En route

"Goodnight! See you tomorrow!" How many visits to a shop does it take to be recognised as a 'regular'? It turns out to be four in the case of the "Tea, Coffee & Masala tea" shop that, apart from hot drinks, sells a variety of Indian snacks such as pakora or vedi, biscuits, and toiletries. The  main clientele consists of autorickshaw and jeep safari drivers. They have strategically chosen the fork junction in Kumily as a hangout spot, as it leads to the Periyar Tiger Reserve boat entrance, Bamboo Grove entrance, and the main bus station, making it a natural hub. On top of that, the national park tourist office is just opposite the shop, so there will always be a tourist that needs a lift. Or safari, although those trips are not supported by the national park that promotes ecotourism. Morning boost of 'kopi' at my favourite Kumily joint Back of one of many safari jeeps Speaking of ecotourism, while staying here, I visited the jungle three times. Fi...

Varkala was my first destination after leaving the ashram. I had come across this town in various guidebooks and on tourist forums, envisioning a lively, laid-back seaside town catering mostly to backpackers and yoga enthusiasts. Instead, my expectations were met with a rather subdued and faint reality. On the beach, there seemed to be more stray dogs than travellers, and the entire stretch of cliffs and beaches extending from Kappil Beach to Varkala felt abandoned, inert and stagnant. This seems to be the fate that Varkala shares with other coastal towns worldwide, and that's what this series aims to capture: a photo documentary of weathered palm tree leaves, deserted restaurants, and resorts. Photo series "out.of.season. varkala 2ō23" by Emi Pruss: P.S. I'm working on a new post... Stay tuned!    

I am currently three weeks into my Panchakarma retreat. It feels like I have entered level four of a captivating video game. The anticipation (or dread) of the impending final stage of my detox journey,   known as the infamous ‘vasti’-(often referred to as “the mother of all panchakarma procedures”), looms overhead. Last week, I underwent the ‘nasya’ treatment, that is cleanse of your nasal passages and detoxification of the head and neck. This procedure came with a challenging condition : no hair washing allowed. For a full seven days, my hair remained unwashed, gradually becoming so greasy that catching a glimpse of it in the mirror turned into a test of endurance! Fortunately, the ‘nasya’ experience had a silver lining, as it was coupled with herbal steam bath and ‘kizhi’ treatment—a pounding massage with heated herbal pouches infused with medicinal oils. These fragrant sachets worked their magic on my body, providing a perfect blend of invigoration and relaxation. ‘Kizhi’...