Cochin

On the last night of our retreat we took a sleeper train to Cochin.  We boarded at 9pm and got to Cochin at about 9am.  It was definitely a unique experience sleeping on a train in India and although it could have been much worse, I was definitely relieved when it was over.  One particular reason was the fact that there were no tickets or ID needed for the train, only a manifest with names on the outside of the train to know your seat number, so technically anyone could have boarded.  But no worries, I made it.

When I got back to the ship I met up with Mike, Jane, and our other friend Leigh.  The four of us took a car around for the day and explored.  Cochin was a little bit cleaner, less crowded, and greener than Chennai.  We had our cab take us to this eco-village, which was near the backwaters.  We hung out there for a little while and then walked around the city.  That night we rented out a big room at a hotel and celebrated Amanda’s 21^st birthday.  We had made flyers and passed them out around the ship and ended up having at least 75 people show up.  It worked out because everything closes early in India and we were able to rent the room out until 1am.  It was also a safe alternative to going out around India where a lot of the nightlife is somewhat shady.

I woke up really early the next morning and went with my friends Leigh, Kara, and Elena to see elephants.   We rented a car and got there just as the elephants were finished being bathed.  We got to stand in the water and pet them.  The hair on their heads was all prickly and felt really weird.  When I tried to pet them they would turn and extend their trunk out towards me to try and touch me.  I kept backing away but then eventually got used to it.

After playing with the elephants we had the chance to ride one of them.  While we were waiting in line we watched other people go for rides and inevitably we saw the elephants go to the bathroom on the trail.  I expected to see this, but what I did not expect to see was the man leading the elephant rides run behind the elephant, pick up the poop with his bare hands and chuck it over the fence.  He did this several times until the path was cleared.  I was shocked and disturbed by this, especially since he was the one helping us onto the elephant.  When it was our turn to ride, sure enough he was the one to reach for my arm and pull me on.  I clenched the Purell in my pocket and prayed that he had washed his hands when I wasn’t looking.  However, as soon as the elephant started moving I forgot all about it.  I couldn’t believe I was actually riding an elephant in India!  It was unreal.  I was sitting in the front so I had the best view.  The only downside was that we kept getting pushed forward for some reason.  I think it was the way that the elephant was walking that made my friends keep sliding into me.  I just kept picturing myself flying forward and sliding down the trunk of the elephant and landing straight in a pile of the elephant poop.  Luckily it did not happen and everything worked out, but what a memory that would be.  That night we boarded the ship and departed for Mauritius.