Continuing from Kerala

Still humid, only this time its a different internet cafe - and nothing going by the name of Double Click :) I can't believe how far we've come and all the incredible things we've managed to get done.

We left the quaintest little village this morning, a beautiful cottage on the banks of the river Pampa with houseboats shuttling up and down it and surrounded by the lushest (is that a word?) paddy fields. We watched the prettiest sunsets across a sea of green and watched the night sky with a million stars in it - pointing out familiar constellations and calling them by different names. But the feeling can't be desribed especially when all the lights in the village go out and you're running out to the waterside to get a better glimpse of the stars and then imagine that you've stepped on a snake in the darkness. Haha I've never seen anyone jump the way Jerusha did that night. But to be fair to her, we did see the most hideous looking snakes floating around in the water and then leaping on to river banks all scaly and glistening in the sun with the water reflecting off their backs.

We're carrying on with our travels much as I hate to leave Alleppey and that village behind, I'm looking forward to making it into Silent Valley tomorrow morning. For now, we're both in a tiny town in Palakad hoping to find a fairly decent place to stay for the night. We've decided to start a travelogue when we make it back to Hyderabad. So much has happened in the last week that I'm almost afraid of returning to life and routine but its home and what makes things what they are I suppose. Until back at work in Hyd then I guess, ta ta and wish us luck! :)

I just have to do this

Honestly, I'm not one for blogging - don't ask why, it just takes me too much to think of what from a life so boring would be good enough to go on and cast some glee on some despairing soul.

Nevertheless, here I am sitting in Kerala, Kannur to be precise - a tiny tiny internet cafe called Double Click I think :D Jerusha is sitting next to me typing away - blogging I bet and we're both waiting for a bus to take us to Ernakulam. I have no idea why we chose to go there - we just did. We got out of our hotel, picked up our bags, took an auto to the bus stop and said 'ahem, is there a bus going to Silent Valley or Kottayam (which we figured was the closest place to a dreamy spot - Kumarakom) but no, a stolid shake of negative head. "Go to Ernakulam" said he, for that was apparently the only bus leaving. So yeah, thats where we're going and from there to Cochin and then Kumarakom and then Thekkady. Or so we think - I have no idea what the plan is going to be tomorrow or where we might end up going. But I love it!!

I need to leave now - for the boy in the store just came by meekly saying that the store is to close now. And its only 8:30 pm in this little town...But God, its just the most beautiful feeling in the world. And I had to do my best to express it!

The Case of the Running Ram

The ram that ran was quite a puzzle. Nobody could tell why it was running only that it was running. There is also the fact that no one could tell that it was in actual fact a ram. Anyways, there was this one wise soul amidst us all who knew in essence what it was about.

Here's what I saw and I feel compelled to leave a legacy of its record or fear the punishment of the gods who've given me the gift of its sight.

We were in an auto, cruising down the roads of Banjara Hills. Six of us in a vehicle that would ideally accommodate four in a rather snug fashion. Us girls, Orpi, Neysa, Jerusha and I were sitting in the back with two strikingly not so handsome men controlling the wheel (the rudder? handle? whats that called?) Anyways, we were cruising along, everyone looking gorgeous and glamorous, with the wind in our hair ready for a beautiful Saturday night. It was at this time of perfect contentment that Jerusha let out what appeared to be something between a squeal and a yelp - one of excitement and also disbelief.

"Oh My God!!" "Isn't that the fattest dog you've ever seen! Look at it - so cute and healthy and beautiful." Us girls being what we are managed to push ourselves over to careen out as far as we could (without tipping the auto over) in a bid to espy to reverend creature. It had an owner attached to it who was running as fast as this creature was - barely making it, I think. "Oh how cute!" "Oh My God" "Wow", said I, "It almost looks like a ram"

Neysa, not one I think for dogs, piped up with "what's going on?" "a dog, replied I "that almost looks like a ram" "Well what is it?" Another glance and it didn't take much time for revelation to dawn. "Its a ram a ram!" Haha that's probably the funniest thing I've seen in ages and I cannot stop laughing, neither of us can. Jerusha most of all. She who swore upon her very soul that what she witnessed was the healthy able body of an enormously fat dog running with horns on its head, a black sheen in its body, did I mention horns on its head? Not sure what it was after but Jerusha I know for one, could not understand the whole idea of the contraption of horns located on top of a dog's head. It's quite the thought really - why a dog would have horns.

Haha, as you can see, it's hard and maybe you, whoever reads this, ought to have been there to understand the significance of this hilarious moment. But god, it was funny. I for one know that our rickshaw drivers giggled, guffawed and thought about ways in which the Indian culture has died, that the way of the girl is no longer the way of the girl and went back to their families and thanked the Lord for their homely wives and well behaved children and prayed for that to last forever.

But I had the most amazing time that night and love these girls and am so glad we get to do all these fun things that we can think about as time goes by and just be happy for these moments. Love them :)