just uploaded some more photos for you onto flickr and noticed a water theme.. being by the sea and spending a night on a boat is whats done that. not a bad thing though - being by water seems to equal relaxation. above pictures pretty much sum up my life of late - reading, napping, watching the world go by, resting, bit of chatting...
i spent a few days with the gang - andy, kirsty and diana, which was a pretty chilled out affair. although for some reason i struggled a bit, thanks to the usual lack of sleep problem and i think just the logistics of group travel. its definitely a lot easier to get about alone in some ways - you and all your luggage fit into one rickshaw and you can make a quick decision, whereas the four of us did need some time to sort ourselves out occasionally. but i couldn't have experienced life on a houseboat without them, so i am very grateful. we lazed about for a day and a night enjoying a very slow world pass by. highly recommend it.
it was a bit of a wake up call to living and relating to more than one person at a time, and a reminder of much more of brighton life. i guess i'm not sure i was entirely ready for either, and looking back i'm hoping i have learnt something of how to relate to others and how to be back in 'brighton mode'. it probably sounds ridiculous, its not as though i have been a hermit all of this year living on the moon. but it has been a very different time, especially in terms of doing things my own way so freely. poor becs was the first guinea pig to test out my abilities to adapt back, and bless her, thanks to her being so constantly lovely, i think we would both call that time a huge success. but if the responsibility is on me to be lovely and accommodating and ready to adapt... well i am not sure success will come so quickly! it would be fair to say i miss becs.
but i am back on my own as of today, i've come to fort kochin a bit up the coast in kerala. so far so good, and as i start to plan the rest of my time, i realise i have plenty of time to spend in each remaining place i want to see, so i plan to take my time enjoying 'god's own country' as kerala likes to call itself. its definitely a different place down here. i know i travelled nearly the length of a subcontinent, so you might think i was expecting some differences being so far from rajasthan, but i have been surprised. there are no cows wandering around which is a bonus for ease of walking but sad loss of amusement. i've been bizarrely short on great food since arriving down south, but that may just be bad luck. the gang seem to have been on a 2 meals a day routine, thanks to possible theories of time difference and major increase in temperature reducing appetite.. but either way i was constantly feeling short of a decent meal! until we got on the boat that is, where a lovely cook sorted me out. anyway i am warming to this hot place and hoping it will be the perfect end to my year.
last little tip - if you're travelling, reading books by authors of that country is a must. i've been on an indian fiction run and am loving it. just so great to recognise details from what i've seen and to get more insights into this culture and place. some high quality authors. loving it.
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