Indian helicopter drive to Kappad beach

Two international students and I decided to go to Kappad beach on a free Sunday afternoon. According to google.maps the driving distance was about 25 – 30 kilometres. Since two of the students went to the beach before, they knew that the best way to get there was to take the Riksha service. A familiar driver was called and asked to be there within half an hour. He even arrived earlier and we explained him our plan. Apparently, it was cheaper to take the same Riksha back home from the beach and to pay the driver for the hours he had to wait. This was so because the Rikshas from Calicut would charge both ways, your way to the campus and their way back to Calicut. This would be in total more expensive than paying the driver to wait for three or four hours at the beach. 

Upon departure the price was set to 700 Rupees and the journey started. It was a slow and uncomfortable ride, with three men sitting in one Riksha that is not as wide as other Rikshas. In addition, the Indian road has more bumps and humps than an off road racing track. The lack of a proper suspension in a Riksha screams for a roller coaster experience even at slow driving speed. Considering the loudness of the open engine one might understand why drivers jokingly refer to their Riksha as 'Indian helicopter'. One hour later three of us finally landed at the famous Kappad beach. The euphoria might be similar to how Vasca Da Gama felt, when he set foot on the same place in May 1498. He was captain of the first European ship that was to sail around Africa reaching India.

Indeed, the beach was a great place to spend several hours. We stayed until the sunset and when it became dark, we finally decided to go home. Having completely forgotten about the driver, we were looking for him on the parking lot. It took some time until he approached me while the other two students were on their way. I had a mild feeling of doubt whether or not he had already left. However, I reminded myself that we had not paid the ride to the beach yet. When I saw the driver he seemed to be in a hurry and mentioned the time. He did not seem to be angry, rather anxious to go home for dinner. I felt a bit sorry for having made him wait longer than negotiated. However, we told him from the beginning that we wanted to see the sunset. Anyway, finally we were driving back to the campus and when we had to pay, the driver demanded 100 Rupees more than agreed before. This was only fair and everyone got their steak for the day.  

Take a look around my campus ;)

Welcome to Jerry's Hostel
"J Hostel", the place to be.

Although it is empty now, this place can get quiet crowded with hungry students, who enjoy three warm meals a day at given hours. Rice is an important ingredient for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with various vegetarian side-dishes, sauces, chapati, and desert. 

That's it, my favorite place of the campus. It is here, where my stomach gets what it needs. 

A look outside the J Hostel on the way
to the main campus area

Washing machine access makes visits to
washing saloons unnecessary  

My second most favorable place of the campus.
Free filtered tap water, which is not that bad.

view from my balcony, the first one ever! perfect to enjoy sunrise and sunset. also it provides space to do yoga!

Papaya tree in front of another hostel

The plants and flowers are just amazing. Hope you enjoy them as much a I do.

Comic Journey to the very South of India during Onam festival 2011

Do you see the fresh white Snipper on the very back, the third one from the right... look closely you might recognize it later on a plate ;) 

Looks familiar? It was delicious and an enjoyable struggle to finish it, even for two hungry men . 

Although it might seem like it, I am not eating fish bones! They ate me O_o

A sitting in a circle drinking party without me drinking was not that much fun ^^

Doesn't it look like in a fairy tale? By the way all these pictures are from my room mate Gerhard. visit his blog on  www.gergi084.com for further pictures...

That's as far SOUTH as you can get in India, the very  Southern tip of the beautiful mother country of spirituality 

That's Gerhard, who is stuck with me for half a year in the same room ;) 

I wonder who put these stones there? Any clues?  

The father of these beautiful children asked me to take a picture with them.  

That's the man and his ashes in a memorial temple can be visited there, where the three waters meet.

Incredible India indeed

After a quiet rough and unexpected introduction to India, I am finding myself in a Campus of the Indian Institute for Management Kozhikode. My health issues seem to be recovering while I start getting used to the spicy food, the extremely moisture climate, and new living conditions. A first résumé: I still love India :)

Today the first course commenced, a two hours lecture of Marketing of Services. I enjoyed listening to the professor and being in a class with around 50 other Indian students from all over, as well as 5 other international students following the same course. 

According to the promise I made and as a means of improved study I am going to publish my notes, assignments, and experiences of the courses in this blog. So anyone reading and following my blog might learn something useful. ...I figure that hardly anyone might do so for pure entertainment ;) ...

Please feel free to correct my English, post feedback and comment on whatever comes to your mind. 

some foto impression of Gerhard Pilz from his Blog [http://www.gergi084.com/]

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Remembering India

In seven days, God created the earth...

… and it took 7 days to change mine. I just landed in Dehli, left alone with the cheapest backpack and vivid memories of a distant world, when suddenly my two good friends appeared out of no where, smiling and welcoming me to the 'Wishconcert (a)live in India'; a special event of three backpackers in their early twenties jumping from one dream show to another.

So where are we going to? Rishikesh, replied Julia while checking the Lonely Planet somewhere in a shabby room right in the heart of the 16 million capital. As April marks the beginning of a milder and more pleasant season in the Himalayas, thousands of tourists are heading up north, leaving behind the rising temperatures and monsoon of the southern part. Seeing my two friends constantly smiling with sunshine covering their faces, lovely vibrations from everywhere are literally invading my space. In no more than three days I finally surrendered and was conquered by a feeling of extreme love towards Indian culture and its people, the way they look at you, talk with you, and treat you. I crossed the Ganges River to trace down the music that could be heard everywhere in the holy mountain village during late afternoon hours and passed by a local Ashram. Wondering whether or not I was allowed to enter, the feeling of childish curiosity surpassed my shy personality, and I carefully approached a bank to have a seat. Before I could take a look around, several elderly people were standing and starring at what seemed to be their first foreigner they had ever encountered. Overwhelmed by so much attention while intimidated by their unashamed looks, all I did was respond with a big smile to such a strangely felt observation of my appearance. The use of words would have been senseless anyhow because neither of us was speaking a common language.

After a while of communicating with facial expressions, feet and arms, the music stopped and everyone except me knew it was dinner time. People started gathering in front of a stairway, taking off their shoes and washing their hands. “Let's go eat” sounded familiar and before I realized what was going on, one of my new friends was eagerly waiting for me to follow the crowd to the basement of the building, taking a seat on the floor next to the others forming a circle of people. Once the room was filled and everyone seated, the food was served immediately; plates made from dried banana leaves were packed with steaming rice, spicy-looking traditional Daal, Chapati and some vegetables. I knew that waiting for a knife, fork and spoon was hopeless so that I slowly started to grasp for food with my right hand.

Sometime during this meal an intense feeling of happiness and prosperity ran through my heart, affecting every single cell of my body. Weary past life memories were blown away by a fierce storm of promising emotions for a bright and sunny future. At that moment I was not even aware of the many mysteriously life changing dreams that were about to unfold and that the 'Wishconcert' just had started.

By Arthur Hannert 16. October 2009

Flight is booked :)

In late summer the flight to Delhi is scheduled for the 21. August 2011. I am already on my way to India :)
In order to calm my excitement I am working on this Blog. It will present to you the courses I am going to attend as well as my overall Travel Experience in India.

I hope to give you a glimpse of my journey and share insights gained at the Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode.