It's a Long Way Home

We knew the day would come when we would pack for the last time and prepare for days of airports, waiting, flying, waiting, airports, waiting, flying. We just left Varkala, the most gorgeous cliff town where, had we known better, we might have stayed for at least a week or two. Our rickshaw driver, Sidhu, took us to a village for yet another elephant ride, this time not quite "bareback", but with only a blanket, no seat. The elephants were the most enormous creatures we've ever seen, one jet black with long white ivories. Sidhu was kind enough to take us to the temple and to do errands in the town, and to introduce us to his family and friends, and... get this.... When he found out Susan was a driver's ed teacher, he stopped the rickshaw and let her drive! Yes, on the LEFT side of these narrow torn up roads, with the clutch and gears on the left. He was impressed. (Of course, she's driven motorcycles and 3 wheelers, etc. so she's got an edge here). The "rest of the story" came when he made Maggi try! (more later on that). We ate our last meal (Tandoori oven BBQ vegetables and Susan had Baracuda!) while we sat outside under a half moon, coconut palms, and a dramatic sea that looked like a sheet of mica, shifting blue and silver light in a steady ocean breeze. WOW. It doesn't get better than that. (Have we said that more than once on this trip?) Now in Trivandrum, where we fly out ... but first, we ask rickshaw driver to take us to breakfast, the internet cafe, then to the temple and a beautiful sculpture park, and then finally the airport. We fly to Mumbai and try to find a room for the night, then fly out the next night. Will try to email from Mumbai, but if not, we'll see you Wednesday night (which will be Thursday a.m. for us!)