Week 7 – Periyar Tiger Sanctuary – Fort Cochin – Goa

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Our day hike in the Periyar Tiger Sanctuary took us through hills, valleys and wide-open spaces. We saw large groups of black monkeys swinging through the tree tops and wild bison grazing on near vertical hillsides. We never actually saw any elephants but our guides were very worried about the loud swishing and huffing noises we heard whist walking through an area of 2 meter high grass. The guide carrying the riffle had his finger on the trigger at one point. Once we were clear of the area they explained that a big male elephant was wandering around in the grass very close to us. Our guides also pointed out one day old tiger tracks.

In contrast to the day hike Tracy and I went on a short night hike too. We saw a few deer and boar, nothing which we couldn't see from our hotel balcony, but the sounds were amazing. The forest seemed to come a live with insects, frogs and surprisingly birds.

A 6 hour bus journey, quick taxi ride and a ferry crossing took us to Fort Cochin. A very laid-back town, that takes equal parts of Portugal, Holland and an old English village and mixes it all together in a uniquely Indian way. We spent our time here wondering the quiet streets and doing very little. Did manage to accidently buy a very heavy statue of Ganesh, which I now have to carry around India as a constant reminder not to start haggling unless you really want something, coz you might just end up with it!

We are currently in Goa. Have spent the first few days doing the cultural thing by visiting the beautiful Portuguese churches of Old Goa and the historic back alleys of Goa's capital, Panaji. Now we are on the beach and plan to do nothing else for the next 6 days. Just sun, sand and sea.

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Photos

On top of the world looking down on Periyar Tiger Sanctuary
The tiny dot on the closest hill is Tracy.

Our new statue of Ganesh
It's a nice purchase but would've made more sense to buy it at the end of our trip.

The weekly flea market at Anjua beach, Goa
Thought it would make a change to have a picture of the market rather than sunshine and beaches, which are sooo nice. How's the weather in UK? ;-)

Comments

[MikeyGee]

Stop Having Fun
Bradders, stop having fun and come back to Charles Stanley. You look like you are missing it in your photos. Have you forgoten the beutiful scenery of 25 Luke Street and 44 Paul Street ? The trek to 131 Finsbury pavement (our new building) is a wild and dangerous one full of animal tracks and wild indeginous species of homosapiens. You don't know what your missing !

[MikeBee]

Maybe...
I have to admit I'm abit sick of sitting on a beach doing nothing. Would be much more fun to be sitting at a desk at Charles Stanley doing nothing, and getting paid for it ;-) Now I have to pay to use the Internet!