Messing about on the river (NH)

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Well, it’s nearly the end of our fantastic journey around Karnataka. I think I can safely say for most of us that there’s still so much more to see here, we’d like to stay a little longer; some would stay a lot longer.

Yesterday we arrived in Kundapur, and are staying a hotel called Blue waters. The hotel is fantastic, very clean, and very beautiful. After we were checked in and shown around we were given a couple of hours to settle in and use the pool etc, needless to say we jumped on the wifi!

A little later, myself and Emily decided to go for a walk along the river and found a small boat yard where some men were making boats by stitching them together, sounds strange, and I couldn’t tell what they used to cover any holes but it was pretty impressive. We saw some of the boats on the river later and they were rather good.

Around 4:30pm we were taken on a boat to a small island in the river. We all had a little giggle that the boat man had to bail a bit of water out when we disembarked. I know there’s been lots of good food here but I didn’t realise we’d put that much weight on! On the other side of the island we could see where the river meets the ocean, and there was lots of little water wildlife to keep me happy, from birds to miniature crabs and flip flop trees!

As the boat left the island for the hotel docking point, we were happily gliding along the river, like a gondola, all sat with our life jackets on, and me, Tracy and Emily wondered how the fishermen reached their boats moored halfway out into the river...then we spotted a man walking near a boat and realise the water didn’t even reach his waist. Felt a bit daft sat there with our life jackets on but better safe than sorry!

In the evening we ate by the pool with Abhi, the hotel owner, and his wife and 2 children. We were served lots of tasty food and they were such good company even though the little one had a cold.

Today Abhi took us to see his Floriculture farm, they grow Orchids, Antheriums, Heliconia, Rubber trees, Areca nuts and have a few lodges in the forest called Green woods, which would be brilliant for people who love nature, drawing, photography etc... They have made the lodges very rustic and have kept the landscape as natural as possible. The orchids were gorgeous and they gave us each a stem to take, shame it won’t make it home. The rubber trees were quite young and not ready to harvest for another 3 years. There were 2 men painting each tree with lime, this apparently helps keep the tree free of some diseases. I think we know the Heliconia called the bird of paradise plant mostly, but I didn’t realise there are actually over 100 varieties! A lot of their flowers are used in displays in hotels, but mainly they are sent to Goa, as they are in big demand there for festivals, weddings, gifts, offerings, etc.

When we left the Green woods, we visited a Nagar temple, which is a temple that is for the serpent. They feed about 4000 people every month at a festival held there. We learnt that people with skin problems come to the temple and roll on the floor around the idol and believe this will help to cure them. Must be something connected to the shedding of the snake skin (good theory Emily!)

Back to hotel for lunch and then some of us may hide from the hottest part of the day. We have our final presentation tonight which is the marker for the end of our experience really. As much as I’m looking forward to boring everyone at home with all my stories about the things I have done, the places I’ve seen(I have a LOT of photos!), the amazing food that I’ve eaten, and the most welcoming, fantastic people I’ve met with every host I’ve been lucky to have, and the people who have taken us everywhere and looked after us every day, I would love to stay longer, but I’ll just have to start saving now so I can come back!

Nicola x

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Comments

[Jennifer]

I'm so pleased you have got so much from the trip Nicola & hope the good memories stay with you for a very long time. Enjoy your last few days & safe journey home Best wishes Jennifer Rotary Club of Carlisle Castle

[Martin Jayne]

what a great time
thanks for sharing so much about your life changing trip.It has brightened up the winter