Exploring India

Extending our stay in Goa for a few days meant having fewer days further south in the region of Kerala. In hindsight, this was one of our better decisions. Kerala is known for its nice beaches, spectacular hillside views, a wide variety of wildlife and intricate waterways. Colourful street art, Fort Kochi Munnar, Kerala, is home to India's most famous hillside tea plantations, waterfalls and Elephant safaris. A must, right? We decided against this. We knew that we would see similar in Sri Lanka and for less than half the price. In another one of our better decisions, this paid off. Instead, we headed to Kochi, Fort Kochi in particular. Seafood market, Fort Kochi A not-so-impenetrable Fort Fort Kochi, the popular area inside Kochi that takes its name from the first European Fort on Indian soil built during the 16 th Century. The Fort no longer stands, so the name is now used as a place name for the large area of the city that lies by the coast. Kochi was unlike any Indian ci...

We did it. After eleven days in the North of India with only one or two nights in every destination and a total of two flights, four trains and countless taxis and tuk-tuks, we made it to Goa relatively unscathed. By relatively I mean having to have a tetanus shot in the bum after cutting myself on a metal lock. When I got to the hospital and sat on the bed, I began to roll up my sleeve. I was then told to actually lie down on my front, which I thought was strange, and comically when the nurse started rolling down the back of my shorts I began to wonder where Kea had actually taken me. The jab cost 150 Rupees, about £1.50 and I was treated like absolute royalty throughout my visit. I was rushed through on entry, met by the hospital manager and treated instantly. See my previous blog where I comment on this form of white privilege . You do naturally feel guilty when in these situations but the people here insist and they want to help you, often providing preferential treatment for being...