The immigration control in Chiangi airport is now automated, but to enjoy it you have to fill online arrival card 1,2 or 3 days before. Going to downtown you must take green subway line to Expo station and change to blue line to Chinatown. Chinatown changed for better since my first visit in 80-ties.

In the hostel I am waiting till 3 pm for registration… No mercy! The Beary Best! Hostel seems to be one of the best accomodations of this category. But… This is the hostel, not a pension or inn. For 20 euro per night you will get the bed in the 10 person’s bunk beds dark and cramp room, without any chair. But it has the extras: towel (if you ask for) and private locker under the bed – like big a suitcase, but bring little lock with you.

If you are after long night flight you will be still happy. Shared toilet and showers are clean!

I spent great 8 days with a lovely Indian family in Trivandrum, making day trips around, but it is time to say goodbye. The best air connection to Singapore – my next destination offers Malaysia Airline. In the past they cancelled my flight, the same repeated now – they rebooked me for the flight 2 days earlier – but I was forced to modify plans.

My host delivered me to the airport terminal 2 and the theatrum began: it is hard to imagine Indian bureaucracy, the service goes so slow,any controls on the way, a lot of papers must be filled. New terminal 2 is very elegant. But tonight only 2 flights of 8 departed – the rest did not arrive from the Middle East war area.

We started just after midnight. The only meal they offer was poor, spice and without any bread. We landed just before sunrise in Kuala Lumpur. I had 1,5 hour for the connection to Singapore…

Varkala or Varakala lies on the coast, some 50 kms from Trivandrum. It is popular seaside destinations in Kerala state.

I went to Varkala by train, paying just 35 rupees for one hour journey in 2nd class. Station is located 2 kms from the cliff. Once on the cliff you will enjoy edge path with the views and long line of little shops and restaurants. Many westerners is coming here, as the place has the stmosphere:

There are numerous paths going down to the beach. The beach is flat and wide. Sorry, only few palms under the cliff. Waves were high today so few people decided to swim. The guards care about the safety.

I was walking on the sand to the southern end of the wide beach where they have water sports facility. But it is possible to walk further south. The beach is more narrow there and has no facilities – it is more “wild” – an interesting goal for nature lovers. Take a lot of water with you!

I returned to Trivandrum just before tropical storm. But it was great day!

Yes, Trivandrum has a city beach on the other side (seaside) of the airport. To have a full scope I decided to go there by foot – it is some 4 kms from the city center. First what you will see will be a row of fishing boats and some stalls whete the ladies accompanied by sea birds are selling fish. Bad smell, garbage – I took few pictures and escaped to the Terminal 1 (domestic) of the airport.

The beach you will see 100 m further north was completly empty if you don’t count wandering dogs. Another boats are parked on the sand an there is a lot of garbage around. Only the 5-m strip kissed by silver waves is clean.

I walked in the heat further north to reach after half kilometre two lonely guys from life guard. There was a restairant above the sand and some food stalls. The owners told me that people are coming here only in the late afternoon to enjoy the sunset. Maybe. But due to the lack of palms it is hard to say it is romantic place… Bus 9A goes here from East Fort. The stop is easy to recognize – there is monument of army helicopter. Nearby the monument of the sirene was more interesting for me:

Summary: the capital of Kerala should have clean and developed beach!

Kovalam has the opinion to be the best beach resort in the State of Kerala. It took me only 40 minutes and 25 rupees to get there by city junk bus from the East Fort bus station in Trivandrum.

From the final bus stop there is little alley going down to the first beach Hawa or Rock Beach. Few fishing boats operate from there. Also water sports are offered. Water is shallow, guards are present and are whistling often. On the other end of this cove there is something like junk observation tower. Once you will pass this tower you will enter the next cove, housing the palms: palm-fringed Lighthouse Beach. More tourists here, more shops and restaurants under the palms. Red and white lighthouse stays on the rocky hill on the opposite end of the cove. The lighthouse with surroundings is the highlight of the Kovalam.

If you decide to pay 50 rupees entry fee and start little hike up, already from the stairs you will see great view of Lighthouse Beach (photo above). Once in the lighthouse you will take a lift up and hike to the balcony for the fantastic panorama:

There is one more beach after lighthouse: Rocky Beach. With access by narrow stairs only few people go there. Therevare big boulders. I went there for the views – it is worth, but you will return the same way.

Fantastic day and only limited number of tourists. But it is very hot and the sun is stron so bring a lot of water and a sun screen!

I have been in India many times, visiting different parts of this wide country – from Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, but I didn’t reach Cap Comorin.

I booked last expensive bookable coach a/c sleeper expecting a crowd and this was a mistake – no crowd and because cold after 2,5-hours journey journey I was already sneezing. From Kanyakumari station there is only about 1 km walk to the Cap. Pilgrims are coming here for ritual ablutions.

On the rocky island nearby they built enormous monument of biggest Tamil writer. On the second rock there is menorial house of the other Tamil hero. Locals are going there by ferry for tge picture. On the land there is Memorial of Ghandi (take a shoes off). Ashes of Ghandi were kept here before they spread them above the ocean…

Goddes Amman Temple is closed every day from 12 till 4 pm, so I hadn’t a chance to look inside (photos are strictly forbidden anyway).

i recommend you fishing village east from the Cap – in two sandy coves there is more than 50 colorful boats… In the same quarter you will see few lovely catholic churches. Leave the shoes outside!

Back in the station I bought regular 2nd class ticket to Trivandrum for just 25 rs (yes 25 rs instead of 520 for reserved a/c). It was raining on the way, so we were sprayed through the windows, but this was another adventure!

They announce feeling of the temperature for today of 40 deg Celsius… No need to order Uber ride – most of tuk-tuk (3-wheel moto taxi have installed counters) just make sure that it is switched on! I went in the morning to the most important museum of Trivandrum – lord Napier Museum:

Locals pay here for entry 30 rupees. From me they wanted 6,5 times more: 200. Scandal! Inside there ic collection of artifacts from colonial periods. Building itself is also interesting – mixture of orient and oriental style. The park around houses zoo and many flowers. From the museum I took a walk along main street to St Joseph’s catholic cathedral. Just opposite there are other, but closed temples: The mosque and hindu Ganesh temple:

There were peaceful manifestation in the main street but I don’t know what they are fighting for – not that language:

Then I went to the central station to buy a ticket. In the 21st century it took me more than an hour to fill the forms and stay in the line. Finally I got only one-way ticket and info that they do not accept credit cards issued outside India. But I was waiting with very interesting people:

I returned walking, to see more… Just see the flower necklaces produced by street vendor. The ones in my my national colors I liked most:

Trivandrum where I woke up is a biggest city of the State of Kerala. Around million people live here including suburbs. I live in the little pension Dwaraka Villa hiden in the little lane and surrounded by bananas and palm trees. If you are good walker it is walking distance from International airport, but you must be heat-resistant and it is difficult to navigate in the dark.

Junk Tata city buses (no glass on the windows, no routing table in English but only 18 rs per ride) are cruising main streets. I took one to get via Kerala University to the main temple.

Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple is the main hindu temple in Trivandrum. Well guarded by the police from all directions (no photo inside) is frequently visited by pilgrims. I do not know all those myths and their gods but they are coming with the families to wear special clothes and plunge in the holy bassin. Very nice people!:

The main temple photo below) from the distance looks like a gold – covered. But if you come closer you come to the conclusion that the bottom of the temple is original stone but the upper roof is covered by carved plastic:

In the sanctuary there must be a god, they are selling his image on the souvenir paintings – there are many stalls around the temple. The heat wast exhausting. I bought a kilo of tomatoes for 40 rupees and a loaf of bread for 45 and returned home. It is time to write about exotic India… Imagine: today I did not see any other tourist!

This year the islamic ramadan started on February 18th… It was visible in the Emirates – little traffic on the streets, empty eateries… In the elegant Abu Dhabi airport I boarded the Etihad plane heading to Trivandrum in South India. Soon after take off they started the service – warm meal with salad and selection of beers (my favorite kingfisher) and stronger stuff – even Bacardi rum.

Since the beginning of the flight I was impressed by the unusual help and hospitality of one of the crew members. Thanking him I introduced myself and… He said that his Father is Tajik and mother – Russian. He was born and educated in Russia so soon we started to speak Russian. It was great talk about the world travelling. For islamic passengers onbord, fasting whole day they were carrying special meal – yoghurt and dates – Muslims start the evening just after sunset their ramadan meal. There were only few Muslims aboard so Mr Nazar gifted the rest of stock to me wishing happy journey around the world. Thank you Mr Nazar! It was unforgettable meeting!

We landed in India in the darkness. The airport immigration despite my e-visa was very slow… Then I changed 20 USD (in the airport rates are poor) and prepaid the taxi to avoid bargaining with the driver. They were waiting for me in the pension. What a heat and humidity!!

I am flying to Abu Dhabi on Qatar Airways. Yesterday I made on-line check in. And in the hotel reception they printed my boarding passes with QR code. I don’t need a visa to Emirates or Qatar State. I have been in Kathmandu airport before sunrise.

I wanted to go with my boarding pass to the security but handsome QR officer in burgundy jacket said: this boarding pass is not valid. You must stay in the line to checkin desk to receive valid boarding pass. Are they crazy? So why they installed “check on line” facility on their website? To charge more money for the selection of better seat? Shame on you Qatar! You would like to be leading airline?

I experienced one more stress: screening my luggage they found there 2-cm metal cross. They stopped my pack and took me back from the boarding gate through immigration and security to show them the ordinary metal cross. Scandal!

I was surprise that they operate to Kathmandu wide-body Dreamliner. They made a good profit because it was full, but the level of service was not imposing. Breakfast was poor… I will think three times before I will decide to fly with Qatar Airways again!