The cold air in the foyer was very welcoming. The hotel bar had an international feel to it, like a surf club or an airport flight lounge. The smell of beer soaked bar mats and cheap aftershave greeted me at the door. It was a rowdy, windowless room and the air was as chilled as the beer. A nice respite, after the mugginess outside.
It was full of men, not one woman to be seen, all suits and ties, some with jackets off and ties loosened.
It felt like I was in a gay bar but I'm pretty sure there were none of those in India, especially in this sleepy coastal town. The food was seriously good here, as the bar was attached to a very good four-star hotel. The Restaurant downstairs, serviced the bar upstairs.
The drunken atmosphere was a bit grating but you couldn't get a beer in the family restaurant downstairs, so the bar it was.
It had been a long day and I was keen for an early night. I ate the vegetable curry and paratha in a blink, drank half of the large Kingfisher and hit the road, for the two kilometer walk back to Gowri Residence.
I like to walk whenever I go anywhere new. I never walk anywhere at home, unless I have to. But when I travel, I find it's a great way to really get to know somewhere.
A thug of musty, dank air fell on me, as I open the door to the bungalow. I turn the fan on high, hit the cold shower and then turn in for the night. The only sounds as I drift off, are that of the frogs and cicadas, playing a syncopated, cacophony of melodious songs. They serenade me into a deep, dreamless sleep.
The last thing I think about, before drifting off to sleep, is about buying my bike and starting this journey properly. Gowri Residence is an extravagant digression from my normal budget-lifestyle. A little trip down memory lane with the old man.
I feel close to the old bugger here. I hope he comes with me, on my adventures through this magical land of exotic sights and sounds. I've fallen in love with Kerala and it's simple village lifestyle.
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