Homeward bound ......

Another three to four hours drive to Alleppey (known as the "Venice of the East") and now I am the one with the flu and thank goodness for the broad spectrum antibiotics that I brought along. After three days of three a day for Jim he was over it, now it was my turn!

Boarded our house boat at about 12.30, with three crew and just the two of us. This made up one of the older boats of eight year with a bigger fleet of boats with more rooms.  

We headed out onto this wide expanse of waterways. A 900km network of canals on the Vembanad Lake, which is the longest lake in India, lies parallel to the Arabian Sea and is known as the Malabar Coast.  Five large lakes linked by canals, both man made and natural are fed by 38 rivers, and these extend virtually half of the lenght of The Karala state.  It was a flotilla of boats going out all at once. It's seems like hooting not the order of the day on water but still some chaos about, with a dozen boats going in the same direction, it was a matter of who could be in the front. The more power your boat has the more priority you have! This, by the way, seems to apply to the roads in India too.

 Our boat has an open plan lounge and dinning room, with a private room on suite with a wet bathroom. Furniture all heavy wooden hand carved. Realised soon enough that the three crew had distinct functions. One the Captain, one the Chef and the other the tour guide, who seemed to wobble his head more than anyone else that we have come across, and trust me they all wobble their heads a great deal in this area. With  little Ghandi glasses on, he looked very intellectual. He pointed out a snake boat which is over 100 m long with a raised prow that stands about 10 feet from the water.. The boat races or Chundan Vallams races takes place in August of every year. with 100 oarsmen in each. Apparently a spectacular event.

 Ghandi lookalike (full mop of curly hair though)asked if we wanted prawns for lunch? Sounded good, so a stop over on the way to the fish shop.  These prawns were almost lobster size, black and just not that appealing, knowing and having had a glimpse of what floats on these waters.  No thanks, they may be bottom  feeders, and all, but no thank you! At 1000 rupees for a kg, and three of them worked out to 1700!! So we settled for the traditional cooked India lunch which was served to us on deck in the dining room. We both could just not face another Indian meal!  We are now officially curried out!! The same applied for dinner, so all this food was so wasted on us! I also felt absolutely stuffed, with high fevers and coughing my lungs out!! O

Stopped alongside a paddy field, which which lie below sea level and is surrounded by earthen embankments. Crops lie low and are irrigated by the fresh water that come down from the rivers that flow from the Western Ghats mountain range. It's amazing to see how the locals have adapted to this way of life here, living on narrow strips of land lying between the waterways and rice paddies. You see woman washing clothes, by pounding them against the rocks and washing dishes in the water and men and children bathing in the water, fully clothed? School  kids getting onto the water bus to go to school! A sense of tranquility about, what a way to live!

A gentle meander through the canals,an early night with early  breakfast of omelette (to our relief)and  the flotilla heads back to shore. Feeling a great deal better after a day of anti bugs,,,,,,and then guess what, another three to four hours drive to Verkala, where we are now.

Our last few days in India spent here  could not have come at a better time.....very, very chilled, western food (yeah) and the most beautiful spot on the cliffs of Verkala. Our first night, as part of the same package was spent in a very smart hotel a little back from the cliffs, but now our last two nights on the beach (cliff) front. Drinking more Kingfishers and G & Ts than I should but what more could a person want.

Heading back to Kavalum tomorrow, where we started our amazing adventures two weeks ago.  A half a night and just a little taxi ride away as our flight leaves at 4.30am on Friday the 13th, headed for Dubai and home by 4.30pm.

To the next post probably in Dubai! 

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In the jungle....the mighty jungle!!!

Leaving Munnar at 1600m above sea  hence the coolness but Jim picked up the flu!! Too much coolness, no doubt! Drove through very windy, singled lane roads, over the Madupetty & Kundala dam, where we had our mielies from two very old locals' who looked like they were on a high. Rubbed with lime and Chilli but no butter, is not quite the same.

The scenery started changing to not only tea plantations now, but cardamom and coffee.The tea plantations had citrus trees added. Climbing up towards the Anamudi mountain which peaks at 2695m above sea level, the scenery is spectacular, this is the highest peak in Southern India. I did come across the sign on my hike up to look for the blue flowers but seeing they only flower every 12 years and due to do so again in 2018' will just have to come back again!!

Arrived in Thekkady after a three hour car ride (each trip between each town seems to be between three to four hours) and went to book for our "wildlife safari and trekking expedition" in the Periyar Tiger Reserve! For the next day,

 We were collected at 5,30am from the hotel by a driver with a Mahindra, Commander, which seems to be the preferred vehicle for the taxis in this part of the world. The amazing thing was to see how many people were up and about at this time of day and walking with torches down the windy roads. Stopped at a local coffee spot, about half an hour later, with locals getting the chapati breakfasts with tea or coffee. There is something about the coffee here which is so different, very milky and poured high over the glass, so as to create a foam head. It has a condensed milk coffee taste and is apparently just instant Nescafe! Delicious, it is served in a flask andhave often ordered coffee for room service at night and bought our own chocolate biscuits, very yummy!!

The reserve is 927 km squared and does have 34 tigers.....almost impossible to get to see, eve though our guide said that he had last seen one two months previously?! We did see a hoar, which is a huge buffalo and guide was so excited, he ran after it with my camera, and needless to say, did not get any photos. Then saw a bison, and more back monkeys, and two  Malabar giant squirrel, very large with bushy tail as long as it's body. Been in the  queue of vehicles about four, our driver seemed to just want to be up ahead and kept overtaking the others and leaning out of the car while driving!! Rather hair raising.  Once we arrived at the reserve offices we registered and then had breakfast, us together with another 60 tourist, some Western but still a great deal of Northern Indian tourists, Jim was really not feeling good at all so I got a guide to myself who was now taking me on a three hour trekking (hike) kin the jungle. Landed up with another two guides who was with a couple from Belgium, and from Antwerp, next door to where I was born. Rick and Elly, now live in Spain though and great couple, another guide plus 6 Brits arrived.

So off we went looking for elephants. Some conciliation at that point as my guide seemed the most senior and he was definitely taking us off the beaten track. No paths at all through the jungle. Stopping every now and then  for the "three checks" he would say.
 1. Sound of bamboos crackling, as the India wild elephant loves the bamboo leaves,
 2. The trumpeting when they are warning you to stay clear and then 
3, when you come face to face with one, which he had recently done and landed up with four stitches in his forehead.....obviously the other two signs were toolate. 

Needless to say that I was a little nervous at this point and if the Indian elephants are anything like  African ones, you do not want to be head butting any!! 
Well after going through tracks of very fresh elephant dung and urine , and through the thick growth of the jungle and river beds, where we landed up having to walk through the water with leeches ( bitten through my takkies and socks and even half way up my leg) we found two elephants in the thick bush. Luckily down wind from them, as my confidence in these guys was not very strong, as on a few occasions we heard the crackling of bamboo very close to us and even a trumpet call, where I thought the guide in the front was going to run off in the opposite direction and leave us all behind!! They seemed more nervous than us!! They got us to stand down hill at one stage, in a tight group and reassured us that they will not ever charge a group of people and not going down a hill, which I surpass made sense, it felt like we stood there, for a very long time. 

Not sure if this was all part of the excitement, but my guide then proceeded to tell us that the part of the reserve that we were in was illegal to trek there as there are no paths, but that is the only way to see them. It was a full three and a half hours of real jungle trekking to say the least, and I had the blood and mud stain on my pants and socks to prove it, as well as a very delicate body the next morning,

Joined up with Jim and went on a little boat paddle, then headed back to Tikkady for our over night stay, to be collected the next morning for another three to four hour drive to Allerpy to get onto our house boat.

Nice to have a little coolness after four months of heat.

The mountains in this area at about 1500m makes a huge difference in temperatures and great to cool down a little from the heat in SA before we left and what we experienced when we arrived in India.

Our trip to Munnar. 165kms in four hours from Fort Cochi was very monotonous with not much change of very busy roads and getting through the towns by hooting to overtake, but very tolerant driving.....our new driver Ashmid  is brilliant. There is very little open land in-between the towns, but noticed that the bigger wealthier homes are outside of the towns. Arrived in Munnar in the afternoon updated our blog and went to the Kalarippayattu martial arts traditional village in the evening. 

Amazing talent and the entire "Punarjani" family, with five  sons are involved as the performers. Using all types of weapons, fire rings, the passion by these men is incredible, the body control and the connection between the them is to be experienced. I have amazing photographs and note the orbs in some of them. They pray before each and every fight and give thanks and ask for protection from the spirits. They end with an amazing chant, which I have recorded and will try and paste on FB.

It seems that the only other tourists about are Indians from Delphi who speak a different language to the locals here so everything is in English, which helps us tremendously. A family we came across today, asked if we were enjoying India, I replied, very beautiful, "Bohut sundar hai",  the man took  my hand and said," thank you so much for appreciating our country". 

The friendliness of all Indians has really surprised us and I have a totally different sense of respect for them. There is absolutely no aggression in anything that they do, the drivers, hotel staff, the vendors on the streets, the school children that you encounter who seem to have never seen a white faced person before and all they want is your photograph with them. We have been embraced by everyone that we meet, taxi and rickshaw drivers, shop keepers who cannot speak English, chai (tea) and coffee sellers on the train and in the street. Say "no thank you" and they leave you alone. Police and guards, to bus conductors and woman in the toilets!! we have just not encountered any problems at all, its smiles and your need is their command, ask for anything and they will make a plan, literally! A land go my that brings only one song to Ming "no worries, be happy"!!

When walking up the mountain today at the Evarikulim Natural Park I was bombarded by a bunch of school kids who could just not leave me alone and they insisted on taking photos all the way. At one stage they were told by their teachers to leave me alone and stopped. I carried on walking, enjoying the openess and a quietness. Came across many endangered Nilgiri Ibex (looks like a muntain goat). I then realized that someone was following me and when he caught up, it was the schools History teacher and he had followed me furthwr along the road, without the school kids, so that he could take a photo of him and I with his cell phone!! 

When I mentioned to the kids that i was from SA, they immediately said that they knew Nelson Mandela!!  So enjoyed been in nature and not hearing hooting and crows!! The only clean place that we have seen so far, not too much litter, but what a bus ride that was. A single windy road all the way up with packed busses going in both directions it was very hair raising!! 

Who said that you only get "groen millies" in SA. We had our own roasted by a  very old couple along the side of the road, just before going over the Madupatty Dam, which was under construction in 1953, after the roads between Munnar and Aliva in 1939 were completed. 

From there to the Kavan Devan Hills Platation Company tea museum, which began since the roads and mono rails were built to assist with supplies in 1900. The British pioneered and started the plantation and this has now become a multiple million industry in India.  In 1964 James Finley & co limited enters into collaboration with Tata and in 1976 Tata purchases the entire Indian interest and Tata-Finley Limited is born. There is supposedly an active NGO which has collaborated with the Government to create a Environmental Preservation association, which is rather difficult to believe when you see the pollution about and especially in the local Dam! 

In 1980 Tata tea comes into being and in 1983 becomes the largest Asian Supe Tea Factory, and becomes fully automated in 1990 and organic tea cultivation starts in 2005. The KDHP is now the largest participating management company in India with more than 12500 employees as shareholders and Tata now only own 16 percent shares. Which probably has some ups and downs........

Off to Thekkady tomorrow.

In the honeymoon suite.....

After a stunning breakfast on the balcony of the Fussion next door to our accommodation, and watching the dolphins in the bay, we headed back to Trivadum to the railway station. Made a prior booking  through the travel agent who recommended the AC Chair Carriage, which was perfect.
The trip in the rickshaw with two backpacks was interesting and two stops at the ATM. Easy to use as well. 

We were surprised at how the announcements at the station were in English, so really easy to find Platform 4 and the carriages were clearly marked. Only problem was that we were not sure which way the train faced, but luckily we followed the Ds and it led us to the Cs, but the train ran backwards!! Five seats per orow, reclining chairs and non stop food and drinks, what more could you want. The scenery changed from coconut trees, to rice fields, but always with canals running through. Slums along the railway line (like everywhere in the world), and stations we passed, but did not stop at, were very dirty and rather deserted. Arriving in Cochin at 6.20, exactly four hours later, with nowhere to go, you took a taxi and headed for Chenai Beach. Sounded god enough!! 

Unfortunately, totally deserted, but we did get the honeymoon suite of the Chenai Beach Resort......absolutely stunning villas on stilts on the Backwaters. One side of the resort is on the Backwater and the other on the beach. Did not have a very good nights sleep as there was a party over the way and the drumming, singing and thumping kept us up all night. Waking at 5.00 to meditate, thought I would try the little platform.....this hangs over the waters and it is absolutely stunning. Watched the sun rise and the next thing two men in a fishing boat appeared to randomly through in their nets. A little embarrassed, did not really know how long they were there for!!

Checking the Internet we realized that we had made a huge mistake and landed up at the wrong beach. It was Fort Cochin we should have been at. As we were leaving, a Kiwi couple had just arrived and they offered us their taxi to take us to where they had jjust been. Perfect timing and managed to get some tips on where to go and what to do. We realized that their budget was a little above ours when they mentioned that they had just come from he Rajastan Express which is valued at about 4000$ each!!! The taxi driving very kindly told us that the hotel that they had recommended was very expensive, were we happy to go inland a little bit away from the beach.......no doubt replyied YES!

Fort Kochi, on the west coast bordering the Arabian sea to the West and the Western Ghats on the East, referred to the "Queen of the Arabian Sea". This is the industrial and commercial capital of Kerala, where Thinvananthauram is the political capital. European traders were lured to trade here for Indian spices, which were in demand in the medieval period. Kochi was occupied by the Portuguese in 1503 and was the first European Colonial settlement in India. Occupied by the Dutch and the British until 1947 when India gained it's independence. This became a battle ground for the European due to trying to control the spice trade. As we know from our SA history, dutch East Indian company and Vasco de Gama had some influences to us!

We are now staying in the Gama Heritage Residence, which is one of the dormitories for the large Church around the corner. There is a great deal of influence here from the Portuguese, the Dutch and the English, visited the Da Gama church, where Vasco Da Gama died and his body was then sent to Lisbon. The to the Cochin Museum, very interesting history, far too much to remember though. Then the Chinese fishing nets, where we watched fisherman catching live bait. Then the synagogue, amazing interior and through the Jewish street, great trading type shops and antique shop which would love to be able to buy some items......still got spoilt as our taxi driver took us to a friends shop and Jim bought me this amazing turquoise and silver necklace. Absolutely stunning.

Good nights sleep and today, left for Munnar, where we are now. Stopped along the way to ride elephants, so different to ours and a spice tour.
Now in the Royal Retreat Hotel. Forgot to mention that we watched the Kathakali traditional dancing last night, absolutely fascinating combination of literature (mostly based on epic stories of India) music (vocal and instrumental) and multiple colored costumes and very bright elaborate facial make-up (chutti) and dancing and acting. A mime show, as Rose called it!! Check out the photos on FB.

Summoned to the garden to have a beer with Jim, most places are not license so could not have one here while in the lobby!
Till next time......and all!

We have negotiated a 7 days 6 nights package with our drivers boss for R7000 for both of us, include attractions, the house boat and all accommodation. So tomorrow we head off to the tea plantation and stay in Munnar for two nights. This seems to be the most popular way to travel. 

and keep loosing my entry before publishing

After sitting at the wifi spot for over an hour and a half this afternoon, I lost my entire entry, so will try and attempt again!!

Anyways HAPPY NEW YEAR, let's hope that 2012 brings in everything that your heart desires, but more importantly, happiness, love and good health.

Just a little more on places visited yesterday in Trivandrum, the main town about 30 mins from here.

The Temple is called Shri Padmanasbhaswamy. Recently discovered hidden gold in it, which has made it the richest temple in India.

Absolutely mobbed with locals from all over India, due to the holidays and obviously New Years eve. Men who visit the temple are topless and always wear a white nappy (not sure what else to call them). Woman is saris and enter from a separate side door. Only Hindus are allowed entrance, so unfortunately could not go in, but managed to take my shoes off, clean my feet and take photos of the outside, until a policeman told me that it was not allowed. Very friendly, I must say! His stern face reappeared after I looked away!!

Went into the neighboring Palace Kuthuramalika, which was built by the Maharaja Swathi the King of Travancore. He was a great poet, musician, social reformer (whatever that is meant to be) and statesman. Kuthuramalika means "Palace of the Horses" derived from 122 horses that are carved into the wooden brackets that support the southern roof. The glass and chandeliers inside are Venetian and the two thrones are made of bohemian crystal and the other ivory! There is a large collection of swords, muskets, marble sculptures and many paintings of the Maharaja. Many small rooms beautifully carved in wood were used for dancing, reading, debating and meditation. They are small in comparison to palaces in Europe that are large spacious and very ornate. The outside passage is surrounded by wooden louvres that are curved in an upward angle blowing the air in from below, very effective!! Very interesting visit and came across one other western couple, amongst the 100s!!

Found Rashid again, but was amazed at the men bathing in the lake attached to the temple on our way out. A very old man, brushing his teeth in that water.....

It started drizzling and we were back in the traffic. It seems as if there are no road signs, stop street or robots. The traffic just moves with a few round about the ease the flow and tons of hooting. No right of way for anyone, so it's whoever can fill in the gaps. There are loads of police though and they seem to control major intersections. Rather hair raising when in a rickshaw getting squeezed in by busses, truck and cars and intoxicated by the carbon dioxide fumes from their exhaust pipes!

Rachid then took us to a market, prity much the same as any African market, with stalls selling absolutely anything from spices to material to live chickens (happy to see that they blessed the chicken before cutting it's head off) to fruit and veggies. The colors are amazing and smells that go with it, including the garland stand on the way out, with the smell of frangipanis. After the rains the roads were prity flooded, but that did not stop Rachid from going through the real Chara market, which is streets of shops, one on top of the other, again filled with people and selling absolutely anything!

Lunch at a local diner, which was again packed. Three 'meals' consisted of a TV kinda metal plate, with a large grove for the rice, which was slapped on your plate with a large spoon scooped from a bucket! Then about five different small bowls with different spiced veggies. Dessert there two, tapioca type of pudding and curd!! No knives and forks and off you go, eating with you right hand, of course.

On our way home Rachid found us a post box to port the post cards, the a barber shop for Jim, who had the whole macoi! A number two and a good shave.....came out a new man.

We noticed bus loads of locals heading for our beach and thought it best to just hand low for the night. Had a great meal at about 9.00pm, then headed for home, where we could watch the action from the balcony. There were hundreds of them, with a heavy police presence, things seems to be in control. Great drumming and dancing on the beach, competing with the non-local DJ that was playing from oneof the clubs. Midnight came, there was a bit of fireworks and within half an hour the beach was cleared again! It was a fairly quite night and slept like a log.

Today 1st day of 2012 spent on the beach, absolutely clear beautiful day. As the day progressed, more and more locals were on the beach and they swim with their clothes on, men and even some woman, in saris!! The fishing boats were taking people out without life jackets and don't imagine that any qualifies skippers amongst them, in fact one flipped in the waves, but fortunately no injuries.

Heading off on the train tomorrow from town to Kochin. Time to move on......great spot, all healthy looking yogis about, all nationalities, no stress or agro and a very chilled 5 days, but need to head out now!!!

Had an amazing meal last night of fresh King fish and Kerala fish at the Javee beach Resort in Kovalam. According to trip advisor, the best rated restaurant in town.

After an amazing night sleep, a meditation at the crack of dawn and then a simple omelette breakfast with some local goodies of puffed up pastries with curried potatoes and coconut doughnuts, we were off for our treatments.

A consultation with the Doctor Anice Joseph Bams, to determine your ailments and then into a very simple room, stripped down and sitting on a wooden stool, wondering what to expect next and feeling very vonrable. A rope hangs from the centre of the ceiling, a large folded mat in one corner and a massage bed on the other. A gas burner and things under the bed that only the therapist reaches. Candle is lit together with an incense stick and I sigh with relief that this will not be a torture session, as you are blessed with sprinkles of water. The experience
is unique as it's first seated, starting with your hair, right down to your toes, then down to the floor with each area been drizzles with hot ghee......yes that,s where the chip pot comes in.....!!! It on your front, back and side, on the floor bed and chair, ending with a cooling cucumber cream face massage. I loved it but Jim found it too long and he thought he would end up in the chip pot on the gas burner! THis 90min treatment cost R200!!

Got back to the room absolutely shagged and slept like a baby for an hour! Now feeling totally rejuvenated....I could really get use to this.....But what a wonderful idea for a wellness retreat with "WIld at Heart Conferencing".

We are sitting here having "iced tea" which is cold "kingfisher" (beer) in a mug, as they are not licensed! The food has been awesome!

Can unfortunately not download pictures on our blog, so refer to FB for them.

Namaste from India!!

Jim's request last night while eating Chilli Crab!

After a very noisy night on the corner of the beach front road and the local rickshaw rank, with one of them trying to start up his 100cc motorbike for about 45 mins at 1.00am, did not sleep a wink last night. May have the view but that's as far as it goes!! Moved hotels to be closer to the beach and did manage to change rooms today, not sure if tonight is gonna make any difference.

Went into Trivandrum today by rickshaw, with Rashid our driver and guide!! Visited a stunning Temple in town! Just recently found treasures in it worth millions of rupees. Could not go in.as foreigners, even aCanadian couple we met whose husband is a Muslim could not go in with his western wife. Did manage to take Q *£@ that was my Kingfisher beer that I spilt on my iPad!! Things starting to heat up here on the beach at Karalum, chairs are getting re arranged around us, getting ready for the festivities tonight.

Visited the Palace, and Rashid took us to a local dinner - had a meal, which is served on a plate with a paopadom, and six different ramequins that contain different veggies, then rice is slapped in the middle of your tray and you eT with your hands......very interesting for anay westerner. We were then taken to the chara market which is huge and locals can buy absolutely anything!,

Pit stop for Jim to have a shave and shampoo, with a number two!,, now sitting on the waterfront and the masses are getting bussed in by the miillions. The whistle keeps blowing as locals try and swim and the guards are trying to control their depth. Not the stringers of swimmers, I noticed!!,