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Published: March 18th 2013
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Munnar
It took about 4 hours to drive to Munnar including the shop for a drink/loo break. The journey was quite interesting, lots of amazing looking houses very modern and then small Indian shanty towns. the vegetation was tropical with banana trees, eucalyptus, and coconut palms. Then the tree plantations started as we climbed the hills, we turned off the road before we got to the town to go to the Blackberry Hills resort. It is on a steep side of the hill surrounded by tea plantations, trees plants and birds. It's an Eco friendly resort and we had a garden bungalow overlooking the valley. We unpacked, had lunch in the very reasonable restaurant and then read. A real lazy day and so good to be out of the town and noise. All we could hear were the birds and trees rustling in the breeze. Another meal in the restaurant and an early night as neither of us had slept well for the last two nights in the previous hotel who had obviously had a problem with their air handling. Next morning after a good breakfast we were picked up by Raj and driven to town. We met our guide Augusta
who really didn't speak very much. He was young and I think a bit shy. He helped us buy a new power cable for the iPad, some mosquito repellant and get some money. We then visited the old church 150 years old to be precise built by the British. We didn't like to say that we have a Church built by the Normans dating back to the 1100's in our village. It was a nice simple church. We then drove to the hydro electric dam of which he was very proud, it seems they are all Eco friendly here. There were loads of visitors and he took lots of pictures of us. The lake behind the dam is used for boating and fishing and seemed relatively clean. We walked on a bit and saw the tea being picked and he explained how the top leaf was for white tea the second for black tea and the third for green tea. The ladies that pick the leaves pick about 25 to 30 kilos a day, and for that they get cheap housing, a school and a hospital and about £2 a day! We then returned to town and Augusta took us
to the market and showed all the fruit and veg that grew in the area. It was quite a good market and we bought spices here that were much cheaper than in Cochin. He kept calling Steve Mam well his hair has grown a bit but he doesn't look like a woman. We went back to the hotel via the park which tourists have to pay R15 to get in. It was by a river and so cool here yet hot in the open areas of the park which was filled with flowers mainly roses. I asked if he brought his girlfriend here and he said that if he did her father would shoot him. He can only speak to her over the phone. He said they are not free to have girls as friends but must wait until they are married. The problem is about judgements that are made about girls. The laws are very strict in India and sex before marriage is such a no no to the extent that if a girl were raped some have been known to take their own lives as they would not be worth living anymore. We are learning a lot about
Indian culture. We returned to the hotel, had a little lunch as we weren't hungry and relaxed in the sunshine reading books. Late in the afternoon we heard thunder and later it rained. Only Indian tele so we booked ourselves in for a massage, they aren't expensive and this end of our adventure feels like we are on holiday so another little treat before we go home . We sit reading and listening to the birds it really is very relaxing. At 5 we walk up to the main reception and go to the treatment room. Well Steve has a great back massage hopefully it will help his back and I have a relaxing aromatherapy massage, well I wouldn't call it massage but there you go I miss Sam. Some time on the Internet and then shower and off for our final meal here and its OK but not one of the best. I am looking forward to doing some cooking. Time now to pack as we are off tomorrow.
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Marion and Stuart
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Hi there, Your blog has kept us entertained- you are obviously having an amazing time and loving it. I cannot imagine how you can write so much- we barely have time to read it al!! So glad P is out of the brace- no recent mention of the injury so hopefully mended now. Enjoy your last few days, all too soon you will be back to cold and damp but I am sure you are longing to see family and we are looking to hearing more during our WE away at the barn in May which Frances has organised. Love and hugs to you both xxxxxx