“We’ll keep the boat here until the south-west monsoon breaks, then head over to Malaysia sometime around October,” said Jamie and I when, in May 2010, we tied up at Kochi International Marina. Continue reading »
May 012013
Dec 272012
Kerala’s population is the best educated in India, a high proportion working in offices or the service industries. This means that manual labourers are drawn from neighbouring states like Tamil Nadu.
Oct 292012
Nazar 72 and Millie-the-cat
I am thrilled to announce that my story, Nazar 72, has been published in Foreign Encounters, the third travel anthology from Writers Abroad.
May 302012
It just goes to show that a little persistence can (sort of) pay off. I’ve been bombarding the poor old Guardian for months with tips, opinions and comments. I’ve managed to get a few pieces in Saturday’s newspaper (but none of them has made it to ‘tip of the week’ and netted me that elusive camera … yet). I was lucky enough to have two of my longer essays spotlighted in “Readers’ blogs”. This week I’m stoked to say they chose my piece for their on-line introduction to Kochi (name credit an’all). Here it is, fresh from the Guardian website: Continue reading »
May 062012
It’s always hot, and often wet in the tropics. At certain times of the year I really miss England’s seasons. There is no spring in India, the seasons segue from winter to summer here. Kerala is at its hottest in April and May, when pre-monsoon steamy white heat reduces the tumbling torrent of Cochin’s street-life to a dried up trickle. Tourists are the only fools to go out in the midday sun. Even the mad dogs sleep.
Jan 172011
Munnar, Kerala’s best known hill station, is set in a land of undulating hills blanketed by tea estates. But beware, in this dreamy landscape death lurks at every turn.