Dave Chimes in...

Hello All,

This is my first post online but as I have now determined what I will be doing for the rest of the trip I am ‘chiming’ in. Amar was nice enough to allow me to hop on board and post my thoughts about the trip so here they are:

The first big news is that the four has become two. I have decided to leave this beautiful country of India and follow Amar into the South East of Asia. It was quite sad to say good bye to both Derek and Benny yesterday in Kerala, but we are planning to reunite at the end of July on the beaches of Thai Land, the perfect location to exchange the experiences we have all had. Both Derek and Benny are quite the linguists and I advise that if you are looking for a heaping helping of description and emotion you check out both of their blogs at:

http://theindianodyssey.blogspot.com/

http://bthorek.blogspot.com/

I also have realized that there are several other friends that are traveling the world and experiencing some amazing adventures of their own, so if you would like to keep up with them you can visit:

Matt Rossiter: http://barrhaveninvasion.blogspot.com/

Shane Nagle and Tommy: http://tomandshane.blogspot.com/

Sarah Wilson: http://senoritawilson.blogspot.com/

Shaina Dinsdale: http://carpediemshainastyle.spaces.msn.com/PersonalSpace.aspx

Now onto the actual trip. After four or five more amazing days in Chennai experiencing the city and the food under the supervision of the Kher family we decided to take the overnight 14 hour train across the country to Kerala. This was the official beginning of our travels as we could no longer rely on the guidance and aid of and Indian family. The rail journey was very enjoyable as we were able to sleep most of it away while enjoying a little chess and cards during the even hours before bed. Little did we know what was awaiting us.

Kerala, which the locals call “God’s own country”, lives up to its name. It is a lush green State on the South West coast of India known for its beautiful backwaters and traditional dancers. This time of year along the West Indian Coast means monsoon weather, however not for these lucky travelers. Similar to the amazing Canoe trip weather that I experienced in early May, the three days of Kerala weather involved nothing but sunshine and heat. Not only was the weather outstanding but since it is the off season in Kerala (due to the typical monsoons) we managed to procure a house boat tour through the backwaters at the reduced price of 7000 rupees (about 160 Canadian dollars) as compared to the normal 15000 rate. It was a beautiful thatched boat with three rooms in immaculate condition. The boat took us for an entire day and night through the backwaters. The backwater environment was indescribable and it is difficult for me to think of a more beautiful area. It was one of those places in which one can find complete peace and truly feel at one with the surroundings. It was a time of reflection, inspiration and bliss. I will remember Kerala for a long time to come and hope to visit is again in my lifetime.

After the back water tour we headed to a coastal city called Fort Cochi. It is a beautiful city that relies on the sea for food and transportation. The meals there were very well priced and extremely good, unfortunately Amar happened upon a bad prawn dish and paid for it all night and the next day. Fortunately, we were able to catch some traditional dancing in a theatrical production in near by Ernakulam (a short ferry ride across the bay) before the fish imposed regurgitation onslaught attacked our dear friend. I hate to be comical about it as it was so hard on him, and I know it will be my tern to experience it in the future, but all you can really do it laugh it off to remain in good spirits. The dancing was amazing and the make-up and costume were both complicated and tribal. In short, another successful and insightful adventure.

The next step is the flight out of Chennai to Bangkok where Amar and I will begin our journey. Although as mentioned earlier it is quite sad to leave our fellow travelers, and what lies a head is quite unknown, it is still a very exciting time. The future holds experiences I can not imagine and I look forward to lapping up every last drop of this adventure. I am definitely starting to fall into the ‘traveling’ mentality and find that I am truly trying to live each moment to its fullest. It is quite refreshing to feel the constant push of inspiration and enlightenment. It is more then I could have hoped for.

I hope that is all is well back home and although this post is so much about me I often wonder how everyone is doing during their respective summers and think about the folks back home constantly. So feel free to send an e-mail or post a comment to let me know how you are doing. I would love to hear from you. Take care and Amar and I will keep you informed from Thai Land. Till we meet again….

Dave