Once again, so much has happened since I last updated this blog. From poetry competitions, five star hotels, hostals and finaly a Hindi wedding, this has certainly been an action packed week!!

A week ago last Friday, we decided to take a little break from the usual weekend activities of going into town and then relaxing, and went to Kerala, to a tourist resort called Kovalum to visit one of the other volunteers, who had left the trust a few weeks ago and has invited us to visit.

So. on this invitation, a three hour (which turned out to be about 6 hours) bus journey was taken from our neerest town (Vallioor) to a larger town (Nagercoil) where we changed to Trivandarum (the capital of Kerala) where more buses were needed to eventally get to Kovalum! On arriving, the days hunidity turned into rain! fortunatly, the bus stopped outside the hotel we were going to (which turned out to be a luxury 5 star hotel on the headland with three swinning pools!!). So, there we were, walking up the drive, soaked from the rain and the days sweaty travelling, heading for the smartest hotel in the area....we must have looked quite a sight!

On arriving, we met up and had a realy fun night (and I had my first steak since arriving in India!!!) with the other volunteer before he left in the wee small hours, saying I could use his room untill checkout the next day!!

Next day, after a swim in one of the hotels infiniti pools, we headed off to the local hostel, who charged about 5 pounds a night compared to the $150 which the hotel would have charged! and explored the tourist shops of Kovalum and the famed "white sand" which seemed to be more coal coloured than expected! Anyway, soon it was Sunday and we were heading back to the trust (this time by train) via Cape Cormeran which is the most southerly spot in India and is also where three seas join and is consequently a massive pilgramage spot!

All in all, I was glad by the end to escape the tourists of Kovalum and the crowds of Cape cormerant and to return to the trust for lemon juice and rice!