Kochi Heatstroke & the Curious Case of the Spice Market
okay, so i’m currently sweating through everything i own in *Kochi, India. like, everything. i just checked and it’s…a solid wall of humidity right now, honestly. you’ll need a personal fan, trust me.
this trip was supposed to be about “finding myself” after a particularly brutal tour schedule. turns out, “finding myself” mostly involves finding the nearest air-conditioned cafe and questioning all my life choices. i’m a touring session drummer, right? i’m used to chaos, to late nights, to questionable hotel rooms. but this…this is a different level.
spent yesterday wandering around Fort Kochi, which is…pretty. in a crumbling-colonial-architecture-covered-in-vines kind of way. it’s all very instagrammable, if you can ignore the fact that you’re basically melting. i tried to get some photos, but my lens kept fogging up. seriously.
“apparently, the best fish curry is from that tiny stall near the beach. but only go if you’re okay with a little…adventure.”
that’s what the guy at the guesthouse told me, anyway. “adventure” in this context, i suspect, means “potential food poisoning.” i’m still debating it. i did, however, find a phenomenal chai place. seriously, the chai is worth the heatstroke. check out some reviews on TripAdvisor to find the best spots.
the spice market is…intense. a full-on assault on the senses. cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, everything. i swear i sneezed a rainbow. someone told me you can haggle aggressively there, but i’m terrible at haggling. i ended up paying way too much for some peppercorns. oh well. it’s a souvenir.
the weather data i’m getting is…well, it’s 33.61 degrees Celsius, feels like 36.06. pressure’s at 1007, humidity’s 45%. basically, it’s a sauna. and it’s not letting up. i’m starting to think i should have packed more linen.
i overheard a couple of backpackers talking about a hidden beach south of the city. apparently, it’s only accessible by boat and it’s completely deserted. sounds amazing, but also sounds like a logistical nightmare. i’m too tired to plan a logistical nightmare. maybe tomorrow.
if you get bored, Munnar and Alleppey* are just a quick train ride away. i’ve heard good things about the backwaters, but honestly, i’m not sure i have the energy for another adventure right now. i’m leaning towards just finding another chai place and hiding from the sun.
someone warned me about the traffic here. they weren’t kidding. it’s…a free-for-all. scooters, tuk-tuks, buses, cows, all vying for the same patch of road. it’s terrifying and exhilarating all at once. you can find some local transport info on Kerala Tourism.
i also stumbled upon this cool little art gallery on Jew Town Road. it’s called David Hall Art Gallery and it’s definitely worth checking out if you’re into that sort of thing. they have some really interesting contemporary art.
i’m starting to think i need a vacation from my vacation. maybe i should just book a flight home and spend the rest of the summer hiding in my practice room. but then again, where’s the adventure in that? i guess i’ll just keep sweating and drinking chai and hoping for the best. you can find more info about Kochi on Yelp.
You might also be interested in:
- https://votoris.com/post/chasing-light-in-so-joo-del-rei
- https://votoris.com/post/tokyo-through-the-eyes-of-a-digital-nomad-wifi-hotspots-ramen-breaks-existential-train-rides
- https://votoris.com/post/abuja-where-childcare-costs-will-make-you-question-life-choices
- https://votoris.com/post/lisbons-a-blur-rain-pastel-buildings-and-seriously-strong-coffee-7
- https://votoris.com/post/berdyansk-salt-steel-and-seriously-cold-air