Day 22 - Kanyakumari to Sambavarvadakarai

The mercury climbed and the group moved north from Kanyakumari in search of freshwater locales off the highway, led by a local guide, a friend of saty's.

A rare combination of the 3 holiday spot USPs - hill, palmgrove, and freshwaterbody, though appearing a little hastily thrown together:

After observing a few rivulets and goatherding maneuvers, stopped to rehydrate at a roadway juice stall.

The gang split up here - the 3 office-goers headed back to the establishment at Trivandrum while I went on to Saty's village, Sambavarvadakarai in Tirunelveli district, near the Kerala border where the Western Ghats start.

A small church on the hill behind the restaurant:

The area is full of windmills and for good reason. The winds here can blow quixotic bikers off-balance especially when they change direction without warning. Rain clouds also appear unexpectedly and seem to chase along the NH7 highway so it's always advisable to stop and let them pass.

A chai place at the Tirunelveli highway turnoff towards Sambavarvadakarai employs an ingenious recycler+costsaver cigarette lighting idea combining strips of cardboard from used packs and a small oil lamp. They also serve quick, strong coffee.

Dinner of parota (a sort of lacchha paratha), omelet, and chicken 65 (a savory tikka) at Surandai village.

The quiet of night is broken only by the calls of nightbirds; the dogs are mostly friendly, unlike their city brethren.