At 07.00 we were already checking out at the hotel and ten minutes later Lety stamped his signature on the contract that will link us for the next three weeks (day up day down) to our new travel companion: Gambita! (don't get jealous Jordi). The name has been given by Lety because of its color and because in Kerala they eat death shrimp! Gambita is a 125 CC Hero Master that we hope will hold the tour.
We put what we think we are going to need in a single backpack, we get on a gambit and there we go! At 08.00 we start our trip through southern India by motorcycle and leave Cochi behind! The first place we passed is Alleppey, where we had already been visiting the "backwaters" on a ship to molón. Now we see these landscapes from the road and they are still wonderful.
A little earlier we had already changed the road, leaving the one on the coast (number 66 ... the destination means something) that is nicer but slower, and we take the NH-47 highway, much less quiet but faster. We would only release her to make a breakfast-stop along the way and another more fleeting in Kollam and check that it is no big deal. Finally we take the detour to Varkala to make the last 20 km.
We arrive at Varkala at 2:00 p.m., after traveling 200 km, that is, an average of 33 km / h, with the stops on duty.
The truth is that we had planned to do only one night in Varkala, we thought it was a place in the “Benidorm of India” plan, and nothing could be further from the truth! We loved it and extended our stay one more day. The place is spectacular! A beach flanked by a cliff only accessible from one side or from one of the two stairs that descend from the top of the cliff.
We were crazy with this beach! Steal more than anyone, because it was thought that under the mounds of sand scattered around a part of the beach there were dead buried! This guy sees a lot of zombie movie. He had to ask a villager to get out of his stubbornness and in reality they are like altars where the "santones" to which whole families go to make "bids" are placed. They are rituals worth seeing, you can almost feel the feeling with which they perform them.
Varkala reminded us of the sacred city of Gokarna, as many pilgrims are seen coming to the place to celebrate their ceremonies. In addition, there is a fairly large temple, where only a part of it can be accessed, because the most sacred place is only for Hinduists (do not want to go through one of them, unless they undergo some test and do not pass it and they kick you out of the country!)
The truth is that we were very positively surprised. Perhaps on another trip we return more calmly and enjoy some of the Ayurvedic therapies that are announced every 10 meters jiji ...
USEFUL INFO
Motorcycle:The motorcycle is a HERO MASTER of 125 CC, with only 1,000 km, much better a new one to give it the rod we have in mind. We rented it at the SAN MIKE agency, the very nice and honest man left us at 325 INR per day. (It is a fairly high price for the days we have rented it ... but Kochi is like that: damn expensive! If you rent the motorcycle in Goa for example you can go to 200 per day!). We fill the deposit for 400 INR. We calculate that we will have to do about 250 km with a full tank.
Varkala:It is a small place structured in two areas (we always talk about the part of the beach): the "beach road", which goes directly to the beach, where there are several lodgings and restaurants. And "Varkala Cliff", a pedestrian street just above the cliff, where most establishments are concentrated. We stayed down, because it was the first place where we arrived with the motorcycle. There is accommodation from 300 double (at the Gratutude Inn), if you stay longer you can haggle. It may be worth staying somewhere 500 or 600 but better.
There are local buses that leave at the beach road crossing. From there to any of the two points is not more than 1km, the tuctuc should not be expensive. If you stay at the top you will have to go down the stairs to get to the beach, but it is not complicated. Also the views from here are a pasote!
Travel:
Departure from Kochi south on road 66.
In Andhakaranazhi, turn left. Bad road for a few km
After a short turn to the right, taking the NH-47, two lanes and one way. Pass by Kollam and Varkala
KM: 200
Time: 6 hours
Road condition: good.
