Chiang Khan- Mekhong- Buriram- back 2 Oz!

I forgot to mention in my last post about nearly being cleaned up by a police car a bit north of Petchabun that overtook another car via the inside safety lane at high speed and just about skimmed my panniers. Great to see the police setting a good example of driving behaviour!! Also i should recall the evening spent in Chiang Khan listening to monks chanting and catching my breath while watching the sunset- before fixing a puncture while sitting in the dark temple grounds as the chanting continued.

The people along the way have also been well worth remembering- many friendly faces and waves, smiles- yelled hellos (never sawatdii!), and always more than willing to offer directions. The weather has been hot so it has been hard to keep cool and calm when cycling- but when i have made the effort to smile gently with compassion i almost ineveitably get a smile in return and sometimes much more- like offers of eating/drinking together. Again indicated to me how much of what you see in others is a reflection of oneself. In Chiang Khan i met a young guy who studies English at university and invited me to watch a Premier league football match at his friends place. Chatted alot to him and his friends, struck by their lack of ambition, contentedness with what comes along, crusing through life. There is a definate cultural contrast with the western encouragement of career goals. Also spoke extensively to an older man- a high ranking immigration official who told me of the 'cold at the top' of the Thai bureaucratic hierarchy- the loneliness he feels as those around him in life and work treat him with a distant, conservative deference, in line with confucian influenced Thai tradition. As he described this i played with his Iphone- one of the few in all of Thailand (yet released)- bought by his wife on a trip to America and displaying photos of his young and pretty local 'mia noi' ('little wife') that he assured me he would delete b4 returning to his wife in Bangkok!

The last couple of days riding since Chiang Khan have continued to be enjoyable. Dropped by a typical thai cycle repair shop (tools, rubber, air pump strewn around- 40c for a puncture repair) for some maintenance before riding on up along the mekohng river, cone topped hills rolling down to the river, road undulating, was offered many fine views across the river as it flattened, widened and slowed following the rapids of kaeng khut khu. In the morning, passed a couple of naturally formed heavy stone lingas brahmanic symbols considered sacred and housed, adorned as such. Stopped at a couple of riverside rest places- at one place chatting to an old American guy (former NY businessman) living in Chiang Khan (along with a posse of other expats nowadays from what he was saying) who seemed pleased with the lifestyle while still having the regular expat complaints about thai vagueness, poor driving etc. Also can't say i agreed with his pessimistic diagnosis that 'Thailand is just like Burma but with better PR'.

The river seemed almost stagnant and full of grasses, reeds, small islands, while further down many jagged granite-like rocks littered the surface and banks. Villages make use of the temporarily spare land by cultivating peanuts, corn and other crops on the sandbanks during the dry season, creating a green lattice over the lite brown silt sands. Further down was an attractive scene where the river had formed a large circular pond with a village (appropriately named Ban Nong-pond village)perched on its rim, fishing boats combing the reflective waters. All the distance i had riddden along the river Laos stood across from me on the opposite bank, also hilly and mountainous, forests, quiet looking bamboo villages, dirt roads, barely a peep emerging from across there- reflecting my imagination of the place as remaining a refuge of stillness- a new looking dirt road parallel to the one i was travelling on the Laos side of the river and accompanying electricity poles, signs of the encroaching modernism. Towards the end of the day i took a short side trip to another waterfall- coincidentally the same name as the one i last visted in Petchabun province- though by now i had reached Nong Khai province. The small flow was enough to take a dip in and the short side trip into a valley of rice paddies pleasant, and a sign of the gradually flattening landscape. Shared a chat on weather conditions, local economy etc with some nice people at the waterfall village junction. Soon after i arrived at my stop for the night- Sangkhom. The name of the place means 'community' and locals told me there is a good community here- no theft or crime and friendly neighbours! My cook at a roadise restaurant told me that young people ineveitably are drawn back to the town after their sojourn to cities for study or work. I found (with some local help from an honest competitor accom!) a guesthouse with bamboo huts overlooking the river on a small island- not bad for less than $5 USD a night!

Today i got up early to watch the sunrise and get riding during the cooler hours. Few more small hills in the road offered some good views, and i passed a dry waterfall, before watching the morning ritual of villagers making offerings to the monks ('merit making') at a temple with crocodile carvings and a colorful belltower. Then i decide to take a long side trip up to a mountaintop temple- Wat Pha Tak Sau -where spectacular views back across Sangkhom, the river and countryside and a quick (10 mins on way back 50 min way up!) winding descent rewarded the hard slog up steep dirt roads to get there. From here on towards Nong Khai the countryside gradually flatenned out to a wide Mekhong floodplain, covered with traditional rice paddy agriculture. Visted several more temple in the day- 2 major ones being dedicated to famous passed monks who once resided there- wax statues, flowery offerings, small museums in their honour indicated the very high respect (even the king bowed to them in photos) these monks were held in- and in some pictures it did seem as though compassion poured forth from their very eyes. I stopped for a delicious traditional Lao lunch of 'Laap bplaa'- spiced minced fish with sticky rice and salad at Si Chiang Mai- from the restaurant looking across the river to the Lao capital Vientiane. I took the restauranteurs advice and wherever possible followed the small roads right beside the river from here all the way to Nong Khai- getting many wonderfilled views of traditional riverside life, drying crops, daily activities, meanwhile the roads were quiet and mostly shaded- a world away from the busy main road a few 00 ms away from the river. At times the elevated road looked like it would be a long causeway dividing the flooded wet season river, with houses on tall stilit indicators of how high the water can come up. At Tha Bo district, i stopped to chat with some elders lounging idly, enjoying each others company during the days heat- they were so friendly and interested to know of my origins and intentions- also glad for their way of life far from city stresses. They pointed out a nice spot for a waterside view so i pedalled down through the tobacco and tomato fields to the waters edge. Last stop for the day was at a beach (!) Hat Jomanee- for a swim in the Mekong!- id been wanting to do this for the past 2 days and here was the perfect place- gentle shallow and so lovely and cool waters, restauanrants on the dry banks and many excited young thais playfully louging on tubes in the water- just upstream and with a view of- the large Thailand-Lao friendship bridge. Here in Nong Khai im staying at a nice place- Mut Mee GH- and plan to stay here for 2 nights and explore the area- get a good sense of Nong Khai- as it seems like a very nice town- long waterfront pleasantly developed- many facilities but not too busy, lots of attractive temples and friendly locals. Spent the evening enjoying river views and eating tasty local food (& yum fruit shakes!) along the waterfront. Next morning i pedalled out to the famous statue park SalaKeou- built by a Lao immigration mystic who had supposedly received extensive spiritual instruction from a mysterious underworld hermit during his adventurous youth. These many dozens of cement depictions, from massive (30m high!) to life size, presented Hindu and Buddhist deities and other local mythical figures, the shared space and visual similarities a potent reminder of the strong connections of Hindu and Buddhist mythologies, which can also be seen at such places as Angkor in Cambodia. Each image- its varied shapes, forms, decorations contain such deep meaning through symbolism as to educate us on the very nature of existence. UUM, much to contemplate.
A circular enclosure represented the map of human life from conception to death- the items featured undeniably common themes in human life- exuberance of youth, coupling, spiritual wonder, career & temptations, awareness of aging (mid life crisis?), sickness etc. and corresponded these themes to each of our sensory abilities, offering nirvana to those who follow buddhas path or reconception via cupids bow back into the centre of the map. I couldnt help thinking that such Eastern philosophies have a deeper traditional understanding of such patterns in human life itself (Hinduism has a god for each human trend!) more than western and monotheistic religions.
From Salakeou i rapidly made new plans for a trip to Phu Prabhat historic park in Udon Thani province- and visited Nong Khais main temple (beautiful & colorful painted frescoes inside) before taking a sawngthaew to Ban Phu and riding the last 12kms up to the historic park, were i checked into a huge furnished & verandah'd room (@ $10AUD per night!), then proceeded to explore the nearby sites- spectacular mushroom-like rock formations left by glaciers, many of which had been carved out and converted into places for buddhist meditation, worship and ritual more than 1200 years ago during the Dravati period, complete with carved buddha images, statues and sacred boundary stones. At this hilltop place of dramatic natural forms there is also found 3000-year old rock paintings of human, animal, geometric figures- betraying the long lineage of honouring his special place. It was great fun to explore by bicycle, bouncing over the bumpy rock platforms, enjoying great views, being one of few people up there. I returned the next morning to visit more rock temples further afield and a large cave extending right underneath the rock platform, acessed by a wriggling down a small hole.
It was a long days travel then via cycle, sawngthaew, bus x 2 and cycle again to the other side of Isaan (NE thailand) and the house of my good friend Tuan in Krasang, Buriram- where i arrived at about midnight. We had a lovely day the next day riding her motorcycle south to 2 ancient Khmer temple ruins near the Cambodian border, one with spectacular lintel and motif carvings and a sacred hill site where famous monks are enshrined and Khmer-era Baray (large rectangular ponds used for rice-field irrigation) dot the countryside. Most villages in this region look different to Thai and speak a dialect of Khmer- these things combine to portray the potent Khmer legacy in this region- this was once (10th-15th centuries) the heartland of a massive khmer empire, centred in only 150km away Angkor, and stretching across most of mainland SE Asia.
From here, the next morning i took a train back for one final night in Bangkok, getting a vigorous massage to relieve my cycle tightened legs, hitting the sack in Sukhumvit soi sip-kao (lane 19) and next morning taxied to flashy Suvarnabhum (meaning 'Golden land'- the most ancient known name for Thailand- from sanskrit texts- dating from early BC) airport for my journey home. This was no simple matter though- as i took one Air Asia flight to Singapore where i got my stamps, switched terminals by rail and bus before checking in for my Tiger airways flight to Darwin- grabbing a feed in terminal to avoid exortioist plane food monopoly (how is eating outside food-banned for so called reasons of- going to disturb other passengers?). Went through all the check-in motions again in Darwin (tiger wouldnt check our bags through though selling it as one trip on web)- trying to get a sense of this never b4 visited far northern capital from its the people and scenes at the airport (it seemed friendly, egalitarian, tough). Snuck a few winks of sleep on the darwin melb leg and enjoyed the clear sky-high views of Victorias geography b4 finally arriving in Melbourne 20 odd hours after leaving BKK. Straight back into Uni yesterday and 'regular' life resumes- for how long im not sure- but i hipe u'll join me on the next far-off adventure wherever it may be- China, Tibet, Korea are likely suspects for end 2008.
Happy living and clear horizons wished for all good readers!

Thailand- deep south to Mekhong river

So since i last wrote, i have spent two amazing nights on Tarutao island.


after riding the 60kms north of Satun town to Pakbara pier, i negotiated the touts and organised for a trip to the most quiet and natural islands of the islands in the area- Ko Tarutao. Its a huge island- bout 30kms long and 15kms wide, covered in dense jungle (v.high rainfall), exclusively a national park, full of wildlife and was a former penal colony for hardened criminals more than 10 years from before until after WW2. There is much to explore on the island, and i gladly had my bicycle along to pedal the network of roads the national parks dept has built between a few of the main sights.


The first afternoon i arrived, after setting up tent under the shade of mangrove palms beside a white sandy beach, i set off to survey the nearby vicinity. Soon i was in a state of near euphoria- stunned by close encounters with near tame rare wildlife- spectaculed langurs and hornbills- both of which i could go within metres of groups of them. I climbed up to the top of the cliff that shadowed the campground for a spectacular view of the sunset, jungle, hills and islands and some brief moments for stilling meditation on impermanance.

The next day was a full day of adventure- making the most of all the roads built on the islands and pushing a old penal road beyond its capacity. It was serene yet exciting to pedal quietly and with this near siltent method i could catch many animals by surprise- judging by their squeals and frantic dashes up into trees or into the forest when they noticed how close i was. Crusing through the deep, deep forests, towering dipterocarp above, thick undegrowth below, my ears hearing the jungle symphony while my eyes straining to their limits in this natural environment to catch a glimpse through the vines and branches of the many animals and birds that i could hear clearly. As it was langur monkeys blocked the roads a couple of times , and i was able to go close to a group of wild boar, and sea eagles swooped above the road just in front- not to mention the many other birds in this paradise. after 12kms i arrived at Talo Wow-the site of a penal colony from 1936-1946. I decided to try for a ride 12kms further south along the 'road' built by the convicts that connected the convict camp from that of the political prisoners (arrested after struggling for a democratic thailand against the military dictatorship of that period). However this orad was VERY poorly maintained- (barely suitable for trekking) and i struggled with the bike, pedalling and carrying the cycle for 5kms up the rocky and overgrown track and through forest of fallen trees b4 decding i probasbly didnt have enough water for the trip, i was happy just to have reached even further into the deep forest, and lay down to soak it in a few mins b4 turning back. The struggles werent quite over though, cause on the downhill way back though bouncing down the track dodging boar diggings and branches etc., my morale slipped when i heard the distinct whizzing sound of a puncture in my back tyre. I fixed it there in the jungle- 4 punctures all in the back tyre. Back at the penal site i toured all the old ruins- hospital, HQ, sawmill, etc and read the dramatic stories of life on the island for these folks who suffered corrupt officials, backbreaking labour, medicine and food shortages, a malaria outbreak (killing 25% of popn in one year- 1943) before turning to piracy of passing freight ships once their supplies were cut off during ww2. These raids were only stopped when the British sent 300 troops from Penang to assist the thais in subduing the rebels. Thais tend to beleive in ghosts and they probly see such a place as severly haunted (confirmed later after chatting to park staff). Toilet stains in the corner of a wooden camping shelter confirmed many visitors had been too afraid to venture into the forest at night. Next i rode back across the island to the west coast- i Hadnt seen another soul all day until i visited the beach just south of the main campground, where a couple lounged. took a leisurely swim b4 heading further south to Ao Son- another campsite, also very quiet, and then made a 6km return trek inland to Lu Phu waterfall, scrambilng over boulders and under vines along the creekbed to reach this idyllic oasis of pristine clear and deep water underneath and series of small, winding, rocky falls. Took a few leaps off 5m high rocks into the cool deep waters and revelled in the beauty and solitude. On the way there i had taken a side track to arrive at the tip-the ugly side of our human presence- being feasted upon by a HORDE of at least 2 dozen wild boar and almost as many big monitor lizards. In all this i havent mentioned half of the wildlife sightings i stumbled across- this place is surely a wildlife lovers paradise!

The next morning wandered up through the mangroves in the inlet beside our camp- (saw a large furry animal that rangers later couldnt identify for me- mysterious!) and took a last swim b4 packing up and chatting to the friendly restaurant staff one last time and taking the midday boat back to Pakbara. From Pakbara rode the 10kms to Langu on the highway and waited for a bus to take me the 100kms to Trang- from where i was then able to get a seat on the train back to Bangkok that evening. By chance the couple i had met a few days earlier on the bus to Trang were on the same train and Geoff the Brisbanian loudly hailed me on the platform. I listened to more of their dramas over the evening and started to think my helpful suggestions for creating harmony in the face of conflict were falling on deaf ears as these guys revelled in their not so subtle competition- neither was happy- but neither had the will or courage to ditch the other. Oh 'love' can be foolish!

Spent an onight in Bangkok to visit the bike shops for a few touch ups, as well as burning a CD of photos, catching up with friends, and on the 21st feb took the bus to Petchabun- about 400kms N.NE of Bangkok in a mountainous area between the central, northern and northeastern regions of the country.
On the bus to Petchabun i met a very nice lady who did humanitarian work with Hmong minority hilltribe people in Petchabun. We chatted on many topics (stretching my thai to its limits), had refreshingly similar ideas on culture and religion and she offered me many fruits. It was strange to feel the cool evening air in Petchabun- a sign of the higher altitiude and northerliness of the place-having been in the hot tropics for the past few months.
So the next morning, after checking out a couple of Petchabun sights (mostly temples), i started the journey north, gladly finding (with my special Isaan map!) a quiet backroad running parallel to the busy highway and floating past the typical northen thai style countryside, agriculture, architecture- stilted bamboo (and nowadays many more solid) houses, here a variety of crops- tobacco, corn, other fruit and vegies, tall hills rising up to my left and in the distance to the right too. The hills were brown and dry looking, covered with leafless forests, being the time of transition from the cold season to the hot (and dry) season, (the only other local season being the wet season)- but fortunately the waterfall i had planned to visit was still flowing freely. Several strong branches cascaded over rock and limestone, a large pool below perfect for a refreshing dip, getting under the showering flow and taking dives into the cool waters. A group of young construction workers from Bangkok were friendly companions for the visit, and i moved on, feeling rejuvenated and the kms of rolling hills and attractively cultivated countryside seemed to roll by effortlesly. I decided to try and push on to Dansai- but didnt really know what i was in for as my map didnt show elevations. I ended up riding 120kms for the day from Petchabun though i left after midday- and gained a few 00ms altitude too! The last 25kms were in the dark (very glad i bought a bike light in BKK!) and a huge uphill surprise waited for me right at the end- the headlights descending through the shadows far above answering my minds silent question of where this road was going as hemmed in by silhouetted mountains- but i pushed on- managing to avoid an overstraining injury- and was rewarding with a nightview of Dansai town and a plunging steep descent through the blackness at up to 70kms. Checked out Dansai the next day- 2 x temples and a folk museum- one of the temples (Wat Chedi Si Song Rak) being famous as a 450year old monument monument declaring the deep mutual love (respect, shared future) between the kingdoms of Laos and Thailand- at least partly motivated by the common threat of Burmese invasion at the time- but still a reminder of the close cultural similarities and historical connections, despite the divergent economic circumstances of the 2 countries these days. The main feature of the folk museum was to exhibit and explain the features of the areas unique and colorful 'Pii Ta Khon' annual festival, where locals parade in painted masks and costumes, perform many ceremonies and build such acessories as penis tipped weaponry, as an offering to the areas guardian spirits who can protect them from sickness and promote agricultural fertility. Such customs denote the continuing animist tradtions of the area (in parallel to buddhist practices), with male and female shamanic leaders highly respected and playing prominent roles in the festivities- and to me it typifies the mountain folk all over the region who cling more closely to the traditional beliefs of nature and spirit worship, and im sure they have their reasons- however obscured they may be now through ages of adaptation and non-literal symbolic traditions.
From Dan Sai i headed east and it was a long gradual uphill to Phu Rua- where i bypassed the now cold and dry Phu Rua national park, and continued on up, past many flower, orchid and plant gardens, seasonal resorts (for Bangkok folk wanting a taste of wintry weather) and cool weather fruit farms + other niche climate crops, before taking a nice long downhill roll to Loei provincal capital. The valley became more green, with much bamboo, as i descended and the crops graduated to tropical fuits and rice paddy- more water down here. In Loei during the evening i took a pedal out to the fringe villages of the town to watch the sunset beside the Loei river, b4 feasting on many fresh, tasty and cheap foods from the market, chatting to hotel staff and retiring.
This morning i departed Loei city heading north, stopping at a Loei cultural hall- with interesting exhibits on local lifestyle, maps, geological info (i thought of my uncle robins company exploration in this area) and at a cave temple with large networked carverns (explored with my torch), stalactites, bats amongst graceful golden buddha statues such a solid gold sukhotai style walking buddha standing above the shadows. I pushed on to reach Chiang Khan on the Mekong river- revelling in my first views of this massive and hugely significant waterway- visiting Kaeng Khu Khu -sight of rocky rapids and a dramatic twist in the rivers path as well as a couple of temples, watching the sunset. Over the next few days i will follow the river Eastwards, past some temples famous for housing meditation masters to Nong Khai and phaps beyond
see u again soon dear peoples!

Islands, Lakes & Jungles by Cycle

Having departed from the island of Ko Phan Ngan- with some chaos on arrival at the mainland due to a dodgy boat company taking me to the wrong port then offering a bus (but refusing to take my bike!) i ended up taking a 50km cycle (half of it in black moon darkness) until i found a roadside hotel close enough to my intended destination. This place looked pecularly like it served primarily a purpose for honeymooners or more temporary couplings- with free condoms, strategically placed mirrors and cute love heart designs on towels & pillows. I was just glad for a bed without the sound of a karaoke bar blaring nearby (these bars are associated with such temporary couplings in Thailand).

So the next morning i arranged a meet up with my Aussie friends a further 10km ride to the junction we met as planned for our trip to Ratchaprada dam, aka chieow lan lake- a 170sqkm 25 year old man made lake for producing hydroelectricity that is also part of Khao Sok national park. The most amazing feature of the place is the physical setting- winding in a tree like shape amongst hundreds of towering limestone peaks over a mssive area, all covered in deep rainforest. The next 2 days were wonderfully dreamlike and surreal, we would swim in the crystal clear (literally) waters often, jumping straight off our floating bungalows doorstep

From the dam i hitched a lift with the others to the turn off where i gladly opted for a ride along a minor road- instead of the main highway running parallel. From here i rode 46kms on a lovely quiet rode i could ride in the middle of- through rolling green hills covered with forest and fruit, rubber, palm trees, passing occasional quiet villages and inquisitive looking locals. This took me through until after sunset when i arrived in the town of Thap Phut and found the only hotel in town. A good feed, shopping and internet later i retired . The next morning i was slow to get going but by riding through until after sunset i was able to reach my planned destination of Klong Tom- just over 100kms down highway no.4. During the day took a stop at Thamboree national park near Ao Luuk which was like a natural waterpark with aqua coloured pools, caves and gentle waterfalls amongst the forest and vines and sheltered on 3 sides by towering limestone cliffs. Left Klong Tom early and stopped en route at a temple museum south of town which housed many artefacts- such as greek & roman coins, indian, chinese crafts etc. From a period around the start of the modern era when this place was apparently a thriving trading port with many international visitors and a thriving bead/jewellery production industry. From there rode the 46kms to Ko Lanta Yai island via 2 ferry rides and eventually located my friends bungalow at the north end of the island. My friends were keen to move on after just on night in this place as it seemed a haven for europeans holidaymakers looking for little more than a beach and a tan and prices here were mostly to match their high spending budgets. Anyway the beaches were nice so we revelled in the waters while we could. The next day i set my friends up for some island snorkelling/sightseeing to the best sites in offshore nearby Trang province while i set out to ride down the long coast of Ko Lanta to discover some of its more secluded beaches and hopefully some forest/waterfalls too. The ride was nice and i found the place i would stay if i came back- Haad Klong Nin. Passed a gorgeous viewpoint or 2, a couple of troupes of monkeys, some very luxury looking hotels and many more sunburnt europeans en route to the end of the sealed rode at the south of the island were a huge hill heading into the national park set me to turn around. Also stopped to visit and take a dip at deserted beaches, and at one it seemed the tradtitional lifestyle of fishing, setting nets and crab, squid catching went on as ever, with very relaxed looking and friendly locals on the waterfront happy to tell me about their fishing crafts and livelihoods. A warm chat with these smiling sea gypsy folks reminded me deeply of the kind of travel experiences-i was really looking for-the real 'local interaction' that is possible in Thailand and gives such a lovely sense of shared humanity - far from the tourist beaches- and made me more than ready for the next leg of my travels- heading further south to less visited areas by bicycle while my friends would make their journey back north.

So the next day (after a few drinks & chats to celebrate our travels in the evening) i rode back accross the ferries to the mainland, then hitched a ride with a very friendly and talkative saangthaew driver (who was very keen to be my host and guide when i returned to the area) back along the road i had ridden on the way, before getting down and riding 30kms south to a major junction i reached at sunset, and jumping on a tour bus for the last 60kms to Trang city. On the bus i was quickly greeted by a gregarious Aussie from Brisbane, clearly lovestruck by the prettily dressed young Thai woman who appeared very small beside his bulging paunch, but it was she who made the decisions between these two. I appeared as the confidant between these two as soon as either was in absense and i felt a little uncomfortable when this lady rapidly turned her charms upon me. Surely he had to know he was being exploited by paying 2000THB a day to this woman for his dreams of 'love' (he assured me that visiting her was the sole purpose of his trip to Thailand)?

Another note from Ko Lanta was the barely concealed contradiction between the indulgent lifestyle of the many tourists, and the traditional muslim communities still inhabiting the island. Several local women broached the subject of religion with me without any particular prompting- sensing they wanted my opinion on Islam- i tried to be honest and fair.

In Trang i spent the next morning visiting a few temples and the tourist office, before deciding to make a trip to the coast at Hat Chao Mai where i had not visited before- so i threw my bike on top if a minivan to save time for the 60kms journey and soon arrived at pretty, treelined beaches decorated with huge limestone formations and few tourists around even though this was peak season. Found a simple resort at Yao Beach and started investigating the area- soon to be joined by a group of energetic local kids who followed me around for the next couple of hours as i took in the local sights- they did well to keep up with 5 of them on 3 little bikes and one sitting on my bike rack. Went to 2 beaches and a mangrove forest into a couple of little caves at the beach and rode back along the long stretch of beach looking across to the setting sun which framed many odd shaped limestone offshore islands. Learnt about the local area from these enthusiatic kids and a couple of their parents who run a restaurant.
The next morning i caught the 8am share longtail boat across to Libong island. On the boat i was joined primarily by a group of muslim clerics from Ayyuthuya who had come to teach Islam and reinvigorate the faith of the locals on the island (and many surrounding villages) who had apparently turned to the evils of drinking and neglecting prayer etc. These guys all seemed very devout - greeting all people with references to allah and singing religious tunes during the whole 20min journey to the island- not altogether unpleasant to listen to. They probably saw tourist visitors to the island like me as part of the problem- and looked me up and down as if expressing judgement power. Anyway i discussed Islam with a couple of them on the boat trip- its basic tenets and egalitarian, socialist nature that i approved of and how Islam was different in SE Asia and Middle east in important ways. They seemed like harmless enough guys (probably would help many ppl. with their problems) but i couldnt help but sense the tension of an absolutist bunch intent on convincing others of their righteousness- probably feeling i would get with a bunch of christian missionaries- but have never felt with groups of monks and buddhists alike.
On Libong island i rode the main network of dirt roads that criscrossed the island (about 11km each way), enjoying the views of genuine local lifestyle- fishing communities, stilt houses over the mud flats and rubber tappers collecting their harvest. This island still primarily functions for the locals with only 2 small resorts and 3 villages- their traditional lifestyle goes on. After consulting a few locals i climbed up a steep limestone outcrop overlooking the water to hopefully get a view of the dugong who often feast on local seagrasses. But according to locals the moon was not in the right part of the cycle for the dugongs to appear at this place so i would have to wait until next time. Anyway the view from the top was spectacular- 360 degree out to sea- freighter ships, islands jutting from the horizon, the village and long pier i had just before ridden up lining the extensive mud flats, many sea birds (esp. plovers) other hills behind and the agriculture of the island laid out. The limestone hill was hollowed with many caves that connected and spiralled up its length- this is the path i took to climb down the cool interior- glad to have brought a torch to see the way and the diverse shapes cut and dripped by the waters over the years. A reminder- ultimately water is stronger than stone.
Took a swim and walk, lunch at the main beach before riding back to jump on the boat back to mainland and then continue the journey by minivan to trang (shared with the islands 3 government school teachers) and then local bus to Satun- then next province and city about 160kms south of Trang, bordering Malaysia.
So today i rode out early to find the border crossing (a helpful official in the immigration office kindly drew me a detailed map though they were closed- saturday) with Malaysia 42kms by road to the east of Satun- as i need to renew my 30 day Thailand visa before it expired. It was a pleasant ride once i got off the main highway- a much less used border corssing means there was little traffic and i could sit back and enjoy the rural scenery- a wide tropical valley lined by sheer limestone hills and filled with rubber, fruit and veg crops, simple wooden stilt houses and regular mosques, the valley gradually narrowed and angled uphill as i got closer to the border, agriculture gave way to rich jungle, langur monkeys blocked the road and the piercing call of gibbons came from the hills around me, it was a maginificent natural setting. It was easy to cross over to Malaysia - ate some Malaysian food- rendang ayam (but no Roti canai- damn!) and practised a few words of Malay with the shopkeepers lining the road before heading back. Stopped at the Thale Ban national park right near the border- where theres a large natural lake amongst the hills and jungle and then at the nearby 300m deep Piboon cave- which i negotiated by the light of my camera screen, and also stopped en route at the popular 9-tiered Yaroi waterfall, scrambling up the rocks and taking a refreshing dip, getting amongst the flow. With the sidestrips esp. it felt like an enjoyable days adventure more than a necessary slog to the border and the 40kms back home to Satun seemed to fly by. In the afternoon visited the Satun national museum, rode around the canal lining the town and visited a park at the base of a limestone monolith, climbing up for a view of the forest and monkeys living on the stone hill before riding south of town to the area of mangrove swamps to get a view of the sunset over the canals and boats etc.
Next plan is to visit Tarutao island- for national park adventures before going back to Trang for thr train to Bangkok, and then on to the northeast of Thailand for a cycle trip along the mekhong heading east from Chiang Khan. See u in cyber world again for news of those travels!

Thai styles and P.S from Chennai

Well............., haven't posted for a while! update
Now in Ko Phan Ngan
Have met my good friends Cat and Cam after they overlanded from Vietnam- we hooked up in Bangkok and Thai style adventures thereby began! Starting with a circuit tour of Bangkok riding the river taxi, skytrain and canal taxi, tuk-tuk and regular taxis we did a loop down the river to Taksin bridge, enjoying the riverside temples, water traffic and adjacent buildings-see many different sides of bangkok from the ferry. Took the skytrain up to Siam- commercial shopping district- all AC, flashy aluminium and cement, subliminal messaging 'buy'buy'buy!' swirling all around us. Walked to Jim thompsons house where cam an cat got their taste of traditional thai art and architecture, b4 canal boating it up to Wat Saket for a nice view over the city from this peaceful oasis with its tall golden bell-shaped stupa in the heart of the frenetic city. A taxi back to our hotel in time for us to get to the station for our onight train to the south of thailand- Suan Mokkh temple- which i was keen to introduce to my friends.
2 nights in the temple was a surreal experience of peace and serenity enjoyed by both me and my friends. The essential validity and rational, verifiable nature of Dhamma were the themes of our chats, while we spent much time quietly absorbing the peaceful atmosphere of this natural paradise. Next we headed for the tropical island of Ko phan Ngan.
have been here for a week now and it has slipped past rapidly- exploring the island by bicycle or motorbike most days- visiting many beautiful beaches, watching sunsets, visitng offshore islands, snorkelling amonst dozens of fish species and colorfully diverse underwater coral gardens, scrambling up rocky cliff faces to explore and take exhilirating bathes in 5 different waterfalls, climbing up through lush jungle to find the awesome views over the jungled hills, coconut valleys, sparkilng beaches and vast waters beyond. Cycling over the hilly terrain and sometimes very rough, steep roads has been challenging at times but there has always been a rewarding view or thrilling downhill descent to more than compensate. No full moon party at this time- gladly i'd say- a visit to the main town (Hat Rin) where the party happend left me puzzled as to why folks would come to a paradisical island and choose to stay in a crowded, noisy and dirty mini-city.
Also while here i met many kind and interesting people- fellow travellers in our bunglaows- great for a chat, a charming host who never ceased to accomodate and a thai woman from bangkok who taught me how diverse people in Thailand are. Today will head back to mainland to rejoin my friends after we parted for the last couple of days- meeting at khao Sok national park- deep jungle with a lake and much wildlife to boot, and from there we still have 3 more island getaways planned plus a trip across to Malaysia should should be plenty more to write about!

a couple of weeks ago i purchased a new touring bicycle in Bangkok- with all the kit and tools etc. needed for many future pedal-powered trips overland through SE Asia and beyond. I can hardly imagine a more fulfilling way to spend time so these are exciting prospects. I have been taking this bike with me along the way during this trip to the south- when travelling with non-pedalling friends sometimes it is useful as a short-trip connector while other times its a bit of a dead weight to carry along and a pain to get into buses (the old ones with roof racks are OK!). Anyway i am becoming acquainted with a metallic friend with whom i plan many future adventures.

Post script on Chennai- in last post i neglected to mention some interesting anecdotes from my 1st day surveying the town. After catching the end of 3rd test cricket (Indians happy) headed out to see a scottish presbyterian church- St Andrews- dating from 1835 and massive in size, large columns, 65m towering spire, white stone- beside the graceful Victorian-style Egmore train station.
From there walked SW to the State museum which i paid a quick visit to see many large, ornate, beautiful hindu statues from the pallava-era temples 1000+ years old, and many priceless bronze figurines from centuries past, housed in a marone-coloured british era sprawling complex.
Walking out of there was suddenly approached by a well-spoken mid-age gent in well-dressed but in worn clothes. He quickly engaged me in conversation and was well-informed on how tourists often interpret Indian culture, problems we see and reactions etc- impressed me with his perceptiveness. Later he told his story about how he lives in a refugee camp for Sri Lankans and how he was forced out of Sri Lanka when the Tamil tigers tried to recruit his family (christians) into their ranks, and how hed come to Chennai to find work but couldnt get a job because he didnt have the 'favour money' to pay the recruiters. Though he had a quick explantion for all my inquiries, i didnt quite buy the story- and the way he seemed to be waiting for me outside the museum - Anyway i gave him 50 rupees for his engaging conversation. A few moments after i met that guy, a flashy black Yank-tank style flashy new black truck brushed past me as i walked on the side on the road- no traffic in oppositie direction- so i gave the truck a tap-tap to let the driver know he come a bit close for comfort. a few seconds later the car pulled over and i looked across to the driver getting out with a questioning gaze- while this light skinned, hairy, stocky fellow marched straight up to me and started pointing and yelling in my face- don't touch my car- why you touch my car!@. WOW this guy is surely sensitive about his vehicle! Seemingly he was trying to appear tough for his wife waiting in the car- but i was to have none of this and told him he came too close and his car could handle a little tap. When he pushed me in the chest i threw down my bag, eyes flashing with thoughts of the danger he was in, i was ready for fisticuffs- which he apparently didn't expect and started to back down. What an arrogant, proud fool- his flashy black truck symbolised his elitist style arrogance brought on from wealth. I guess he assumed that as a foreigner i would shy away in unfamiliar territory- after i didnt back down he even threatened to call the police which i thought was bizarre as he was clearly the original agressor. He told me to leave but i waited for my chosen moment and wandered off unconcerned. My Sri Lankan friend joined me for a drink after this incident and we agreed it was likely a symptom of superiority complex of indias higher castes.
Hope all are doing well and contentedly
PEACE

Temples, dancing, beach & city! Mamallapuram & Chennai- Tamil Nadu

So after 12 hours on the train, i awoke to a different countryside out the train window- flat and brown, relatively dry, it became lusher as we approached the coast. Once in Chennai i took the buses straight for Mamallapuram- sight of a traditional dance festival, ancient temples and sandy beaches- 60kmks south of Chennai.


The temples- the smooth and lifelike contours of their carvings and human and animal statues- were awesome when i considered that they had stood for a whole 1300+ years. A massive wall frescoe carved into sandstone and featuring dancing, praying, meditating figures, naga queens (bit like mermaids), elephants shrines and battle scenes- known as Arjunas penance- was particularly spectacular- and was also the site of the nightly traditional dance performances- featuring different types of south indian dance- group and solo performances of men and women- often brighly, beautifully dressed with jewellery and made up- graceful circular motions of arms, legs and body, accompanied by strking facial expressions, well acted and performed, their fast foot movement accentuated by anklet bells. Memorable performances included a rendition of Vishnus 10 incarnations and a 'tiger dance' of 3 men who painted in the colours of tigers, and seemed to take on of the spirit of the big cats in their movements.


A rocky hill in the centre of town appreaed as a hive of ancient relics- with worshipping halls cut out of sheer rock, temples erected on hilltops- for Krishna, Ganesh and others, a trimutri temple, as well as ponds, steps, notches, a stone throne, massive yoni symobls and animal figures scattered all around the profusion of huge boulders on the irregularly shaped hill. This was the seat and royal capital of the Chola kings who ruled a large portion of southern india during the 6-8th centuries, known as the Pallava period.


It was Ponggal fesitval- a local celebration for family gathering for my first 2 days in Mamallapuram as and as huge crowds of people from Chennai and further afar surged into the town- and i was often a subject for attention- people wanting photos taken, to know where im from- i had become quite used to this and though most were quite polite and friendly- as much as id like to i knew i couldnt become best friends with everyone- trying to make many friendly exchanges without becoming a toy for any locals amusement! It has to be said most were friendly and kind- some families but mostly young guys- they were genuinely interested and would listen to what i had to say. It was a good fun day meeting many peoples. The beach was spectacularly crowded and some guys from Chennai watched by bags while i surfed, eyeing the police who were at this moment foricing everyone out of the water. 1 young guy who had irked a policeman by lingering in the water, ran out of the surf before suffering the indignity of running straight into my shoulder-slowing him down so policeman caught him up and gave him a mighty whack with a stick! Further along a group of factory workers insisted on sharing their bottle of brandy with me and wanted to share more and more!


Another important historical site in the area is known as the 5 rathas. These are 5 worship halls/shrines of varying patterns & designs- carved out of one massive stone hill in dedication to Shiva, Krishna, vishnu, Draupadi (wife of pandavas in Mahabharata) and Ganesha. Shrine exteriors were carved with loving couples, singhas and heavenly beingsThere was also a life sized stone elephant, bull and lions. The guardian stones, and elegantly protuding roof ridges, patterned with many miniature shrines and cylindrical shape of one shrine also struck me.


The no.1 temple attraction in town was the Shore temple- right on the waterfront and now protected by a large semi-circular rockwall- this place must have been smashed by the tsunami in dec 2004 and the results of 1300 years of wind, salt and water wear over 1300 years was obvious on the scupltures and carvings. A toweing main shrine to Shiva contained a large blackstone linga and around its interior and exterior walls were carved beautiful images of yogis, devas and heroic figures, while another shrine contained a large reclining vishnu image and the front shrine was for sivas Uma Maheswar incarnation- with baby child. The whole complex was surrounded by a line a stone nandi bull statues on top of the outer wall and new exacavations were revealing 'new' structures such as oval bathing pond with a shrine inside.


so Mamallapuram was a stimulating place for the senses- beauty and grace of dance, feel of the ocean, mind-stimulation at the temple sites and socialisation galore with the celebratory crowds wouldve loved to stay longer but had things to do in Chennai such as city exploring and sending a box home, so after a more quiet morning wandering of the royal hill complex on the 3rd day (Ponggal had finished) in arvo i bussed it back to Chennai and headed for Egmore and the budget accom there. Next two days in Chennai were spent cruising some of the streets, while not neglecting to keep abreat of the unfloding cricket match that locals loved to talk about.

The second day touring chennai was a busy and stimulating, fortunate day- starting off in the fort area- built in 1640 by the British (one of their first Indian settlements) and containing old relics such as Clive's ('of India') house, the fort museum, St marys church (built 1688) and crusing with a young german chap who had just landed in from the airport. Trained it over to Valluvar Kottam- a monument built to this famous historic tamil figure- his writings were all in tamil but i could get a sense of the lessons he preached in the students paintings on that theme that lined the large central hal, and from the stone freizes of scenes from his writings on the main chariot shaped shrine. It struck me that he was a contempary of buddha (wrote his epic shortly after buddha died) , is often shown in meditation posture wearing buddhist style clothes so was perhaps was heavily influenced by the man. Next mission was to visit a hindu temple near the beach- parthasarathy temple a large complex- it was closed but i could see the many towering shrines with gold plated summits over the wall and enjoy the stone carved pillar lining the long entraceway, as well as see the huge pool on eastern side with shrine at centre. From there walked to beach and wandered along the waterfront- watching the buzz of activity down on the very borad beachfront, old buildings (public works, madras university, high court) lining the marina parade and visited 2 prominent memorials for 2 of ther most famous of Tamil Nadus chief ministers- M.G Ramachandran and Perianna who appear from the pictures and relics in their respective musems at the site, to have been highly karismatic and inclusive leaders. 15 million people apparently attended Ramachandrans funeral!
bussed down to the southern end of the beach - to St Thomas basilica- one of only 3 churches in the world built over the tomb of one of jesus apostles. Clean white towering spires, visited the tomb were many active members of local christian community were chanting away, and a little girl read from the bible. A museum of holy relics there was also of interest. St Thomas is said to have arrived in India in 57 AD and preached to locals to convert before dying soon after. I wandered This temple (Kapaleswar) to Shiva was similar to the previous temple i visited earlier in the day in plan, but this temple was open and playing host to a huge crowd of worshippers as a ceremonial procession and washing of the central Shiva image was taking place around the circular courtyard. I flowed with the people for a few rounds of the temple- also admiring the colourfully painted and detailed carvings of gods & associated animals on most of the surface area of the many structures in the complex- and how this colorfully fresh paint contrasted with the bare black carved stone revealed in lower portions of the central shrine. The devotion of many of the observers was obvious as they held hands together and hummed holy verses 'om nama shivaya'. Elated from this experience i wandered further east- and found a temple (math) to ramakrishna- with his universalist philosophy- ramakhrishna was the guru of vivekanda and both are held in high regard here. I joined the meditation/chanting session going on in the 'universal temple' for a short while before buying a bunch of related books in the well stocked shop. It seemed from the many, most well-dressed people at the temple and in meditation that this new (& peaceful, ecumenial) school of hindu philosophy had gained a certain popularity with emerging middle classes in chennai. I departed the ramakrishna math with an even greater sense of elated serenity, in time to catch 2 buses back from this very old and sacred part of Chennai, Mylapore, to my hotel area.
I still had shopping to do and a box to send on my last half-day in Chennai- and for this i headed (with german friend in tow) to the Pondy bazaar area- where an array of clothing, silks and jewellery shops lined the wide roads for several kms- i did my best to pick out a few things amongst the cacophony of various items for purchase- getting alot of fabric, silk and some clothing before heading to the tamil nadu handicraft centre- but this place works on a high profit that didnt suit me so i moved on. Hurried to send a 20kg box home and pack b4 training to the aiport 4 my flight to Kolkata- pleasant chat with a very funny irish couple on the flight.
Found a small hotel just outside the airport in Kolkata for the flying visit. Took dinner with a view watching planes take off & land and reflected on my trip to India. Walking around the run down areas outside the airport, i found myself taking a fresh, more compassionate view of the locals- hunched over in circles, chatting by the roadsides- realising once again (after having forgotten this when choosing to interpret features of indian society in a negative way- perhaps adopting some of the convenient self-elevating imperialistic assumpitons in the process) that these people are humans, with the same needs & hopes as the rest of us- and deserve basic dignity and help to overcome their limitations. It had been a challenging and memorable 2.5 months in India and Nepal and so much to reflect on it can hardly all sink immeaditely but will take time- glad i have this blog record also. now im back in Thailand and travel is at a more relaxed pace- in a couple of days time i will meet my mates cat and cam in Bangkok and head to the south and to malaysia where i expect more adventurous activities will resume! see you then!

Ahhh, Kerala, Kerala, the paradise of India, now in Chennai, im missing it already.






So for some reminisces of that coastal state-






The roads were wonderful (public transport- buses, trains, ferries- worked a treat), the environment so green and welcoming, water, water everywhere, yummy seafood and spicy dosas for food. The combo of commie government and many churches often reminded me of the strongly defensible catchphrase 'jesus was a socialist'





From Kollam i decdied to change plans and take a detour south to the Southern tip of India- Kanyakumari- in Tamil Nadu state. Time was limited so one night and a half day visit there followed by a flying visit to the ancient Padmanabhapuram palace of Travancore (Keralas old name) en route to a beach resort town i wanted to see- Varkala.





In Kanyakumari, now a thriving tourist hub- mostly for locals- In this town, apart from the auspicious location where Bay of bengal, Arabian sea and Indian ocean meet, there is a sacred temple (shirts must be off in the shady interior of this black rock edifice- i joined the sweaty queues feeling many stares making me strangely self concious of my bare white chest after so long dressing conservatively in India) to shiva, two small offshore islands with large monuments upon them which the tourists pack into small ferries to visit- one monument is a newish temple to honour the famous Swami Vivekanda- brilliant holy man who also promoted communal peace and Indian nationalism at end of 19th century, another is for the Tamil poet of the anceint age saint Tiruvallur who apparently preached a message of wisdom, peace and prosperity in his writings with much relevance for the modern age. Other attractions in Kayakumari are a Gandhi memorial building and an exhibition hall detailing the extensive travels and discoveries of Swami Vivekanda, not to mention smaller shrines, bathing ghats and a prominent church of two. So it was a hurries half day or so- but well worth the trip down to see a side of Indian history and culture (Vivekanda, Gandhi) that had shaped my perceptions of the place (tolerance, diversity, wisdom, insight, peace), being honoured as i thought it should be- just enough time for a few minutes meditation in the room dedicated to this purpose at the Swamis offshore temple- hardly easy though with the crowds of local tourists milling in the meditation hall and chattering noisily (perhaps they should start teaching meditation in the schools here- i got it in mine in Lismore NSW!) - Swami Vivekanda was a native Indian Sannayasin (dedicated to holy life) who toured the country searching for enlightenment and preaching inter-communal peace. Also famous for being Hinduisms eloquent representative at the world parliament of the religions in Chicago at the end of the 19th century, he is a popular nationalist figure now due to his early prominence in calling for Indian self-respect and unity against the british colonisers.




In the afternoon i caught the bus to a town near the Tamil Nadu - Kerala border where i wanted to see the padmanabhapuram palace. This large palace- fully occupying 6 acres (an island of Kerala inm Tamil Nadu) with its many varied buildings, was all of wood except for a stone temple inside its walls, made of of long vaulted corridors, a four story tower, elegant bedrooms, entertaining areas dining and meeting rooms- it was full of equsite wood carving & sculpture- on ceilings, pillars and cornices, over doorways and like the other palace i had visited was cleverly designed to stay cool- keep out the sun while carrying the breeze through its interior. Tiled roofs and manicured gardens, ponds, ponds added to its attraxctive features. from the palace i plodded on for 2 more public bus journeys and 4 hours later to Varkala beach via thiruvanthapuram and i was looking forward to chilling out- but only for a day! Varkala has a nice golden sandy beach backed by cliffs lined with tourist facilities. It hasn't been overdeveloped with large hotels like some other places in Kerala (Kovalam) and still the quiet and peaceful, rustic atmosphere of a popular backpacker retreat- i liked it. Took time to wander the length of the beach and waterfront shops, restaurants, go for several swims in the refreshing surf and also to vist the local temple which is a popular pilgrimage spot. The next morning though i had a train to catch early to reach Kollam for the morning ferry to Allephi- joined other tourists- mostly middle-aged Europeans for this very popular 90kms cruise through the alluring backwaters that wind their way up through Kerala paralell to the coast, often separated from the sea by only a few dunes, other times 100km distant. Through a series of large canals and lakes, lined with green & golden leaved palms, the placid waters hold many fish, attested to by the huge nets that often lined the waters, later we reached a narrower canal and got a closer look at the lifestyles of the people by the waters edge. Stopped briefly at the famous 'hugging mother' asharam of amarathadevi- a group of huge towering residential blocks coloured in bright pink- this is a popular stop-off and staying point for many foreign tourists who line up for long hours to be issued tickets to be hugged by this very energetic woman, who preaches love for god and love/compassion in life. Maybe next time ill stop by- though i chatted to 3 Russian fellow travellers who boarded the boat after staying there overnight who felt it was all a bit too much and a little cheesy. They were also loyal to the buddhist faith which they had learnt and adopted on previous trips to India- which maybe made them a bit cynical of claims of and all the fuss around this womans 'healing hugs' (everyone wants a quick fix!). It was great talking to them about Buddhism and they inspired me with the disciplined dedication- one lady from Moscow had completed 90,000 ritual prostrations (100 per day)- a practice which is said (So thats what those westerners lying flat and circling the main shrine at sarnath were all about!) to purify the mind, destroy pride and bad habit. From the clear spark in their eyes, their healthy, bright appearance and positive expressiveness- it seemed the practice was working. Late in the day we appropriately passed an historic buddha image discovered in this area- a rare find- housed in a small stupa roof by the canalbank. After a long and enjoyable day soaking in the attractive greenery and waterside life of the backwaters- stayed onight in Allephi (met a rare Chinese traveller there to practice my chinese with) before the next day taking an early morning public ferry (30c ozzie for a 2.5 hr ride!) to Kottyam. I found this trip to be even more enjoyable than the previous day- it felt more local and genuine- being a transport vessel for locals going about their activities. People lived on narrow srips of land surrounded by water on both sides- fishing growing rice, fruit and vegetables in small plots. It was nice to share the fascination at the mesmirising surroundings- swerving fish schools, bright pink lotus flower bunches emerging from the depths, massive water hyancinth crops, wetlands all-coloured white by thousands of fishing herons as well as the insight into the lifestyles, environment, housing of the local people- with a fellow traveller from China- Zhou Jiang- who also enjoyed it. It appeared the locals wandering the banks and going about their faily activities had a certain calm and dignity about them- that in my mind i connected with the effect of watery surroundings- as well as the Kottayam's region reputation for mental achievement- being the 1st district of India to officially achieve 100% literacy.



Reluctantly reached the conclusions of my backwater explorations in Kottayam and transferred for a bus up into the mountains to Kumily- beisde periyar national park. 4+ hours a 110km later- reached this mountain retreat- passing tea & spice plantations, forest and great viewpoints en route. Headed out for a bicycle ride to have a look around the area. Followed my nose aropund the edge of the park to visit some 'tribal villages on the hillside were the locals greeted me warmly and we shared a laugh over our communication difficulties, kept riding around to an area of Spice plantations- a variety of crops such as spices growing on palm species made the spice farms blend right into the forest surroundings as if they were a natural jungle. After i started up a dirt track in one particularly attractive area, a small girl mentioned -this way goes to mountain- so i carried on a bit further- about to turn around- i met a strange looking character- a European looking man-with full beard, dressed in traditional south indian male skirt, caryying a pile of sticks and small cutter beside a house. Turned out he was a French farmer who had lived there for 16 years and he appeared very much at home, quite content in his envoirnment- and i didnt blame him in such a nautrally beautiful place hillside- quiet, green and lush spice forests. He told me the way to the mountaintop so i figured i would continue- and was very glad afterwards that i did. Up along a very narrow path, stepping up stone terraces in the jungle like spice plantations, under palm leaves along a creek bed, eventually coming to some rudimentary huts near the top of the hill- very friendly family there- lady deftly carrying a large bucket balanced on here head- we shared a few smiles and a photo before i contnued up - to be stunned by the paradisical panorama that presented itself to me- mountains and hills rolling into the distance- covered in forst- houses and villagers, towns nestled among the greend hills, the periyar lake snaking its way around in between the hills to the south, larger mountains to the east in Tamil Nadu, a 360 degree view at sunset, the highest peak around, it turned out randomly that this was the best place i could possibly have gotten to for 50kms, i was the only person at the top - a viewing tower to myself-i felt very lucky and meditated in peace and solitude for a few moments as the sun retreat below the distant horizon.



The national park though- gladly having developed along the path of eco-tourism - the authorities had neglected to provide any kind of activities for a budget indpenedant traveller like me- all activities inside the park had to be guided- including walks- and the entry price for foreigners was more and 1000% of the indian price- i felt like id be getting a sterile jungle experience- plus it was a weekend aand full of local tourists so wouldnt be much chgance of quiet 'communion with nature' so i decided to pass on the park itself and di some more exploring around by bicycle instead. Found a forested area and trkked on into the bush after i spotted a group of black langurs (i had first seen these creatures on a cycle to the tribal museum in ooty- that was 1st wild sighting). Folowed the monkeys up a hill through thick forest, saw some other small mammals, birds and got amongst the plants, earth and trees in the diverse and colourful forest- this was a good enough experience of the park for me! Rode on through some more tradtional villagers just ouside the park- seeing the tradtional huts, bamboo set up of homes and got into an argument with an arrogant park warden who was on thin ground when he feigned at threatening me with his rifle. Apparently i was in a restricted area but the gate was wide open - signs in Tamil- when i tried to discuss things with him he acted like he didnt need a reason. I guess this small guy wanted to feel superior (a common disease). Anyway, It was a pleasant afternoon exploring.

The next day i got the bus (2 buses) back to Kochi for my train the next day. Caught up on a couple of sights seeing the inside of the synagoue and admiring the wonderful painted fresoces inside the dutch palace in Matancheerry- including a very suggestive painting of Krishna with 6 arms put to full use with 6 loving gopis. Othwerwise equal emphasis on Siva and Vishnu at this palace. The night i arrived in Kochi i also caught up with a travelling friend- Mukti from Mandu. Meeting up with him at a local temple, there was an unexpected surprise when i wandered for a casual look into the temple grounds after 11pm, when to my amazement an elaborate, colorful and noisy temple ceremony- (more like a festival!) was going on. 7 huge male tusked elephants, colorfully painted with flowers and with gold plated headeress flowng down their trunks, on each sat 3 solemn looking men dressed in white robes and carrying large white tassles of hair and wheel shaped symbols. Ahead of them was an orchestra of painted men in only trousers with drums, flutes, symbols, and long curved trumpets- playing a in a deep, thumping and hynoptic rythm that gradually gained in intensity, with the attendants on elephant back performing standing and circular waving motions with tassles and circular symbols in time to the music beat. There was a pattern to the ceremonies as we circled around the temple and repeated the dose- An annual festival, this had been going on for hours, and continued the following day (i visited again)- with different numbers of elephants according to the stage of the ceremony, and joined by a choir of small children. The music was earthy and mesmirisingly powerful, it seemed to reach in to the insides and shake them into action. This is a way of cleansing the temple each year and scaring away evil spirits. Little notice was taken of the few foreign visitors as we stared on in wonder- ahhh, this is the India that fascinates me!
It was a fun and smooth overnight train to Chennai (though departing 1 hr late). had some interesting chats the following morning with 2 girls moving to Chennai to work for an IT company, and a couple of gents who were returning from the huge pilgramiage to Sabriamala temple. This pilgrimage has massive attendances- 30 million people travelled there over 2 days this year (no kidding!). They go to view a sacred jyorthilingam - a flickering flame that magically appears in a forest clearing every year on a certain day and time- these 2 chaps swore they had seen it every time on their numerous trips to this festival. The legend behind this sacred place surrounds a child born of two male parents (co-incidentally these two men on the train kept talking about both of 'their' son, and women are not allowed on this pilgrimage- geez, what goes on there?) shiva and vishnu- who took a female form in order to give birth to ayappa. There is also a female goddess worshipped at the site who is said to have gained moksha- and risen to the abode of gods- through her penance, dedication to god and chatisty. Are they trying to say that 2 men make good parents? Can't answer this one.
Think this post is long enough already! Could go on with more topics and discussions of travelling in India, the country's imperial legacy & stories of folks ive met, bit ill have to leave it their for now.
Next post i will give the the stories from Mamallapuram and Chennai- though im already passed them and on to Kolkata now! tomorrow off to good old Bangkok- soon will be meeting 2 Melbourne mates and heading to beaches, jungles, so more stories to come there.
Take care and peace be with us friends!

Welcome to south India- join me for a sample of the delights of Bangalore, Mysore and Ooty in this latest blogging tirade.
So i last wrote from Bangalore, after a day of discoveries there- but neglected to put these in the last entry- So here goes!
Bangalore- capital of Karnataka state- Imagine a city of 6 million people- the 5th largest city in India, home of cutting-edge e-age industries and ground zero of the outsourcing boom- Think of those strange accented and insistent telemarketers that promote obscure merchandise and seem to call at the most awkward times- you are probably speaking to a Bangalaru (as the locals call themselves)! This business has brought alot of prosperity (relatively) to the city, and nowadays one can walk down busy streets full of fashionably dressed and acessorised young people, past lines of brightly lit big brand clothing, fashion, sports shops, fast food chains, air con shoppin malls and high rise commercial buildings. On the other hand there is still some very dingy streets and run-down areas, beggars etc.
A bit of fun was had in the morning i went out to explore some sights, planning to do some long walks in-between locations- when quite a cheap rickshaw fare offered tempted me to take the easier option in the searing heat. However we flew past the destination we agreed on - and when i protested to the driver- feigning to jump out of the rickshaw at full speed- he offered a 'free drop' if i just visited one shop for 5 minutes. I was familiar with this scam though, and upon further enquiry he addmitted to me that he gets free petrol for dropping me at a shop (though i reckon he may just get cash in this case). Anyway it seemed a harmless enough exercise and despite my protestations it looked like the only way i could get the guy to drop me where i wanted to go(!)- so i figured i would dust off my bollywood skills and pretend to be interested for a few minutes in this one shop. In the shop it turned out there was no very 'hard sell' for the overpriced goods beyond the repeated and gradually more insistent attempt at power of suggestion, but after escaping this shop unscathed (financially too!) i didnt predict that the rickshaw driver would try to pull another shifty- insisting 'only one more shop' this time offering me a free drop to anywhere in the city and cash in hand to boot! My greedy deal swinging instincts were overcome by common sense this time and i jumped out soon as we slowed in traffic ( luckily in a one-way street)- though i kinda liked the idea of swindling these exortionate false 'government shops' in tandem with this rickshaw man, i had things to do, places to see. So i found my way to MG- commercial hub amazed at the posh style shops, then went for a long 4km walk past old govts buildings, parks and new freeway overpasses to the extensive lalbagh botanic gardens in the south of the city- lakes, flower gardens, tropical plants massive old trees, couples, families and groups entertaining themselves leisurely. I met a young guy from orissa there who was doing his own sightseeing so we decided to cruise to a few places together. Cubben park, the colonial supreme court, majestic and huge dravidian style government house and the central market were on the agenda. I have to say that the reputation bangloreans have for being friendly was upheld by my experiences- a nice introduction to South India and the more relaxed inter-personal feel.
Visiting Mysore brought back many pleasing childhood memories from Jan 1994 when i visited here with family, though this time of course i couldnt afford anything like the extravagantly sized rooms we stayed in then. The city has apparently also progressed well since then, with a sense of dynamism about the place, a fleet of flash new AC public buses zipping around town, new fancy buildings, good signage, many new cars on the streets. I Returned by public bus for a visit to the massive monolithic stone bull on Chamundi hill beside mysore, also visiting the nearby sacred hilltop temple to goddess Durga, where pilgrims are processed orderly through gates. Nearby the Durga temple i discovered a 'museum of god' in a strange lookin building, my first impression were positive, with peaceful, ecumenial messages. It turned out this was a place promoting 'Rajayoga'. However i was a touch put off by the attendants proclamations of absolute truth in only one god- named shiva, he also promised the reward for practitioners of being reborn as a king- surely an selfish/elitist philiosophy!
Was also lucky to be in town on sunday for the palace viewing all lit up by 20,000 odd globes- very majestic, pleasant atmosphere amongst the crowds of locals and visitors.
people in mysore were very friendly- got a free motorcycle lift back to the city off one fitness keen chap who i met jogging down the hill- he was proud to tell me about his work for the central government customs department- don't think this nice chap asks for too many bribes! Also played cricket with some young and enthusiatic local guys, very friendly too- most of them uni graduates and studying for MBAs and such- too bad the boys cricket grounds were were squashed and displaced by the cities 'progress' as new developments sprang up!
from Mysore to Ooty- a hill station at 2240m in the north western corner of tamil Nadu state this was an altogether different destination. The climbing 5 hour journey gave some awesome views across the plains and to other distant mountain ranges, and we also passed the mudumalai national park in the corner of 3 states- thick forests, lush greenery, saw a herd of spotted deer by the roadside and momentarily regretted not staying over in this place- but on i had to go. In Ooty there were many relics of the time when this was a mountain escape for colonial blow-in's unused to the Indian heat- mansions, gardens planted with European plants, trees- oaks, flowers etc. visited a mountaintop- doodabetta- the highest mountain in southern india for a magnificent view over hills, forests, valleys and plain covering several states of India. The Botanic gardens was attractive and popular with the many local tourists on jan 1 - but the minority Toda group village was human-zoo like (complete with drunken tribal man mumbling aggressively) when compared to the fascinating tribal museum and research centre that i visited the following day- many insights into the diverse origins and unusual practices of the 8 main identified tribal minority groups of Southern India. On Jan 1 i was lucky enough to meet some lovely girls from Mizoram in NE India while in the botanic gardens, they were here for work training and i spent the next couple of evening hanging out with them. Interesting to hear about the life and situation up in the Northeast-e.g. these girls were christian looked Thai/Vietnamese/Chinese and spoke a language (the native language of Mizoram) that sounded like Canto.
the forested hills, lake and mountainsides gave Ooty a somehwat romantic quality (i was affected by it too!)- not lost on the many Indian honeymooners who could be seen there, and the place also had a very much leisure oriented vibe- many families too in fun parks riding colourful plastic cars and planes, jumping castles etc. A highlight was the slow mini-steam train journey down out of the monutains througfh other small towns and villages and with glorious views of valleys and cliffs, birds monkeys around- for 3.5 hours to travel 46km it felt like the right speed to enjoy the view (kinda like cycling). Sat beside another gorup of very friendly and charming Jain people from gujarat who endearned themselves to me with theirt conversation and manners- so many of the nicest people i have met in India have been Jain!
2 regular train rides later and i arrived in kochi- capital of kerala state- the following morning.
first place i stayed and visited was Fort Kochi for 2 nights- were the Portuguese, dutch and British had each taken their turn to rule and leave their mark on the town and its architecture. A popular tourist haunt- this place had many old churches, a dutch palace, fort ruins and uniquely had a 16th century synagogue- apparently jews had been prominent citizens of this area and given special status by the pre-colonial rulers. cycled around the main sites and also kept abreast of the test cricket results which ended up steeped in controversy........... The locals i spoke to were not at all happy about that one!

Sooooo…
Kerala has been quite paradisical- long sandy beaches, palm fringed backwaters, lush vegetation, relaxed atmosphere, clear blue sky, bright sun, smiling locals.
There is much to be said for Kerala as a destination for visitors- it is much more hospitable than other parts of India an eclectic culture and many interesting places to visit.
My first day in Kerala I traveled the length and breadth of an offshore island (linked by modern bridges) looking for accommodation- without success- but found much more in the shape of quiet palm-fringed beaches (I couldn’t believe there was so few hotels!) serene backwaters, dolphin watching from the ferry ride across the bay, a Christian ‘Jesus wisdom’ festival that packed out the streets so the bus could hardly squeeze through the crowds (haven’t seen a Christian event attracting those kind of crowds in Oz!)- illustrating the 19% population of Kerala that is Christian. In the words of Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen, Kerala is also Indias most ‘socially advanced’ state- with the highest literacy (93%), education and health ratings and one of the highest average incomes in the country- and some credit must be given to the communist government that has been in charge in Kerala for years. Just traveling the streets one gets a sense that there is a certain standard maintained, a basic dignity of existence and resources afforded to all citizens. Chatting to a young and bright staff (the most knowledgable youth I had met in India) at my hotel in the capital city (it felt more like a town) Kochi, there were some complaints of opportunities like the IT boom lost due to communist dogmatic hostility to Western (e.g. US) interests and such foreign investment, others i spoke to were more happy with the governments performance. I saw democracy in action on a couple of occasions with small street protests arguing for fairer resource allocation and job opportunities- i guess this comes from the literacy that people feel confident to assert their opinions. Many people were anxious to tell me (some rather insistently) that Kerala is ‘gods own country’ as the tourism slogan goes- it seems to have caught on!
A most enjoyable day was had while cycling through coastal villages outside of Kollam, swimming in some pristine and almost deserted beaches, schools of small flashing silver fish brushing against my legs in apparent curiousity, trying the local toddy (coconut liquor) brew that is very popular with local gents, visitng a tall lighthouse, lunching on a delicious seafood feast, visiting churches, temples and mosques and getting to know a few of the locals who seem to have a different outlook on life from other Indians I had met- perhaps it’s the weather and environment that just chills them out a touch.
Today visited a old palace of the Travancore (name during British era) kings- made all of wood, attractive, large, and cleverly designed and cool inside despite the heat- it featured a prayer room, bathing place, conference hall, bedroom, with coins, weapons and beautiful paintings on display.

Even in Kerala though, where women are more respected and given greater role in society (they even feel free to smile, and, shock horror- giggle in public on occasion!!), i have to say that rules of interpersonal (esp. with strangers) relations seem ruled by male force as opposed to female principle. When im travelling in new countries, i like to tap in to the local customs, habits, manners, to break down the insider/outsider barriers, but this has been a challenge here- there are few patterns of politness or common niceities that i can ascertain. Itseems as close to chaos or anarachy as any human society that i have experienced. As an independent traveller, it is testing, as without these basic principles of reasonable conduct to fall back upon, i feel like i need to be 'ready for battle' at all times, and this creates some stress, combined with the communication, time and money pressures, travelling here can be unpleasant. This is no denunciation of India though- she is a vast and immeasurably diverse land, of course general criticisms hardly suffice, and time may tell if governments and society succeed in breaking down caste traditions and instilling mass literacy- these obvious barriers to human fulfillment can be removed- but with the pressures of neo-liberal globalisation (money and GDP growth ahead of social outcomes), not to mention traditionalist and communalist politics (a resurgent Hindutva movement and BJP party) this potential for progress is hardly a foregone conclusion. Let us pray for India!
next i will tell you about more about Kollam, Kanyakumari and Varkala (where i am now) and should have some stories from the deep and wild jungles of Periyar sanctuary too!
see you next time!