Exploring Ernakulam

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At the time of writing we are unable to conveniently connect to the Internet. We brought a laptop and our intention was to buy a mobile phone with Internet access, which we did...... It is a long story, but to make it short we are, at the time of writing, in Munnar and unable to use our Airtel phone because we are out of their [insert appropriate swear word here] coverage area. It is all very tiresome. Anyway, the point is that our main photographic experiences from Ernakulam are in the form of video clips. These will posted once we get to a place which is covered by Airtel. Probably in five days time. For now it is Internet café time.

Kochi's geography
Kochi is comprised of a number of islands and mainland Ernakulam set between the Arabian Sea and the Backwaters of Kerala. To the west of Ernakulam is Willingdon Island, which can be reached by ferry or train. There are a few fancy hotels and casinos on Willingdon so there was no real reason for us to go there. To the west of Willingdon is Fort Kochi. To the north of Willindon and Fort Kochi are a number of insignificant islands (see map). Our focus was on Ernakulam and Fort Kochi, two very different places.
We arrived at Kochi International Airport, located 35 kilometers north of Kochi, on Saturday. As predicted we were unable to muster enough energy to go into Ernakulam, 10 kilometers from the hotel, on the Saturday.

The Clothes shopping incident
After having spent our arrival day, Saturday, finding our feet, we decided to spend a few hours of Sunday in Ernakulam. The main priority was to get some clothes that were suitable for the heat and humidity of Kochi. Most tourists wear t-shirts and shorts, but these aren't really suitable when you sweat. Traditional Keralan clothing is loose and light cotton which makes it possible for the body to breathe. Since we are traveling light, and since there is no reason to bring clothes from home, due to clothes being so cheap in India and traveling light being a priority, our first task was to get dressed.

The easiest way to get dressed is to go to Fabindia. It may be overpriced compared to the clothes shops you find in markets and on street corners, but in Fabindia it is possible to try on the clothes before buying. This is useful as Indian clothes sizes are different from European sizes. Also, Fabindia is air conditioned, which is very convenient and arguably more fragrant when having to try on numerous garments.

We found one of two Fabindias on Marine Drive, and it proved to be a funny first encounter with shopping in India. The two employees, both male and young, didn't seem particularly experienced. For instance, they clearly failed in the very important task of keeping order. In Fabindia, the Indian version of Benetton but don't let that put you off, the colourful clothes are stored, ideally neatly, on endless shelves, in endless piles with each pile supposedly containing one size in 10 different colours. In addition there are short sleeves, long sleeves, long shirt, mini shirt etc; each having their own pile. Consequently, it gets terribly messy when you want to extract items; especially if you have to try on a large number to find the right size. Obviously, the perfect item would be somewhere in the middle of a pile (actually, it is very unlikely that we found the perfect item, but in the end we were quite happy with the outcome).

Getting Mort sorted was relatively easy: two pyjama bottoms and two kurtas were chosen in less than half an hour. However, dressing up Sarah was more complicated since the two boys weren't of much use in providing advice as to whether the trousers were the right size and shape; in retrospect we should have considered that it maybe isn't appropriate for a woman to ask a man for advice in a clothes shop in India. Luckily, Sarah, getting desperate, and Mort wilting on stool in a corner, approached a female shopper for advice. The woman, after having recovered from the approach, was very helpful and even complimented the choice of colours.

When we went to pay we suddenly realised that there was a third employee (?) in the shop: a woman in a cupboard.

The rickshaw experience
When we went from the airport to the hotel we used a taxi. When we went from the hotel to Ernakulam we used a taxi. However, for the most part, it isn't convenient, plus it is stuffy, clammy and expensive to use a taxi for getting around Ernakulam city. Walking will go a long way, but invariably a rickshaw is the most efficient means of transportation if you need to go slightly longer distances. Everyone uses rickshaws, they are quite cheap and the city is full of them; even if you tried you wouldn't be able to not find one. An added bonus is that in this part of India, tourists and Indians are charged the same.

One difference between rickshaw drivers in Ernakulam and, for instance, Fort Kochi and Munnar is that they don't come looking for you, making Ernakulam a very pleasant place.

Our first rickshaw experience occurred when we had to get back to the hotel after the clothes shopping incident. Now, since we have never before been to India, or to any other place that uses rickshaws, we were a bit wary about the daunting thought of travelling in a flimsy vehicle (read: moped with a tin can on its back) that is weaving in and out of heavy traffic. Add to this that the fumes from these many vehicles are definitely not controlled by catalytic converters, and you have a recipe for disaster in one form or another. Many road traffic police officers have to retire after only a few months on duty because of air pollution according to an article in The Hindu Times. The somewhat chaotic life of a rickshaw driver, or rather four minutes of it, can be seen in the video clip below. How exactly it is possible to spend 10 or more hours a day like that is beyond us. Maybe this is why there is a special need for hospitals like this:
Still, we had to get back to the hotel, and since we had had a nice afternoon, with a proper, relaxing Sunday stroll in the park, we were ready to be adventurous. Exiting the park we came across a newspaper reading rickshaw driver and plucked up courage to enter into our first negotiation of the trip. When reading about people's experiences of India it seems like negotiation is an integrated part of Indian society. However, our experience so far is that there isn't much room for negotiation in Ernakulam; most rickshaw drivers charge roughly 10 rupees per kilometre, and the one time we tried to negotiate a better price we were told that we were welcome to try and find another driver. It wasn't actually phrased quite like that; we were, and still are, surprised by the fact that very few Keralans speak much English; only the most educated and the ones who have worked abroad seem to possess a level of English that makes communication with them possible. Generally, it isn't a problem though; sign language and basic English go a long way.

Video clip to be inserted when we arrive at a location where the signal is strong enough to upload a 55mb file.

The driver seemed a bit unsure of the precise location of the hotel, but said he would take us there. And the ride was exactly as predicted: fumy, breezy, noisy, smelly, dusty and bumpy. Strangely, even though it was probably dangerous, in the sense that had we had a crash the survival chances would have been slim, we felt quite safe. On our first rickshaw ride we already felt that this was a means of transportation that was safe enough to be used regularly. Also, it feels right to travel by rickshaw, as opposed to taxi; rickshaws seem so well suited for Indian roads since they can easily avoid pot holes, of which there are many, and they take up little space. After a slight detour (driver got lost) we made it back to the hotel.

One common characteristic of the rickshaw drivers of Ernakulam is that they are very friendly: they all want a quick chat, however basic that may be due to language barriers, and they won't try to cheat you. There is no such thing as a functioning meter, it just sits there gathering dust, but when you have agreed a price it stands. People's experiences in the North of India can be different; there, some drivers will, at the end station, renege on the agreed price, which can be unpleasant for a traveller: the problem of dealing with a trickshaw driver.

Getting connected to the Internet
Before leaving the UK we spent some time planning how to get connected to the outside world when in India. Our choices were to rely on pay phones, hotel phones and Internet Cafés or bring a laptop computer and buy a mobile phone compatible with Internet access. We chose the latter option. Then, after careful analysis, we decided that we should get either an Airtel connection (cheap but imperfect coverage) or a Reliance connection (expensive but perfect coverage). The choice was easy. It was determined by the weather. It quickly became apparent that running around Ernakulam in 30 degrees and with 90 percent humidity trying to find a phone outlet with knowledgeable, English speaking personnel was not easy. After having tried different places without luck we finally came across a Hutch shop that fulfilled the criteria. It happened to sell Airtel connections and so it was that we went with Airtel. A phone with Bluetooth and data cable for £60 and unlimited Internet access for £3 a month.

We are still suffering from that choice. For instance, there is no coverage in Munnar. In Kottayam, where we are at the time of writing, the signal is very variable; sometimes, especially outside the house, the signal is good, but it isn't really feasible to do blogging in the middle of the road. Alas, we are stuck with Airtel, and hopefully, the signal will get better as we go along.

The weather
The climate in Kochi is tropical. This means high heat and high humidity for most of the year. Surprisingly, it is quite easy to get used to this kind of climate; it may be a different story when the temperatures (40+) and the humidity level (90+) reach their maximum in April and May.

The way to deal with the weather is to 1) wear loose cotton clothing; 2) don't expose too much skin as even water proof sun screen will run off quickly with the intense sweating; 3) buy a dual purpose umbrella, i.e. an umbrella with inbuilt silver lining. Many Keralites carry an umbrella when they go out since frequent, heavy showers are to be expected at this time of the year, and protection from the strong sun is almost always necessary. 4) Shower frequently, at least twice a day, and apply talcum power liberally after each shower to protect against prickly heat rash. 5) Don't move too quickly. 6) Drink (not alcohol).

Our impression of Ernakulam
Ernakulam has the feel of a capital: there is a lot of traffic and noise, but the people are very friendly. It is a good place to start your journey into India because you don't have to deal with the more challenging aspects of India all at the same time; for instance, you won't find many hawkers, beggars or starving animals. In other cities, you are simultaneously confronted with too many of the negative sides to India. One of the reasons for the relative order in Kerala is that the state has a well developed welfare system.

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This entry was posted by pundabee, on Friday, November 10, 2006. You can leave your response.