Kanyakumari

We took a train down to the cape from varkala and braved sleeper class. Sleeper class for those that dont know it is standard class with open windows and houses many people in close proximity on none too comfy seating. The train we caught was the 30 hour express from mumbai so the carriage hummed a fair bit. Aside from that there was plenty of ventilation, the views were good and the carriage was pretty cool inside once moving. Probably a better experience than the air con seats we had on the last train. We got to kanyakumari and woah was it busy. It was a saturday and at a time of much hindu celebration; the place was teaming with pilgrims coming to see the temples, statues and bathe in the three seas. The town has a quaint little bazaar area selling the indian versions of plastic tat and sweet and savoury sweets you would find at a typical english coastal town. The main focus points are the temple (shock) and the island statue. We missed the temple and caught the statue from afar which was very impressive, jutting high out of a turbulent sea with hundreds of pilgrims eagerly waiting to catch what looked like a perilous ferry crossing in geriatric tug boats. Watching the sunset right at the tip of india was quite a spiritual experience, the mood was elevated and thousands of people were celebrating, rejoicing, dipping into the drink, smiling and generally having a ball. It was a nice smash and grab visit as we booked a 7am train to rameswaram the next day.

Niki here... We were also dragged in to a giant pink monument which look not unlike a big pink blamange, it was infact a monument to gandi which the guide 'aka the tnsunami watchman' was eager to tell us about. Our 1st encounter of a guide of this type he sat us in the middle of this platform where just as we sat down 10 coach loads of rowdy school children walked in and started taking photos of us. The guide proceeded to tell us something about gandi very fast with a thick accent. The only bit i did catch was when he would theatrically pause look straight at me and as if straight out of a fast show sketch said 'UNDERSTAND?' to which I just giggled and nodded.