Cochin

Despite deciding to live without the fan that sounded like a train I managed some sleep and even enjoyed the shower, though discovering my anonymous bottle was not shampoo but some other white substance was a blow. Must get a system for labelling bottles 

I was picked up by Nelson before 9. His brother and his family live in Edinburgh, of course!

Stopped for breakfast at a veg place - very like the mamaks in Malaysia. I had dhosa. Being Sunday he had some time to kill before sites opened so I agreed to the boat trip along the lake to see birds, mangroves (Queensland, Langkawi and now Kerala) and the Chinese fishing nets. 

I had no idea what the order of the programme was,tbh I hadn't checked the itinerary, and Nelson's English wasn't great. He spoke it ok but his comprehension of questions and comments looked to answers that didn't help me understand what was going on. But we persevered. 

The order turned out to be Dutch Palace, Synagogue (first time I'd been in a synagogue), check in at Fort Castle Hotel, lunch (fish) and then the St Francis Church, where Vasco da Hama was originally buried. 

Then back to hotel for a couple of hours. I slept for at least half of that. The last to thing w as the Kathakali performance proceeded by watching the actors male up. Mainly middle aged European tourists and cold AC. In enjoyed the performance especially the demonstration part. Reminded me of Mr Bean.

Nelson took me back to the hotel and we said goodbye. New driver tomorrow. 

And then I was asking. Quite a relief as I'm not used to being accompanied 100%. Dinner at next door Forte hotel. I went back to get warmer clothes (dining room AC) but then discovered the outside courtyard and she there - a more expensive meal than earlier. 

Then by 9 back to bed. This hotel has AC (quiet), hot water and WiFi, and I bought shampoo earlier.