We're back from Chennamkary, the little village in the Keralan backwaters. Had a really relaxed time- but first, I've got to tell you about various friends we made on the buses back to Ernakulam. Well, Pat was the one talking to them as he was sitting in the middle of our three-seater...which turned out to be a blessing in disguise with one of them!
The first guy was very sweet- although he didn't speak a word of English, he still tried to engage Pat in a conversation! Then when Pat would ask him a question, he'd wobble his head, pat Pat's knee and say 'language!' They still managed to communicate though, mostly through expressive hand gestures!! We think he may have been trying to tell us about the area- little did he know that just by trying to tell us, despite the language barrier, he was speaking volumes about the nature of Indians!
After the very sweet man got up for his stop, beaming away, we were joined by a very clean-cut Indian. I heard the beginning of his and Patrick's conversation- I thought he was being especially curious, even for an Indian. Then I kept hearing the words 'religion' and 'knocking on doors'- but then couldn't hear the rest because of busy Kochi traffic. When he got up for his stop, Pat filled me in...you've guessed it, turns out the guy was a Jehovah's Witness trying to convert Pat! Hilarious- you can travel to the other side of the world, but there are some things you just can't escape!
To roam the roads of lands remote/To travel is to live (Hans Christian Andersen)
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