India part 1

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free again
7 Mar 2004

Finally….resume to my India trip tomorrow! Even my wound isn’t heal completely(guess it will take another week), I just don’t want to waste time sitting around like this. Cause I am sure the wound on my food is safe to travel. So…back to Bangkok tomorrow and fly out to India in another few days. Haaa…here I go!

arrive in India
10 Mar 2004
Chennia, India

I blew it! no matter how careful I had plan and as much information I had grab from the web. once I was out from the airport in Chennai, find my way to the highway. people told me there was no bus going to Mamallapuram, no...no...! more people came around for my discussion, and finally someone pull me out and said this bus and pointing to an up coming object...right...is a bus! "go to Tambaram and change another bus" he commanded. I guess there is no point to refuse someone who try so eagerlly to help, so I just got into the bus and see what came after. right...it was crowded with people, so it was easy to ask since someone ear was right next to my mouth. and they started to discussed together and a young boy said yes...switch to a 51C bus from Tambaram. see...there was a connection. 10 mins later I was outside a train station in Tambaram. I should had switch into train but the boy just push me through the train station and said once through and on the other side there you will find bus 51C. again...I couldn't let him down...right? so...I kept walk outside the station to the other side but find no bus stop. wellll.. asked another boy there and he said he didn't know but will ask around for me, so I followed him from 1 shop to the other, finally we came into a bus stand where I spotted a 51C bus, but...it was heading to the opposit direction. the boy stop the driver and the answer was no. he point more further I guess it mean there will be bus...? welll...before the driver drove off he fetched us back and told me to came in and said he knew where I can catch a direct bus to Mahab which is not far on this route. so...why not. but I was worry because the bus is going the other direction, perhaps he meant to drove me back to Chennai. but still...it will get me there one way or the other. bus ran fast. school kids jump in and out along the route. I got my first taste of 1 rupee and a pen for me or you country?? guess they was just teasing, or perhaps these was the only english words they knew. anyways...they was just laugh away when I said no or just made them a funny faces! the bus kept going and there was no sight for me to get off. I looked at the conductor for acknowledge, and he just put his right hand on his heart and make a confident face mean...trust me. so...I just kept to my observation of the local in the bus. Tamil women like to put nose stud...a flower object on both side of their nose. and young girl wear silver on their ankel. kids with deep dark skin and big dark eye. 90% of them wear no shoe. one thing I like about bus in India so far is...no one smoke there. it was great! finally...the conductor told me to got off the bus to the other side of the road and said here I can take any bus to Mahab. ok...jump out with my backpack onto this highway under the hot sun. I saw a sign on a building by the road said something like VPG something. ask people at the bus stand and they said they didn't know, but yes...this is the direction to Mahab. but every bus that passed by they told me it wasn't. and a 51C arrived and they all jump in and I was the only one left there. alone again only 2 taix on the other side shout to me if I want taxi. so...I took out my LP guide book and see what they said about it. a map show a name that I had saw on a bus just passed by. Kovalam it was. and from the map it was not far from Mamallapuram. so I jump on the next Kovalam bus and it took me there on this good motor road in 20 min. there was many fun parks resorts along the hightway. once in Kovalam, a small village also has some facilities for tourist. they told me to got into a van, but it was already so full that not even my foot could get in. so I wait for bus which came 30 min later. and finally I arrive in Mamallapuram 4 hours later after landing into Chennai airport, cost me only Rs19. not a bad start and here I come India!

1st day
11 Mar 2004
mamallapuram, India



Mamallapuram is not a big village, but there was many gusthouses that would suit your taste. most of the guesthouse which are named in the guidebook are full while those un-named are quite empty. I check into one that was on the main road which charge RS150 for a room with toilet. I like it because it was clean and had space which I feel comfortable about. the smell lead me to the sea side, I mean not the smell of the sea, it was the smell of human urine. it wasn't disgusting but it was unpleasand. fishermen was mending net and I was concentrating on my filming. suddenly I was awear of some yellow color on my sandal. then I knew I had step on something. and it was fresh and soft, seem like someone had unloaded it a second ago. amazing!!!! the shore temple wasn't too far from the center and it cost USD5 to get in, so...I decided to watch it from the outside, of course I had to find a way to block my nose while step my way around carefully. the temple was smaller than what I had expected. went to another site in the area. sun was hot and I did climb up to the cave temple, a good view to see area, it was so flat the area with many palm trees around. find a shaded spot and sit for awhile. light wind blowing and the sound of the hammering of stone by the sculptor. the town was streaming under the sun and I let myself lost in my thought.

a fellow man
12 Mar 2004
mamallapuram, India



met a HK guy here. Yu, a nice young man was on his last leg before going back to HK. he had been here 10 years ago and said it wasn't change much beside more guesthouse. so...I might able to get some information from him about his trip in India later. today we went to Kanchipuram which was 2 hrs away from Mahab. not much scene along the route in this flat land. bus was driving really fast here compare with in China, and it always arrive in time here. we visit some temple in Kanchipuram, but I wasn't that kind of religious type and all the temple look pretty much the same to me. but yes...they all are impressive with so many figures on it. so I spend most of the time enjoying the food and drinks in the restaurant. and today when my cup of coffee arrive, which is a silver wear and had a small bowl holding the cup of coffee, and I started to complained about they had spilled too much coffee into the small bowl, and Yu told me no...this is they way they serve it. I need to pull the coffee from one cup into the other for few time before I drink it. just like they way they did in the small tea stand on the street. right...that was the way and I was so embarasses. ha....

carelessly
13 Mar 2004
chidambarum, India



I was screaming on the bus when it was not far from Pondycherry. I had forgot my money belt with all my cerdit cards and money in the guesthouse. which is hidden under the mattress of my bed. the whole bus talking about it to see what I could do. then the driver decided to pull up next to a telephone stand where is near athe university of Pondycherry. so I call the guesthouse and they siad yes...they find it and told me to go back and pick it up. I did after another 90km bus ride. I was so graceful to got it back even there was Rs400 and HKD$500 missing. of course they denied about it but I would go more further to fight about it, cause it could be more worse that if they just said they hadn't find any thing in my room right at the beginning. so...I pocket my belt, said no and left when the owner asked me to pay some money for reward to the worker there. I did a lot of travel today as 2 time travel between Pondy and Mahab, and I press on to Chidambarum which is another 2 hours south from Pondy. a small town with a big temple right in the center, and the whole town seem to build around it and spread out. find myself a room with tv because it was weekend...for football. even the whole town are all concentrating on the cricket game betwem India and Pakistan. made a tour to the Nataraja temple before the sun went down, temperature was fine and it was nice to did some walk after a long day bus travel. the town was lively and busy before dark and I checked the time when it was right to get back for the live broadcasting!

local food
14 Mar 2004
Chidambaram, India



Food are quite different here. Of course...1st I need to adapted to the way of eating ...by hand! It was kind of strange feeling while your finger mingle with the sauce, paste and rice. Which was warm, wet and soft...haa....hhhaa...almost sensual!! Everytime when I grab the food into my mouth. I could see people around me in different table will look at me with a smile. Yeah...I know...I did swallow all 5 of my fingers each time I did it. When it came to eating poori or dosa, I will need to enrolled my left hand as well, since I couldn't manage to break the bread in one hand. There was not much different from breakfast, lunch or dinner. They offer you pretty much the same thing. Thali, dosa or poori. There will be 3 basic sauce came with the food, which I couldn't tell the name but the color. Red, yellow curry, another is white coconut sauce. The food here wasn't that spicy as I had expected.. and so far I was addicted to masala dosa, which is a craspy fold stuff with potato and onion curry. Of course...the red, yellow and white color on the side as well. Today I took a bus to Pichavaram which is 15km east of Chidambaram. It drove through a lot of villages in a dirt country road. Rice paddy, low mud hut with thatch roof, passing muslim and Hingu village, mosque, church and temple all share this little piece of sky with many coconut trees bordering the sky line in this flat land. Nothing much in Pichavaram but only a ticket office and a small cafe where local came to spend their weekend by hiring boat to see the mangrove. Which actually was quite busy since it was Sunday today. I never like much about boat trip beside it was under the mid-day sun. so I kindly declined it when someone ask me if I would like to share a boat with them(it can hold 5 people in one boat).

trip to Thanjavur
15 Mar 2004
Thanjavur, India



It was a 4 hours bus trip to Thanjavur and it cost only Rs36. bus travel in India is rather cheap! A young boy set next to me the whole trip and our conversation communicated with our limited English in his Indian accent and my Chinese accent, I guess our mystic conversation could last a year if only the bus would run that far. So at the end of the journey, I only knew he was a student, on his way home to Thiruthuraipundi (with the help of my LP map) which I guess is another 40km south of Thanjavur. Through the bus journey our friend too great interest in my bulky Casio which was wrapped on my wrist. He ask me how much and I told him Rs3000.. it kind of strike him like a lightening as I can saw the look on his face. Jaw dropped and mouth slightly open. He held out his arm and show me his Sacio(I guess) and said it cost only Rs100! I didn't know how to answer but should had just lied about the amount in the 1st place. I couldn't understand the price for thing in India yet, I brought a small roll of toilet paper which cost me Rs25 but a big pack of mosquitos coil only for Rs12. a bloody thin omlette with 2 pieces of burnt toast cost Rs35 while a delicious huge masala dosa cost only Rs12. so...why bother too much about the Rs3000 Casio and a Rs100 Sacio!! The area down from Chidambaram are more lush and green with more rice field and trees. Arrived in Thanjavur under the heat of noon day. Checking into the Raja rest house according to my 1995 LP guildbook, said it was the best bargan place to stay. Exactly like the book said it was except the price had gone up, Rs100 for a basic room with bath. fair enough at least the room is clean. Beside...I wouldn't fancy walking out again to looking for another place to stay in this streaming heat. I guess I prefer a shower and a nap!!!

old town scene
16 Mar 2004
Thanjavur, India



The night market... mean...it was at night time, the market was all day long! and was busy. I was lost couple of time just wandering around last night. And this morning I retrace my step from the big temple, the Brihadishwara, a world heritage site, entering 2 gate towers and you will come to the huge stone bull statue which they call Nandis in Hindis. The vehicle of lord Siva. Then you will face the main vimanam and through a corridor to the gigantic Mahalingam in the shrine. Pilgrims came here to offer their donation in returned for the fire and white power. The whole temple area are full of sculptures and images which seem to me familiar and unfamiliar. But I am sure lord Siva was among them as I remember someone had told me that Sive had more than 100 incarnation figures. I left the temple are through the north gate which lead to the local zoo and park. And I find myself right in the busy shopping area of the old town, tuk tuk beeping at me for my attention, I just smile and hurry northward into one of the small lane of the old town. I quite like this part of the town as it was cleaner, nicer and more colorful, most houses are painted into bright and refreshing color, some houses look rather old from the outside, some could be converted from a temple or shrine. The old palace was in this old town area where you can climb up the bell tower to get a good view of the city. There was a museum exhibit some ancient crafts as well. Outside the palace wall was a maze, entangled with many small lanes, with shops and market and all sort of walk of life. There was a vegetable market hidden inside the maze a little bit north from the palace, which is covered by a canopy of bamboo stripe. Light shone through each small square openings of the canopy and you can see the dust like many laser rain! It was a huge place inside, which I could see no end. Onion, pepper, garlic, potato, tomato, you name it! Taking picture in this part of the world is a new experience. They just like their image being taken, they encourage you, invited you, they co-operated, they feel honor for being the subject. An old man even took me into an office where a couple of people was work, I took them some photos and they shake my hand and thank me, but they never ask me to send them back their pictures. Strange! Back to the maze and again I was lost(nothing new)! I didn't care that much. Bicycle ding-ding beside me, motorbike beep beep passing by, women carried their good on their head, a kid riding a cart carrying dune of concrete debris by 2 blue horn bull coming forward. Smell of coffee, incense and human. Suddenly I saw a sign "coffee palace" .actually...I did smell the name I guess! A small doorway up a few steps into a small room painted in blue. A stone stove out in front of the shop was baking coffee bean, the bric-bra sound of the burning coffee, and that was the smell which caught my attention. I just walk in and find myself a table, order my cup of coffee and forgot about which direction I should go!

busy town
18 Mar 2004
Madurai, India

Madurai is a busy, dusty and confusing town. rickshaw and taix are everywhere. you will not be able to be alone if you are out on the street, drivers, shop keeper or touts will approach you from every direction. the word "NO" seem to has a different meaning here, they never took it as what the word supposed to mean but took it as an invitation. Madurai is a market town...so its seen! the old town was build around the magnifient Sri Meenakshi temple, it can be seen from different part of the town, and it help to get your bearing while you are wandering around in the small lane inside the market. it was by far the most busier town I had seen in Tamil Nadu, I couldn't imagine what it would be like in the real big city like in Bombay and Dehli. together with the heat, you need to learn to divided your day into 2 half. 6am to noon and 5pm till dark, hide yourself inside your room in the mid-day, otherwise you won't survive the heat! the market here is far more bigger than the one in Thanjavur, they even had some sort of supermarket that I hadn't notice in the other places. the old town small lane wasn't that elegant as in Thanjavur though. it just dosen't had that feel here! went through a week now and my stomach still hold, not any funny feeling or rush so far. but my tongue for dosa had been fed up and there wasn't much choice for me to made the switch. guess I should stick to this stuff for a big longer!

into the mountain
20 Mar 2004
kodaikanal, India



'do you need taxi? need a guide?do you want trekking?" "no thank you!" "are you looking for room? Bungalow,cheap cheap?old cottage, Rs50 only!" "no no thank you!" "do you want to buy this? Do you want harshees, mushroom?" "no no nooooo"!!! That was Kodaikanal, a hill station at an altitude of 2100, only 120km from Madurai. Came here because I want to escape from the heat, and it did the job as I was shivering in my bed last night under a thin blanket. Finally saw some mountain for a change. The uphill ride reminded me of the ride from NanSha to YuanYang. curving round and around. Some scene even identical, dajavu!! The center of Kodaikanal is composed by 2 parts, kind of like the 2 humps of a camel. One is higher than the other. Since it was built on the slope, so you always walk up and down from 1 end to the other. The town wasn't big, the main attraction was hiking here, but you mostly walking on the drive way from point to point, week day would be ok but during weekend while many Indian tourists come with bus loaded with people. It would be quite dangerous to walk on the narrow road. Met 2 Tibetan on the bus ride here, DouChe and his girl friend. DouChe told me he was escaped from China about 12 years ago(I didn't prompt him for more detail). He only said he wasn't allow to go back to Tibet, now he live in Kodaikanal making cloth to sell. It was strange again to be able to spoke in Chinese and this time is in PuTonHau. They were coming back from Mysore where they celebrated Tibetan new year with other friends there. Now they brought back 3 big bags full of staff for his business. I did spot quite a few Tibetan faces already, of course...they are used to live in this kind of altitude. Check into the Greenland youth hostel. 2 rows of bungalow set along the cliff of the mountain, and the view just drop from here without anything in between. The whole valley lay below, you won't see much at day time since it was so hazy, but at night when the whole plain was shone with light by the hidden villages below, suddenly you are looking at the galaxy...from above!!! Met a French couple Renee and Nina there, they was retired more than 20 years now, used to live in Bangkok where they own a restaurant, now they left it to their son and move back to France, brought a big old house somewhere in nowhere, converted into a guesthouse, live there 6 months and travel for the rest of the year. See...I can see my dream work out and exercise well in somebody life! There was no one staying in the dormitory since most people travel with friends and they could share a room which cost about Rs250 to 300. but I was cheap(as usual) so...I took a bed in a 16 beds room for Rs80. not bad actually but other people could come in and out to use the bathroom inside whenever thy like, It just didn't feel safe, and the most down side was they didn't had any electric socket as you all know I did travel with many ...hi-tech gadgets which need to recharge battery. So...I switch to this lodge today which wasn't bad at all, of course...nothing could beat the view in Greenland, but here...in Shanmugavilas, an old cottage family house with a piece of grass lawn in front of the house, a view to the lower hump of the camel, the land mark here...the Sacred Heart church. And you couldn't beat the price here, Rs100 for a room with attach bath which even had a electric water heater inside. So...didn't even took a minute for me to made the switch even I could be alone with no other guests here. Kodaikanal has all sort of accommodation, resort, hotel lodge, guesthouse, they spread out all over the area. But it seem they mostly aimed for family holiday maker, as you better had your own transportation to run between here and there, if you are as cheap as me, better stay within the 2 humps where cheaper room was available.

sunday market
21 Mar 2004
kodaikanal, India

Made the 7km walk to the pillar rocks which supposed to be the main sight seeing place in the area. As usual...walk on the motor road with today weekend traffic, load of tourist buses run on this route. Amazing to see so many school which indeed are international school where rich and middle class kids came to study. It would be a nice walk if not so many dark smoke from the exhaust pipe of the buses, you could see many donkeys along the road which they are used to the traffic and us...human being! Where tourist buses stop and monkey came around for food. After 5km a sign said "Green view point" of course...you won't miss it even there was no sign as you will see 100 of people by the road side, food stalls and souviner stands laid on both side of a narrow path which lead to the open cliff area. Where bounded with iron mesh which I find out later that the place used to call "suicide point" before, since many people jump off here to committed suicide. No wonder the wrapped it up with mesh, the scene from here could be dramatic if the air could be more clear. I was wondering how many day in a year the weather would be like this? Didn't spent much time there and I press on to my destination, not long after and I reach the pillar rocks which I could tell as I spot a line of buses, follow up with shops and stalls leading to the entrance of the view platform. No...not the place which I would rate any particular recommendation for visit. Met Peter an English guy from Manchaster, we set and chat there while the Indian tourists came and took picture with us group after group, somehow I felt like a mannequin at some point! They are friendly though. I did heard about this photo ritual before I came to India and I had my 1st taste of it today. We set out for our trip back before we decided to put up a sign to charge Rs5/photo!!! But it wouldn't stop even when we were walking on the road. In return...we got a lift back to town with our last "photographer". We find out there was a Sunday market in town, we would had miss it if we were walking back. So hot and dusty in the market. all sort of vegetable and foods, vendor still doing business with hand held balance, in one corner there was meat, chicken and lamb hanging on hook, fishes from Remeswaram laid on top on crate box shower with salt powder. We took some photos of the man there and they wrote us their address to send them back the pictures. But the address they gave us actually was the location of the fish stand in the market, we couldn't understand how it would delivery but they insisted it would, as we thought...the market is only on Sunday while there was no postal service. Anyways...we pocket the address and promise them the posting as long as they can wait, and kept on our exploration of the market.

USD$1=Rs44.5
22 Mar 2004
kodaikanal, India



Talk about expense here. Traveling by bus cost less than Rs40 for a 100 km. Of course...if you buy the hi-tech bus(I had no idea what it was) ticket from the travel agent will cost you 5 times more, as Peter had brought his ticket to Mannur which cost him Rs285, but he could done it by local buses, only 3 times bus switching. Which should be no more than a 100. for inner city bus which cost no more than Rs5 depend on how far you travel. Train?I hadn't try any yet, but it wouldn't be too expansive! Come to accommodation, a decent room with 2 beds which they usually put together, with attach bathroom, a ceiling fan, could had a few furniture, a window would be a bonus, but if it dose, mostly your view will be the soil piping from the bathroom upstair or the outer wall from the next building., and it will cost from Rs150 to 200. an extra Rs50 will grant you a tv set, another Rs150 could fit you up with an air conditioner. But you can sleep dirt cheap with less than Rs60 for a room with 4 bare wall with nothing but spider web and water marks. Bed with thin blanket and unknown dirt marks, creak relentlessly with your every move, of course always come an inch shorter than your height. Don't dream on any furniture. Share bathroom always located at the end of the dark corridor, door couldn't open or close properly, door lock would need only tiny force could be fell apart. Of course...you need to use your own pad lock. At least...no room will come without the chopper fan which hang swayingly from the ceiling. Time to talk about drink, alcohol are kind of restricted in India, perhaps for religious reason. But sinner are everywhere, so...you will find something call a wine shop or dark room in any town or city. For a kingfisher beer will cost Rs80 while cocacola is for Rs5, a fresh juice or lassi from the street stand cost Rs15, 2 litre of bottle water is Rs18 while 1.5 liter cost Rs20? can you tell me why???? Coffee and tea from the street stand are for Rs2 while Rs5in the restaurant. Food like dosa and poori which come without meat, depend on where you eat, in a place where you see a black round iron plate being heat up by couple of woodlog, a man making white circle on the plate, another man playing with a lump of dough next to him. Couple of table which swarm with flies behind inside the shop, a bucket with water stand in one corner with an oily tin cup floating quietly inside, here is where you wash your hand. Here you pay no more than Rs12 per order. But in a place where tables(same...swarm with flies) and chairs are tidy arranged, basin and tap water are provided, kitchen hide behind wall, and several waiter in attendant, then you might need to pay Rs 15 to 18 per order. When it come to meat dishes, there would be no less than Rs30. the thing I like about kodaikanal was they offer many choices of foods. North and south Indian, Jain food, Tibetan and even Chinese, but price rocket up to Rs50 here. But once in a while I wouldn't mind to switch into different taste for a few rupee more! About shopping...no...hadn't done any yet if the cheating toilet roll doesn't counted! But yeah? I did brought a green t-shirt with a Levis loge print in front, a lable written XXL and it cost only Rs30. cheap..wasn't it? But the color came off heavily and after few wash it couldn't even cover my belly. what would you ask for from a Rs30 t-shirt! About internet fee, it range from Rs20 to 40, the different was either you spend more time looking at the bloody blue bar struggling forward while swearing through your nose or manoeuvre the mouse and keyboard soundly while watching the screen switch from window to window!

out from the mountain
23 Mar 2004
Madurai, India

Spending another easy but lazy day and hopelessly boring night with Peter. Finally leaving kodaikanal heading back to the streaming heat in Madurai by bus, and the sound still trailing after me... "do you want taxi or mini bus to Madurai, only Rs270??" no thank you, bye! an old woman sat next to me on the other side of the aisle, she was looking at her bank book, which I could see the expression on her face but I can see the figure in the book, not many tranaction but few, from 5000 something down to 270 something. that was about the same falling feeling in her heart I guess! not far down the hill was an accident, which no one around but a dead man, a motorbike driver laying on the road next to his bike, a big truck half above his dead body, boold still dripping out from his head, quiet, no one seem to care too much, people watch from their car(same as us) and just drove by. strange feeling!! getting more hot the more we near Madurai, switch bus into town, try my first reservation for train with the help of some other travelers, not bad and it was done right away, got my first ticket to Kanyakumari the next morning at 02:30am. gotto find something to make it through this night....yeah...internet!

into Kerala
25 Mar 2004
aleppuzha, India



“take the boat from Changanacherry through the back water to Aleppuzha and then there will another boat to Kottayam” that was what Peter suggestion to me. so…I came all the way to Changanacherry and find out there was no boat operated anymore, and suddenly I remember Peter told me the last time he was in India was 6 years ago. Right…there was ferry by then I guess!!! Met Malcom yesterday in Kanyakumari whom I had came across few times while in Kodaikanal. I arrived earlier than him as I took the night train. I saw the sun rise before we enter Kanyakumari area, the landscape was bare rocky hill in the far distant with wind mill(which produce energy)dotted randomly around. You won’t believe how many lodging they provided in this small town. All claimed sea view! Yes…all you need is go up onto the roof. Where people waiting for sunrise with their camera every morning. Actually I did obtained a room with a balcony which facing the off-shore Vivekananda memorial. But the problem was a tv inside my room as well, which I spend more time on that then the fantastic view outside…ai-ya…!!! Really not much you can do in this small town. The temple wasn’t much to write about for a non hindu like me. The memorial was ok but nothing close to impressive. So when Malcom mention there still had train heading up northward by noon, and it took me less than a minute to packed my bag and left Kanyakumari with him. Malcom is from London, already in India for 3 months, he told me one of his daypack was stolen in the train station in Vananse and he had lost his camera, and now he wouldn’t trust anyone anymore, and will lock his pack anytime anywhere. When I met him before setting off to catch the train, he stumbling forward slowly with a big pack on his back, a day pack hanging in front of his chest which was so full that you couldn’t even squeeze a needle in. and a sleep bag tied with a pair of hiking boot which dingle from the elbow of one of his arm. He look just like the ideal person to got nip! We got our ticket, his was to Kollam and mine was further up to Changanur which was the closer station where I can change bus to Changanacherry. 3 hrs later I was waving Malcom goodbye with a smile from the train when he was busy in loading his big pack on his bag while the full day pack kept tide between his leg and the sleeping bag wrapped around it. I wish him luck and safe journey. It was about 6 when I got there and find out the only alternative was going to a place call Nedimudy where ferry run to Aleppuzha. I should have stop in Changancherry for the night but I kept press on, so…without knowing where was Nedimudy. The bus ride on a straight road along the canal, coconut trees and rice paddy lay on both side of the road while the sun was setting behind on the horizon. So beautiful it was. Finally I arrived at Nedimudy and find out of course there was no ferry at that hour, no accommodation and it was only 7km to Aleppuzha. Guess I should go all the way there. I hate to arrive in a new place at night, totally lost my direction, so I check in a room which I first came across. Shower and dinner. Already quiet outside on the street by 9, guess I better went to sleep!

back water trip
26 Mar 2004
kottayam, India



Went for a walk in Alleppuzha town before I board the 9:30 boat to Kottayam.the beach was almost 3km to the west. A straight road cross the rail line then lead to the sea front. Many big and nice mensions and cottages in this area, tourist houses, churchs and temples. Guess here is where the rich live. Couple of young man jogging along the shore front. It was a deep beach, you need to walk a long way before you can reach the water. Guess I will give it a pass. Turn my way back behind the first row of houses was a big park where young boy playing cricket, and the playground also act as driving lesson area, it was interesting to see those 2 thing mixing in the same ground. Perhaps it was a good way to let the new drivers get used to the run around object on the road. Passing a public swimming pool, couple of churches, a Jain temple, YWCA .when I spot the YMCA then I knew I was near my hotel. Took one quick shower before I check out. The boat jetty was right across the road. 2 Americans, newly wedded, was there already, honeymoon in southern India. The woman was alright but the man...don't know? maybe he want them to be the only foreigner on board, or he was just didn't like much conversation. Anyways...we didn't strike up much talk all through the trip. We did got quite excited when the boat start to move out of the jetty. We were running up and down the aisle, I was busy in zooming with my DV, they were clicking with flying finger on their camera too. Although the smell wasn't welcoming from the river but our excitement over come it all. There was many tourist deluxe boats coming back from their overnight trip in the back water when we were out from the canal into the open lake. Those boats are equipped with living room, bed room, kitchen and even air-con! I wouldn'd mind to get on one with the one I love or the one I'm going to love, but hey...on my own? I am happy enough to be on this boat which only cost me Rs10. an hour later we all got calm down, I mean...with the camera! It was time to really see the scenery. Because I was only concentrated on the shutter for the last hour, no images had been pass onto my brain but only into the memory stick. As I sat and enjoy the view from my seat, and the ding ding sound had re-surface. It had been there all the time! It rang whenever the boat approach the landing, people enter and exit, it sound more like a hello and goodbye. As we move on, birds glide across the water surface, they didn't introduce themselves but I guess their name was gull. Herd of duck began their morning swimming class which cause a huge ripple along the shore, a big boat passed by and they all jump back to the land. We saw boat carried fresh water to sell to the villager, it seem like the daily ritual for the local here, all sort of container set along the shore front indicated their order. Life along the waterway wasn't anything new, women do their laundry, further you will see a couple of kids playing in the water, while not far down on the other side a man was busy with both his hand on his white shampoo bubble head! Again you will see a women washing her dishes on the right side while a family of 4 seat under a big tree on the left waving at us, a kid on his way to school shut " 1 pen", a woman with green sari walking along the shore peacefully with an umbrella under the tree shade. No..no...it wasn't anything special. But it just turn out better than I'd expected, perhaps it was the normality, the non-commercial trip, the easy going passage, the weather, the mood, and I think the coconut tree, banana tree and the rice paddy dose made a good combination on the waterway scene.

kottayam
27 Mar 2004
kottayam, India



Kottayam was a busy and dusty small town...which town in India wasn't???? a hassling free town where you can walk on the street without anyone yelling at you all the time. The center was occuplied by the private bus station and couple of jewellery shops, together with the local market and many restaurants. Couple of traffic lights but it dosen't work, that where the police came into the scene to directed the traffic. Rickshaw and truck had the multi color painting which I hadn't notice in TamilNadu. Find a small lodge in a back street not far from the ambassdor hotel. Rs70 with all the facility I need, of course...no tv! The owner looked just like Gandhi, round thick glasses on his old bald head, white dhoti with no shirt on, skinny and wear no shoe, he had bad hearing and memory. He spoke no English but there always youngsters in his office because there was a tv set and a phone. And they can translated whatever I want or he want for us. I went down to the office this morning, old Gandhi just kept "key..key" me before I could say a word. I didn't know what he mean but gave him the key, he look angry by making a gesture that I should leave right now. I look at another man there for help and he explained to him I would like to stay today and want to pay now. They exchange in Indian I couldn't understand but old Gandhi still seem not really happy, so I pull out a 100 note and land it on the table, it was better than many words to explain I guess. But then he forgot to gave me back my 30 rupee, I open the registration book and pointed to the price next to where my name was Rs70. and the other man confirmed him that he hadn't gave me back the change then old Gandhi obediently count out 3 old paper notes. There was an Indian coffee house mention in the guide book. So I went there for breakfast, went through the English menu, for a change...scramble egg on toast sound alright, but my stomach turned when the dish was presented on the table. Was it my taste had change to Indian after 2 weeks? Or was it the look of the food not really appeal? A lump of pale yellow thing on top of a piece of bread, was it bread?? I didn't know, all I knew I had order toast, the egg taste egg alright but the bread was kind of soaked up with sweet milk and oil, taste?!!! I wash some down with the weak coffee, paid my Rs16 and left! Guide book!!!!

munnar
31 Mar 2004
munnar, India



It was a 5 hrs bus journey to Munnar from Kottayam, a F1 driver was compulsory ...of course!!! He did consulted me about the time when we arrive, and made an expression with his eye mean...hey...not bad man!? the area around Munnar was discovered by some westerner around mid 19th century, and decided the area was good for cultivated tea and different spices. Plantation and factories had been setup, road and rail line brought into the area, until nowadays the area still had the European atmosphere. The town had splitted into 2 parts, the old and new Munnar. The real action mostly happened in the new part where almost all buses organize here, a local market which got quite busy especially on Sunday. More shops and restaurant on this side of town. It was less than a km between old and new Munnar. The altitude here was about 1600m and was surrounded by tea plantation, a small river ran right through the town which connected by couple of bridges. It was rain like hell when we arrived Munnar that afternoon, 2 old French couple shown me their more updated guide book said a nice guesthouse wasn't far up the road, ok then...perhaps we could wait a bit until the rain stop, as we had no idea where we were, but sure we are not far from the town as I can see some buildings not far away. Rickshaw drivers still bombarding us from all fronts, the rain doesn't seem like to stop as the beating on the tin foil roof of the bus stand getting more louder. A rickshaw driver started to lower the price from his selection of hotel"Rs350?300?250?200?150?" I was tempted. But the French had already took the bait as they shouted at me to joint them into a rickshaw which was already full with their pack, so I squeezed myself in next to the driver, with half of my body out to the rain. Luckily the ride wasn't long. Some local family houses, nice and good but...for me it seem a bit out of the way as I prefer it more close to the center. The French took a room as it wasn't bad, for Rs300 a room with everything! I drove back to where we start with the driver and he then show me another house which I check in right away. A small cottage not far from the bus stand, with only 4 room, nice and clean, Satish the owner, came here 5 years ago from Kottayam and start this guesthouse. His style and his place resembling a lot like mine (ex) in yuanyang excepted he was married and had a 5 year old boy. He is a gentle and helpful man, he drawn me a map for the area which I can spend some days to hike on my own, but you still find yourself walk most of the time on the motor road! Was it the hiking style in India? The scene are pleasurable here with the land all coated with deep green tea plantation. Anamudi the highest mountain in south India in the background, where a national park was located, you can see the wild mountain goat, the Ibex once you inside the park. Couple of dams with some lake resorts, many view points...ect..cte? it was a easy going town with friendly people, so I spend a few days here for the weather was fine!

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