Sore behinds and stare-filled beaches.

After an incredibly relaxing afternoon messing about on the river, the following day proved to be a bit of a culture shock. Up at the crack of dawn. Chasing rickshaws down the road. Arriving late for the train. Buying an extra expensive last-minute ticket. Spending four hours sitting on the hard train floor dodging stamping feet and swinging bags.

Eventually Peter and I arrived in Trivandrum. And then decided to leave. We headed out to Kovalam to the beach. I’m not sure it was our best decision – it’s a little like being in Margate (no offense to anyone from Margate...). Still, after spending an afternoon feeling terribly self-conscious on the beach (the locals can be a bit, erm, stare-y), we found a quiet place to eat and spent a lovely evening talking politics, religion and environmental activism with two Italian ladies and a Spanish one. It was made extra entertaining by the fact that this was all conducted in three languages. The Austrian and Italians being able to speak Italian, English and Spanish. The Spanish lady, only Spanish. And me, only English. It all made for a very entertaining Valentine’s evening.