Namaste!

Ah, I love India, there are surpises around every corner.

A couple of days ago K and I were sitting in a Tibetan restaurant on PT road in Kodai. Facing the restaurant doorway I watched a couple walk in who are very well known to me, it was Paul and Jenny! They had also given up their life in the UK to tour around India and have adventures (I had worked with Paul at Trek), we had intended on catching up with one another but India is so big and it is often difficult to arrange. I had thought that it was best left to fate to decide a possible meeting and fate indeed dealt us a great hand. It just so happened that we decided to move on to Kodai rather than stay in Munnar another night, it just so happened that K was slightly pushy about eating in the restaurant and it just so happened that we had this chance encounter as a result. We had a great 3 hours or so sharing our tales and had very lively conversation, all having had similar experiences. P and J were leaving Kodai the next day for Cochin where we had been already, they both looked great and had been on a healthy hike down the Palani Hills that day (Not an easy task, 18 kms down and a 2000 metre 18km climb up...!). we had to say our goodbyes that same night, it would have been great to spend more time together but K and I are heading east and they were covering terrain that we had already set foot upon.

So, back to the time in Kerala (Apologies for the delay)....

We had great roads, the signs are in Malayalam and English, navigation was much easier, road quality was amazing (In the grand scheme of things here) and we had a very easy and relaxing time. K and I were a little slow in adapting to a more sedate lifestyle and the first few days relaxing at Lagoona Davina caused us to be a little antsy. It was very plesant there and was very civilised compared to the lifestyle that we had adopted the weeks previous.

We had a Yoga lesson - this was my first yoga lesson ever and I was surprised by the hard work that it involved. There was a time when I used to study Wing Chun Kung Fu, I would not think twice about putting my head to my knee such was my flexibility, my coordination was finely tuned back then and I was sharp and quick of reaction. Now in a yoga lesson I found that I had greatly lost my flexibilty (which I had once taken for granted) and that my ability to control the exact positioning of my body was more hard work than I could ever have imagined. Our teacher prayed at the start of the lesson, finishing with Om shanti, shanti, shanti. We then practised some standing exercises and moved onto the Sun Salutation. He took us through all of the movements, K was much more in control than I was, I found myself confusing my right from my left and my ups from my downs. I greatly admire yoga, I believe that it is good to discipline for the body and the mind, having spent many years committed to riding bicycles, I know that I am at my happiest and healthest when I am getting regular exercise and yoga is something that I may consider in the future. I still hear the teachers words in my head and the tune to which he sang his prayers. Two days after the lesson I was sore all over.

Ayuverdic massage - Kate and I experienced the real deal at our resort in Periyar, (Wealthier) Indians travel here to the Ayuverdic Centre to have week long treatments. I accompanied Kate in booking her appointment and found myself joining in..... The treatment rooms looked like a Victorian operating theatre and I felt far removed from the 21st century upon entering it. There was a wooden table made of a dark wood, it had a raised ridge around its edges, at the head of the table there was a circular shape carved into the surface and there were two parellel pieces of wood jutting down from the top. Upon the table lay a black rubber apron and the room (As did the rest of the centre) smelled heavily of camphor oil. In the corner sat a wooden cupboard with a hole in the top, this was in fact a steamer, not for vegetables but for the patient ;-) The next day when we returned we were asked about our ailments then made our way to individual treatment rooms. I was greeted, I removed my clothes and was then dressed in a loin cloth that was certainly not for the modest or shy. I sat down and the massuer prayed over me. She then poured a cup of warm oil over my head and I laughed to myself at the surprise in me that it had caused. I recieved a wonderful head massage. I was then asked to lie on my back upon the scary operating table. This time I had a cup of warm oil poured over my body. The massage was fairly light to start with and gradually became deeper, the movements were very fast. As the oil began to run onto the table I found myself slipping around a little. The fun came when I was asked to roll onto my front, the word of warning fromthe masseur was "Careful". I almost found myself sliding off the edge of the table out of control as I rotated my body around. Ah I am laughing to myself as I type, the experience was hilarious. Again I was covered in more oil, then the massage continued. This time, with my front still covered in oil and pressed to the surface of the table I found myself sliding around everywhere. It was very difficult for me to relax because I found the whole experience to be rather jovial as I tried to prevent myself from slipping hither and tither! I soon worked out a way to support myself by holding the wooden pieces at my head but I am not sure if this was the correct protocol. After the massage, my feet were wiped and then I was relocated to the steam cupboard. Still heavily covered in oil I sat inside on the round marble slab and poked my head out of the top as the doors were shut upon me. It got hot in there, it felt like my arse was burning on occasion! I have to say that I was still chuckling to myself because I had never been basted and then steamed before. The treatment finished with a shower and some red powder placed in the centre of the top of my head. I did feel absolutley wonderful after the episode, I could feel my improved circulation and I was certainly very relaxed. For the next 4 or so days, desptie many showers I still found myself smelling of the oil, I do not complain because it was quite pleasant.

I have much more to share but time has come to a close. Next time I shall share stories with you of stone pelting, anti american imperialist sentiment in the streets of Cochin and braving the shove to get to a ferry....