Since Rasa Ayurvedic ...

I have been super-negligent about posting to this blog since I left the Ayurvedic healing centre but have been having a wonderful time travelling around.  First I went to a beach called Kovalam Beach where I had a lovely quite little room way up a hill from the beautiful beach - right next to a yoga centre - and on the other side a lovely small hotel owned by an Italian couple who served nutritious and delicious breakfasts.  I had a quite time reading, walking on the beach, chatting with locals and planning the next phase of my journey.

After Kovalam Beach (which was a little more touristy than I was wanting) I teamed up with a new friend from Rasa and we travelled by train to Fort Cochin which was a bright star in the journey ... quiet, cleaner than much of India, relaxed and full of other surprises!  Including a homestay (like a B&B) where we each had beautiful rooms, mine was bright yellow with a huge balcony overlooking the parade ground.  The shops were very posh indeed and we had a real shopping spree.  So much of India is colourful and great prices it was hard to resist.  But I'm conscious I'm trying to travel light with one small bag on wheels and a light knapsack. 

After Fort Cochin we travelled together to the hills where the tea and coffee is grown and we had a very very very special 4 days with two top of the line hotels ... first the Windemere Estates for two nites - overlooking the tea plantations - quiet and very elegant with the best bathroom yet!  Then we had another nite in a different hotel because Windemere was booked and we stayed in our own little chalet at a place called Tall Trees.  You can google these and get a real taste for the elegance.  We were both unwell unfortunately with little bugs but made the most of the rooftop restaurant and lovely food and furnishings in our little chalet overlooking yes, the tall trees.

I am thoroughly enjoying all the variety of exciting travel experiences since I left Canada on Oct 15th as both India and the UK have offered a wide variety of sites and sounds.  But India is the best for both!  The people in the south have been warm, friendly, gentle and slow moving.  And very very willing to do whatever they can do to make the ferenghi (foreigner) happy.  Even the frequent power cuts have not bothered me too much.

Now I'm in the southeast of India near Chennai and will post very soon!

Stay tuned for more adventures ... life is warm, humid and always fun on the road!  Check out my facebook page for some photos as/when I remember to upload them.