Getting stuck in Varkala with Bollywood casting calls, cheap buffets and free food.

Varkala Feb 27 - March

Nightly seafood markets

Wow, what a much needed getting stuck. We had originally planned to stay here for 4 days , but then shortened it to 2 because of the whole Kovallam situation. 2 nights became a "maybe 1 or 2 more nights" because we had lots of much needed catching up to do with our life that we left behind in Korea. Our contract has officially finished and so we must tie up all the loose ends. And our moving boxes that we sent to different countries have arrived or showing up soon.

For the most part it was sunny, hot, days of laying on the beach and eating water melon. For the other small parts it was freaking about the boxes that were shipped home.

Varkala's intoxicating beaches

Chasing beaches and innocuous trance music

Sunrise in Kanyakumari

So nothing from the previous post actually made it through. Dare I say, it all fell apart the moment we got off the bus. First and foremost, our time estimation was completely wrong. We entered, once again at 3 in the morning to some unknown city called Kanyakumari. We’re trying to wake up as were being ushered into a hotel that is ridiculously too expensive. A huge flag warning should've gone off when another tourist ran back shouting "No thank you, that's too expensive for me!"

We took our chances slash we were zombie-fied following our guide. Originally it was going for 2000 rupees, at least. That's about 40 usd a night. Nowhere in India charges that much for a mid range hotel. After much deliberation and Ian hesitating, the manager gave in for 600, about 12usd.

Madurai to Kanyakumari: Late night entrances and ghetto mobiles

Madurai to Kanyakumari: Feb 23 - 27

Beautiful intricate carvings of Southern Temples

In hindsight our journey to Madurai was one of our most comfortable and smoothest yet. It was still the beginning of our journey so we were still hesitant to tackle the estranged Indian public transport system. We opted for an AC bus with reclining seats as we did have a 9 hour journey ahead of us and it seemed like the best thing to do.We had a bit of a confusing transfer to another bus in the middle of the night, clinging onto our belonging heading toward a bus that was pointed out to us, praying that we have not just been scammed and that the bus would indeed accept us and take us to our next destination. We got in!

A sudden awakening at 3am by the bus driver mumbling “Madurai, Madurai” with the accompanying head wobble indicated that we had reached our destination. We get dropped off at the bus terminal, grab the closest tuk tuk and mosey into the late night dead streets of Madurai. The tuk tuk driver tells us that there aren’t many hotels open at that time of night and takes us to a hotel that he recommends to be “open and cheap”. With the first offer of 600 rupees (12usd) with stained sheets and water hose for shower head, dingy dirty hole in the wall hotel we kindly decline, thank him for his help and walk into the dimly lit streets. I must admit, we did both feel a bit sketched, especially after the tuk driver advised us not too. Very soon we spiked the interest of nearby lurking touts and eagerly they starting banging on various hotel’s tressil doors until one finally opened. (Seriously, they’re up at 4am looking for tourists!? That’s a bit sketch) We ended up settling for 750(14usd)room with fresh sheets, no hot water (its ok, it was 26 at night) and 3 beds at  "Hotel Surapi", along one of the budget hotel streets of Town Hall rd.

Puducherry - Old French colonies and hippie communes

Pondicherry, 21st - 23rd February.

Remnants of old French colonies

First things first. Cheaper than Mamallapuram, "backpackistan." We stayed in a heritage house based off French Colonial era with high ceilings, wooden pillars, antique furniture, wooden staircase and roof patio (where we enjoyed our breakfasts in style). And we paid just as much for our room here as we did in Malla. Real luxury! We had free wifi, a large comfy bed in a stained class window room and got a full breakfast of toast, eggs, coffee/tea/ fruit juice and what have you, for less than 3 usd.

Food in Pondi is at half the cost than in Malla. And there are loads of little gems of restaurants to be found where we got an extra-ordinary amount of food for what otherwise would've been a meagre meal in Mamallapuram. Food so far in south India has been incredibly savoury. No dish has disappointed and everything has been so incredibly yummy!