Arrival in Trivandrum.... We were upgraded for the flight from Dhubai - don't know why, theory is that Dave was wearing a jacket, albeit a crumpled linen one. Trouble was, we couldn't keep the posh cutlery as planned with the plastic in steerage, as Tamil Nadu people eat with fingers so we need to carry 'implements'. See, everything has a drawback!! However, the charming service from the dishy young steward, and the champagne and real crockery were appreciated. Arrived in Trivandrum @ 4am, temp. 26C. There had been a delay while some luggage was removed as the passengers didn't turn up and we had joked perhaps it was ours after the upgrade. Began to worry it wasn't a joke as luggage and huge parcels appeared b y the thousand, but not our stuff. It did appear eventually and we emerged into seething humanity crowded round the barrier. Someone spotted us and the three who had driven through the night welcomed us. So began the nightmare ride (2-3 hours) to Chinnamalpuram. Dave was scared too - very! However, we made it and were greeted rapturously by children. Eventually we crashed about 8.30am to be awoken @ 9 for breakfast. Mingled a bit, then crashed, then unpacked - well, sort of. The champagne flight begins to look very silly from here!

it is extremely hot here and quite humid but today there is a breeze. Everything looked sparse and tatty when we arrived but we are soon gettting our eye in, and it all looks OK now.

Christy who cooks for us can't understand our desire for tea brewed with water not milk (and the milk is very strange) so she makes it very strong with buckets of sugar. She is lovely and gives us far too much food. Hospitality is big here and so generous. Hard to accept when they have so little themselves.