoga teacher. I spent about an hour practicing yoga with him on the beach and I don’t think I have ever experienced being so chilled from breathing and stretching. I’m converted now, when I go back to London, I’m going to practice Hatha yoga. I also got to ride on his motorbike through the winding roads that are beautifully lined with tall coconut trees and feel my hair flapping in the wind. I have to say, quiet a few of the lone travelers that I have met so far are super chilled and open minded, seems like people generally come to India for some spiritual awakening or have experienced it whilst being here.
Now the food, South Indian food is teamed with other flavors such as coconut. I think I prefer South Indian food over North Indian food. The food is lighter so the curries are less oily and not so thick, they use lots of seafood such as king fish and pomfret and I seen whole prawns bigger then the size of my hand which is just tasty! On top of that, the coconut alcohol is actually pretty good but is only about 3 or 4% so it’s pretty harmless.
So tonight, I’m back on the night train for 12 hours heading south towards Madurai to visit a temple and then having spoken to a few travelers, I’ll be heading back up north to Hampi to spend 3 or 4 days there.
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