Kochi-Kochi-Koo!

No pictures today, but greetings from the really pretty Indian state of Kerala. I'm backpacking on my own now, and it's been a blast! Plenty of time to reflect on my own, and I met very cool fellow backpackers in two different cities, and hung out for a day or so with each. Rob's an EasyJet pilot from the UK, and Hannah is a Wall Street pro--one who didn't part with her Blackberry the whole time she was here! (to be entirely fair, neither did I).

But that's one of the best parts of backpacking--bonding with new people while seeing new places.

The other best part is the actual seeing of new places. Kerala is beautiful! I flew in from Goa on Tuesday (after watching the splendid Om Shanti, Om on the big screen) and even the view from the air was pretty. Drove in to Cochin (Kochi) and puttered around for a bit. Walked into the old "Jew Town" to explore the marketplace, talked to some very cool Kashmiri expats who were salespeople, and discovered (as locals chatted me up on regional politics) that Keralans are incredibly educated. More so, apparently, than the rest of India.

One last thought: everyone loves Kashmir. Everyone from there, from my auntie to the kurta sales guy speaks of it with such incredible love. I just can't communicate how much they love the place. With such high marks, I'm going to have to go soon. Who's with me?