Tuesday 16 February 2016

A little swim in the Indian Ocean

A very long flat ride today, about 83km/51 miles in total, but it was a ride of two halves.


Once again ( are you fed up of this opening line yet??) it was a beautiful start to the morning, spinning along empty roads, a cool breeze and the promise of a (too) warm day ahead.


I stop so often to photograph that I am usually the last one, keeps the sweeper busy!


The back water is a hive of activity with boats and craft of varying sizes. Fortunately Kerela has a high Christian population so there are no Sacred Cows wandering all over the road for us to dodge.


We are also taking a coastal road which is quieter, just local traffic, motorbikes and tuctucks.


One of our regrouping stops was by this beak.  Miles and miles of golden sand and no one else in site. I was needed just to keep this palm tree from falling down....


Our destination was Fort Cochin which involved two ferry crossings.


Here we are waiting for the ferry, the bike decorations are care of Lorraine for, a gift for Valentine's Day.


It's a small ferry when it arrives from the otherside, everyone lines up and then it's a free for all...fortunately we all make it on board for the short crossing to the other side.


We get a closer view of life on the water


I seem to think I took a similar photograph of a man in a boat when I was in Vietnam hanging over a bridge!


The lunch stop was a delight.  Quite long and the chance for a quick swim in the Indian Ocean.  Utter bliss....warm and salty, it's just the thing when you've had a long hot ride.


But before too long we are off again, there's another ferry to catch and many more miles to pedal.


How Rindu manages to keep cool in all that gear is beyond me!


The final few miles are a pleasant ride along the back waters, sandwiched between the sea and the lakes and canals.  Then it was back onto the busy main road for the last 10 km.  Always needs your full concentration,


so it was a delight to reach our next overnight stop - a home- stay in Fort Cohin.  Air conditioned and the novelty of mosquito nets!




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