Sat 6 February

I wake feeling energised and full of ideas. My first day of freedom - no AV treatments hanging over my head. Yay!

And what do I want to do? - GO Shopping of course ! How predictable!  Need a STAPLES but will have to make do with Premier stationery shop - which turns into really quite a disappointment. I manage to get a small calculator for Babu and some glossy photo paper for me, but NO computer ink and nothing temptingly displayed. And I find out it's cash only!

Next Stop, Big Bazaar for spag dinner ingredients but they have virtually nothing of what I need. I distract myself by buying local spices in bulk - thinking of taking these home as gifts! I get chatting with one of the floor managers who is really helpful and interested in what I am buying.

Make my way to Chalai market for more material for churidars and sari blouses - Karim's is the place I have been hearing all about and am now aiming for. I walk in tentatively, and am immediately taken under the wing of the sales manager who blows me over by speaking the best English in whole of Trivandrum. He listens well to what I want and shows me everything he has, then leaves me to browse and get on with it. I feel elated and allow myself to get carried away. 

On the way home, I get the auto to stop and wait for me outside the local supermarket Spencers. The driver seems very happy to sit and wait with al y shopping bags sitting in the back seat. I rush in and find the missing spag ingredients -  the unlikely named minced buffalo meat (beef?) and tomato paste. I am in charge of supper tonight!

Arrive home triumphant and drop everything off. It can wait till later. Babu and I have an appointment with destiny!  I need to fill you in.  One of the main reasons I feel so UP today is that I am going to spend the day by the pool.  

Why, you might well ask, would I want to do that when I am surrounded by sea?  Well, the problem is that women cannot be seen in bathing suits at most public beaches in India 

- it offends propriety. 

So one has to swim in one's clothes. I did this once at Alleppey but it has limited joys! The other point is that you could never sunbathe in a bikini in India or you would have every male for 2 kms gathered around, drooling right over you and blocking out the sunlight, if something worse didn't happen ... So no joy there either.

So I am opting for the Uday Samudra hotel resort at Samudra Beach, next to Kovalam. Babu is keen to come along for the experience. Sony the sales and marketing chap smoothes our visit getting us good treatment at reduced rates. We join the buffet lunch and have a long chat, then I swim and sun myself until the sun goes down.  

The resort is particularly pleasing to the eye, tasteful architecture swathed in bougainvillea and discreetly concealing several hundred rooms.

Everywhere you look is charming, well tended, beautiful and easy on the eye. I cannot begin to describe to you what a change this is for me. I have been starved of this very visual impression. 

I cannot get enough of the pool and swim three or four times. It's not an enormous pool but is just the right temperature and doesn't have too many people in it. 

Oh yes, I almost forgot, the amazing thing is that most people are from guess where - ENGLAND! They obviously have excellent taste!

Babu stays fully clothed but relaxes reading and chatting on his mobile phone. For both of us, each in our own way, it's utter bliss! 

The day package costing Rs. 450 (±£6) includes the lunch and a cup of tea late afternoon. It's absolutely worth it! 

Soon it's time to go..... Need to be home in time to cook for the other volunteers who have been renting scooters all day at Kovalam. This is the first time I have cooked in Babu's kitchen and it takes me a little time to feel comfortable there. Babu cook has gone home for the weekend and Big  Babu is concerned. On the one hand he wants me to have some help and on the other he wants me to teach two women how to make this meal. I just focus on getting the unfamiliar ingredients cooked in the best way I can.

I keep the ladies busy chopping veg which saves me some time. I need the help actually because one of my main ingredients (tins of peeled tomatoes unavailable) I need to make from scratch. I boil 2 kgs of fresh tomatoes till their skins crack open, then peel them and add these to the meat. I use the pressure cooker and in no time at all the meal is ready.  Though I say it myself, the reception from my starving colleagues is extremely favourable and I feel flushed with success!

This has been an excellent day!