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Published: March 13th 2006
Just a quick one to let you all know that i'm still alive. Have been having fairly mad adventures up in the Keralan hills. Elephants, deer, bison, many kingfishers (the birds and the beers...), wild peacock, monkeys... the works. Stayed with the most amazing man - called Venu. Believe it or not, we ended up being guests of honour at his niece's engagement party. Utterly overwhelming - a totally amazing experience. Me, Fiona and an Aussie guy who was staying in the same lodge, served before any of the guests and met with a stream of introductions from people queing up outside to meet us all. Words just can't describe it. Have much more to add about that one, but don't have my notebook with me so will have to wait. (As I keep on saying, this is more for me than anyone else, so no need to read it!)
At the moment we're in Mysore, having arrived this afternoon after a totally hectic bus trip. Three hours, sat on the floor next to the driver. Cost 110rp - about one pound fifty - and worth ten times that just for the views of a totally different India that we saw. From the hills of Kerala - almost English countryside - through to the plains of Karnatika. The countryside was so stereotypically 'Indian' that it felt like driving through a film, or a documentary. Huge banyan trees shading buildings and bamboo huts, with fields full of red earth and patchy vegetation. More carts than cars, and so many cows - all looking half starved, but with magnificent two foot horns, almost totally straight and looking absolutely lethal.
And the wildlife... we paid money for a few jeep rides through the Wayanur reserve, but for the price of a bus ride I got to see deer running across the road, the driver had to pull up sharp to avoid hitting a jet black snake, as thick as your arm and a good six feet long, that was casually making its way across the road. Plenty of monkeys and, best of all, as I was reading my book, the bus screeched to a halt, and the old Indian guy sat behind me practically grabbed my shoulder - cool as you like, there was a cheetar strolling across the road in front of the bus. Took a fairly uninterested look at us, and then just walked off into the scrub. What was great was that all the people around me seemed so excited on my behalf - so many smiles and nods in my direction.
Anyway, after three hours we made it to Mysore. Usual culture shock of entering an Indian town, but that's worn off after a stroll around the town. Looking forward to getting a full day to explore - the fruit market is like a photography exhibition come to life, and from the outside, at least, the Maraharaja's palace is as gaudy as it is breathtaking.
Touts and various hangers on are more persistant than we've met elsewhere, but that's pretty much to be expected...
Anyway, will post later about Kerala - I have to get it all down so that I remember it all. Some of the most memorable experiences you could imagine, packed into a few days.
Hope you're all well, anyway. See you in a month or so... (Or a few months, if I can stretch the money out long enough...)
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Chris M
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Nice to see you found them so quickly, despite the lack of beer shock! Are you going to Hampi or Madurai (bit further inland). Hampi is worth the trip if it's not too far out of your way. How are the mozzie bites :)