to see our photos of Munnar, click on the link below
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2008275&id=1112916442&l=7f56d8f5eb
After a night bus ride to Kochi(air-conditioned and freezing - 10 hours), then a day bus ride to Munnar (public bus - no windows, 4 hours), and a taxi ride we arrived at our resort in Munnar. This was a luxury week, in a timeshare resort - Club Mahendra Lakeview. The hotel was very fancy, and since it was 20km out of Munnar, we were somewhat captive. We had a kitchenette, so did our own breakfast and lunches - and went to the restaurant for dinners - excellent Indian food, very rich, so only needed one meal a day. Restaurant very fancy - even had a resident magician to entertain you at your table.
The resort is set amongst tea plantations (about 4000 feet high), and has a view over a hydro dam. The views are magnificent, and it was very pleasant sitting on our balcony watching the world go by and the women picking the tea. In the morning and evenings the valley below would fill with cloud, but it was clear above the clouds.
The resort had an amazing number of staff, and we were the only non-Indians there. There were plenty of people to bow and scrape to us. I guess it is easy work, but lots of the staff seemed to stand around doing very little most of the time. The resort also had activities scheduled which we avoided like the plague - but there were lots of families there and they seemed to enjoy them. There were also lots of tours that seemed very tame to us but seemed to be a new experience for the city folk, eg a speedboat ride (in a plywood boat that looked about 30 years old), trekking ( most Indians we have met don't walk very far).
We decided we should do something with the resort, so did a night safari to Chinnar National Park, and were surprised to actually see something. We saw elephants, bison, deer, mongoose, owl, rabbit, snake. This started at 9.30pm and we got back at 8.30 am, so slept most of the next day.
There were locals at the gate who were also offering trips, we went on a Jeep safari into the tea plantation, almost to the top of the second highest peak in southern India, and the Kollukoluma tea factory (this tea is the highest grown tea in the world,and is hand-picked.) The tea plantation was just in Tamil Nadu, (we started in Kerala). The views were magnificent. They can grow tea on slope up to about 80 degrees. This trip was definitely the highlight of the week.
We also did a trip to a spice plantation and the dam - as in the rest of the world, no photos allowed of the dam wall due to security risk. It was interesting to see all the spices growing, there is heaps and heaps of cardamon everywhere. We had also seen lots of tree-houses, and found out that at the spice planation a couple of men sleep in the tree-house each night to scare away the elephants when they come.
We went for a few walks, and are amazed at the influence of Christianity here. When the cars reverse, they do not beep, but play Silent Night or equivalent. There are large impressive churches (amongst the cottages the locals live in). Some of them have shrines (Virgin Mary) that look almost Hindu. Even the drivers going past them will bless themselves. Also lots of buses with religious messages
"Blessing", "Jesus", "Mary" etc. Many cars have rosary beads hanging where the dice should be.
Munnar is also a honeymoon destination, and the honeymoon couples were dressed in their finery - black leather cowboy hats are the current in-thing for the guys, the girls would often have western clothes that didn't quite go. They all had their photo taken a a waterfall nearby. Not that we can throw stones, they probably think that we look pretty funny.
We took a car from Munnar to Kumily - 3 hour drive, about $A35. It was a nice way to do it. Having a day off today to catch up on things, but mainly to sort out our Westpac credit card - which they had put a block on because we had bought some air tickets from India over the internet. Of course they rang to tell us after we had left, so our automatic payments have been bouncing. Thanks Ellie, Nick and Karen for all your help sorting this out.
Planning a day in Periyar National Park tomorrow, so will be up early to get the 7am boat trip
to see our photos of Munnar, click on the link below
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2008275&id=1112916442&l=7f56d8f5eb
Monday, September 29, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
Mysore
Mysore is a great city - a grand palace, lots of statues, circular intersections surrounded by circular buildings with circular statues in the middle. Also lots of temples. Did a city tour in autorickshaw, coffee in the maharajah's guesthouse (where he put his guests so they didn't stay at his house) up on the hill overlooking the town. Very grand, horse and carriage with liveried driver out the front, formally dressed staff (Indian English style) and very ornate rooms and halls all getting a little bit decrepit. Still magnificent though. Now a state run hotel.
At the top of the hill, a temple overlooking the town, 1000 steps up and down for those pilgrims who are serious (putting a coloured thumbprint on every step by those who need the most enlightenment), a ride to the top and 300 steps down for the ancient aussie tourists. At the top we saw the temple priests and untold extras, getting a huge carved wooden temple cart out of the garage. It looked like it was ready to fall over. No doubt we will see it all decked out in its finery when we come back for the Dusserah festival in 3 weeks time. After 300 steps saw Nandi, a large black statue of a bull.
Back down in town we spent an hour at the palace, needs a day to do it justice. Magnificent building, enormous grounds, home of the Maharajah. At least here they value their impressive buildings and are trying very hard to keep them up to scratch.
It all got a bit much, so called it a day, and Peter collapsed for the rest of the day - ok today though. We started sorting through the medical kit, but decided only rehydration medicine was necessary.
Today we went out to the countryside, and saw 2 temples and another palace. Buildings were good, but the country views were even better. Rice fields, coconut and banana plantations, sugar cane. Stopped and watched sugarcane being squeezed, then concentrated by boiling in great big woks (3 metres across) before being poured into moulds and dried. Also saw washing being flogged on the steps by the river, and pots and pans being scrubbed with sand and river water.
Food is good, today we had fried vege rice and butter chicken, 2 cokes, a bottle of water and 2 chapatis for about $6...and we couln't finish it. they even brought tomato sauce for us to eat with it, but that didn't seem quite right!!!
Driving on the roads is better here, but still is an Indian speciality. In Vietnam, traffic lights are for decorative purposes only, but they do work here, probably because there is a policeman on every corner of the intersection. Lane marking are for decorative purposes here. Roads are as many lanes wide as can fit at any particular time, and the largest vehicle gets right of way. At one stage today we were driving up the freeway the wrong way for about a km looking for a way through to the other side!!!!
The Indian women look fantastic in their saris, even the poorest in the fields are colorfully dressed and very regal in appearance - when you can carry pots on your head, your posture has to be good.
Trying a night bus tonight - leaves at 11.30 pm. 10 hours to Kochi. Should be an interesting night and hopefully we get some sleep and a few loo stops
At the top of the hill, a temple overlooking the town, 1000 steps up and down for those pilgrims who are serious (putting a coloured thumbprint on every step by those who need the most enlightenment), a ride to the top and 300 steps down for the ancient aussie tourists. At the top we saw the temple priests and untold extras, getting a huge carved wooden temple cart out of the garage. It looked like it was ready to fall over. No doubt we will see it all decked out in its finery when we come back for the Dusserah festival in 3 weeks time. After 300 steps saw Nandi, a large black statue of a bull.
Back down in town we spent an hour at the palace, needs a day to do it justice. Magnificent building, enormous grounds, home of the Maharajah. At least here they value their impressive buildings and are trying very hard to keep them up to scratch.
It all got a bit much, so called it a day, and Peter collapsed for the rest of the day - ok today though. We started sorting through the medical kit, but decided only rehydration medicine was necessary.
Today we went out to the countryside, and saw 2 temples and another palace. Buildings were good, but the country views were even better. Rice fields, coconut and banana plantations, sugar cane. Stopped and watched sugarcane being squeezed, then concentrated by boiling in great big woks (3 metres across) before being poured into moulds and dried. Also saw washing being flogged on the steps by the river, and pots and pans being scrubbed with sand and river water.
Food is good, today we had fried vege rice and butter chicken, 2 cokes, a bottle of water and 2 chapatis for about $6...and we couln't finish it. they even brought tomato sauce for us to eat with it, but that didn't seem quite right!!!
Driving on the roads is better here, but still is an Indian speciality. In Vietnam, traffic lights are for decorative purposes only, but they do work here, probably because there is a policeman on every corner of the intersection. Lane marking are for decorative purposes here. Roads are as many lanes wide as can fit at any particular time, and the largest vehicle gets right of way. At one stage today we were driving up the freeway the wrong way for about a km looking for a way through to the other side!!!!
The Indian women look fantastic in their saris, even the poorest in the fields are colorfully dressed and very regal in appearance - when you can carry pots on your head, your posture has to be good.
Trying a night bus tonight - leaves at 11.30 pm. 10 hours to Kochi. Should be an interesting night and hopefully we get some sleep and a few loo stops
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Adelaide to Bangalore (Bengaluri)
to see our photos of Singapore, click on the link below
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2007863&id=1112916442&l=472919b6f0
to see our photos of Bangalore and Mysore, click on the link below
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2008027&id=1112916442&l=b31bb0594b
Flight from Adelaide to singapore was easy, and we caught the local train (MRT) to Little India for the grand price of $1.80 each - Sydney folks, what do you think of that!!
We had booked our hotel over the internet, and found that made it $10 more expensive - so much for the modern world. the hotel was adequate, very close to the train station, and very reasonable for us. I am guessing many of you would not have liked it.
It was mid-autumn festival, so all over Singapore there were lots of chinese lanterns and decorations. We ambled through chinatown, ate at food stalls, visited temples, ate at more food stalls, and eventually collapsed at night - pam took a couple of days to adjust to the humidity.
On monday we went to the electronics superstore building, roamed around and got hassled by many merchants. We checked the price of wide angle lense for the olympus and it started at $90, very quickly to $75 at the first shop, yet they were asking $190 at the next one, and being real generous and dropping it to $170. We bought a camera battery, then found more food. After lunch we went to the end of our train line (all underground), and emerged into the daylight in the new suburbs - blocks and blocks and blocks of apartments (15 stories or so), linked by an overhead light train system which went around in a loop - no drivers.
MOnday night we left Singapore for our Tiger Airways flight to Bangalore, where we arrived at 10pm. Brand new airport, 40km out of town, so a taxi into our hotel near the bus and rail station - fairly basic. the hot water arrived in a bucket at 8am, we had already had a cold wash. Breakfast was Masal Dosa - rice pancakes stuffed with potato and pea curry, and sweet sweet sweet white tea.
This morning we walked down to the bus station - hundreds of buses - and to the train station - you need to know exactly what you want to do so you can fill in the form to make a train booking. Have decided to go by bus as airconditioned buses go to Mysore every 10 minutes.
At the station we allowed ourselves to be hijacked for a city tour, and spent the next 2 hours sitting in smoggy traffic until we eventually escaped to go for a walk and sightseeing. got dragged to 2 souvenir shops (rugs, carvings, silks etc) and kept on declining to go to more. Have spent the afternoon wandering around, and are taking a well earned break in the internet cafe waiting for beer o'clock and more food. Food is good. This Bangalore we have seen is crowded and chaotic. Haven't met anyone we have had those lovely phone conversations with in Australia (you know the ones that try and ring you at tea time) This may be Silicone Valley of India, but that apparently is a close estate where you need a permit to enter. Haven't seen where it is. Have however seen the cricket ground, and the driver knows all the names of the key aussie cricketers.
India looks like it will be fun, as long as we keep our sense of humour.
to see our photos of Singapore, click on the link below
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2007863&id=1112916442&l=472919b6f0
to see our photos of Bangalore and Mysore, click on the link below
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2008027&id=1112916442&l=b31bb0594b
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2007863&id=1112916442&l=472919b6f0
to see our photos of Bangalore and Mysore, click on the link below
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2008027&id=1112916442&l=b31bb0594b
Flight from Adelaide to singapore was easy, and we caught the local train (MRT) to Little India for the grand price of $1.80 each - Sydney folks, what do you think of that!!
We had booked our hotel over the internet, and found that made it $10 more expensive - so much for the modern world. the hotel was adequate, very close to the train station, and very reasonable for us. I am guessing many of you would not have liked it.
It was mid-autumn festival, so all over Singapore there were lots of chinese lanterns and decorations. We ambled through chinatown, ate at food stalls, visited temples, ate at more food stalls, and eventually collapsed at night - pam took a couple of days to adjust to the humidity.
On monday we went to the electronics superstore building, roamed around and got hassled by many merchants. We checked the price of wide angle lense for the olympus and it started at $90, very quickly to $75 at the first shop, yet they were asking $190 at the next one, and being real generous and dropping it to $170. We bought a camera battery, then found more food. After lunch we went to the end of our train line (all underground), and emerged into the daylight in the new suburbs - blocks and blocks and blocks of apartments (15 stories or so), linked by an overhead light train system which went around in a loop - no drivers.
MOnday night we left Singapore for our Tiger Airways flight to Bangalore, where we arrived at 10pm. Brand new airport, 40km out of town, so a taxi into our hotel near the bus and rail station - fairly basic. the hot water arrived in a bucket at 8am, we had already had a cold wash. Breakfast was Masal Dosa - rice pancakes stuffed with potato and pea curry, and sweet sweet sweet white tea.
This morning we walked down to the bus station - hundreds of buses - and to the train station - you need to know exactly what you want to do so you can fill in the form to make a train booking. Have decided to go by bus as airconditioned buses go to Mysore every 10 minutes.
At the station we allowed ourselves to be hijacked for a city tour, and spent the next 2 hours sitting in smoggy traffic until we eventually escaped to go for a walk and sightseeing. got dragged to 2 souvenir shops (rugs, carvings, silks etc) and kept on declining to go to more. Have spent the afternoon wandering around, and are taking a well earned break in the internet cafe waiting for beer o'clock and more food. Food is good. This Bangalore we have seen is crowded and chaotic. Haven't met anyone we have had those lovely phone conversations with in Australia (you know the ones that try and ring you at tea time) This may be Silicone Valley of India, but that apparently is a close estate where you need a permit to enter. Haven't seen where it is. Have however seen the cricket ground, and the driver knows all the names of the key aussie cricketers.
India looks like it will be fun, as long as we keep our sense of humour.
to see our photos of Singapore, click on the link below
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2007863&id=1112916442&l=472919b6f0
to see our photos of Bangalore and Mysore, click on the link below
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2008027&id=1112916442&l=b31bb0594b
Monday, September 8, 2008
India trip
Begins on Saturday 13th September when we fly to Singapore.
Then its off to Bangalore on Monday 15th September.
From there we travel around southern India until mid November, then it's off the the Andamons so that Peter can go diving.
Leaving Chennai on 3rd December, going via Singapore to arrive in Hong Kong on 5th December.
Leave Hong Kong on 15th December, coming home via Singapore and Perth to lob in Adelaide late on Tuesday 16th December -provided it all goes to plan.
Then its off to Bangalore on Monday 15th September.
From there we travel around southern India until mid November, then it's off the the Andamons so that Peter can go diving.
Leaving Chennai on 3rd December, going via Singapore to arrive in Hong Kong on 5th December.
Leave Hong Kong on 15th December, coming home via Singapore and Perth to lob in Adelaide late on Tuesday 16th December -provided it all goes to plan.
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