Munnar Tea [and] Party - by Jane Traylen!

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i am honoured to be asked to contribute to the blog. However I know how tedious they can be to read!(only joking!!) so i thought the best way was by poem - i apologise in advance...

Next to the beautiful mountains of Kerela we headed
(I was with Soph and Dan it should have been expected!)
To a town named Munnar famed for the production of tea
Neat rows of plantations as far as the eye could see,
Cooler and refreshing was the mountain air
And to my delight 'Homemade Chocolate' sold everywhere!

On the first day there we hired bikes
The only direction being up, yikes yike yikes!
Up up we went past the tea pickers at working hard
And so much amazing scenery that had to be admired,
A romantic elephant ride was had by soph and dan
Then a visit to a tea factory to complete the plan.

To a national park we headed the following day
Where Lonely Planet says lots of elephants come to play!
Our skill guide would search; 'elephant! elephant' he'd cry
But they were so far away we had to screw up our eyes!
Supper that night, dirty food off the street,
But as luck would have it no illness - our saving grace definitely being no meat!

The next step Cochin, an old colonial town on the coast
Where we stayed in a special hotel to make the most
Of the birthday celebrations we were to have for sis
In the cute place 'Fort House' - oh what bliss!
Alas! Alack! by such fate Sophie fell ill,
But after a vist by the Ayruverdic doctor perscribing massages and herbal pills,
She felt better by the evening - refreshed and new
Ready to join an Indian family for a cooking course - take 2!

I had to shop for the birthday girl
And with all the hassle it would have turned into such a whirl
If it hadn't been for saviour Dan to help with the jargon,
'Haggle haggle' he'd go till i shouted 'what a bargain'!
Ballons, streamers, cakes, candles and presents - we were prepared!
For the 2nd of December when no expense was spared
On the mountains of food we managed to eat
At the smartest hotel in town, such a great treat!
Then after sunset to a cheeky Italian we went
Eating amazing ice-cream until we were 'spent',
Then to finish the day beer out of teapots - it couldn't taste greater!
(But Daddy I still think we need to celebrate with Champage later!?!?)

But that is where my travels with the happy 2 were to stop,
We all mounted the train but out at different places we were to hop,
As I got off the train in Goa and waved goodbye
I know it's pathetic but I couldn't help but cry
(The train took the lovers to the greatest city on earth - Mumbai!
And I am now sunning myself on a beautiful beach - oh my!)
So thanks a million, I had so much fun with you guys!

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Comments

[michael summers]

Cochin Tea
Great poem Jane! I think that the tea-beer is one of the more amusing Ft. Cochin treats. Did you experience it anywhere else? Maybe it is the real expalnation why the doormouse at the Mad Hatters do was asleep and the hatter was apparently 'mad'- it was nothing to do with mercury! Michael/D