Not feeling very Ooty-licious!

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Hello !

Im afraid Im writing as a sick sassal today - Having gone on an all day trek through the hills of Ooty Ive given myself sunstroke. (urgh) Which wouldnt have been too bad had I not had to take a windy, bumpy, hilly bus for an hour back to the town. Not good!

But anyway...
After leaving Palolem we headed to Mangalore on the train which I was dreading, but ended up being really fun. I was adopted by this group of men who were chatting to me all about India and what to do and what not to do, and they were absolutely fascinated by my lonely Planet which I had hacked up into relevant sections!

We arrived in Mangalore late in the evening and headed straight for the hotel. Only Indian style loos available. I was not happy. But you'll be proud that I coped (well for one night anyway). Mangalore was a total eyesore, nothing to do, nothing to see kind of place so we booked oursleves on an overnight bus to Mysore.

I'll give you a clue what the bus journey was like : the first thing the bus driver did was give everybody a bag to vomit into. Yes it was that bad. I'm just glad it was dark and we couldnt see the hair-pin bends we were racing round. Although my stomach felt every one!

We arrived safely in Mysore at 6am and couldnt get into a hotel...anywhere. Eventually we found a more expensive one that let us have a room on the proviso we moved out if anyone else came! Fortunately they didnt!

Mysore was lovely, a bustling town with a very O.T.T palace designed by an English Architect who obviously went a bit crazy with stained glass and carved pillars. It looked more like a day-glo opera house than a palace! On Friday we visited a very 'local' eating house where they handed us a bananna leaf and then 'plop' each part of the Tali was slopped straight onto it. I think the waiter must have taken pity as he went to find us a teaspoon to eat with rather than the traditional fingers and hand method. The locals thought we were very strange... After filling our bellies we took a bus up to a temple on the hill taking the thousand steproute back. My knees are still wobbling!

Saturday we took the bus to Ooty where we are now. It is really hot here in the day and about minus 2 in the evening. brrr ... I am currently wearing 4 tshirts and a jumper! Tomorrow we head for Kerela back to our planned route.

Lots of love to you all
Sassy xx

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