Friday, January 19, 2018

Colombo to Guruvayur.

The alarm woke us up at 5 as we went about our chores and we're ready at the foyer, with our baggage neatly kept in a row, to be loaded into the bus which ultimately fetched up at a half past 9. Meanwhile, the photography sessions were on, clicking each and everyone for posterity. Victoria was his gregarious self but did I trace a tinge of sadness as we're leaving his company? Many of us weren't well. Was it because of the frequent ins and outs from the air conditioned environs of the bus to the hot weather prevalent around?

A word about the Jie Jie Beach hotel at Panadura. Though the infrastructure is good, services were pathetic. The GM was called in and told in as many words. Hope he and his crew sort out their lethargy as early as possible.

We're at the airport by 11. The people going to New Delhi(Their flight was at 1350 hrs) and us(Our flight to Kochi was at 1410 hrs) were the first to disembark and after quite a few hugs and hand shakes, we proceeded into the departure terminal. The emigration, security check and the customs clearance didn't take much time with a few of the officials being pleased as Punch on hearing my answer that the six days were too short and we'd be fetching up quite soon for another 'chukker'. Lekha'd picked up a bag of chocolates, from the duty free shop, for distributing it to many of our friends and relatives. I'd a string of $1, which I didn't want to carry back and so had an Expresso, which taught me two things:-

      (a) the stuff is served in a teenie weenie styrofoam container.
      (b) it didn't excite our palates either.

The security check in Sri Lankan airports is very thorough with every individual having to strip himself off the shoes and socks, belt and watch. It was cumbersome for the passengers but the Sri Lankans have not forgotten the nightmare that the Tamil militants had inflicted upon them, not very far back in time.

We're at Kochi by about 10' past 3. We're picked up and taken to the Golf View Hotel as arranged previously. Our Chevy was washed down and parked, ready to be driven off. After an initial dithering, we'd made it to my cousin's office where she'd organised tea and snack for us. And it was she who'd suggested a chauffeur for us, seeing my overall physical state. Bipin was a smart lad who'd been in Doha and Dubai for about 41/2 years and had returned, dejected. He drove the car beautifully and I'd no cause for complaints. We dropped him at the transport bus station to board the 2030 super fast to Kochi, from Kannur.

We drove back to 'The Quarterdeck' soon after. It was a quiet evening, thereafter, after six days of fun and frolic, non stop! A memorable trip indeed!!



Tailpiece.

Lekha'd also begun to cough and showed signs of feverishness. Without second thought, I put her on a course of antibiotics.   

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