Ernakulam - Varkala, Kerala, India 2012

5:00am Ernakulam Station. A wake up chai seemed in order - when in Rome...

The locals stand in small groups; twos & threes. They speak in hushed tones, as if muffled by the blanket of the night or girding themselves before a battle. In a way, I suppose they are – every-day life is a battle of sorts for most Indians.

5:50am. We leave in darkness, the last of the night - dawn is only a vague idea. Slowly, pitch turns to dark grey, and now I can see the Coconut palms exploding against the pre-dawn sky like inky black fireworks. Through the outer suburbs & into the countryside: rice paddies interspersed with banana & mango trees, tethered goats & water buffalo, men playing badminton on makeshift outdoor courts, chickens scratching around the yards, and lazy dogs lolling in the shade. And all amongst this the great washed heading to school, work, or whatever business requires their time today.  These folk are scrubbed, pressed and polished as if prepared for a job interview. Travelling second class I was expecting worse. I am the only one wearing a t-shirt and shorts, all else in pressed trousers, shirts or glittering saris.

And so to Varkala. At least for a few days there will be no timetable demanding my adherence. When met at the station my friend immediately befriends an Italian, Tibetophile barista. He is going in the same direction, so we share a cab. They exchange addresses, and he shouts us breakfast.

The rest of the day is spent relaxing, nicely topped off with a visit to a coconut vendor, an ocean swim, followed by a rinse under a spring pouring from the cliff base. The same water is used to fill our water bottles.

In the evening outside many restaurants, the catch of the day is displayed. A cornucopia of fruits of the sea - choose your poisson. It will be cooked to your liking & on your plate in minutes. I had the calamari, Keralan style, with coconut rice.