Kanyakumari

We had some breakfast and soon after Richard came to pick us up to go to Kaniyakumari (Cape Comorin). The day was already stiflingly hot and no inkling of rain was to be seen as up in north.

Richard & Jira outside Suchindram temple

Suchindram temple

Kanniyakumari is some 30k's south of Nagercoil, it is the southernmost point of the sub continent where the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean meet. Our first stop was at the Suchindram Thanumalayan hindu temple. As usual photography was prohibited. The temple itself is 1300 years old and still an active place of worship. Upon entering I had to remove my shirt and shoes. The entry was free so, I bought some pooja materials to make merit for Hanuman and Lakshmi. A Baba took us around showing the highlights of the premises. We could see where the oil lamps were placed in the olden times when hundreds of people were fed on the temple grounds and also the musical pillars carved out of single stone blocks, we also saw the only (?) female Ganesh statue in India.

Kanyakumari Church

Having done this stop we started further south to Kaniyakumari and soon reached the small city and the waterfront where there was two small islets with the Vivekananda Memorial built on one and on the other a tall statue of Thiruvalluvar, a famous Tamil poet. Transport was by small ferries that took people to and fro the islets. The wind was not strong but a stead breeze kept blowing and the swell was rolling in from the Indian Ocean which made the boarding a bit risky as the ferries were whisked forward and backwards while people were trying to board. Richard told us that sometimes the ferry service is suspended if the seas gets too rough so if you are on the Islets you need to sit it out there.

Vivekananda Memorial

The poet Thiruvalluvar

The Islet was very peaceful with the building serving as meditation halls and part museums. It is built to honor the Swami Vivekananda who visited the place in 1892 and attained a great state of enlightment and is now a very popular place to visit both for Indians and foreigners alike. The Vivekananda Memorial has even its own dedicated website. We walked around for awhile and admired the views but soon we felt a less spiritual rumble in our bellies and left for lunch in Kaniyakumari.

On Vivekananda

Exit from Vivekananda

For lunch we had a traditional thali that is a big stainless steel plate with lots of small bowls containing various dhal's, dahi, sweet dahi, rassam and veg curries. In the middle there is a mound of rice on a banana leaf. All you need now is a right hand with deft fingers to spoon it all up. We also managed to get some Kingfisher to wash it all down.

Swell from Indian Ocean, in background Kali temple

After lunch we walked around a bit checking the local stalls selling knick knacks for tourists. It was mostly engraved shells, T-shirts, slippers, sunglasses, spices etc. We walked to the Kali temple that is on the shore side facing the Memorial, there is also a Gandhi Mandapam (Memorial) where his ashes were kept before immersion into the sea took place. I saw another Gandhi tomb in New Delhi, so I wonder what is kept there.

Kattumaram

The shore side up from Kanyakumari is not that impressive, some hotels and guest houses are built there but the shore itself is pretty inaccessible. After awhile we ended up to the Church facing the Vivekananda and we also went inside. The church was pretty sparsely furnished and did not even have an organ. Otherwise it was beautiful. I walked to the beach behind the church where I could see several fishing boats laid up for the spawning season as well as one traditional Tamil craft called "Kattumaram", literally translated "bundled logs".

Kanyakumari

The "Kattumaram" is consisting of not much more than 2-3 tied up logs and Richard said they also put a sail on it. I think the Tamil fishermen have a lot of guts going out to sea in these crafts. As Jira was feeling tired we headed back to Nagercoil and Richard dropped us off at the Hotel. We took a short rest before Richard came and pickked us up in a tuk-tuk that took us to his house. At his house we met his wife Wonita, her niece Annabel and his eldest son Allester as well Richard's mom.

Women waiting for bus

After some small talk Jira went to try on how to put on an Indian sari and after wards she realized it is just like the Thai traditional dress but with an additional fold. Then it was time for food and we were served parathas with prawn curry and vegetables. Soon after it was time to get back to the Hotel for a good nights rest.

Jira trying on sari

Wonita & Richard

Touristing in India

As I still had some days of vacation left to spend I asked Jira whether she would be interested in joining me to go down south India to Tamil Nadu and meet Richard who was on his annual leave also. She said yes and we spent a week getting her Indian visa made. Cost was abt 4000THB via a travel agent, at least it saved us the time and hassle to go up to Bangkok and in the end I think it would have been more expensive.

Maharashtra paddy fields

Another problem was to get a flight ticket to India that would have cost triple the amount on my flight (Thai airways) but I found a same priced ticket as mine at Malaysian airways. So, kudos for them for flying people around cheaply and none for Thai trying to extort the max from their own people. Only minus was that we had to travel separately, then I also had to arrange train tickets from Mumbai to Trivandrum, return was easy but the departure we were on the waiting list. Thanks to Saini we managed to get those tickets as well all in rupees as we did not use foreign tourist quota (they have to pay hard currency).

Maharashtra

I arrived about an hour before Jira to Mumbai without any hassles and was waiting for her to land. After awhile she found me albeit I had been keeping a keen eye on the stream of people coming out of the airport. Then it was on to queuing for the pre-paid taxi to Khargar as we had agreed on staying at Saini's pad for one night. We arrived at midnight so it was just hello, shower and sleep for Jira. I sat up with Saini and discussed some job things.

Kerala

Next morning 10th July we had to leave early again for Kurla train station. The weather looked good but halfway to the station it started raining, of course our luggage was on the roof of the taxi as the dickey (boot) was taken up by the LPG tank. We arrived the station about an hour earlier of departure and found our seats confirmed on the tatkal scheme (short notice quota) and even beside each other in 3rd tier A/C. Dubey was escorting us and kept an eye out for bag snatchers, we found our compartment and settled down for the 1800km journey to Trivandrum.

In Kerala, note the lungis

Soon enough the Netravati Express train left on time and we were on our way. I called up Richard letting him know of our arrival. Soon enough the vendors (all licensed) started running up and down the aisles selling tea, coffee etc. This was not like the Rajdhani Express where all was included in the ticket, here everything went on cash payments. Lunch time came and we opted for the non-veg which was ghee rice and fried chicken with dhal.

Kerala landscape

Soon enough we passed Panvel, the last suburb of Mumbai and the Maharashtrian countryside spread out on both sides of the rail. Everything was as green can be with all the monsoon rains continuously pouring down. Peasants could be seen ploughing their paddy fields with Oxen and planting rice. Waterfalls and rivers cut the scenery at steady intervals. Soon it was dark and nothing could be seen. Dinner was served later and we had the non-veg option which was chicken and ghee rice with dhal. Then we made our beds and I pushed Jira up and I slept myself down below.

Netravati Express

Next morning we got up at at first light, same as all other passengers. Soon enough the chai wallas came around and other wallas selling Pao's and Samosas for breakfast. The train made breakfast had the non-veg option that was a few slices of bread and a fried egg. The sun came up after the rainy Maharashtra and we were in Kerala already. One could see men walking around in their lungis and the script had changed.

Netravati Express

As the day went by we came more south and the landscape had more rivers crossing the rails. We also could see more in land lakes that are called backwaters as many are accessible from the sea. The day was really long and the train was running late due to having slowed down the previous night, also in Kerala this train was stopping at every station. Finally we arrived around 8pm and at the platform we were met by Richard and his son Ashley. Soon enough we were ushered into a white Ambassador taxi and off we drove towards Nagercoil in Tamil Nadu.

It was dark already so there was not much to be seen except at times big crowds of men gathered around wine shops getting their evening fix. We passed the border into Tamil Nadu and the road became narrower and interestingly the roadsides became littered with hospitals. After about an hours drive later we arrived Nagercoil and the taxi drove to Hotel Canaan. The reception area was full of Jesus pictures and bible quotation that I got a feeling of being in a church than a hotel but nevertheless it was a hotel. We had some late dinner and settled down for sleep.

Captain's blog June 2010

Having been on vacation for most of the month there is not much to tell you this month. I flew back from Finland on the 8th I was Mumbai by the 9th to deal with the monsoon berth issue that had yet to be resolved.

Sunset over Mumbai 

All efforts to anchor inside Prince's dock or on the seawall had failed, the dock is being handed over to the contractor that is going to fill in the docks and no vessels were granted berths in there.

Hog Island repair jetty

As secondary plan (after the Prince's dock failed) we initially planned going alongside the Hog Island repair jetty and share the berth with another vessel. Unfortunately the vessel was longer than reported so we did not take the short berth due to safety reasons. The berthing fees are also exorbitant, for a piece of concrete berth with no facilities (no water, electricity or sewage) they charged the same as a marina in South of France.

All our plans for a berth were shot

I went with Saini to Darukhana to look for second hand mooring ropes in hope of the jetty at Hog Island. The same state of affairs was still ongoing as last year, the beach was full of vessels being scrapped.

Warehouse in Darukhana, only Freddie was missing

On the 14th we moved anchorages to the inner anchorage in front of Prince's dock. It was a tight squeeze and eventually managed to find a spot with 1' turning radius to all surrounding ships. The anchorage was full of offshore vessels in various conditions. On the 15th a storm started blowing and unfortunately the vessel in front of us started dragging anchor and despite we took evasive action we got touched by the OSV on our bow.

Our scrape with Sindhu 8

The damages was a bit carpentry broken but it could have been a lot worse. Same day we got permission and we hoisted anchor and moved to NE Elephanta Is anchorage, i.e. in the middle of nowhere of the mangrove swamps. At least we got the peace and quiet to write our letter of protest to the offshore vessel Sindhu 8 that had failed in avoiding the collision with us.

From here we have long tendering trips to Belapur jetty but officially we should be going to the Baucha Dhaka pier (Fishermen's pier) some 3,5' away (not a nice ride with 1m waves). So at last it was dawning that there are no berths in Mumbai for long term stay, the Indira dock is for commercial use and we were told that some of the berths had been made unaccessible due to a sunken vessel in the dock basin. A really sad state of affairs regarding the yachting scene in India.

Then on the 17th I had my ticket booked to go to Thailand to finish my remaining vacation days I was at the airport and had checked in at about 10pm. Then at the immigration counter the Officer asks me where the registration stamp from the Mumbai police is? I was all question mark and stammered an excuse. I was then directed to the supervisor and he explained that I need to register (due to the employment visa I have) at the local police station as per their regulations within 14days. Then he told me that I could not leave India before I had done this registration. I asked if I could do it here now, no, it was not possible. Another gentleman came and got my checked in luggage to me and all I could do was go back to Mumbai.

Indian residential permit

Next day went in preparing documents and standing in line. Fortunately Office had some contacts to the registration office so I was fast tracked through the hoops. By 2pm I was officially a permanent resident of India. Then it was off to Thai airways to get a new flight and luckily I got one on the same day, so I was flying the same flight I had booked earlier. This time at the immigration counter I had no problems checking out of the country as I had my little blue book to show the Officer.

Dawn over Bangkok where I changed planes

On 19th morning I landed in Krabi and was met by Jira in the Land of Smiles.

Visiting waterfalls in Trang

I had been sitting at home or been doing errands when we then decided to go and see some waterfalls in Trang province for a change.

N. Toen  N. Min

Said and done we packed kids and family members in the pickup and off we went towards Nam Tok Ton Tae and Ton Tok (Nam Tok = waterfall). The drive was not too long and roads were in good condition despite the rainy season, we also had good luck and avoided all showers too.

Fallen forest giant

At Nam Tok Ton Tae was a big parking lot and the entrance to the nature reserve. Surprisingly they did not charge anything for entry, even for a foreigner like me. The waterfall was quite slow and low as well. Excellent place for kids to play around. I saw a sign pointing for a nature trail and I started following it in tow with N.Fon, N. Toen and N. Min. After awhile I realized the trail was not there and we were walking in a rubber plantation or the locals had encroached on the nature reserve.

N. Fon, Toen & Min

Eventually we came to forested area that was not rubber trees and saw some really big ones still standing a also fallen down. The terrain got really steep so we then headed back as I did not want the kids get hurt, never mind myself. I always manage to get myself in odd places. After some time we were near the waterfall and emerged from the jungle a bit above it.

Hypno toad

After the hot & humid trek it was nice to take a dip in the cool water and just relax. I even spotted a huge toad that according to N. Thuen was edible. We left him there to enjoy his existence.

Local Dugong, N. Thuen

Once people had had enough of water games we packed ourselves in the truck and went for Nam Tok Ton Tok. It was barely half an hour away and during the drive we could see Ton Tae upper region that was falling straight down the mountain cliff.

Entrance to Ton Tok

The Ton Tok waterfall really looked like a waterfall but even here the water was low. Still there was an ample amount coming down the mountain side in a 5m fall. It was so strong that even I was not that stupid to go and try it out. We did not linger long as the kids could not play in this waterfall so we left for home.

Ton Tok waterfall

Ton Tae from a distance

On the way we stopped in Palian to get some beers and then in Trang and bought me a dry shirt and then we had dinner at Huai Yod. Wonderful seafood accompanied with Karaoke singing from other customers...

Getting beer

Cheers!

Return to India

After the morning rituals it was time to stuff my luggage in the back of the car and head for the Helsinki-Vantaa airport. I was flying back to India with same Turkish airlines flight I had arrived with. Jari dropped me off at the terminal and we wished to see soon again and not 6 years later on as it had now happened. Well, only time will tell. 

Early morning in front of the Taj

The visit was pleasant but then again, I had not come to stay and therein lies the difference. I met a lot of old acquaintances that had worked hard, saved and made their homes for their future. I could have been one of them, instead I have chosen to roam the seas in foreign employ without the 1:1 relieving systems, social security and pension tied in as in the deeply regulated Finnish (or even European) work culture as I would not have been able to see what I have seen during the years. This can be called my karma.

Last dinner

This morning we had time with Mia to open up the attic of the old barn and explore the contents. Everything as covered in dust worth years. There was some really old stuff that some people would pay a fair amount of money to get their hands on. Just to mention there was some old hand blown glass bottles, one officially stamped 100+ year old potato measure, old furniture and so on...

Me in front of the old barn

Then it was time to get back to Åbo and report home. It was time for farewell dinner and Jari from Espoo was coming to pick me up as I was flying back to India the next day. Mia went home to St. Karins to pack remaining stuff she had and I went to town to buy Mom a pack of cream and to check out some book shops. The center of Åbo had changed drastically and one of the main streets was now only for pedestrians. 

Mom & Dad

At the same time I met one old friend Soile and we walked from one bookshop to another checking for bargains but I had no time to tarry as my Mom had her cooking pending so I got a few books and headed for home. I could tell I had been a long time away as I felt driving on the right side of the road felt really odd as well as I was fumbling for the indicator on the right side of the steering wheel.

Shopping street in Turku (Åbo)

Finally we had dinner and Mia joined us with Jessica and a few hours afterwards Jari came by and picked me up on his way to Espoo and so I left for the road again.

Turku skyline from the railway bridge

Laitila

Next day all picked themselves up and spent the morning perusing the empty chicken farms that could house 100.000 free range chicks. There were many other outhouses as well used for various purposes not known to us but nevertheless Mia and Marko had their own plans already for them. Soon enough Niklas and Elina made their way towards Helsinki and Mom for Åbo. 

I was left as the only guest and Marko was driving me around his native town showing different highlights in this chicken growing community. In the morning I got dropped off at another chicken farmers estate where Mia was keeping her horse, Doli, and I got to follow Jessica, my niece, taking a Finnish horse for his daily exercise. Later on I also got to take him for a ride (or rather I was taken for a ride) too and boy was he feisty, he just wanted to go. After 10minutes I was already feeling sore in my thighs so I let him get further exercised by Jessica while Mia was exercising Doli at the end of a girdle.

Riding Simo

 

I was also introduced to Ro-Pe racecar builders and before arriving to the yard Marko told me he is an amateur compared to these guys. Once we ot out of the car I thought they got a fairly average workshop with all the necessary implements. It was only later that even my jaw dropped when I saw the field behind the house was littered with about 100+ car wrecks waiting to be made into a race car. 

Marko bought a test bench from the guys and we drove it back to his mansion. Then we manhandled the whole thing onto his workshop floor, 3 guys for some 350kg's or more. Later on Marko's father came by on his tractor to sow the grass field for Mia's horse and so Marko got me to take a spin on the tractor too as Mia had advertised that I had never driven one. Well, now I have.

 

Tractor driving

The evening went quietly doing some grilling on the porch and emptying a few remaining beer cans while warming up the sauna to proper temperatures. Marko turned in early while I was chating with Mia and she also gave up. I sat a few minutes more wondering about the daylight at nearly midnight and also got down for some shuteye.

Laitila

Today was time for my sister to move to her estate in Laitila with 7 hectares of land. I was enlisted to the moving troupe. We left with my Mom and drove through Turku towards St.karins where my sister Mia lived. On the way we picked up my brother Niklas and his girlfriend Elina who were also chipping in the fun. We arrived soon enough and in the yard there was a big truck already, so all was set to go. Inside was Mia and her recalcitrant kids who had difficulties to understand which part of packing she meant. Nevertheless, the show went on the road and big and heavy items went out the window into the truck. Then smaller things followed and finally Jessica got her stuff packed and that was too loaded into the truck. Mias hubby Marko then loaded as the piece-the-resistance an engine, a grasscutting tractor and a moped and then the truck was full. Doors closed and off it went towards Laitila.

The happy new mistress of Sonkkila estate

The kids were left behind with their Grandma to come later which raised a few objections which were quickly downvoted as they did not join in the loading and were not planning to participate in the offloading as well. I went onto Mia's Volvo stationwagon with Niklas and Elina. We stopped enroute at the Laitila city center to get essentials like beer, beer and beer. After the provisioning we headed for the Sonkkila estate that now in effect was going to change name after more than 300 years. The truck had already arrived and Marko said he had burned al the carbon out of the exhaust system. Oh well. doors open and on with the job, it took us abt 30minutes to empty the truck when we had used the best of the morning to fill it up. Mom was thrilled about the enormous rhubarb plants in the garden and was immediately cutting off material for a pie.

Rhubarb

Anyway, Marko still got some surprises up his sleeve and we got to take into pieces a small log playhouse to be transported elsewhere. First we lifted the ceiling and then the walls, I can assure you, it was heavy, with 6 guys and 2 gals pitching in. Finally we got the thing on the trailer and off we went to deliver it. At the destination we had same project ahead of us to lift the thing off and put it together in its former glory. It was worth it as the look of the small kids in the yard were beaming for the new playhouse. Then it was off driving back to the estate and warm up the sauna, feed and refreshments for stretched limbs and ligaments. During the delivery my Mom had prepared all the food for the moving party and upon arrival we manned the sauna. It proved a tight fit to squeeze five grownup men on the benches eventhough I don't know if anyone was using Rexona. Luckily, soon enough the younger generation could not take it anymore and escaped to cool off so the older guys could start throwing some real baths on the stones. Once we had enough it was time for feeding and enjoying the evening.

Mia & Marko (note the vintage redneck cap)

Mia had full job of finding places to sleep as she had 4 kids to put to sleep and furthermore another 4 adults, eventually she managed to piece together 8 cribs and she had her lot done for the time being. In the course of the evening I think Mom got a bit tipsy and the rest got a bit more. Sleep came easily.

Mias horse Doli who eventually will get housed at the estate

Kustavi and Nousiainen

Next day came and me and Mom headed for Kustavi (Gustavs)  to see the summer house there, while Mom was doing shopping in the new Grocery store in the main village I wandered to the church and checked inside. Furthermore, the village had gotten itself an Alko store so there was no need to cook moonshine or drive to Taivassalo to buy booze. In the church there was still the same miniature ships sailing above the congregation heads, nobody was on the premises except a caretaker. 

Church ship

Kustavi Church

The day was quite cold as the wind was northerly and Kustavi is quite exposed for northerly cold winds. At the villa, also incredibly overgrown, the wind was hitting straight on as usual because it is located on a nort facing shore. I walked around and found everything as before, as a kid we spent also our summer holidays here and those days we had no electricity so we bathed in the sea or rainwater and sauna days were the best when you got warm water. 

Villa Kustavi Kivimaa

Now the villa has already been connected to the national grid. Mom rooted around and planted some saplings she had brought with her on her recent trip to Estonia and once done we had a light lunch on the south side of the house and then we decided to head back to Turku.

The beach

On the way I got off in Nousiainen to go and meet my old esteemed colleague, Captain Granqvist, with whom I had worked for several years on Columbus Caravelle. He was also on vacation from his current job and we had met last time in 2006 in Hamburg when I was working for NSB shipping. 

M/v Columbus Caravelle

We kicked off with chilled Lapin Kulta beer and hauled anchors. Then it was through current affairs and plans to reminiscing Hong Kong typhoons and Singapore slings as well as other marine stuff. Reijo got the grill going and Agnes, his wife, sorted the provisioning while we then prepared it now to the power of G&T's. As he had an appointment the next day I could not stay longer, so he followed me while Agnes drove me home the same evening.

Reijo & Agnes