Day 38 - Wednesday - Fort Cochin

We packed our bags in preparation to head south to Alleppey. I was originally going to wait for the boys on Fort Kochin although decided at the last moment to stay with the group. We had beakfast on the roof terrace. Eoghan looked like he hadn't had enough sleep. He pulled out his Barry Tea Bags and asked for a pot of boiling water. You can't leave home without them. The lads told us Peter's face had swollen baldy during the night. Peter was in no state to go anywhere. He wanted to check with the dentist what was going on. He was not in pain although he did have a rather ape like face on him. Didn't take photos. You'll have to let your imagination do the work. We checked out and left our bags in the hotel. Peter and Eoghan headed to the dentist, Ian and Aidan went to get cakes and I went off in search of the Post Office to get some stamps.

By the time I got back to the internet cafe Peter was there. The dentist was not due in until after 4pm. I remembered seeing a rather smart looking dental clinic the day myself and Ian went for a cycle so I suggested this to Peter. We jumped into a rickshaw and were there in less a moment. We sat waiting for over an hour. While we were sitting there we met a guy from Belfast. He had comes over to India specifically to get dental work done. This particular dentist had being recommended by someone in Ireland. Suddenly, it made so much sense. If you can find someone that is good and it costs at least a tenth of the price if not more. Any cosmetic work is going to save you a fortune. All you got is the cost of the flight plus the time needed to do the work. Peter finally got to see the dentist and when he walked out he seemed a little thrown. He told me that it was a different tooth to his wisdom tooth and some work was going to need to be done. He didn't want to explain it until everyone was around.

We met back with the group and went to Coffee Day. He told us that he was probably going to need to stay a minimum of ten days. This included a root canal and recovery time as there was going to be a lot of pain and swelling. We decided he was going to book into a good hotel with internet and room service. There was no point in us hanging around and we might be better off heading on to Alleppey and he would meet up with us in ten days. With that all decided it was just a matter of finding the right hotel. It came down to a choice of the Malabar House for €120 per night or the Brunton Boatyard for €90 per night. He went for the Malabar. We greeted him farewell and headed to Ernakulam. We jumped on the government bus and journey across in the direction of the railway station. The skies opened and the monsoon rains began to fall. The journey was the usual roaring engine and bone chattering jolts and bumps. Pot holes seem to make the majority of the roads in India. I realised as we were travelling that there was an enormous naval base also on Willingdon island. It took around an hour and the bus was jammed by the time we arrived in Ernakulam. Eoghan picked up to pairs of new flip-flops and we headed to railway station. The next train to Alleppey was not until 11.30pm, only 5 hours to wait. We left the bags in left luggage and headed to get food and see if we could find somewhere to buy PSPs for Ian and Aidan.

The city was packed and bustling at night. We found an Indian styled KFC type joint by the name of ChicKing. Fast food is not what it was. It looked like a fast food joint although they took your order and your food was finally delivered around 15 minute later. Meh. It was okay. Not enough chips and the drink was a mouth full that you got with the meal. We left still feeling hungry although the lads were determined to find the PSPs. We found a music shop called Planet M that had one for sale. They were so chuffed at the chance of making a sale they rang another shop 3km away and got the shop owner to come with another PSP and some games. This was at 9.20pm. The boys did a bit of haggling and got 6% discount after an hour. We head back and found a smoke filled bar. It was like something out of a movie or the type of bar we've all seeing at some christening you've being to down in a country hotel. We tried to order in the none a/c side and we nearly gave them a heart attack. They pretty much refused to serve us. We sat drinking our cold Kingfisher as locals and staff walked by staring as Eoghan and Aidan strummed the guitar.

We boarded the train just in time. It was packed and people lays asleep everywhere. This is not an exaggeration. They were actually lying asleep on the overhead baggage shelves. Some men lying asleep on the chairs woke and allowed us some room to sit down. We arrived and hour later in Alleppey station. The rain was pouring down. All of our spirits were high. We stood waiting, chatting to locals. Our rickshaw driver agreed to 40rps and all four of us and our bags piled in. We were dropped off at the Vrundavanam Guest. We were warmly greeted by two young guys that showed us to our rooms. The place had an amazing over grown garden courtyard surrounded by guest quarters. Each room had an ornate heavy doors at its entrance. We threw our bags in and sat for an hour or so chatting to a group of four Indian friends that all ran the place. They were amazingly welcoming and when they heard I was not doing the boat journey they insisted I do it with the rest of the gang for free. They insisted so I thanked them. I headed off to bed shortly afterwards and left Aidan and Eoghan chatting away to our new friends.

Day 37 - Tuesday - Fort Cochin

At breakfast I met Greg and a French couple we had met in previously in Hampi. They were on the 8 month of their world journey. Lovely couple that seemed very much in love. After Greg left I headed to the internet cafe. A moment later Peter joined me. I caught up on Bebo, Facebook and the sort. Later myself and Ian headed to the pastry cafe. Yes, we are pigs. Although you got to taste those pastries. When we got back Aidan and Eoghan got up. They both looked wrecked and Aidan didn't feel the best. I checked out about the day backwater tour. Feeling tired I headed to the room and fell asleep for for four hours. All those early mornings had finally caught up.

I awoke just after 4pm. Everyone was gone so feeling a bit lonely I went off in search of them. I thought they might have headed to the martial arts act they had discussed going to during the previous day. No. So, I walked around for a bit. Realised I had no money and I was hungry I got some travellers cheques changed. Headed to a museum we had seen the first day we arrived. It was filed with religious items. I photographed the one that has become the symbol for me of the church. Decided food was in order and headed to Coffee Day and met the lads as they were walking back. Aidan joined me. We didn't eat as the food looked really mediocre. Headed back to the internet. Three of us plus Greg went for dinner in the Old Courtyard on Princess St. Highly recommend. Ian and Peter went to the Malabar House for Tapas. Ian had eaten there for lunch and said they were not to be missed.

We all headed to another classical concert. Really didn't work. The zitar player was amazing although the drummer jut didn't seem to suit the performance. Everyone kind of felt the same about it and left feeling quite disappointed. We headed to have our evening chat in our Special Tea restaurant. Greg didn't join us. We got a lot of stuff out in the plate that was probably needed. Headed back to our rooms. Myself and Ian sat up for hour chatting and laughing about watered powered engines and government conspiracies. Fell asleep around 3 or 4am. Not quite sure.

Day 36 - Monday 21st of July - Fort Cochin

Went for a walk. Used the Internet. Myself and Ian walked around the island. I showed him the spectacular Chinese Fishing nets. Ian got called over and had us pulling up one of the nets with locals. The nice gentleman explained the whole process and then asked for a small donation after taking our pictures. I had only whispered to Ian that this would happen just as we were called over. It had happened to me the first day I did the tour of the nets by myself. We stopped and watched one net as it raised up numerous times, just to see what they got. As we were about to walk away, there was a call of successs. They caught one very large fish. One of the fishermen headed of straight away to sell it, to the market stalls, with the fish still alive, swinging away in his hand. All that sightseeing built a bit of a hunger so we headed to the Brunton Boatyard for a tasty and expensive lunch. 1085Rps for the two of us. Wasn't worth it.

When we got back to the lads Peter was ready to see a dentist. He was suffering too much and was now willing to see a local dentist. He was pretty nervous not knowing what the standard of dentistry was like in India. We had seen a couple the day before, near the chemist, so we headed to them. The surgery looked like any you would see in Dublin. Half an later Peter was out and seemed a million times better. An X-ray and checkup had cost him 150rps. Yes, remember the price of Ian and my lunch. We are talking about just over €2. He got all the medicine he needed for another 200rps. Myself and Ian decided we'd hire bikes so we left the rest of them to it. It took a while although we found them back near where we were staying for only 20rps each. Can't beat that. Well they looked the part. Shining racing green and polished chrome. The seats had suspension although they felt like they were filled with small rocks.

We went on quite an adventure down the far coast of the peninsula. We found one of the biggest naval bases I had ever seen. I didn't have any idea what it was when we got to the gate and they were having none of it. It was pretty much, “Move away from the gate sir.” A younger gentleman in full army camouflage stood brandishing a rather impressive and powerful looking weapon. He smiled back at me. A man came out in Naval uniform and spoke good english and explained to me what it was and no entry was allowed. We continued on our original path. The naval base went on for around 2km. We went another kilometer further until we found a way down to the coast. It was lined with a man made barrier of rocks. We sat for a bit looking out at the sea before heading across the width of the peninsula. The Fort Cochin area is enormous. I say by the time we got to Jew town we did a 4 to 5km round trip. We had being told of the Pepper Exchange and this was our next stop. Sadly it was closed for the day. I found one of the large and famous racing boats that is used in a big festival that happens in mid-August. Ian got chatted up by a young Indian gentleman that told him he was very handsome. True. Next I came across a gentleman that actually owns a business in exporting spices and pepper. He told me that on that day pepper was being traded at 14,600rps per 100kg. Ian joined me and he showed us large bags of cardamon, ginger and other mixed spices. He offered me a small bag of the famous and delicious masala tea mixture. For 50rps it would make 600 cups of tea. After our alls these aromas we headed up to the synagogue. It was closed although I ended up getting my silver chains cleaned in return for visiting one of the local shops. The local shops strive hard to do business especially in the off season month of July. Rickshaw drivers will bring you around Fort Cochin for free for the day if you visit a few of their shops. Supposedly they get a free litre of fuel if you just walk into a shop.

We stopped for cakes and coffee on our return. Delicious. Dropped the bikes back and met up with the rest of the gang. We had dinner on the roof garden of the Elite. Headed to listen to classical music in the same location that Aidan had being. It was a journey in itself. I sat there with my eyes closed and allowed my mind to travel with the sounds. A flute player accompanied by two drummers. The performance was A1. For some reason Ian kept sniggering and was finding it very hard to hold it together. I couldn't see what was so funny. He ended up leaving before the performance was over. As we walked home we noticed Greg sittting with Ian outside our Special Tea restaurant at the end of our road. It would be rude not to. More special tea. Sorry, just realised I never explain this to you. No, its not mushrooms, just plain old beer. Drink licenses are expensive and therefore some places will take the chance, few rupees on the side to the local police, and serve beer in tea pots. You ask for special tea. They know what you mean. After catching up on Greg's adventure in Munnar he headed off to bed. Shortly afterwards we were joint by a writer from Canada. His parents were Jewish and Scottish and it came across in his personality. I liked him a lot. He seemed to be going through a bit of an internal battle and was trying to drown it with this fine tea. He came across as quite lonely and a little self-destructive. We've all being there. Sometimes you come to India to do it I suppose, rather than doing it infront of people you know. We didn't stop long although there was a genuine sense of sadness as we told him we were leaving. He was doing himself no favours in attracting people in how he was coming across. Quite intense. We headed back to bed. Once again asleep in minutes.

Day 35 - Sunday - Fort Cochin

Wrote the blog and some postcards at breakfast today. Rang my partner on Skype video. Skype is such a fantastic facility when you travel. Its hard enough being away from people you love for a long period of time. Chatting to them on the phone really helps. Chatting and seeing them is in a league of its own. He was in super fab form and acting like a crazy loon. I love seeing him and miss him terribly. Skype video makes all the difference. If you are ever going away for a long period of time. Make sure to they all have webcams before you go. The boys found me still online at 2pm. I rang Ian on Skype and told him we were coming over to collect him.

We headed to the farside. Minus Peter, who was in too much pain to go anywhere. When we arrived we had planned to check out the new Batman movie – the Dark Knight in a screen in Ernakulam. Ian was so much better and delighted to on the move. We walked down to Shanmugham Rd and stopped in Coffee Beans for some lunch. His appetite was back also. A good selection of western food was munched down. When we arrived at the cinema there was a mass of people being herded down a passage way. We looked around trying to work out where to head. We went inside and were suddenly ushered through a side door to the top of the queue. As masses of young men pushed trying to get tickets, everything was paused while the westerners were sold their tickets first. We stood their laughing at each other. After 5 minutes we realised Batman wasn't on and we had just paid for some Hindi movie. We decided to head into the coffee shop. Once again security got a side door opened and we were allowed through. Crowds of young people were standing around and desperate to get tickets so we just sold the tickets on. At a small profit of 20rps. The whole thing had happened so quickly and was so insane. The Sridaar Screen is one of the only cinemas that shows movies in English in Kochin, although these are shown generally in the morning. We discussed coming to see Hancock the next day to experience the Hindi madness.

We checked out the Rainbow Bridge on the far side of the road of the cinema. The promenade was lined mainly with men. A few women were here and there. Generally men sitting in groups, smiling, walking hand in hand, staring at the whities, laughing and staring into each other eyes. It really is like walking into the middle of a gay haven. Eoghan and myself walked down the promenade towards the ferry, while Aidan went back with Ian to pick up his bags. I walked behind Eoghan by around 10 feet and just laughed. I'd say if he had being naked he would have got no more looks. Every single man and group of men turned , looked, smiled or made some comment to their friend as he walked along. It really does begin to feel like having movie star status after awhile. When we got to the port it was beginning to get dark. Eoghan was off looking for a game of Karam, after seen one in one of the old buildings earlier. I headed up to the observation tower of the new ferry building. As I was coming back down I knew we'd all meet below. As I turned into to buy my ticket I met Eoghan and then 100 yards later I met Aidan and Ian queuing to buy theirs.

After we got to the Elite we freshened up and watched some TV before going out. Ian headed to the internet cafe and Aidan went of to a classical concert in the same venue we had being the night before. We all went to meet Aidan for dinner. As we were waiting we met cashman who advised us against eating where he had. We went back to our local for the third night in a row. It was a lot of fun. With stories of breaking jaws and ribs being the main entertainment for the night. Sadly at Aidan's expense. We did find out later that his later fact was a truth. To do correct or succesful CPR you need to break the patients ribs. He doesn't know we know. So don't tell, because he will probably never read this until he gets home. Nevertheless it gave us all a great night of laughter and we all had a lot of fun. We woke the Elite manager and headed to bed. I believe I feel asleep pretty much in the middle of a conversation with Ian. Sorry about that.

Day 34 - Saturday - Fort Cochin

While having breakfast I met three very interesting people. The first was a middle-aged British gentleman by the name of Paul. Currently living in Barcelona and was travelling with his partner around India for three months. His message was be careful of eggs and recommended “The Shape of the Beast” by Arundhati Roy. Funy enough because I had only seen her first book the day before. Directly after Paul left, I chatting to a girl beside me by the name of Lily. She was a student and had decided to come to India with her mum. Now as much as my mum is a rebel, India for anyone is fairly tough. Fair due. She said that her mum was loving it and they were getting on so well. She recommended a place up north to visit and an ashram that we could stay in for a week, to do meditation and yoga. Supposedly very near to where the Beatles had stayed for some months. Finally as I was leaving I met Mike. He was from Mauritius and was running an IT business in India. He informed me you could employ a top IT professional for as little as 26,000rps per month. He also ran his own nightclub in Delhi and was currently about to start running a night in Ernakulam.

Headed over to Ian in Ernakulam after leaving the Elite. I really enjoy the trip over. The walk to the ferry, the boat journey over and the 15 min walk to the hotel. He was feeling a million times better than he had yesterday although he was certain he was going to stay put for another day at least. I stayed and watched the motorcycle diaries with him a hour and then headed back. It was near enough to three by the time I got back to Fort Cochin. I thought I'd check back to the hotel first. Was not expecting the lads to still be there. The three of them were propped up in their beds watching something on the laptop. I believe Dexter. I tutted at them and laughed. They joined me shortly on the roof top restaurant for lunch.

We head to the chemist, myself and Aidan found the day before. Peter's teeth are really at him and he needs some strong pain killers. We decide to do a bit of adventuring and go for a walk. Its quite a difference than the tourist side. Obviously where the lower cast live and off the tourist track. Its an interesting collection of brick r' brack shops, electric repairs, jewellery stores and carpenters. This is what I love about India. An uncut diamond. Beautiful and real. Majority of people smiles back warm and friendly Hellos. We visit a smart little cake and coffee shop on our return. Aidan heads off not wanting to miss the beginning of the Kathkali, a local Keralian dance/performance. After some great coffee and sweets we myself and Eoghan join him. Peter heads back to the hotel to nurse his toothache.

When myself and Eoghan enter the performance has already begun. The story is of beauty and lust, a sheep in wolfs clothing and the strength of hero. What makes their local dance famous is non-verbal communication through movements of the face and hands. The part we walked in on during the beginning, tells the full NVC vocabulary used throughout the performance. It is a colourful story with wild dance and live music. Great night performance and well worth the 150rps. We headed to our local restaurant again, for special tea and food. Within 5 minutes of getting back to my room, I'm asleep.

Day 33 - Friday - Cochin

Yes, as you can imagine I was awake first. I silently slipped out of the room and headed out into a sunny new city. I really love that. You arrive in a city under the fall of night and the next morning its all a mystery. Atypically I find a sense of a place first. Get a map, go for a walk to get the tone and energy of a place. Hold judgment and see what comes up on the awareness level with people and the surroundings. I probably presume a little about the Indian people at this stage. Expecting standard smiles and looks and greetings. Although I also expect to find the unexpected. I started by searching for a tourist office. I knew, from the Rough Guide, that Cochin was split into two main areas, Fort Cochin and Ernakulam. We had stayed on the later, the business district and I felt drawn to the other. My first stop was the railway station. Its always a safe bet to find a tourist office there. It was closed. Next after getting some direction I found another closed tourist office. Seemed kind of strange for a Friday. Okay, it looked like a little bit of discovering was in order. I walked a large block. On route I noticed a modern looking hotel. Went inside and asked if they had a map. They did. Yippee, every travelling man's best friend. Thank God for Mr. Cartographer. Now with map in hand, I continued on my journey, secure of my location. I was here.

The city was quite different than the ones we had being in previously. Probably the most western of the lot. Pathways and drains. Traffic lights and traffic. Advertisements and department stores. I waved and said hello to a few townies. Good to see it wasn't totally westernised. I got back to the Metropolitan an hour later, feeling chuffed with my little adventure. I checked on Ian and he was feeling terrible. He had really bad bout of the Delhi belly. Find it hard to hold anything in. The Immodium were not strong enough, so I said I find him some Norfloxacin and Lopermide, as recommended in a health pamphlet we had. Eoghan and Peter were in no shape to go anywhere, so Aidan and I were heading off to find a new location to move into that evening. We jumped into a rickshaw and headed to the main ferry port that would bring us to Fort Cochin. Off season fare should be around 20 to 30rps for 1 to 2km, all depending on how much your wiling to haggle.

The front of the ferry port, is a potholed bus stand, lined with a few food stalls. We headed in the direction of other passengers, into an some run down, old looking single storey structures that looked like buildings from the movie Empire of the Sun. As we continued through we were greeted by a grand new modern ferry port in stark white with a terracotta tiled roof. The front of the building was surrounded with piles of wet redish earth. Looking like a project that had gone astray somewhere along the planning lines. The interior was bare and basic. We cued and purchased two tickets at 2.5rps per person. The boats were long single storey diesel engine vessells, with a capacity of around 100 people. The seats were simple wooden benches with cracked and worn paint. We managed get two seats for ourselves as the boat packed quickly.

I consciously noticed something more here than anywhere else in India. In most places you go in India you will notice men holding hands or having their arms around each other. It cames across as genuine sing of affection. From the small bit of information I had gathered and the bit of knowledge I had heard from before, men are closer in a lot of Asian culture than we are used to seeing. Its quite strange being gay and growing up in a culture where this show of closeness between men would and is still ridiculed by many. From what I learn ed that this affection was no more than good friendship. What was different since I arrived in Kerala and now right in front of me was how loving the touches and the looks between the men is. As someone joked about me and an ex-partner many years ago, we appeared as “more than just good friends”. I can understand men being close, like women are close in our own society although this was more than that. Perhaps I was reading too much into it, although it interested me enormously this male social interaction, in such a strongly homophobic and religious society. I decide I would do some research into as soon as possible.

The boat journey across to Fort Cochin was quite spectacular. Fishing boats and oil tankers passed by on either side of the windowless vessel. We passed Willingdon Island on our left. Supposedly a dredged island created by the British in the 1920s, now a major port on the west coast of India. Within 25 minutes we arrived at our destination. The boat gently pulled alongside the jetty and before it had come to a stop people were jumpy off and making their way out of the port. As we walked out on to the main road I felt we had arrived in a good place. Over th next three hours we ate, walked around the nib of the peninsula, checked numerous guest houses, saw the Chinese fishing nets and found our place to stay. Prices vary considerably across Fort Cochin from a double room as low as 300rps to 6000rps for the boutique hotels. Bizarrely the price doesn't always reflect what you are getting. Kerala was not really humid enough to require a/c so we were only needing a nice clean room. The Rough Guide was quite accurate on its accommodation listing and the last place we checked out was the best. The Elite Hotel on Princess Street was impeccably clean with double rooms with TV's and fans in every room, for only 350rps. The moment we saw it we knew we were on to winner. There was roof top restaurant, cafe downstairs and internet cafe connected. Chuffed with ourselves we headed back to Ernakulam to collect the bags and make the move.

It was near enough to nine by the time we returned to the Metropolitan Hotel. The lads had not moved from the room and Ian was delighted to see we had picked up the medicine. He had had a terrible day with a large percentage of it spent in the bathroom. He decided he was going to stick it out in the hotel where he had room service and was at least comfortable. The rest of us got our bags, packed and were at reception paying the bill within ten minutes. We made it to the main ferry port with seconds to spare before the last boat for the evening pulled off. We all jumped on board, bags and all. We got a rickshaw on the far side to take some of us and the bags to the hotel. Myself and Eoghan walked back in the darkness. The island appeared to be having a power out. As we arrived at the Elite , Aidan and Peter were just coming downstairs. With all of us starving we found a nice outdoor restaurant at the end of the street. Special Tea was available :) We enjoyed a fine selection of Asian and Western cuisine. The place was busy and had a really nice atmosphere. Fort Cochin felt just right. Before sleeping I was delighted to catch a showing of Superman II on the TV in the room.