And we're, off...
Well we are finally here after a long days travelling. Up at 4:30. Taxi to the airport on time. Swiftly through departures as no hold luggage. Quick dash through duty free for the travel essentials of whisky and Bacardi then Boom. A two hour delay.
Some poor old chap had gone to meet his maker at 32000 feet over Germany and the flight was diverted to Frankfurt. Not much of a problem in itself but we only had a narrow window for our connecting flight at Abu Dahbi to Cochin. Still, all went well and we got the connection on time, just.
Abu Dahbi, like all the middle eastern flight hubs is massive and its always a train or bus ride to the next departure gate. This time the gods were with us and it was a short manic jog within the same terminal. The flight to Abu was uneventful but enjoyable. The flight from Abu was brilliant. On take off we were sat next to the flight attendant called Raoul from Costa Rica. We got chatting and he immediately took a shine to us which guaranteed us personal service all the way. Added to this the other young flight attendant was called Olivia who comes from Horwich. You can't make it up. Raoul therefore plied us with all the alcohol we could manage and Olivia kept appearing with all the goodies from first class. Marvelous.
We got into Cochin on time around 0400 and swiftly departed the aeroplane. No luggage so we were off and straight to immigration.
The Indian immigration authorities have gone all high tech since last time we came. E visas, retinal scans and every other kind of gadget you can imagine. You would think that this would speed up the process. Oh no not in India.
We qued at the foreign nationals desk which was manned by a lovely smily young lady. We moved forward, she looked up and smiled serenely. We moved forward, she smiled. This went on until we were eventually stood in front of her desk, travel documents in hand. At which point she again smiled and informed us that we were in the wrong que. The que we needed was the one that had been cleverly hidden and no one had managed to find. Off we went to this large high tech office only to find no officials there. Back into the foye and asked an official looking chap who informed us that he would be with us soon as he could.
After a short wait he appeared and took up his position behind the array of cameras, computer screens and finger print machines that made up his desk. Name, rank and number passed without delay. Then came the fingerprinting. One finger left hand, two fingers right hand, thumbs, all fingers together on a machine that didn,t want to play ball. All interspaces with him smiling and singing the latest Bollywood hits. Eventually we were done and released out into the night. A taxi was swiftly arranged and off we sped to Fort Cochin.
Cochin airport is 40km from the town. That equates to 45 mins in a taxi or 2 hours on a bus. No contest at that time of morning so a taxi it was. Buggar the cost.
After a small trauma of the taxi driver not being able to find the home stay we were booked into we were eventually dropped off at the entrance of a small dark alleyway with a meagre hand painted sign pointing into the darkness and our first princely accommodation. All was in darkness as we arrived at an old wooden doorway. Crispy pressed the bell and the silence was immediately broken by the strains of electronic birdsong. Next came shuffling and a voice whispered through the lattice work "hello peter". We had arrived. Quickly booked in and off to bed to get Crispy some well earned sleep.
After a couple of hours sleep we were awakened by the sound of heavy rain bouncing off tin plate roof. Its the end of the monsoons here now but you can still get the occasional heavy downpour. This one was perfectly timed to wake us up. I,ve said before that Crispy has a rapid recharge facility and within minutes she was up and raring to go. A quick cold shower, as the place has solar water heating and as it was cloudy that removed any chance of hot water, and we set out into downtown Cochin.
The cloud cleared and the temperature soared to a heady 80 degrees. As we are sub tropical it is always humid so even smiling causes a sweat. I had a full days sightseeing planned to stop Crispy getting bored. The Dutch cemetery, the Chinese nets, spice markets and Jew town. All within walking distance. My she's a lucky girl. I had planned to spread this sightseeing out over 2 days but we discovered a ferry that will take us across the harbour to a bus station from which we can get to Chreni beach for a swim and a spot of lunch. Its only 25km away so we have decided to try and get there tomorrow and do all the sights today. No pics I'm afraid as I forgot to take the eye pod with us. I'll post some tomorrow if I get chance.
Were back at the home stay now. Showered, with hot water, and sat on the rooftop. Crispy is relaxing with a bottle of coke which we have topped up with Bacardi. The hotel has no alcohol licence so its illegal to drink on the premises. All she needs is a brown paper bag to complete the picture and I,ve got whisky flavoured sprite. She's just started grumbling as the sun is setting and the mossies have started eating her. She loves it. These are mossies on steroid. With a torch you can see the reflection in their beady little eyes. They don't seem to bite me but Crispy is doing her impression of a lederhosen dance. No doubt tomorrow she will be waxing lyrical about the size and number of her bites.
Its definately multicultural here after belonging to the Portuguese, then the Dutch and finally Britain before being handed back to its rightful owners. The Indians. We have just listened to the immam trying to outdo the cathedral bells while the Hindus try and outperform everyone else with shotgun bangs. Goodness knows what that's about...
We are here for 2 nights and then we need to be moving south to our next destination. Tomorrow after we get back from the beach we need to find the bus terminus for a bus, if one exists, to take us south. Otherwise not sure what we will do...
Bare and Crispy signing off from Cochi, Kerala state. India
Well we are finally here after a long days travelling. Up at 4:30. Taxi to the airport on time. Swiftly through departures as no hold luggage. Quick dash through duty free for the travel essentials of whisky and Bacardi then Boom. A two hour delay.
Some poor old chap had gone to meet his maker at 32000 feet over Germany and the flight was diverted to Frankfurt. Not much of a problem in itself but we only had a narrow window for our connecting flight at Abu Dahbi to Cochin. Still, all went well and we got the connection on time, just.
Abu Dahbi, like all the middle eastern flight hubs is massive and its always a train or bus ride to the next departure gate. This time the gods were with us and it was a short manic jog within the same terminal. The flight to Abu was uneventful but enjoyable. The flight from Abu was brilliant. On take off we were sat next to the flight attendant called Raoul from Costa Rica. We got chatting and he immediately took a shine to us which guaranteed us personal service all the way. Added to this the other young flight attendant was called Olivia who comes from Horwich. You can't make it up. Raoul therefore plied us with all the alcohol we could manage and Olivia kept appearing with all the goodies from first class. Marvelous.
We got into Cochin on time around 0400 and swiftly departed the aeroplane. No luggage so we were off and straight to immigration.
The Indian immigration authorities have gone all high tech since last time we came. E visas, retinal scans and every other kind of gadget you can imagine. You would think that this would speed up the process. Oh no not in India.
We qued at the foreign nationals desk which was manned by a lovely smily young lady. We moved forward, she looked up and smiled serenely. We moved forward, she smiled. This went on until we were eventually stood in front of her desk, travel documents in hand. At which point she again smiled and informed us that we were in the wrong que. The que we needed was the one that had been cleverly hidden and no one had managed to find. Off we went to this large high tech office only to find no officials there. Back into the foye and asked an official looking chap who informed us that he would be with us soon as he could.
After a short wait he appeared and took up his position behind the array of cameras, computer screens and finger print machines that made up his desk. Name, rank and number passed without delay. Then came the fingerprinting. One finger left hand, two fingers right hand, thumbs, all fingers together on a machine that didn,t want to play ball. All interspaces with him smiling and singing the latest Bollywood hits. Eventually we were done and released out into the night. A taxi was swiftly arranged and off we sped to Fort Cochin.
Cochin airport is 40km from the town. That equates to 45 mins in a taxi or 2 hours on a bus. No contest at that time of morning so a taxi it was. Buggar the cost.
After a small trauma of the taxi driver not being able to find the home stay we were booked into we were eventually dropped off at the entrance of a small dark alleyway with a meagre hand painted sign pointing into the darkness and our first princely accommodation. All was in darkness as we arrived at an old wooden doorway. Crispy pressed the bell and the silence was immediately broken by the strains of electronic birdsong. Next came shuffling and a voice whispered through the lattice work "hello peter". We had arrived. Quickly booked in and off to bed to get Crispy some well earned sleep.
After a couple of hours sleep we were awakened by the sound of heavy rain bouncing off tin plate roof. Its the end of the monsoons here now but you can still get the occasional heavy downpour. This one was perfectly timed to wake us up. I,ve said before that Crispy has a rapid recharge facility and within minutes she was up and raring to go. A quick cold shower, as the place has solar water heating and as it was cloudy that removed any chance of hot water, and we set out into downtown Cochin.
The cloud cleared and the temperature soared to a heady 80 degrees. As we are sub tropical it is always humid so even smiling causes a sweat. I had a full days sightseeing planned to stop Crispy getting bored. The Dutch cemetery, the Chinese nets, spice markets and Jew town. All within walking distance. My she's a lucky girl. I had planned to spread this sightseeing out over 2 days but we discovered a ferry that will take us across the harbour to a bus station from which we can get to Chreni beach for a swim and a spot of lunch. Its only 25km away so we have decided to try and get there tomorrow and do all the sights today. No pics I'm afraid as I forgot to take the eye pod with us. I'll post some tomorrow if I get chance.
Were back at the home stay now. Showered, with hot water, and sat on the rooftop. Crispy is relaxing with a bottle of coke which we have topped up with Bacardi. The hotel has no alcohol licence so its illegal to drink on the premises. All she needs is a brown paper bag to complete the picture and I,ve got whisky flavoured sprite. She's just started grumbling as the sun is setting and the mossies have started eating her. She loves it. These are mossies on steroid. With a torch you can see the reflection in their beady little eyes. They don't seem to bite me but Crispy is doing her impression of a lederhosen dance. No doubt tomorrow she will be waxing lyrical about the size and number of her bites.
Its definately multicultural here after belonging to the Portuguese, then the Dutch and finally Britain before being handed back to its rightful owners. The Indians. We have just listened to the immam trying to outdo the cathedral bells while the Hindus try and outperform everyone else with shotgun bangs. Goodness knows what that's about...
We are here for 2 nights and then we need to be moving south to our next destination. Tomorrow after we get back from the beach we need to find the bus terminus for a bus, if one exists, to take us south. Otherwise not sure what we will do...
Bare and Crispy signing off from Cochi, Kerala state. India
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