January 4
4 days of beach R & R in Varkala proved to be a great battery recharge  with excellent food, Varkala has to be the most laid back place we have visited so far in India, plus an added bonus of a curry free food detox, the curry fragrance was starting to permeate through the skin and clothes.

Baywatch Bollywood style

Eagle eyes

On the wildlife front there was the abundance of sea eagles soaring and wheeling around the cliffs all day with henna colored wings similar to the red  kite. Kerala also has a large crow population that has developed a symbiotic waste disposal system, it’s not unusual to see a half eaten nan bread go skyward in a crow's beak, as for the crow dawn chorus well that’s not so good.

Today we  started the first leg of our slow journey northwards on the Cape Mumbai Express. We are travelling up the western seaboard of India towards Bombay, taking a month to complete the journey, today’s destination was Kottayam just 150kms north in the backwaters of Kerala.

Although we are just a half an hour auto rickshaw ride out of Kottayam where we are staying is a world away from the city, best described as a civilised jungle experience, turn your head and its the film set from African Queen. We are staying with a family in a heritage homestay, that means  home cooking and all associated new taste sensations, quite different to the restaurant fare.
Civilised jungle experience = wifi + very cold beer.

Homestay welcoming drink of fresh coconut