Last days in India

Here I am back in Chennai once more. As Davey mentioned (see previous post) Kerala was utterly spectacular, I've seen a lot of this amazing country and the backwaters easily ranks in the upper echelon. The tranquility and sheer beauty can hardly be put into words, so I hope to post some pictures a.s.a.p. Our luck (for the most-part) was unbelievable. Not only did we get perfect weather for our off-season backwater houseboat ride but we were the sole audience members at a performance of a Kathakali (the traditional Keralan dance/artform; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathakali) play in Cochin. The control and animation of the dancer and musicians was awesome, and the costume was spectacular. Despite my bout with the so-called "Delhi-belly" I had a great time in Kerala and can't wait to return/see more of "God's own country".

Before Kerala the four of us made a quick trip down to Pondicherry. The former French colony had a unique and sophisticated colonial vibe to it. It was my first visit despite its proximity to Chennai. We loved the delicious French cuisine, and met some great people who took us on a (at times harrowing) scooter ride to a party at the "alternative lifestyle community" set up in Auroville (www.auroville.org). It was our first taste of the traveller vibe, including a rather uncomfortable bus ride back to Chennai. I can't wait to immerse myself in that mentality once we hit Southeast Asia.

Saying bye to Rock and Benny wasn't fun, they will definately be missed as they made enriching travel companions, but capping off the trip with a meeting in paradise (aka beaches of Thailand) will be sweet. Unfortunately our departure to Thailand has been delayed, but Dave and I keenly await arriving in yet another new and exciting land. The schedule will be very hectic once we touch down since we have a lot of ground to cover, but we're intent on enjoying every moment of it and taking our time exploring four extraordinary countries.

This should be my last post from India for a while, we leave Friday the 16th and will make our way from Thailand through Cambodia, up Vietnam and across Laos before hitting the beaches in southern Thailand (that is the tentative route, anyting can change but we will keep you posted). Look out for updates from thrilling mainland SE Asia.

I'd love to hear from everyone, hope you are all doing well and enjoying your summers! Drop me a line here or email me at amar.kher@gmail.com