To be honest, it wasn’t a good night. By the time I went to bed I was feeling really rough as a consequence of the heat added to which I had started a touch of ” Traveller’s Tummy ” in Cochin. With the need to rehydrate  and the result of that I was in and out under the mosquito net all night. Fortunately the little air conditioning unit in the cabin did a remarkably good job and we were comfortable from the point of view of temperature and humidity. Anyway by morning I was feeling very delicate.

We woke to the sound of water gently lapping against the side of the boat and the cheery cries of the local fisher folk going about their business in the early morning.

Although it looked idyllic I can’t imagine that they get too excited about doing this day after day, specially the two guys who appeared to be operating an underwater net from in the water, in fact mostly underwater; imagine that every day.

After explaining that all I wanted for breakfast was tea, our cook brought me a cup of delicious and restorative ginger tea, marvellous. I looked on while Mrs S demolished freshly made fruit juice, various cut up fruits as well as toast as we cruised back to the jetty to meet our driver.

On reflection this had been an interesting and unexpected experience as everything provided was first class and the area was beautiful. But if I’d known just how hot it would be I’d have done something else. This is not a criticism but a reminder to me to think things through a bit more in future.

A short journey of about twenty five minutes brought us to our final stay. The journey was delightful through villages and coconut groves with some really nice houses tucked away. This is as different from northern India as you could imagine and if I saw the area without knowing the location I would probably guess it was somewhere like Malaysia. Another nice thing is that although there is some rubbish in the streets it is nothing at all like the unremitting filth of the northern cities; and finally many of the local ladies walk about with very impressive manes of hair loosely tied back and cascading down their backs which is so nice to see.

Marari Beach Resort is set on the shore of the Arabian Sea.

The accommodation is in small cottages set around the grounds which are beautifully appointed and very comfortable. Elsewhere in the grounds are the bar and restaurant, swimming pool and other facilities for the comfort of visitors. There is a yoga pitch (is that the right word?) and an Ayurveda clinic. Everything is very lovely.

As I was feeling rough I took myself to bed (huge and very comfortable, I can just see Mrs Sixwheeler in the distance) and Mrs S went for a facial massage. About an hour and a half later the door opened and this fresh faced young thing entered and got into bed with me. I’ve got to get her out before Mrs S gets back!

I’ll try and do some more photos tomorrow, a day on which I shall have a massage.

19 March 2015