I, hence, didn’t escape the region without someone giving me the middle finger out
of a car window. In Kasaragod, all accommodation was fully booked but, eventually,
lodging was uncovered and it was a pleasure to put my feet up.
My mom, then 86 and albeit healthy, needed assistance and TLC. I decided to
return to South Africa to assist and do what I could. The plan was to stay as long
as it would take to ensure my mom was comfortable, stress-free, and happy.
Kasaragod – Kannur 107 km
It must’ve been close to 10h00 before finally getting underway. Again, there
seemed no end to the dreaded roadworks, which included long diversions. A 10-
kilometre detour is nothing in a car, but cycling, it’s 10 kilometres.
There wasn’t much time for sightseeing as it took concentrating on the path, which
became narrower as the day progressed. In India, traffic tends to drive without
looking. They will cut you off, pull in front of you, or overtake you as vehicles
approach from the opposite direction.
To keep my mind off the horrendous driving, I made imaginary jewellery. In real
life, the day passed slowly. Thank goodness for the numerous coconut and sugar
cane juice vendors. Once or twice, I tried chatting to villagers, but not a great deal
of English was spoken off the beaten track. Reaching Kannur, the market area
revealed the Meridian Palace Hotel. Of course, it wasn’t a palace, but good enough
to spend a night.