Louise and I have long said that the world is too big to return to places. We hadn't planned the final leg of our Indian adventure prior to departure and had in-fact thought we would stay in Tamil Nadu and head for the hill stations there. However, despite loving our time in Pondy, we realised we had unfinished business in Kerala.
In September 1989 we were at the exact opposite ends of our careers from now. I had just passed my GP exams, Louise was keen to get going on her nursing career, and we got married on the 2nd of that month. I was just about to start looking for GP partnerships.
The inevitable long term commitment of our chosen jobs loomed large. So we took a small risk, got a Barclaycard, and decided to go travelling for three months. In retrospect definitely the trip of our lifetime. We headed for India.
Sitting on our balcony, once more back in India, looking at the fishing beach and feeling so comfortable here, it was the perfect place to reflect on our honeymoon. 35 years and the memories are still crystal clear.
We started the honeymoon with a planned week in the Maldives, inadvisable in retrospect, as we had a very limited budget and a very long trip ahead.
"8/9/1989 : woke 11.15 fresh as a daisy. Explored the island. Lush - coconut trees, beautiful white soft sand. Sea green and crystal clear and so warm. Played backgammon again... 5:2 to me"
(1989)
We loved the island, of course. The reef with its multi-coloured coral , the stunning tropical fish, and the softest sand. Sat in the beach restaurant, we were about to spend our entire travelling budget on a lobster and a bottle of wine. Instead we ordered boiled rice and stir fry veg again for the fourth day in a row, and went to reception to book a phone call to the airline. We left early.
We moved on to Sri Lanka which was wonderful. Although Tamil unrest was at its height. The road blocks and curfews in place seemed almost romantic. We had a wonderful time. Our travelling had started, and despite the constrained budget we could at least afford to eat! The country side reminded us of the Far East, where we had both travelled separately before. We felt comfortable and confident.
15/9/1989 : v hot. Colombo very poor, run down, beggars, dust, traffic, ....but feels like old Ceylon. Touts seem keen to sell us "mawoanna kokain erroween "!" .... massive Chinese meal with beer £4 ! Watched Top Gun video. "
Then we went to Kerala. India, the first time for both of us. Armed only with the Lonely Planets guide. Straight to Trivandrum.
17/9/1989: taxi to Kovalam beach. ... suffer major culture shock. Guide book describes as jewel of India. . ... shacks described as restaurants, hippy music ...numerous freaks left over from the 60's..... Didn't realise it would be quite this poor or dirty"
At the time Louise didn't even like curry. I imagine, although this is a bit vague, that India perhaps wasn't her decision?
We were both hit so hard by the culture change, we were bewildered and felt very deflated. We soon discovered Keralan grass, which temporarily cheered us up no end, but being stoned for three months was not what we had planned. We gifted our stash to the hotel cleaners.
The highlight of the Keralan leg of our honeymoon was supposed to be the backwaters trip. This involved taking the Indian waterways public ferry for an eight hour trip upcountry from Quillon to Allepey. I had heard amazing stories about this trip from other traveller's. I thought this would change our minds about India. I was wrong.
22/9/1989: "...didn't quite realise what 8 hours on boat would mean. Rain floods in through open sides. Initially very miserable, but some really superb sights. ... would have liked warmer day and to be better prepared... our only food was eight squares of dairy milk.."
(Backwaters 1989)
The rains stopped as we disembarked. Over the next weeks we discovered the absolute joy of travelling in India. We stayed in Palaces. We rode steam trains. We grew to appreciate a veggie curry. We were even able to laugh about things by the time we arrived at Bolgatty Palace in Cochin.
(2024)
23/9/1989 .: straight to fabled Bolgatti palace, ... huge room but LW more than somewhat disturbed by our resident bathroom rat"
We got accustomed to the poverty and the poor sanitation. We saw the most beautiful sights and learned much about India. And of course, just like this time, met the warmest happiest and most welcoming people.
And so a lifetime later, we reasoned on the balcony at Serenity Beach, that the backwaters of Kerala and Cochin (Kochi) were places we really needed to see again. Our memories needed the help of a better light.
Isn't life so much easier now we do not need to book a phone call at reception. Surely, not relying on the Lonely Planets Guide is one of the greatest developments of our lives. The internet might be called the Unlonely Planet as a mark of respect. The joy of that book however, was that everyone was using it. The three juice bars, cafes and hotels that got mentioned in each town were where every traveller ended up. And so the planet was smaller and much more focussed. Definitely less lonely than now.
It seems ok to summarise the majority of our final leg (2024) in a few sentences. I shall let the photos do most of the talking.
(Munnar - tea plantations 2024)
(stunning Dewalokam - riverside home stay 2024)
(Backwater trip, this time everything we could have wanted. 2024)
(Kathkali dancers 2024)
(Kathkali dancers - slimmer in 1989)
Kerala, both times, was stunning. It has changed a great deal in the 35 years since our honeymoon. So too have we. Now we enjoyed top hotels, great food, a private aircon converted rice barge for our backwaters trip and 3 staff who waited on us hand and foot. Sadly no Dairy Milk this time.
Kochi is now a travellers haven, and we agreed we could easily stop there for a month. We even went back to Bolgatty Palace, just to check on our rat, and I can confirm there was absolutely no sign of him.
We played lots of backgammon on this trip too. Although I don't like to mention it, all modesty aside, I still beat Louise pretty soundly.
Kerala is a real jewel of India.
Thankfully this return trip very much made up for any deficiencies of our journey back then.
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