been a-hoofin'

comin' atcha from...where am i?? oh yeah, fort cochin, kerala.

it's been a whirlwind week in my favorite state of india: kerala a.k.a. God's own country. i've been gallopping south to north from trivandrum (capital city) to allepey (the backwaters of india) to cochin, and taken rickshaws, ferries, local buses, a/c trains, and even a canoe. never a dull moment...although the beautiful laze of the backwaters comes close. last night i slept in allepey outside of town and for once didn't hear a single sound. it was so foreign to me that i felt uncomfortable...for a few minutes...and then i slept better than i have since i got here.

i awoke to joseph (picture the proprietor, a 75-year old man wearing coke-bottle glasses and a blue wrap skirt called a lungi) who was ready to serve me breakfast. the slices of white toast and jam were redeemed in full by the mango juice he brought me. i thought it was a bottled canned version of an indian sugary drink called mazaa, which is delicious, but it turned out to be fresh squozen mango from the very tree under which i sat. wow.

i'll continue on in true allum-poon fashion about the rest of the meals i had to today, as they were flavored by the places i visited. after i left joseph, i headed deeper into the villages of the backwaters to find something a little more authentic. the next place i found was more villagey for sure, but the backwaters tend to be a wealthier part of kerala, which is already a wealthy state. in my quest to find something gritty, i was surprised to find an impeccably clean and beautiful home complete with a flatscreen tv and an adorable 5 year old who spoke better english than most indians i've met!

they served me a thali (indian meal) of rice, salad, banana flower curry with coconut and lentils, and curried potatoes. finished off with banana yogurt with fresh vanilla and cardamom. my palate was in an ecstatic dance.

after a couple of hot sweaty fun bus rides, i landed in cochin, an old fort city which blends india and the west quite tastefully. i was looking for more indian food but happened upon this art gallery / restaurant where i ate a few years ago, and indulged in an omelette with tomato and cheese and wheat bread. it, too, was off the rails.

my fellow adventurers get a taste of india in just over a day! which means that at this moment, they are packing their bags and making any final preparations...mother india and i are ready for them.

and apparently, so is naveen. naveen is our gem of a naturopathic doctor who will be joining our tour. i spoke with him tonight and he's eager to meet everyone and curious about the ashram, so he's asked to join us a few days early. i couldn't be more pleased, and not just because he's an acupuncturist and holistic doctor - he's also a great blend of indian and western cultures, with over a year of experience in u.k.

seems like it's all falling into place quite nicely but mother india always keeps you on your toes... but so far, unfolding so good!

happy days and namaste!