Swedish elephant washing...

We spent another 4 days in cochin, there was so much to do we havnt stopped until now!

We did a backwater trip on a rice boat, which is apparently one of the things to do before you die... but is more likely to bore you to death!!! Well it wasn't that bad, but once you have seenone palm lined river, you've seen them all! But it was a good social trip with about 20 others on board, most of whom were staying in cochin too. We started talking to some swedish, Chris and Johannah who we tapped up for checking out the elephant trip the next day, and hoped they would turn up in the morning or we'd end up footing the bill!! they did turn up and we got chatting for the whole taxi journey to the elephant sanctuary, which was amazing! We arrived and there was a small group of tourists standing on the rocks by the river, but this wasnt enough for Roz and she rushed down into the water, grabbed a coconut shell and started scrubbing the elephants with glee!! She was particuarly love struck with the baby elephant who was 3 and a half years old, who's name was asha.

Later on we got some photos then walked them back to the reserve where we got our second eephant ride but this time it was right on the back of the big mama, rather than in a basket on top, so you could feel her shoulders moving under you!

We spent the rest of the day visiting waterfalls, having a bracing swim in the river, nearly getting swept down stream in the current and having a great time getttnig to know Chris and Johanna, and the 3 frenchies who also came, Francois, Alice and Jose.

In the evening we found a cool cafe where they smuggled beer to you in a teapot (not licenced!) and we whiled away the evening getting nicely toasted!

The next day was a chillout day, so we met up with our international posse for coffee and breakfast, went shopping in jew town, where there were so many fantastic antique shops I swear I could fill a ship with everything to fill a house for less than it costs to buy a Lee Sinclair original! But of course they would lack the care and attention put into every well crafted piece!

Our evening was taken with a stunning art performance, the likes of which I never though I would see in India; a really modern expression of women in india, and the artist left us speechless, with so many emotions having been brought up in the 1 hour show.

Then after some tea with the usual suspects, plus some wayward aussie lads (Dusty & Banjo?!?) from adelaide, we went for bed! What an exhausting but fantastic few days!!