25. Report - 1 & 2/12/21 - A small problem before the border crossing
I'll make good progress by evening. When looking for a place to sleep, I run into women again, who use loud, powerful voices to signal to me that I should go away quickly.
For today I don't feel anymore like asking for a sheltered place to sleep. But there has to be something covered because the rainy season is not over yet.
When it is almost dark, the entrance to a property appears, at the end of which there is a house with a canopy. I go there, look and call to see if anyone is there. There is a car and a bike, but the building does not seem to be inhabited. I'll wait another half hour. Since nobody comes, I prepare the sleeping place in the light of the flashlight.
Shortly after falling asleep, I am awakened roughly. I cannot communicate with the man who shines a strong lamp in my face. What is clear is that he wants me out of here. At least he suspects that I'm not a bad person and signals that I can sleep in the small temple at the crossroads at the front. - OK.
The square there is bright and noisy because the temple lights are on all night and vehicles keep coming through. The man later comes back with a younger guy who speaks English. They would like to know more and take a picture of my passport. Somewhat soothed, they say goodbye.
The next morning the man comes back; I've just tied up my luggage. Others join in and the worried mood among each other grows. Someone who wears an arm cuff speaks English, but nobody wants to understand that I prefer the quieter nature trails and don't want to go on the noisy main road to Kerala. In their opinion, there shouldn't be the branching off path right here behind the curve, which is indicated by Google Maps.
When I go behind this curve to urinate, I find exactly the path I was looking for: a beautiful, quiet nature trail.
Some men get loud and say no when I tell them about it. Someone really wants me to get on his bike so he can take me a few villages down to the main road. Because I don't want that, the guy with the arm cuff calls the police.
But I don't feel like discussing or waiting any more, instead I shoulder my luggage and start walking. Not the beautiful nature trail, but the road to calm the mind. - At the next house I ask for fresh water; a friendly woman is adding two bananas.
The man with the arm cuff stops again on the street. I have a reconciling idea: I take a box of good healing ointment for his arm out of my luggage.
When I hand it over to him, a policeman stops on his motorcycle. He got a call and looks at us and asks what's going on. I try to explain the situation as simply as possible.
So everything seems fine to the policeman. He offers to give me a lift, but accepts that I prefer to go.
The cuff wearer sets off again without further words. His face looks sad. Later I feel a little sorry for him, also for the others. May they experience inner peace behind the mistrust.
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