All good things must come to an end

The last few days of the trip have passed very quickly and yet the trip itself seems to have stretched to IST (Indian Standard Time) where nothing moves quickly and times are only an approximation.

It’s hard to beat watching the sunset from the top deck of a houseboat as you float along the backwater canals of Kerala. Palm trees and the brilliant green of rice paddies make an amazing backdrop. Oh, and it helps to have a G&T in hand!

We were very surprised at just how big the boats were and the cabins were certainly comfortable. Thank goodness for air conditioning. The temperature on the water is just that little bit cooler but once we landed we were hit once again with the heat, humidity and dust.

It was lovely to walk along the beach on the Malabar Coast. Sadly, the Arabian Sea is like a warm bath so no refreshing dip and the undertow is fairly severe so not great for a swim in that particular spot.

In many ways the India I visited 30 years ago hasn’t changed – poor roads and infrastructure, crazy traffic and lots of rubbish yet it’s obvious that there are also very prosperous areas, particularly in the South. There are hints of the wealth that exists but there are still people who live hard lives doing manual work for very little pay.

The people have been overwhelming friendly, always ready with a smile and the food is sensational.Read more