Alleppey – Varkala
Saturday, 1st April 2023
We wake up early, at 5:30 AM. Our train to Varkala leaves at 6:35 AM. We walk to the station. The weather is still pleasant, with the sun just rising. We buy tickets at the station for 110 INR (€1.5 for two people). The train is very long, packed and many people are boarding.
We find a spot to sit, but then the conductor tells us we can’t sit there. We move further and ask people where to sit since we don’t have reserved seats. They tell us we can sit anywhere where’s free. We find seats again, but a group of Indians arrives, unsure of where to sit. I wanted to sit next to Jozef, but somehow, we both ended up standing. So, we sat near the open doors and stayed there. It was quite an experience. The doors remained open throughout the journey.
Varkala
We arrive in Varkala at 9 AM and go straight to eat as we hadn’t had breakfast. We take a bus near the Hindu temple for 20 INR. Afterward, we head to the beach since our accommodation isn’t available until 11 AM. Reportedly, it’s the most beautiful beach in Kerala.
It’s nice here, the beach is lined with cliffs, but there are also quite a lot of people because it’s a popular tourist spot. We’re staying with Riyad, who is quite talkative, but we manage to communicate. I go to sleep, and Jozef goes to work. Once I’ve rested, we go out to buy a pineapple and some bananas.
Later, we head to the beach for a swim. The waves are pretty strong, so swimming isn’t possible, but Jozef enjoys the waves.
I join him for a bit, but after a big wave hit me and cleared out my sinuses, I decided to stay closer to the shore. The lifeguard kept whistling at Jozef, as when he went further, the locals followed him. But when we passed the lifeguard later, he smiled at us. We quickly shower and return to the beach for the sunset.
For dinner, we go to Juicy Cafe. Jozef orders chicken curry again, and I get another vegetarian dish, different from what I had in the morning. We try to find some beer, but it’s a dry day—on the first of the month and some holidays the liquor stores are closed. The stores close on the 1st because it’s payday. So, we head back to our accommodation, and Riyad stops by to ask if everything is okay. He stays and chats with us for about an hour—well, mostly him—talking about Ayurveda and chakras, which made it quite amusing to watch Jozef. Afterward, we eat some watermelon, and since I had napped earlier, I’m not tired, so I edit photos while Jozef goes to sleep.
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