I will never use the phrase 'Things can't get much worse than this" that's just asking for trouble!!! Since my last blog, I have arrived in Kerala, though only just!
Thursday evening I had an early night assisted by my new friend Night Nurse and went to sleep feeling positive that now I had things under control and was starting to feel a bit better. I was quite excited about getting to Kerala as this was going to be the more spiritual part of my journey.
I managed to sleep through til 4am when my stomach decided it obviously wasn't getting enough attention! On returning from the loo and wondering if this would ever end, (I personally think having an enema is more fun!!), I lay in bed with my head hanging over the side under which I had strategically placed a bucket - just in case! Thank fully it wasn't needed, but by the time we had to get up and finish packing the following morning, I could just about face half a scrambled egg and some ginger tea for breakfast! But there was no backing out now, we had a flight booked to Kerala and we bloody well weren't going to miss it, even if it involved us investing in a bag of Pampers?!
So I took a travel sickness tablet and Suresh drove us to the airport, don't think the tablet really kicked in til about five minutes before the end of our one hour journey. Then once inside we had to wait for the check in desk to open, because apparently it was too early to turn up two hours before a flight in India!? When finally through we boarded our plane to Dehli!! For those of you that have a rough idea on the layout of this country you won't be blamed for presuming that we were put on the wrong plane, seeing as Dehli is further North than Udaipur, where as Kerala is down south. But 'this is India' so we just have to 'go with the flow'.
On arrival at Dehli airport we found out that our next flight down to Kerala was going to be delayed by two hours!! I practically crawled into the chemists and begged him to help me out. He was very calm, as I am sure he must see hundreds of tourists a week flying around with stomach problems. He issued me with the statutory anti-biotics that we can only get via prescription in the UK and a tin of protein biscuits and I made my way over to one of the couches, took my medicine and lay down to go to sleep for an hour.
All I can say is, although I didn't manage to sleep, I think I have now overcome my fear of using public toilets!!
Meanwhile, Claudine had got chatting to a Swedish couple sitting nearby and it turned out that the wife was a doctor. I was over there like a shot!! Too late, Claude had already relinquished the relevant information and is now worried about cross infection should we even share a packet of biscuits! I looked at the doctor as she explained that what either of us could be a number of things, but it will get cleared up, the main thing was to try to eat and drink lots of fluids. That was the last straw for me, I burst out crying, explaining that I had lost my appetite and even water made me feel sick and so I was never going to be cured (ever the drama queen) I told her that if it hadn't cleared up within the next 24 hours I was going to have to go back to the UK but I didn't want my bowels to get the best of me!! The two Swedes looked at me with such pity as I wiped my nose and then I said: 'I just want my mum'. The response from everyone at the table was: "I know, I understand".
Finally I managed to get some vegetable soup down my throat and followed everyone through on to the plane. By this point my head was pounding and I wanted to sleep through the next three hours. But Claudine, bless her, was intent on making me drink more rehydration sachets and eat some food, whilst feeling pretty ropey herself.
The lunch arrived, we peeled back the foil covers, looked down at our food, then in unison we turned to each other and burst out laughing hysterically. More curry!!!! (well I suppose that is to be expected on an Air India flight?!?!)
I could only manage a few grains of rice, while Claude managed most of hers - she has an amazing appetite no matter what. Then the hand gel came out, but she must have squeezed the bottle too hard because a lump of it suddenly flew out of the container and landed splat on the chest of the Indian man sitting next to her! Claudine's immediate reaction was to apologise profusely and try to wipe it off for him. This was a total stranger!! Not only did she end up making the stain worse, (he looked like he had been lactating) but I think she may have overstepped a few Boundaries as far as Indian customs are concerned.
We finally got to Kerala!!
It was raining!!!
We booked a pre-paid taxi to the hotel we had made a reservation with in Fort Cochi - another hours drive - and tried to relax in the car. My head was still killing me and Claude had bad stomach cramps and both were just looking forward to getting to the hotel that had been highly recommended by The Rough Guide and sleeping in til the late hours of today.
As expected, the taxi driver got lost!!! He kept stopping to ask directions and at one point someone got in their car to lead us in the right direction - they got lost too!!! It took us two and a half hours to get to the hotel and when we did it was a bit of a .... flea pit. (and that's me using polite language). We had to ask for bed linen and towels, there was no loo paper (thanks again Melanie, Sara and Jess for confiscating my 'extra supply' back in London) and breakfast was not included!!! When I had made the booking originally the woman had assured me everything was included in the price.
Finally we managed to crawl into our rather uncomfortable twin beds at around 2 30am, both agreeing that we would find somewhere else the following morning.
I passed out and fell into a deep sleep only to be woken up about an hour later by Claudine shouting and jumping out of bed because she said there was a rodent walking over her belly!!
I searched the room, but could find no evidence and managed to calm her down again then went to sleep ...
Early this morning, Claude had found another hotel for us to move to and we were out!!!
I have to say, I was very close to flying back home this morning, the last few days have been a bit too much of the India Experience. And if it wasn't for the fact that I am starting to feel better today, then this would have been my last blog entry ...
We found a really lovely cafe for lunch, where they served FRESH FISH!! Red Snapper that when ordered the waiter biked over to the local fish market to get. I was so looking forward to having fish and steamed veg!!
We sat and waited in anticipation and then waiter turned up with our lunch and placed it on the table in front of us, smiled and walked back to the kitchen. I took one look at my plate then turned to Claude in horror - they had left the head and tail on!!! I immediately started wretching!! (pathetic I know) and rushed the plate back to the waiter, asking if they could cut off the head and tail. He smiled and nodded, then a couple of minutes later returned with the plate and yes he had cut the aforementioned body parts off, but bloody left them on the plate!! I managed to flick them off onto the saucer next to me and Claude hastily put it on the table behind out of sight! Talk about taking things literally!
Then this evening we found another restaurant for dinner. I decided to stick with pasta, as there would be no heads or tails to deal with!! Claude ordered Chicken Shish, demanding it be cooked thoroughly. The waiter seemed confused but disappeared into the kitchen.
The food arrived, it looked very appealing. Mine was perfect, but as Claude bit into one of her chicken cubes and swallowed, the blood drained from her face as she cut into another piece put it on her side plate and showed it to me explaining that she thought it was still a bit raw. I have to admit there was a bit of it that did seem under cooked, so she called the waiter back over and expressed her worries and asked if he could have it cooked a bit more. The waiter nodded and picked up the side plate with the lonesome bit of chicken on it and started to make his way towards the kitchen, we both had to call out to him and explain that she meant the whole kebab!?!?
So on that note I am signing of for today, my dinner is still inside me, which can only be a good sign. And I shall return to the new hotel that Claudine found for us this morning, which incidentally we realise is riddled with damp so will be moving again tomorrow!! That is providing the morsel of chicken that Claude ate doesn't give her food poisoning!!!
Thursday evening I had an early night assisted by my new friend Night Nurse and went to sleep feeling positive that now I had things under control and was starting to feel a bit better. I was quite excited about getting to Kerala as this was going to be the more spiritual part of my journey.
I managed to sleep through til 4am when my stomach decided it obviously wasn't getting enough attention! On returning from the loo and wondering if this would ever end, (I personally think having an enema is more fun!!), I lay in bed with my head hanging over the side under which I had strategically placed a bucket - just in case! Thank fully it wasn't needed, but by the time we had to get up and finish packing the following morning, I could just about face half a scrambled egg and some ginger tea for breakfast! But there was no backing out now, we had a flight booked to Kerala and we bloody well weren't going to miss it, even if it involved us investing in a bag of Pampers?!
So I took a travel sickness tablet and Suresh drove us to the airport, don't think the tablet really kicked in til about five minutes before the end of our one hour journey. Then once inside we had to wait for the check in desk to open, because apparently it was too early to turn up two hours before a flight in India!? When finally through we boarded our plane to Dehli!! For those of you that have a rough idea on the layout of this country you won't be blamed for presuming that we were put on the wrong plane, seeing as Dehli is further North than Udaipur, where as Kerala is down south. But 'this is India' so we just have to 'go with the flow'.
On arrival at Dehli airport we found out that our next flight down to Kerala was going to be delayed by two hours!! I practically crawled into the chemists and begged him to help me out. He was very calm, as I am sure he must see hundreds of tourists a week flying around with stomach problems. He issued me with the statutory anti-biotics that we can only get via prescription in the UK and a tin of protein biscuits and I made my way over to one of the couches, took my medicine and lay down to go to sleep for an hour.
All I can say is, although I didn't manage to sleep, I think I have now overcome my fear of using public toilets!!
Meanwhile, Claudine had got chatting to a Swedish couple sitting nearby and it turned out that the wife was a doctor. I was over there like a shot!! Too late, Claude had already relinquished the relevant information and is now worried about cross infection should we even share a packet of biscuits! I looked at the doctor as she explained that what either of us could be a number of things, but it will get cleared up, the main thing was to try to eat and drink lots of fluids. That was the last straw for me, I burst out crying, explaining that I had lost my appetite and even water made me feel sick and so I was never going to be cured (ever the drama queen) I told her that if it hadn't cleared up within the next 24 hours I was going to have to go back to the UK but I didn't want my bowels to get the best of me!! The two Swedes looked at me with such pity as I wiped my nose and then I said: 'I just want my mum'. The response from everyone at the table was: "I know, I understand".
Finally I managed to get some vegetable soup down my throat and followed everyone through on to the plane. By this point my head was pounding and I wanted to sleep through the next three hours. But Claudine, bless her, was intent on making me drink more rehydration sachets and eat some food, whilst feeling pretty ropey herself.
The lunch arrived, we peeled back the foil covers, looked down at our food, then in unison we turned to each other and burst out laughing hysterically. More curry!!!! (well I suppose that is to be expected on an Air India flight?!?!)
I could only manage a few grains of rice, while Claude managed most of hers - she has an amazing appetite no matter what. Then the hand gel came out, but she must have squeezed the bottle too hard because a lump of it suddenly flew out of the container and landed splat on the chest of the Indian man sitting next to her! Claudine's immediate reaction was to apologise profusely and try to wipe it off for him. This was a total stranger!! Not only did she end up making the stain worse, (he looked like he had been lactating) but I think she may have overstepped a few Boundaries as far as Indian customs are concerned.
We finally got to Kerala!!
It was raining!!!
We booked a pre-paid taxi to the hotel we had made a reservation with in Fort Cochi - another hours drive - and tried to relax in the car. My head was still killing me and Claude had bad stomach cramps and both were just looking forward to getting to the hotel that had been highly recommended by The Rough Guide and sleeping in til the late hours of today.
As expected, the taxi driver got lost!!! He kept stopping to ask directions and at one point someone got in their car to lead us in the right direction - they got lost too!!! It took us two and a half hours to get to the hotel and when we did it was a bit of a .... flea pit. (and that's me using polite language). We had to ask for bed linen and towels, there was no loo paper (thanks again Melanie, Sara and Jess for confiscating my 'extra supply' back in London) and breakfast was not included!!! When I had made the booking originally the woman had assured me everything was included in the price.
Finally we managed to crawl into our rather uncomfortable twin beds at around 2 30am, both agreeing that we would find somewhere else the following morning.
I passed out and fell into a deep sleep only to be woken up about an hour later by Claudine shouting and jumping out of bed because she said there was a rodent walking over her belly!!
I searched the room, but could find no evidence and managed to calm her down again then went to sleep ...
Early this morning, Claude had found another hotel for us to move to and we were out!!!
I have to say, I was very close to flying back home this morning, the last few days have been a bit too much of the India Experience. And if it wasn't for the fact that I am starting to feel better today, then this would have been my last blog entry ...
We found a really lovely cafe for lunch, where they served FRESH FISH!! Red Snapper that when ordered the waiter biked over to the local fish market to get. I was so looking forward to having fish and steamed veg!!
We sat and waited in anticipation and then waiter turned up with our lunch and placed it on the table in front of us, smiled and walked back to the kitchen. I took one look at my plate then turned to Claude in horror - they had left the head and tail on!!! I immediately started wretching!! (pathetic I know) and rushed the plate back to the waiter, asking if they could cut off the head and tail. He smiled and nodded, then a couple of minutes later returned with the plate and yes he had cut the aforementioned body parts off, but bloody left them on the plate!! I managed to flick them off onto the saucer next to me and Claude hastily put it on the table behind out of sight! Talk about taking things literally!
Then this evening we found another restaurant for dinner. I decided to stick with pasta, as there would be no heads or tails to deal with!! Claude ordered Chicken Shish, demanding it be cooked thoroughly. The waiter seemed confused but disappeared into the kitchen.
The food arrived, it looked very appealing. Mine was perfect, but as Claude bit into one of her chicken cubes and swallowed, the blood drained from her face as she cut into another piece put it on her side plate and showed it to me explaining that she thought it was still a bit raw. I have to admit there was a bit of it that did seem under cooked, so she called the waiter back over and expressed her worries and asked if he could have it cooked a bit more. The waiter nodded and picked up the side plate with the lonesome bit of chicken on it and started to make his way towards the kitchen, we both had to call out to him and explain that she meant the whole kebab!?!?
So on that note I am signing of for today, my dinner is still inside me, which can only be a good sign. And I shall return to the new hotel that Claudine found for us this morning, which incidentally we realise is riddled with damp so will be moving again tomorrow!! That is providing the morsel of chicken that Claude ate doesn't give her food poisoning!!!
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