Alex here. We have a treat for you: The illusive, missing Chapter 23. These days in South India were full of intensity and color, and I want to give a big thanks to Meera for making them all the more vivid. I’m happy we get to share this story. Please enjoy.
Saturday, March 9, 2024
I woke up on a sleeper train, flying past lush jungle and sleepy morning backwaters. I hopped off my bunk to enjoy the brilliant green greenness with Cam who had bunked below me.
Alex again. I had a dramatic morning on the sleeper train.
We woke up early as the train got to the Kannur station. Cam came over to my bunk (up top) to check if I was awake. Afterwards, I collected my things and started to get off the bed.
The train bunk beds have precarious footholds. They have, like, one foothold and one tiny handhold and no ladder. To get down, I decided to face the aisle, put one foot on the hold, and jump the rest of the way down. This was a bad idea. I didn’t correctly estimate how narrow the walkway was. I hit my face on the way down.
I hit my head hard. My eyes closed, lights danced in my field of vision before I ever experienced pain. I don’t know what I hit exactly since there was a curtain covering the other side, but it felt like a metal pole. It hit across my face, from my eyes to my teeth. I was covering my face with my hands, my right eye in a lot of pain. Last year, I had laser eye surgery. I was worried that I blinded my right eye, that the procedure would be all for naught (at least half of it). I remember lamenting not having glasses anymore, for not having a default layer of protection. I wasn’t going to uncover or open my eyes out of fear that they would fall out.
I didn’t initially cause a commotion. Camille turned back towards me to check if I really got out of bed. To her horror, she saw me swaying, clutching my face. Camille leaped into action, full first-responder mode activated. She got me out of there. Meera got the bags and a kind stranger handed me napkins for my face, which was now bleeding. This or some other stranger informed us of the nearest hospital.
I felt lucky in this moment that I was with literal expert world travelers for this unforeseen accident. They acted decisively and swiftly and made me feel really confident despite the disorienting situation. We decided to head to a hospital as soon as the train reached Kannur station.
Once we got off the train onto the platform, Camille checked that I wasn’t dizzy or queasy, a sign of a concussion. She asked me to open my eyes, briefly. Everything looked really bright. Soon, my eyes adjusted to normal. My vision wasn’t blurry. I returned to closing them and felt some comfort that according to Camille (who is WFR trained), I didn’t seem to have a concussion.
Cam found our tuk tuk driver at the police stand. We squeezed ourselves and our bags into the tuk tuk, Al holding his face, Cam holding Al, me holding the metal bar of the tuk tuk, and the driver holding the wheel. When we reached the hospital I stayed with the luggage while Camille and Al went inside to get treatment for Al’s cheek. I was still a bit confused and worried, but I just felt like I needed to get the bags to the homestay and hold shit down on my end until Al could be checked out and they could settle down at the homestay.
The driver took me past fruit wales and textile vendors, over rolling hills and jungle vistas towards the homestay. I took in the sights of the streets of Kannur plastered with hammers and sickles. Once we arrived I tried to pay a little extra for all his trouble but the driver refused, pointed to the blurry tattoo of Jesus crucified on his forearm and said “do you know who this is?”
We eventually got to the emergency room. I had a number of tests done to rule things out. No concussion, it seemed, though the x-rays were inconclusive. I was to be monitored for a possible orbital fracture, which comes with swelling, deformation and tenderness. Because of the elusive metal pole, I got a tetanus shot. After much fanfare, the main thing there was to treat was a laceration in the soft tissue below my right eye. Whew.
I got scheduled for plastic surgery for some six stitches to happen later that morning. The surgery went well. I wasn’t put under. The whole time, I talked about my travels and recommended a few places for the surgeon to travel to in California. After the procedure, Cam hung out with me in the ICU. I wasn’t allowed to eat, due to the anesthetic I was given. It, in combination with food, could have made queasy and would disrupt the post-operative monitoring.
Cam handled the billing and paperwork while I was recovering. Bless her. As it was getting to the early afternoon and we hadn’t eaten all day, Cam ate at the hospital cafeteria. She reported back to me that the chicken curry and flaky paratha she ate had no business being that good. Cam advocated for me to eat something with the medical staff. Eventually, an attending nurse brought me and Camille an orange juice. I tell you, it was one of the better OJs that I’ve ever had. I drank Camille’s, too.
This was $1.20
Finally I arrived at our homestay, a spellbinding garden oasis run by a lovely couple, Rosie and Nassir. We were right next to the beach and backwaters. It was stunning beyond words. After settling in, I enjoyed a delicious breakfast of home made idiyappam, sambar, idli, dosa, and fried banana with coconut sugar. I spent the rest of the morning relaxing in a hammock, reading, and anxiously waiting for Camille and Al to arrive.
In the mid afternoon, I was discharged. The hospital organized a cab to get to my accommodation. Right after they ordered the cab, Camille asked if I could eat yet, and they said yes. In a last minute scramble, while we were waiting and walking out to our ride, Camille got us ice cream. Again, I ate mine and hers.
All medical expenses – an ER visit, surgery in the OR, and time in the ICU, all from top notch physicians – cost about $200. If you have to have an accident on a trip, 10/10 I would recommend getting injured in Kerala. In as little time as the week or so I’d spend in Kerala, my stitches would heal, leaving me with barely any scar.
In the afternoon, I decided to explore the beautiful nearby beach. It was hot, humid, and most of the people swimming were local men. I met two girls, one from Poland and the other from Romania, who were studying Ayurveda in Kannur. We chatted and swam in the warm water, enjoying the camaraderie of fellow ladies.
I also met a gaggle of silly young boys who played in the backwaters next to the homestay. They were making little explosions and every time I walked by they tried to make me laugh. I took a picture of them “summoning fish” from the backwater with their bicycles.
Finally, Camille and Al returned in the late afternoon. They were tired and hungry, but otherwise okay. Truly a pair of troopers. We ate dinner and went to bed early, exhausted from the long day.
Despite the hiccup, Al and Cam had their own medical adventure, I got some exploring on my own time, and we all had a beautiful place to stay.
Sunday, March 10, 2024
I woke up at 3am. The room was black, the sky was black. You could hear the ocean rocking outside. I had left the window open even risking mosquitos because just the chance of a breeze sounded nice in the sticky hot night air.
I quietly met Cam and Al outside in the warm night air. We hopped into a purple-glowing tuk tuk for a 30-minute surreal ride to a Theyyam ceremony. It was like a glowing purple portal.
The driver dropped us off to the sound of drums. We walked in through darkness following the beat down a path. The path opened up into a village with people sitting on all sides in front of an intricately ornamented temple. Our driver walked us to some plastic chairs by the side of the temple and gestured that we sit there. We had arrived at a lull in the festivities. People around us introduced themselves, just by their name because they only spoke Malayalam and we only spoke English. Despite the language gap, they offered us this type of cereal with dried fruit and sweet cardamom coffee. A friendly local realized there were English speaking foreigners and explained to us that we were about to witness two people possessed by local gods in a 1000-year-old ceremony, but that this was the first time they were practicing this ceremony in 250 years. The local explained that they were bringing the ceremony back in response to widespread bad luck within the community. They hoped to change their luck by reinvigorating the temple and ancient practices.
We watched for hours as night turned into dawn, the gods danced to the drums and teased the villagers, transforming everyone present. Later in the morning they invited us to a feast near their temple but we headed back to our homestay for breakfast instead.
Over breakfast, we chatted with two journalists from New Delhi, Namisha and Tabish. They were interested in seeing the "other side" of Kannur, the politically active side. Cam and Al needed to rest, but I tagged along with Namisha, Tabish, and their driver, Braveen, who was a bird expert and even let me borrow his binoculars. He was so nice. He even stopped on the side of the road and got us cashew apples to suck on.
On the drive we discussed Kerala's communist parties and elections. When we arrived at a spot where party members (fishermen) hung out, Braveen told us to stop talking politics. We explored a government-developed tourist port and saw campaign posters for a popular local politician (we were in town during election season).
We visited a red-walled building with portraits of Indian leaders and a library. Attached to the library was one of Kerala’s famous reading rooms. Braveen explained Kerala's high literacy rate, thanks in part to communism, language standardization (with help from Herman Hesse’s grandfather), and this cultural importance of reading.
Me sweating my ass off in the reading room
The shopkeepers let us take shots of the herbal medicine at a 200-year-old Ayurvedic shop.
Lots of Che Guevara posters so that the CPI can recruit youth because Che is a universal symbol of cool to youth I guess.
We visited Parapram which is home to a memorial to the birth of communism in Kerala.
It was here that Namisha convinced me to check out a beautiful house across the street. She had an eye for the gorgeous steep sloped roof architecture of Kerala and was equipped with a charm that transcended her inability to speak Malayalam. She knocked on the door and we were welcomed into the home and given a tour. The woman who lived there showed us around her garden to show us her black pepper, her mullu murukku trees, and coconuts. When her neighbors saw us, they gave us bananas.
Drying black pepper, coconut, and cashews
Kids in Kerala use the spines of the mullu murukku tree to make stamps.
Next, we visited Peralassery Temple, where you need to remove your shoes to visit the fish in the pond, but my sensitive feet couldn't handle the heat from the stone.
It was way past lunch time, so we went to a toddy shop, where we enjoyed fried fish, shrimp, sambar, pickle, and delicious toddy (a local fermented palm sap wine). This was immediately followed by a tasty tala treat (jelly like fruit from a palm tree) from a street vendor.
Our last political stop was a memorial for five student martyrs killed by police while protesting for public schools. It was heavy.
On our way back we went to Urumbachan Kottam, a shrine built where ants later decided to make an anthill, and people travel to make offerings to the ants. It is said that people come here when facing ant trouble.
The ant shrine, sorry not a great picture! But kinda cool.
Our final stop was for mango juice at a gas station, where Namisha, of course, found another house to charm our way into.
We made it back to our homestay, ate dinner, and headed to bed, exhausted but exhilarated from our day.
Monday, March 11, 2024
Our last day in the magical Kannur with Roshnara and Nassir started off with another delicious home-cooked breakfast. I decided to take a dip in the ocean, as it was my last chance for a while. After my swim, I went to the Ayurvedic oil massage house next door. The practitioner next door lathered my entire body in oil and then washed me down, leaving me feeling cared for and rejuvenated. I honestly felt like a little baby.
On our way to the Kannur train station, we visited a cooperative called Loknath Weavers run, operated, and worked by women weavers. We got to see their work and learn about their process.
Alex rockin a dhoti
Next, we were off to Kochi by train. We grabbed a quick (but awkwardly slow tbh) bite to eat near the station and then boarded the train. They served us crispy snacks and hot ginger chai. This time, we splurged on luxurious air-conditioned seats. We were excited about our next adventure in Kochi, especially because of its long Jewish history.
A couple of days before arriving, we found the perfect accommodation with high ratings and a low cost: Beth El House. It shared the same name as Alex's synagogue in California and the hosts were called Sharon and David, so naturally, we assumed we were staying with Jewish hosts.
We arrived at the Ernakulam train station and hopped into a tuk tuk. The hot, humid night air was exhilarating as we passed neon red hammer and sickle signs and the brightly lit buildings of the big city.
After crossing bridges and navigating bustling streets, we reached our stay in Fort Kochi, the historical part of town. However, upon entering the guest house, we were greeted by ornate photos of Jesus and quotes from the New Testament. Surprise! Our hosts were Christians, not Jewish. We weren’t disappointed… just surprised.
Feeling hungry, we stopped by the first place we saw: American Fried Chicken. It was decent, but nothing to write home about. Cam was still nursing a cold, but Al was feeling good despite his recent accident, so we decided to go out for a drink at a nearby hotel to cap the long travel day.
Tuesday, March 12, 2024
Our day began with a delicious breakfast at Kashi Art Cafe, where Cam ordered life changing Turkish eggs. The flavors were amazing, I can still taste them.
Quick note from Cam here: those eggs were so, so good and every time I’ve gotten Turkish eggs since has been a crushing disappointment.
After breakfast, we stumbled upon a boisterous tuk tuk driver who offered to show us around. Our first stop was the Craft Tree shop, where we couldn't resist trying on some of the beautiful clothes. Cam found a gorgeous dress, and Al couldn't resist a rather daring mesh shirt.
Next, our tuk tuk driver took us to Jew Town, the historic Jewish quarter of Kochi. We visited Sarah Cohen's store, where she had crafted beautiful yarmulkes until her passing in 2019. Alex even bought one as a keepsake.
We then made our way to the Paradesi Synagogue, snapping photos along the way. It was really special to get to see this very historical old synagogue with Cam and Al.
To cool off, we grabbed refreshing drinks at a nearby cafe and explored some interesting shops, including a stamp shop. We also saw the other synagogue in town which was abandoned and dilapidated. Our driver then took us to a spice market, which Al and Cam suspected was a bit of a tourist trap. But I couldn't resist buying some ginger candy – hey sometimes, you gotta buy a little treat even if it's not in your best interest…
Our final stop was the Kothakali Theatre, where we were treated to a mesmerizing performance. We arrived early to watch the cast apply their intricate makeup. I don’t want to spoil the story, but Hanuman basically tricks this guy Bheema as he searches for a flower to make his lady happy. We were captivated. We love Hanuman, the trickster monkey god.
For dinner, we indulged in a delicious fish curry at a restaurant specializing in traditional Jewish Keralan cuisine.
As the day wound down, Cami needed a nasal decongestant for her lingering cold, so we stopped by a pharmacy. We also kept running into a big stray dog who we affectionately named Hank the Tank. I picked up a much-needed charger from an electronics store, while Alex and Cami satisfied their sweet tooth with some tasty burfi.
On this day we found out that we love Hanuman, and we found it very easy to feel at home in Kochi.
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
Today was the day we had our backwaters tour planned. We started the day at a delicious and low priced vegetarian dosa place.
The backwater tour sent us a driver and we joined a cute couple from Denmark in his car. Sylvester was a computer scientist and Signe was an illustrator. We arrived at the boat and met up with the rest of the people on the tour.
I sat next to the tour guide, a beautiful woman who was a practicing yogi and Bharatanatyam dancer. She showed me pictures of her dance crew. She was so elegant and graceful.
At first, I was a little antsy because we were going to be sitting on a boat all day, but once I chilled out, I didn't want to leave. I could seriously spend all day on the water and watching birds.
We stopped by a village where they showed us how they process clams, make cordage and rope, and weave with palms.
Lunch was next, and I had the displeasure of meeting one of my fellow tourists, a Modi-obsessed Maharashtrian woman who studied in the UK. All she could talk about was how ugly dark skin was and how important it is to keep your skin pale. She also kept going on and on about Modiji and her daddy's big estate near Mumbai. Yikes.
The food was tasty, though. I had been practicing eating with my hands, but a French lady who has lived in Kerala for over 20 years taught me the correct way to do it. You just use your fingertips to scoop the food and then flick it into your mouth with your thumb.
After lunch, we were a little confused about whether the tour was continuing. But it turns out that we were being taken to another, more intimate backwater area. We took a canoe down a channel to a woman's farm where I bought a bunch of spices. I even learned what nutmeg looks like and it is NOT what I expected.
Our last stop was a little fried bread and chai stand. Then we went back to Kochi.
Namisha and Tabish were in town at a little bar down the road, so we met up with them for a late night beer.
Thursday, March 14, 2024
Today started with breakfast at the lovely Tea Cafe. The highlight wasn't just the food but the charming old man with a beautiful accent who worked there. Cam also made friends with the resident cat, of course.
After breakfast, we explored a bookstore called Idiom Books and picked up some reading material, including a book about Indian history for Cam. We strolled around and went to see the famous Chinese fishing nets. Since we were already by the water we took a ferry over to Ernakulam, the big city, for Al to get his stitches out (his face had healed nicely). The receptionist suggested we try Kilipoyi for fresh juice, which was perfect for the hot day. Cam treated us to some delicious cookies while we waited.
We returned to Fort Cochin for a healthy Western dinner, stumbling upon another beautiful church along the way. Dinner was at a unique spot that was part art museum, part something else (the name escapes me). The art was impressive, and I was struck by how vibrant the art scene seemed to be in Kochi.
Back at Bethel House we packed for our departure to Sri Lanka the next morning. Around 9 pm, our host Sharon came by, and we realized we hadn't paid her yet! Alex and I quickly ran to an ATM to get cash and settle up.
Then it was time to go to sleep ahead of our big travel day.
Friday, March 15, 2024
Today was a bittersweet day. We woke up early to catch our hour-long taxi ride to the airport, bidding farewell to the beautiful state of Kerala. As we embarked on our journey to Sri Lanka, we couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness to be leaving such a special place.
Thank you so so much Meera for writing this post. We so enjoyed traveling with you for six weeks. It was so fun and natural, we’d do it again in a heart beat. Love you cousin!
