One of the boys

The moustache lasted 5 minutes...

Once you have been in one place long enough, it begins to feel somewhat like home. You overcome the initial feelings of slight alienation and a familiar routine emerges...suddenly everything feels a lot more comfortable.

Life in Kollam is certainly very comfortbale, my routine is pretty well established, early mornings with a swim in the lake, chai and dosa for breakfast, expertly prepared by Mr Babu, my new best friend (he feeds me and I let him sleep in one of the spare rooms on the sly). Speaking no English at all and with my limited Malayalam, our mornings generally consists of expletives shouted at each other over breakfast as we try to convey the simplest of things.

Sent down to clean...but probably more for the entertainment value of watching a Saip down a well 

With clear skies and 30 degree weather most days are perfect for reading, writing and general exploring until the real fun begins circa 6pm. I usually hitch a lift into town...the novelty of picking up a foreigner has never failed me down so I enjoy free rides to most places. But I am simultaneously beginning to make the transition away from a simple tourist. Whilst I am by no means a local...my disappointing ability to tan betrays me here, I seem to now inhabit the void between the two. The touts now know my face and have quickly tired of offering me "cheap" house boat tours or "excellent" guesthouses. I am instead trying to beat them at thier own game

 The evening ferry arrives from Alleppey at 6pm, laden with "tourists". Whilst a hoard of Indian touts are there ready to greet them offering hotels, rickshwas and restaurants, I stand in the midst of the chaos, leaflets in hand equally plying my trade So far it has worked to my advantage, the initial shock of having a Westerner trying to sell you something is replaced by intrigue, and subsequently a sale!

"Come to India and meet young boys"!!! Mr Jackson...my inquisitive neighbour 

So after a few weeks bringing the place up to scratch with last minute decor etc, Ashtamudi Villas welcomed its first guests last week. SInce then we have seen a steady trickle of visitors and I have been amply entertained by a variety of Spanish, Dutch, Danish and even an old-school English couple seeking a return to India's wild golden days.

I was fortunate enough to be invited to an Indian wedding this week. Although I was unable to properly ascertain exactly whose wedding it was - so many people are loosely termed each other's "brothers" here. I deduced that it might have been a cousin of Sachu's. Naturally , in a society as traditional as Kerala's, marriage is not a trivial affair. I walked into an auditorium filled with 500 people, there to witness the marriage as the ceremonial proceedings continued on stage. As a Hindu ceremony it consisted of a series of rituals in which about 40 people from both families participated. I was interested to learn that a dowry is still presented to the groom, equal to the value of 1,000,000 Rs (12,500 GBP). Whilst typical of a conservative society such a Kerala, it struck me that in an area where people lead a very simple life, the middle classes are certainly not poor.

True to form, as the token foreigner I was invited on stage for photographs with the groom, happy to stand smiling, shaking the hand of someone I had known for the last 5 minutes. Subsequently, as if weddings regardless of their geographical location produce gaggles of excited children. I became the guy left to entertain the youthful masses...luckily my camera came to the resuce providing hours of entertainment.

Wedding lunch, the best Kerelan food I have tasted to date -served on a banna leaf...ingenious!

 For the moment, I shall be getting back to work, standing eagerly on the boat jetty scouting for naive young travellers to prey on!! Plans for the near future include continuing on my travels to Kanyakumari the Southern most tip of India and hopefully Auroville, the New-age mecca outside Pondicherry, where I very well may just find myself!!