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Then to Meenakshmi Temple. The traffin Madurai. Yikes!! First issue was parking. Entry road was closed so we dived back into the maelstrom that is traffic in Madurai and went around a very long block. When we got back to the carpark entrance they’d re-opened access from the bloody road and...

We didn’t leave to see the sights of Manjore until 3.30. First stop the Thirumalai Nayak Mahal. Dropped off outside and INR50 each for entry. A stunning piece of architecture dating back to the early 17th century. Massive pillars, stucco work and a huge courtyard. Quite spectacular. Lunch and...

Somewhere along the way we drive for kilometres beside a large windfarm. Into another town and this appeared behind us and then passed us in the traffic. It's a hearse Stopped for a coffee and coke for Sunil. We tried the Nattuchakkarai and it was delicious, pretty much like everything we'd...

Day 7: Kumily to Madurai, 02.01, What the itinerary says we’ll be doing - After breakfast, drive to Madurai. Visit famous Meenakshi Temple - a complex dedicated to Shiva and his wife, which is characterized by a wealth of sculptures and decorations, and a multitude of pillars. Visiting...

I had one my first breakfast at the Taj and have had a couple since. Delicious!!

we had dinner across the road at Grill&Grove and it was delicious. We'd tried to get in on NYE but it was full I'm not doing real well with food pictures. It's often gone before I think about it. We had Al Faham Mandi, some bread and pineapple lassis. Excellent Then we went back and had beer...

We stopped at the ‘magic tree’ where paddles for our rafting magically appeared. Told they were stored in the hollowed out tree to protect them from elephants. desperately hoping to see some wildlife, any wildlife back at the morning tea stop. This is the backpack we were all given with...

Day 6: Periyar, 01.01 what our itinerary says - Spend an additional day in Periyar, where you can go on a safari tour both in the morning and in the evening. Overnight - Crystal Cove hotel. And what we actually did - Happy New Year! New Years Day without the slightest hangover. Wth? I'm...

Martial arts show. It was pretty crazy. Huge crowd lined up and I wondered how the seating would work but it was all very orderly and our allocated seats were there for us when we got to them. It's a smallish space with three rows around it. Bloody hot!! The aim of the show is to demonstrate...

We'd thought the town was Thekkady but it was actually the region. The town we stayed in was Kumily, and as with everywhere it was very busy. here it was doubly so because tonight was New Year's Eve. Down the main street where I caught a glimpse of the hotel as we drove by. It was Crystals Cove...

Day 5: Rajakkad to Kumily, 31.12 What the itinerary said - After breakfast travel to Periyar Sanctuary. South India’s most popular wildlife sanctuary and home to bison, antelopes, sambar, wild boar, birds and even the odd tiger! Kumli, close to the sanctuary and where you’ll stay, is a pretty...

With some more crazy manoeuvres we eventually did. To the Kana Devan Hills Tea Museum. Our recommendation to anyone thinking about visiting this museum is don’t We bought our tickets, entered the museum, and were ushered into a stifling hot theatre/room where there were no seats available...

pineapples rubber We stopped for lunch at a great vegetarian restaurant. our comfy little Etios. I had no idea that it was a diesel until we put some fuel in we zoomed past this waterfall Then it was upwards towards Munnar and our visit to the tea museum. Itinerary said Tata tea...

Pretty much as soon as we got back to the houseboat the guys started her up and we pulled back. We were already showered and packed so we sat and enjoyed breakfast, another amazing meal prepped by Ajay – masala omelettes, some little half moo rice things made from what Ajay called powdered rice...

Day 4: Alleppey to Rajakkad, 30.12 What the itinerary says After breakfast and check-out from the boat, drive to Munnar which is a picturesque mountain village located among tea fields. You can enjoy wonderful views and feel the unique atmosphere of the town. You will visit a tea plantation...

We made a turn into a waterway more like we thought the whole trip would be. Little boat yards with dry docks. Other boats being worked on against the shore. Fishermen in narrow canoe like boats. Very tranquil. Dhaneesh said we'd be tying up against the shore like other boats we'd seen along...

I breezed past lunch. It was bloody good, especially the fried fish. And those little banana things. YUM!! Ajay is a wizz in the kitchen!

Thanks so much MN. We're loving the trip so much. In Tamil Nadu now (Madurai) and the difference between Kerala and TN is quite stark, especially the amount of rubbish everywhere. The roads are way better in TN though. We're back in Bangalore to finish the trip. An ex-colleague of mine is...

This is the SIB State Indian Bank ATM that worked well

so many houseboats of all shapes and sizes. The newest ones are being built on steel hulls. This has allowed them to get huge then we turned down a small waterway where we saw a few birds