Kerala, S.India. It is the neighbouring state to Tamil Nadu and couldn't be more different, being here has made me really appreciate the simplicity and authenticity of TN. Kerala is a consumer society, and much more westernised than its neighbour. It has a lot more water too, it keeps raining and the land is intersected with beautiful silent waterways, teeming with life. Apparently the rain is not normal for this time of year however, more evidence for the global nature of a changing climate. The most obvious difference between Kerala and Tamil Nadu however is the role of women, in Tmail Nadu it is a very conservative society and women always play an inferior role to the all knowing, all seeing man, but in Kerala it feels like theres less sexual repression and the women have a more equal status. In Kerala the Niars caste is the most dominant, they are traditionally the rulers and warriers of the state, and the Niars community is the only remaining matri lineal community in the world! In other words the family name is passed on through tthe women raher than the men..... I have been here for a while and came on an epic 3 day train journey from Agra where I saw the Taj Mahal, impressive but please check my photos for the more feminine 'Baby Taj' which really captured me.
I am having a wonderful time here, my dad and big brother joined me for a holiday which was great but a dramatic change from my usual low key travelling style! Great to see them and to share India with them, it has really touched my life, and seeing how it touched them too was really special
I am in Cochi which is a touristy haven, but actually really nice. I will leave tomorrow however to head to a beach where I can swim, but my movements are westwards now. I am planning my return, and I think I will retrace my steps through Pakistan and Iran and Turkey. But this depends on whether I can get a Pakistan visa in India, as it is reputedly difficult.
Being in Kerala is gorgeous, very humid and hot, its very gorgeous here abundant with wildlife and nature, so far we saw elephant dung, dolphins, Giant Malabar Squirrels, kingfishers, flying fish, an otter, eagles, cranes, unidentified frogs... We swam in the lovely silky, warm arabian sea and ate fresh fish.
Tomorrow I will head north to a beach where I can again swim everyday, something that enriches my life immensely.
