Cochin-/-Kochi---------[Links]
Cochin is one of India's pricipal seaports. Successive waves of migration have made the city a cultural melting pot. It is a growing centre for Information Technology and International Trade. In spite of risk of overdevelopent (e.g. traffic congestion and environmental degradation), Cochin retains much of its traditional flavour.
17 September 2008------Back
17 September 2008-----10:51 PM--------------An invitation to Australia
A sublime roof experience with diner, flute playing and Rose's
yoga postures. Rose shows me some of the postures I find
difficult and I realise how good her teaching is. Her
explanations for taking the postures are precise. She is so kind
and gentle while explaining. A real pleasure to learn with her. I
am amazed of her flexibiliy and strength in spite of her back
accident. The other guests are happy to try some of the
postures. We look at the moon surrounded by a holy cercle. I
play the flute. Short night but strong dreams. In my last dream.
Rose teaches children and I am waiting for my turn to be
taught. Getting up I tell Rose about my dream and how much I
would like to study with her. She has a long experience of yoga
and of yoga teaching (18 years) and an excellent training. Her
self-taught beginning has impressed me too. We have the idea
to teach each other flute and yoga through skype on internet.
The idea enchants us. We decide to go together to Erculenum to
buy flutes and carnatic music manual. Rickshaw and ferry.
Women and men must go for different queues to get a ticket
and on the ferry men and women are sitting separately. There
are a lot of Muslims. Women are covered from feet to head.
Erculenum is not interesting but we find music shops, buy
some Indian cds before buying our flutes and music. Rose
invites me to Australia. We drink the most expensive lassi of
our voyage in a 3 star hotels. This trips ends and other trips
appear on the horizon....
17 September 2008-----10:31 PM--------------Kochi and the Sublime Roof
Trip to Allapey by bus. So nice to travel with Rose. She is such
an excellent companion. So easy going and smiling. We
discover more of each other. Our lives and loves. We share
about yoga, our common interest and passion. Buses are full
but somehow we always find a place. Although Indian can be
rude, they can also be very accomodating. We arrive in Allapey
under the rain. The first hotel that we visit, the Seashore resort,
is miserable. The rooms have no windows and no decoration.
They're too sad. Sunil's recommandation was not great. In spite
of our tiredness, we decide to try the Sublime Roof
recommended by the two German students we met in Allapey.
The rooms are simple, clean and welcoming with their flowers and paintings. A nice Hippy touch. We immediately love the place. We share a double room for the first night. Line, a Norwegian woman, is running this small hotel. She has a very interesting character. Her story is not ordinary. She came by bicycle from Norway to India. It took her 7 months, a lot of determination and some muscle aches. Although it is quite a feat, she is a very soft and gentle person. Like Dana at the Pink Aana, there is a before and after India and a complete change of life. Like Dana, Line left a husband and a job behind to begin a new and exciting life. Kerala hostel and Nepal trekking. Her trip to India was a soul searching experience. John, another hotel guest, is also trying to find himself. Funny enough, I found it is quite easy to lose myself in the chaos of India and the mercantile spirituality of some ashrams. No, I was not looking for my own identity while beginning this Indian adventure but thinking of it I realise that I lost some of my "me" while travelling. No possessions, no home for few months. Living with a simple bag and a bambu flute help to go to the essential in life. Leaving fears and blocages behind. Taking the time to see, live and meet people.
19 September 2008------Back
19 September 2008-----9:23 AM--------------Kochi International Airport
Three months, it's a lot of time and still nothing. I feel I would
like to stay more, to learn the flute with Sunil, to swim in the
Arabian sea when it is summer time, to know a little more
Niyas and his family. But I also miss my life, my friends and
my music. I feel the need to play and sing. I leave the sublime
roof, the full moon, Line, John, Sabou and Rose. Last
preparations for my return. I feel so tired. My bag is ready. Last
night under the tropics. The taxi will come at 5am to pick me
up and take me to Kochi internation airport. It all seems a bit
surreal. How am I going to leave India, its slow rhythm, its
perfumes, its crazyness, the women in sarees and their
wonderful open smiles. I feel too sad but my preparations help
me to forget how my heart stops and bounces. Rose, I do not
want to leave Rose. I feel so close to her. I love her so much.
She deserves so well her name Rose. She brings happiness to
all with her smile and joy of life. She is like a long time friend.
I feel so much at home with her and though I know we will be
thousands of kilometers apart in few days. But everything
seems possible and a new life of travelling is open to me. My
new "after Bihar" mantras "I am open to love" and "money
comes to me easily" will carry me to new horizons.
19 September 2008-----9:30 AM--------------Back in England
Long travel. Thinking of my teaching, of the courses which I
will give, thinking of my next steps, thinking of the wonderful
people I met during this travel. I am wondering how these three
months have changed me and what life will bring me. I am
trusting life and its imagination. I learned to trust it while
travelling. We follow the sun and the day doesn't seem to stop.
I rewind my watch. Films on the little screen but my eyes aches
and I prefer dreaming and listening to some music. Adrian is
waiting for me. His smiling face brings me back to England.
We have so much to tell. My voyage, his students and the
college, his next year projects. Diner in a pub and local beer. I
am really back. It feels good to find back these familiar
landscapes and pubs. The calm Channel is waiting for me and
so my "small boat" on Marine Parade in Brighton. It will take
me few days to fully feel I am back in England.
