Hello from Vilandai-Andimatam in Tamil Nadu! We are at the guesthouse of the READ program (rural education and action development), a local organization that is helped by Sahaya international (USA) founded by my friend Koen (co-worker at UCDavis). Through their funds, they sponsor kids that could not go to school unless they are helped, because the family is too poor even for public school, and they take care of people in special needs (disabled, HIV infected,etc.: http://www.sahaya.org/guesthouse.html). First I tell you how we got here...
After leaving Goa, by overnight train (a crazy experience),we arrived to Mangalore, and from there got to Cochi by train. The train station at 6 in the morning was even more of an experience, with little sleep, strong bad smells, dark, and people sleeping all over on the floor of the station...getting a ticket (which, no matter what, is always an experience!...). Couple of hours later, people started moving and washed up in a sink next to us...then, we got to the train. Fortunately a young man helped us to get an upgrade from general class to 2nd AC class (there is always someone that help us!). Sunrise was pretty, and after some sleep and maybe 8 more hours (after the 9 we spent already in the bus!!!) we got to Cochi (Kerala). We booked another train to leave couple days after, because we realized that you cannot travel just 'spontaneously' here. Then, left the station with a rickshaw-man that had been talking to me while waiting. Unfortunately that was a bad move (we originally wanted the bus, but we were tired and thought was ok to pay 4 dollars to get to our place that was far). He was the craziest driver we have had so far, and i even felt scared this time...but then, worse, he brought us somewhere else, another hotel. He said that it was good bla, bla, and that our place was going to be more expensive. We started a discussion where he even called our place (probably faking it) and said there was no rooms...after some struggling, we got to get dropped near where we wanted...it was quite a bit annoying the whole thing, because at a times he was a bit too intense, although then he would say "We are friends, right?". We did found our place, and yes, there was a cheap room with a lovely old couple, just like the lonely planet said. The owner hooked us up for a tour the next day to the backwaters, which was great! Cochi is famous for that, and thus, quite touristic, but still, nice.
Canoes going by the rivers and small channels, visiting few local villages and industry (waving, lime, spices)...and a wonderful guide, Tampi, with a little socialist speech. The other tourist were fun too, nice German couple (who we may visit in Delhi -since they live there now-, and funny Japanese girls with whom I end up singing songs of Japanese cartoon!). That night, after watching the sunset by the beach with everybody else (locals and tourists) and encountering some traditional dances, we picked up some fish and prawns at the harbor which a local restaurant cooked for us (they already have it prepared for tourists).
Next day was relaxing, walked by the Jewish neighborhood and visited the museum inside the Dutch Palace which contains beautiful paintings telling the Ramayana.
To get to the train station, this time we took a local bus, which as another experience. They are always packed, but in this one, I found myself sitting at the men area!! too late, since with so many people it was impossible to move forward...
That overnight train (chennai express) was definitely an experience. First there was some people sitting in our "beds" but they said they would leave in the next stop. It took some time to not feel as crowded...then the women in front ate their dinner, and of course, all trash through the window!. Later we prepared the beds...I was on "top" and shawn locked the backpacks underneath his bed. When I saw police man at night, walking the train up and down made me feel much more comfortable (we had hear bad stories about trains). I did sleep quite a bit and we made some friends along the way, as always. At the station we took a bus to Mamallapurum, a nice and touristy beach time 2 hours south. It is famous for sculptors and there are few temples carved in stone (5 radhas) that were discovered only 200 years ago by the British. There, besides one moment when guy approached us and seemed a bit sketchy, we had a great time. We enjoyed the temples, walking on the beach, having dinner at the yogi restaurant where we met the owner and his cousin, very interesting people (the only Buddhist of the town)...
Two days after we took a local bus to Pondicherry. When we were leaving, we saw a little procession with music and flowers that was being hold for a death person that was going to be incinerated. Also, all the cow' horns around there were still painted and ornamented from the big Hindu celebration that happened few days before. Local Bus...what to say...with backpacks, always more complicated!
In Pondicherrry we were lucky to find a room in the guesthouse of the Sri Aurobindi yogi-guru-writer. Then we walked along the french colonial streets, the beach and the M. Gandhi statue and had dinner at rendezvous. Next day, after taking care of some business we took a train to Villapurum, were we connected to get to Vriddachalam. Sometimes there are some looks from indian man that are way to intense for a woman (I think). Some have red and intimidating eyes, and they do not stop looking at you, and make you feel uncomfortable and vulnerable. That happened in the train, while shawn was taking a nap, so then i woke him up :). It is also very obvious how different is work and the chores depending on the gender: the ones that due dirty work are woman (cleaning the streets, carrying bricks...).
To get Here, Andimatam, we still had to take a bus. But there we were in "Deep india" so not as many tourists are seen. Again, a young man helped us to get to our bus. He told us that the bus station was very unsafe so he wanted to make sure we were all right there. He was very protective and got inside the bus to found a sit for us. Although the looks in the bus were a bit of disagreement, once again, a man was excited to help us....He was a driver in Bombay, and i guess had deal with lots of foreigners in his life (at least some). They told us where to get down, and wanted to take us to the place we needed to get. I had the address, i think they thought we were teachers for the school. SO here we are, the man with a very decisive walk, shawn and i with backpacks behind and his wife behind complaining that she did not wanted to walk anymore. He took us to the schools in town, but nobody knew what we were talking about. After he asked at the trading cashews central and they did not know either. I showed them the phone number and they called. After no answer, Selvam called back! He said he was very near and he would come get us. So the cashew family made us come inside, and sit, and the other couple (the man was extremely happy we finally got the mystery solved!) came as well. It was like a movie. They offer us some tasty snack and then Selvam came.
So here in the READ program we have played soccer with the kids, had extremely tasty food, seen different programs for disabled (card making, typewriting, book assembling, etc.). Yesterday we met Yaccop, the kid i sponsor, which was extremely shy but it was nice to see him and his family and he place were they live. A memory forever! Today after seeing some sari waving well go back to Chennai, to fly tomorrow up north (Ahmadabad) and from there reach Udaipur. A new adventure starts.
More will come...meanwhile, lots of kisses from both us!
peace and love,
Shawn and Txell
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