a hard workout in the hot sun on the beach. a great way to start the day. the waves cresting and crashing like dominoes. sending a ripple from one end to the other. only four more days in this sacred country.

what sara does after a hard work out. perhaps a little loopy from dehydration…

we had gotten word that today and the next day would be a 48-hour strike in kerala due to an increase of the price of diesel, and as we walked back from the beach, every store was still closed. and remained closed.

all taxis were out of commission. the state is shut down. it is amazing. a place so busy now so quiet. no horns honking. nothing.

but wait, we need to get to kochi!

jasprit had preemptively booked us a train to kochi instead of our initially-intended taxi ride. but we still had to get to the train… our hotel arranged a car for us to get there. when we unloaded, our driver got hassled by locals about giving us a ride. it’s a strike! what are you doing? come on.

but, we got to our train. a sleeper train! it was late, but it arrived. and i laid on a top bunk for five hours as we moved back up north.

we arrive and now have to figure out how to get to our hotel. hmm.

jasprit goes over and talks to a policeman for awhile. he motions for us to come with the luggage. the policeman has called us a ride. how? apparently, he told the driver we were with the army. hah. that is one way to get a ride in the middle of a strike.

so we pile ourselves and our luggage into the tuk tuk and drive the empty streets to fort cochin. as army men.

jasprit has managed to make every transition in this country completely seamless. no matter what curveball india throws our way, he is there to make it work. a completely different experience than most foreign tourists experience during their first visit to india. i feel truly blessed to be a passenger along for this ride. the wide-eyed child just taking it all in from the backseat.

we arrive at the good karma inn around 7pm. the mosquitoes and i are becoming quite close. as in, we are now blood sisters. as in, i think they think my body is the last supper. oh well. i’ve seen worse.

we head to dinner at one of the few restaurants open during the strike and eat a “quick” meal. quick in kerala time. aka it took almost two hours. i feel like i am back in south america. argentine time was my favorite time.

and yet everyone moves so fast. they talk fast. they massage fast. they drive fast. they wiggle their heads fast. and yet, life moves slow. even slower for the next 48 hours.

i wish we could orchestrate a 48-hour strike over a hike in gas prices in america. impossible.

bedtime. our windows and balcony door open to let in some air. and mosquitoes. oops. close the door after an hour of slapping and swatting and hiding under the sheet. a mosquito actually bit my lip! after we shut the door, all was fine. except it was hotter.

you win some, you lose some.