Sadly, we agree that staying here any longer just isn’t
realistic. Haksar and Sabeena had
planned to have us to their home for dinner later in the week, so we have to
break the news to them that we are off to someplace cooler – with AC!
We promise to come back to Sea Splendour . . . we take many
wonderful, sweet memories with us and are grateful for their warmth and
hospitality.
After looking at the map, we seriously consider going to
Kannyakumari at the very tip of India to see the sun rise and set over three
seas – the Arabian, the Indian, and the Bay of Bengal. A number of Indians have told us this
is almost like a pilgrimage for them, very important and very popular. There’s only one problem: after hours of searching the internet, we can’t find any
place to stay that gets rave – or even very good – reviews. Hmmm . . . could it be because this
site caters to Indian rather than Western tourists? Whatever the reason, we decide not to chance it.
So. . . how about another beach but this time at a place with A/C? There’s one that’s seems perfect and
only about 30” from the airport in Trivandrum from where we fly home in just a
few days. Kovalam – never heard of
it but it seems absolutely perfect.
OK – that’s it. We find a
lovely place to stay, with a balcony overlooking the Arabian Sea. And A/C!!!
Haksar drops us at the Varkala Railway station where we’ll
get a train to Trivandrum and then a taxi 15 km to Kovalam. Tim gets in line to buy our tickets.
“I want two, first class, AC tickets to Trivandrum.”
“You no want
first class. Too much. 540 rupees each. You go sleeper class.”
Huh?
“I want two, first class, AC tickets to Trivandrum.”
“I no sell you those tickets. You go sleeper – only 86 rupees each.”
With that, she takes the rupees out of Tim’s hand, prints
two tickets – sleeper class – gives him his change and says “40 minutes. You fine.”
Then she smiles at him.
And she was right!
She saved us about 850 rupees and Tim never had a choice in the
transaction! She was determined
that we were going sleeper class and we were not going to waste our money on
first class tickets! Yes, it was
an old, grimy, dirty train car but it wasn’t crowded; we had plenty of
room. With the windows open and
the fans going, it was quite comfortable.
The station at Trivandrum, capital of the State of Kerala,
is remarkable. Easy to navigate, clean,
quiet (by Indian standards) and just as we get off the train, we spot a Kerala
Department of Tourism booth where we can book a flat rate taxi without having
to haggle with drivers out front.
Thirty minutes later we’re at Varma Resort in Kovalam which is just as
advertised – perfect for our last four days in India!
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