ANNETTE'S TRAVELS: SOUTH INDIA - TRIVANDRUM AND VARKALA
On January 9th, we left Kanyakumari on the train for
Trivandrum, the capital city of the state of Kerala. We had about eight
hours in the city. It isn't very large so we were able to see most of
the centre from an auto-rickshaw. These vehicles go everywhere in
India. They are small, can turn on a dime, and are cheap and reasonably
comfortable. They make traveling in India a pleasure. The locals call
them autos or tuk-tuks.
We liked Trivandrum. It is clean,
has lots of trees, and can be proud of its many beautiful new and
traditional buildings. We spent much of our time at the Trivandrum
zoological garden, perhaps the best in India. This zoo is beautifully
landscaped with many unfamiliar trees and other vegetation. The animals
we liked best were the lion, tiger, hippos, rhino, elephant, and jaguar.
We felt very sorry for the lion. He looked old and unhappy all by
himself in his cage. Except for the lion and the big cats, animals are
housed in large enclosures which, wherever possible, have been designed
to resemble their natural habitat.
Trivandrum Zoo Entrance
Trivandrum Zoo
Hippos, Trivandrum Zoo
We boarded our train
for Varkala around 9 p.m. expecting a four-hour train ride. Because we
were tired, we decided to lie down for a nap in our compartment. Very
soon after falling asleep we were awakened by two railway officials who
said we had missed our stop and urged us to disembark immediately if we
were not to miss another. This was not good news especially at this
hour of the evening. We were feeling quite foolish for not being
sufficiently familiar with the map to have recognized an error in our
itinerary. The railway official, while literally pushing us toward the
exit, tried to be helpful, assuring us that we merely had to get a taxi
back to Varkala. We felt very grateful - railway personnel don't
normally keep watch over tourists and never announce the upcoming
station - and thanked him as heartily as we could in our disoriented
half-asleep state.
Porters Carrying our Luggage
In the Station
We were fortunate that the only
inconvenience turned out to be a two-hour taxi trip. It did have its
nerve-wracking moments, though. As we approached Varkala, it became
obvious that the taxi driver was not familiar with our hotel. It didn't
help that he had very little English. For perhaps twenty minutes
after arriving in Varkala, we drove at what seemed a reckless speed
through narrow, very rough, dirt roads. It was dark with only an
occasional street light. Once in a while, we could see a house or hotel
lit up behind a high fence. Later, we discovered we were both having the
same thoughts, wondering if the driver would stop and motion to us to
get out and find our own way, or if his old Ambassador taxi would break
down from the rough treatment he was giving it. Eventually, he sought
directions, and so well after midnight we arrived at our hotel, safe but
exhausted.
Next day, we strolled along the
cliff-top walk, looking down at the amazing views of the
beach and the Arabian Sea 200 feet below. The beach, more than two miles
long, is one of the best in India.
Looking Down on the Beach at Varkala
Steps down to Papasnanam Beach, Varkala.
Shops along Cliff-top Walkway, Varkala
Being tired after our stressful time
the previous evening, we enjoyed an extended lunch at one of the
restaurants on the cliff-top, admiring the view and watching the
dolphins jumping up in the sea. Varkala, once a hippy hang-out, has
recently become very popular with tourists wishing to avoid the crowds
of Alleppey. In spite of its new found popularity, it has managed to
retain a very relaxed, casual atmosphere.
That evening we
had dinner with a couple from Calgary who we met at our hotel. We
decided on the Cafe Italiano, thinking that it would be a welcome change
from vegetable curry. This turned out to be a mistake. Pizza and pasta
just don't go with Indian spices. I was excited to see wine on the menu
after our time in Tamil Nadu, and chose a local variety, trying to avoid
the outrageous price of imported vintages. One sip was all I could
stand, though. How I wished I had been wise like my companions and
ordered the excellent Indian beer!
We spent January 11th
on the beach. Most of India's coast is unsafe for swimming. Here was
one of the few safe beaches, complete with lifeguards. It was beautiful
and clean with fine sand and lovely warm water. Best of all, it had the
big waves that I love. It was a beautiful swim, though we were both
tossed by the waves, losing control and landing with a thump, but
fortunately not injured. There was also a strong lateral current that
it was necessary to fight in order to avoid being swept down the beach
far from our umbrella.
After a thoroughly enjoyable four hours or so, we had dinner at a restaurant overlooking the beach, and watched the sun set over the Arabian Sea.
View of the Beach from Our Restaurant, Varkala
On January 12th we took a train and taxi to Kumarakom where we were looking forward to having an excursion in the backwaters.
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