too long a time in this town

So finally after 14 days I managed to leave Colva.

After spending all my time either:

1. Reading a book
2. Watching TV
3. Drinking beer
4. Drinking beer whilst reading a book
5. Drinking beer whilst watching TV
6. Drinking beer and eating chips, pasta, pizza, southern fried chicken…I think you have got the general idea

I was getting far too comfy especially on that bar stool. It was a nice two week holiday but now it’s back to the day job: travelling around the world. Everyone on the count of three….1…2...3...damn you have a hard life (you bastard)

Taking a local train down the coast for 7.5 hours I reached the town of Mangalore. The train ride was my 1st amongst the cheap (but reserved) seats. The ticket only cost R68 and as the carriage was only 20% full I had a bench seat all to myself. It was an air cooled carriage as opposed to having a/c which meant a shed load of fans on the ceiling and all the doors and barred windows open.
It was great sitting next to the window, elbow poking out through the bars with my legs in a position that only men and butch lesbians can do watching the monsoon soaked vista pass me by.
From untamed jungle covered mountains, across paddy fields swathed in the frenetic green of freshly emerged rice shoots, flying over rain gorged rivers and catching glimpses of hamlets hidden by the palm trees. Travelling through the countless tunnels was fun until the exhaust fumes of the engine invaded the carriage like Frank Herbert’s Fog.
The best part of travelling by train in India is having a fag. As smoking is technically banned (with the threat of a R100 fine!!) all you do is stand at the door‘s edge or on the 1st foot plate with a death grip on the hand rail. Then you can enjoy the smells on the air rushing past! During the monsoon season the top speed is only 75kph and it’s nice not to have to worry about some H&S jobsworth pointing out how dangerous it is.

Due to the fact that I was getting into Mangalore in the late evening I pre booked a room. It’s the largest hotel in Mangalore…doesn’t mean it is the best.

The town of Mangalore is beyond uninteresting. Imagine Slough but without the tourist attractions!
I spent the day walking around getting lost but once again my inbuilt IKWIASIDNTAFDA worked well and got me back to the hotel, although I was hot, tired and sweaty.

On Friday I’ll be catching a bus to Mysore where I’ll be hanging out for 4 or 5 days.

That still leaves me with Thursday to fill…the room does have cable TV and room service mmmmmm