Lazy days in the sun

From: Tommy Hermansen
Date: Mon Feb 5, 2001 6:58pm
Subject: Lazy days in the sun

Today’s been another totally relaxed day on the beach. I have to cover up my bare head while sitting in the burning sun, so I won’t get a sun stroke. Yes – bare, my head is completely bald now. Just wanted to try how it was like, and I like it! Maybe I’m just getting bored – and needed something to do, I don’t know.

I met a couple of wonderful Dutch people the other day, Pantho and Jasmijn – brother and sister from Amsterdam. Jasmijn is working for Amsterdambackdoor.com a well-informed website containing everything you’ll need to know for a great night on town in A’ dam. Pantho who’s an Architect student told me he’s ganging up with some friends in Calcutta about a month from now (Jasmijn is heading back home). They’re going trekking in the Himalayas for several weeks, and I might be joining them later on. I’ll need some camping gear and a visa for Nepal; I’ll get that in Calcutta.

Nature here in Kerala is really breathtaking. I’ve never seen so many palm trees!! – whole forests full stretching all over the Papanasam cliffs. Below them the white sandy beaches, and the Arabic Ocean pounding on them, with it’s impressive waves. Bodysurfing is a very popular but dangerous pastime, and I’m getting the hang of it now. Last Friday night we had an out of Monsoon downpour (which rarely happens) – the sky opened up on us for about an hour, and afterwards we were treated with several hours of fireworks by the lightning strikes out over the sea. My German friends and I just sat mesmerized watching the show from the cliffside, and hopefully Helge who works for the ARD TV got some good shots of it all which he could post on the web when he gets home.

I’m not leaving this wonderful place yet! At least not for another couple of weeks.

Tommy