Cochin-Arambol

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We're now in Goa, the last leg of our trip, and the luck we've had with the monsoon (ie hardly any rain) has finally run out - the weather is reminiscent of Cornwall in winter, although a lot warmer. We're staying in a place called Arambol, one of the most northern Goan beaches, and a real hippy hang out. There are quite a few washouts from Europe who clearly came here in the Sixties and never left which is pretty funny. There's plenty to do though, we've hired a scooter for a few days and have been motoring around to other places as Goa is pretty small and the roads are good. Tomorrow we're off to Paniji which is the Portuguese colonial town and apparnetly like Lisbon circa 1800, might be able to use a bit of the lingo.

Temple, Hampi
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We've been on a rice boat in Kerala which was incredible, it's very much like canal boating as the boat, a sort of floating armadillo, putters very leisurely around the backwaters of Kerala though rice fields and banana palm groves and past small waterside villages. We had a driver and a cook and were on the boat from lunchtime till the next morning so had three very good meals of fish, cocumut rice, veg and Kingfishers beers, all for 50pds. A couple of boys took us out in a canoe so we could go thorugh the narrower canals and we even got asked to play a bit of cricket with a few of their mates. Out for three, middle stump, so I didn't do the old Colonial Master any favours. The weather was great too bar a massive thunder storm in the night which knocked a coconut onto the roof.

There are quite a few washouts from Europe who clearly came here in the Sixties and never left

Rice boat, Kerala
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Next stop was Munnar, a tea plantation at 1500m and a lot colder and wetter than what we we're used to - we got a full monsoon experience there. It's where all Tetley's tea comes from. A few walks through the plantations and a visit to the tea factory later, we were ready for the beach again!

And we found an amazing one. We went to a place called Gokarna in Karnataka which was a very hidden beach, and staying in a hut just behind it. We ended up staying four nights and just sat on the beach, swam and walked to the other three beaches there including one called Paradise Beach that consisted of a few hammocks and a rice farmer. Seriously laid back. We met a 20-year old couple who were about to go into their 2nd year at Leeds which was a real age check but we bridged the 10 years and got on famously.

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Next stop was Hampi which is where everyone said we had to go. It reminded me a lot of the American desert with huge rocks piled on top of one another, and an old Hindu city set among them. We took the plunge and booked into our 'special treat' hotel, a place called Boulders that is set among the rocks miles from anywhere, and has a natural swimming pool carved into a boulder. As it's low season (there was one other Swiss guy staying there) we managed to bag the 'executive suite' at a cut price which was a small castle right next to the river with a very funny 80s interior, you'll have to see the photos. Needless to say getting back to 3pd a night hotels was a shock...

Lunch
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Which brings us to Goa and hanging out with other travellers and hippies. Hopefully we'll get a few more rays of sunshine before we leave, although some Australians here have said spring in Sydney had already arrived!