In addition to the advice regarding the 10 most effective ways to manage diarrhea, many friends had advised us to travel to the south of India, where the different weather, cuisine, and people make it feel like a country of its own. Not to be deterred by a severe lack of time or funds, we booked a flight and found ourselves in the tropical state of Kerala with an itinary that would rival the tv show Amazing Race. Named by National Geographic as one of the 'Tours of a Lifetime', we made our way to Allepey where for an incredible deal we rented a houseboat (just for us and complete with a private driver and cook!) and floated through the backwaters of this beautiful state. The exhaustion and rushed traveling pace were easily justified by this experience, and quickly became the highlight of the entire trip. For a couple days we took in amazing scenery, ate delicious meals, and put forth our best effort to relax.
From Cochin (Kerala) we traveled like the locals and squeezed onto the overnight buses to the western coast. We opted to skip Goa for the lesser traveled beach town of Gokarna, where we sunbathed alongside cows on the beach, had a very affordable and (after the bus trips) much needed Ayurvedic massage, and sipped on deliciously refreshing Indian fruit lassis.
With time running out, we sadly said goodbye to the beach and returned inland to the town of Hampi in the state of Karnataka, known for it's famous bazaars, temples, and ruins that extend so far, it would take months to see them all. The sights here were spectacular, and if the natural terrain weren't enough, we even got to witness the filming of a Bollywood movie in the midst of the ruins. It was like being back in LA or NY...except completely different. And if our exploring here wasn't complete enough, and to reinforce the in-your-face spirituality of India, we joined alongside the hundreds of Indians who make regular pilgrimages to Hampi to not only visit amazing temples, but (as you do), receive a blessing by Lakshmi, the temple elephant. We might just be converting to Hinduism after all.
Feeling as though no journey to India would be complete without a bit of cliched meditation, we traveled up to Aurungabad, where we had made arrangements to complete a short Vipassana meditation course similar to the 10 day silent retreats we had done in the US. After racing through India, the three day course was like running into a brick wall, although surprisingly just as challenging (Jen) and profound (Errol) as the longer courses. While in Aurungabad we made a quick stop over to see the famous Ellora caves - a World Heritage Site that includes 34 monasteries and temples built right into the side of a mountain, and complete with beautiful religious carvings and, of course, bats.
Our final few days landed us in Mumbai, where Errol's parents surprised us with a luxury hotel on the beach to finish off the trip. Perhaps it was the comfort of a beautiful hotel or the nostalgia of ending this portion of our travels, but we really loved Mumbai. The architecture was breathtaking, the sidewalks and trains made it easy to get around (yep, it really just takes sidewalks to make us happy), the people were incredibly helpful, and we adapted to the crowds and chaos of India. At least it only took us a month! Some of the Mumbai highlights: the gateway of India, the Taj Palace hotel, Leopold's Cafe, excellent shopping, and learning all about cricket (for the umpteenth time - although it still seems like baseball where everyone forgot their gloves) while watching kids play on the beach, sun setting beautifully in the background.
So that was our crazy tour of India - a country that we will definitely be returning to as there is just way too much to see, and an atmosphere that, despite it's complete chaos, just seems to call you back for more.
As the reality of ending our travels (for now) approaches (and with reflections of India feeling something like 'what the hell just happened??') we are thoroughly enjoying our relaxing, socialite schedules in Oz. Next up: more time spent with family/friends in Australia, much more Aussie chocolate consumption, and a trip to Australia's Canada: New Zealand, with some special guests to add to the fun. See you soon, Alldredge's!
Pictured: Houseboating on the backwaters of Kerala, friends on the beaches of Gokarna, ruins in Hampi, receiving a blessing from a holy elephant, Ellora caves, stunning architecture in Mumbai, including the Victoria Terminal Train Station, University clock tower, and Taj Palace Hotel, the Gateway of India, the famous Leopold's Cafe, door-less trains (obviously), and cricket on the beach.
