Get with the locals ;)

So, I kindly got put on the train to Alleppey from Varkala from my friend Shajidas - makes navigating so much easier when ya have someone to do it for you eh ;P.

Arrived in Alleppley 2hours later and got accosted by this very attractive (but turned out to be a bit of a sleaze) young Indian bloke called Jay who was telling me about this new hostel he has just started with a friend of his. Twas alright like, they ended up fannying around a bit and he took me to his mate's one down the road - SO much better, well glad I came here. The boys who run it are really sweet, I say boys, coz they're 25 but look about 21!! They're very lucky to have this place, used to be a house but they got a nice little set up of bout 4 massive rooms, each with a huge bathroom that's been bigger than most of the rooms I've stayed in and all for 300R/night!

Only thgouht I was gonna stay for 24hrs so as soon as I checked in I was on the case about this nice beach I'd been recommended to go to and to get a canoe trip in for the following morning. Anyway, to cut all the boring bits out - Saiju (25) offered to take me to this beach on his moto if I paid his petrol - ace :) alot cheaper than had I got an auto and I get to ride on a bike, double ace! He took me for some traditional Keralan grub in a local village on the edge of town with his mates, ace again - food was top, nice and spicy and some fresh water fish - got this eating with my hands thing well down too.

The beach was beautiful - fringed with palm trees and barely anyone about - he taught me a bit of Yoga too which was nice, he's well bendy - he tried hard to force my legs into the lotus position - aint never gonna happen. Gonna try some Yoga again when I get to Goa, would love to be able to give it a proper go, but I'm so frivolous with anything that requires prolonged concerntration and practice :P.

Just come back from my canoe trip around the backwaters of Alleppey - well peaceful :). Felt a bit like a princess tho with ma man doing all the paddling, so I made sure I shared the effort a bit. (But not too much like, as I started to get a bit of a blister ;P). There are loads of houseboats around too - they're like floating palaces!! Would be a very luxurious trip, but they're motorise so you have the chugging of the engine constantly - and ya don't get to go down any of the slim canals that run through the villages. Had some good proper grub for lunch around here too - twas served on a leaf!

Just about to go for another beach jaunt, gonna catch a bus to Munnar in 5am tomorrow :/, meet up with Rupal and Ben for dinner before they finish they're holiday and I head further up North.

See yous! xx