At last I have some time with a semi decent internet connection to update this. I am now in Mangalore, heading north up the west coast. Only arrived here today and as it is Sunday it seemed pretty much closed. Not that i was too bothered, as the rickshaw from the station to the hotel showed me all i needed to know. No different to Trivandrum really, lots of mad driving, dirty streets with no pavements and small shops with many people standing around outside.
You may note a hint of “over it” in the above and you’d be right. I need to see someting more interesting (or at least different) and that certainly won’t be in Mangalore.!
The 14 hr train journey form Trivandrum was not too bad. I managed to luck out on a top bunk and got some sleep, although the coming and going of passengers all night was annoying. The morning was more fun, as most people had already got off the train and i got 3 hours to look out the window. I saw the rural India passing by and it looked spectacular, very green and wet in Kerela. There were coconut palms all the way, interspersed with small farms and paddies, cows and goats abounding, and people on bikes, walking and working. A lot of the homes looked quite comfortable, some very comfortable mansions as well, but there were also a few shacks that did not look too pleasant to be in. I did not notice any development in terms of industry at all, in 3 hours, which I think is interesting, it is still very much agricultural.
A few days ago I was the most southerly person on the mainland on the Indian Subcontinent! I made sure of it. I sat on the ghats (steps) and had one foot in the Indian ocean and one in the Arabian sea. Looking North, I imagined the whole county spread before me and almost started swimming for Australia 
The problem with having such a large, cheap, labour supply, is everywhere is overstaffed. There does not seem to be any desire to be more efficient or modernise, as this would reduce the number of people employed. i have come accross ridiculous examples of people doing completely unnecessary tasks. For example buying ferry ticket one man sold me the ticket and he passed it to the man right next to him, who checked it (how could it be wrong!) ripped a corner and gave it to me. In the restaurant that same night there were different waiters for showing you a table, getting you a drink, taking your order, serving the food; everything was done by a different man. (yes they were all men but that’s another story). There was even one guy, who i think was in charge of opening a window, because he stood there all night in full uniform and that’s all I saw him do. Now while I hear you say, “it gives them an income”, I wonder about the development of the country when the desire seems to be to create as many jobs for people as you can, and don’t consider efficiency! One for you economics scholars to explain.
So i’m looking forward to Goa tommorrow. While I suspect it is completely touristy and unlike the rest of the country, that’s fine by me. A few days of Beech, Beer and Biriyani is called for!
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