Inconsequential

On my first day, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how attractive Udaipur is! It’s got some beautiful historical buildings. I’ll show these in later posts. I’m referring to the Old Town, which is where I am. It shows signs of having changed to cater for the sort of tourists who come here, which, going by … Continue reading / view photos Udaipur, the Blue City

My detailed action plan for my first trip to India when I was in London last year – now updated with status: Fly to India ✅ Visit family in Gujarat ✅ Visit North India ❌ Visit South India ✅ Fly to UK ❌ 😄 View photos Mumbai airport – half way there?

So far, I’ve found Indian domestic airports to be especially efficient if you have no check-in luggage. Security checks are quick and they let you carry liquids like suntan lotion, water and,most importantly, Mamite! There’s been power to charge devices, water stations to drink water or refill your water bottle, and ample seating whilst waiting. … Continue reading / view photos Goodbye Cochin

I went to the town centre in the afternoon only to find that most shops were shut. Living timelessly, I forgot today was Sunday and even Indians need to rest on one day of the week. So just walking around, I was reminded of a few things. There are many features of a hotel you … Continue reading / view photos Alappuzha

In the end, I was impressed with what had been created at the ashram. Over 25 years or so, they’ve created a warm environment with processes in place to make people feel welcome as well as keep running costs down. One consequence was that it was relatively cheap to stay at the ashram. A shared … Continue reading / view photos Hugging mother’s creation

Yesterday, the leader of the ashram, Amma, met people for hugs. We queued for about 3.5 hours 😳, sitting on chairs and shuffling along as people were seen. One devotee (follower) said that it gives you a chance to reflect, say your mantra and think about what you want to say to Amma. Eventually you … Continue reading / view photos Meeting Amma

I’ve swapped my double-bed, air-con room and gourmet breakfast and dinner in Alappuzha for… an ashram! On Monday, I was planning my next destination and decided I needed to experience my first ashram. After looking at a few, I settled for the one set up by Amma, the “hugging mother”, in Amritapuri. I phoned up … Continue reading / view photos Amma’s ashram

I was happy to be running on the beach again this morning, with the view and relaxing sound of the sea. As I ran, I thought: Indian pragmatism has trumped aesthetics again! Like many places in India, Alappuzha has congested roads. The solution, it has decided, is to build an elevated highway running parallel to, … Continue reading / view photos Allappuzha

Alappuzha is better known as Alleppey. Since independence, India has been gradually renaming places. There are a variety of reasons for these changes, such as using a spelling that more closely resembles the local pronunciation of the place or using a name that the locals use. Well-known examples include: Kolkata (instead of Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay), … Continue reading / view photos What’s in a name – changing places

Being a beach babe, I’ve swapped Munnar’s calming mountains for Alappuzha’s sandy beach. I’m back on the west coast of Kerala, about 50km south of Fort Kochi, which is where I was before going to Munnar. I’m relieved to get some 30c heat back in my bones! I’m seriously concerned about my ability to now … Continue reading / view photos On the beach