Kannur

Our early morning train journey actually took 5.5 hours, so at 11.30 we were looking for the local driver who was to take us to The Ivory Coaste homestay. No sign of him & no response on his mobile, so we took another taxi to, eventually, find the small house in the village of Kizhunna, about 20 minutes out of Kannur.

The first beach we visit is lovely, with only nine people present.

After this evening’s dinner we’re all going down to the local temple for a celebration of the gods. Chris is concerned we’ve ended up in a spiritual Ayerveda conversion trap, but nonetheless chooses to change his Tenby Brewing Co T-shirt for the temple visit. These might just be the longest five days & nights ever ….

And then Chris goes down with D&V, after a tricky morning session on the beach. Kath goes back alone to the evening performance at the village’s temple. It seems this is the temple’s last night of this annual festival, with much drumming, flinging of rice and turmeric and the final, very loud bangs at 3am, then 8am accompanied by fireworks

A recovery of full health means another day at the beach, but at the southern end there is some appreciated tree cover from the sun. 37to 39 degrees daytime peaks, 32 at nightime. Kath is on the rocks, as in below photo.

After the experience of two of our co-guests, we opt to visit a full Theyyam, from 3 to 7.30am. Wow, such ceremony, Carnatic music and such infinitely detailed dancing featuring three different versions of the god, Shiva, the last with flames lapping his hyper-tall headdress and circling his waist. An amazing event. Our return to quarters was at 8.15, in time for breakfast.

However, we was fired up, no time for sleep, so into the town of Kannur we tuk-tuk, ‘though in this part of India they call them “autos”, short for auto rickshaw. First a visit to the Saturday market, including a visit to one of India’s oldest shopping malls. Then a visit to a weaving factory where only 14 of the 100 looms are in use, the female weavers being paid 500 rupees for a net 7.75 hrs per day. Apparently, almost any other job pulls in at the very least double that. With robotic weaver factories expanding exponentially it looks like this industry, so long a stronghold of this country, is in dire trouble.

Then we find one of the few bars that sells beer and delight in a shared Kingfisher Strong, yet again in a dark dingy room, as if it’s not really there. A bit like travelling to another planet. And enthused by the taste we go to a government owned off-licence to buy some more, which also leaves a slightly sour taste in the mouth as these places feel like we’re in Chicago in the 30s

Our final day is spent on the beaches, of course, endeavouring to catch up with & invest for future SLEEP. Next morning we are saying goodbye to the owner, Apurna, & two of her longer staying guests. Quite some retreat here.

Homewards