Southern India taste test - would that be hot, or extra hot?

[bPeteb]

@bPeteb How are you finding the beers in India? I find them a bit on the sweeter side. Try kingfisher ultra, it is more like what we have in Australia.

Also, with using cards. Most mid to higher end places have multiple eftpos terminals, try asking for their international card terminal.

We’ve tried all sorts but not that one. We’ll look out for it. Last couple of days Hunter and Black Fort. Also the local orange vodka. Having a blast. Rain pouring down today. Lucky our Periyar trek was yesterday !

 

[bPeteb]

Blackwater Brook have two houseboats, a one bedroom and a huge three bedroom. We were boarding the one bedroom when a couple turned up and went onto the three. Just them!

The boat was beautiful. All timber and bamboo. The three was covered on what looked like fine weave shadecloth with plastic pipe battens. We had two crew - Dhaneesh (skipper) and Ajay (chef). Both were just so nice.



not sure we did enough research on this. We thought the whole time would be pent quietly cruising down narrow waterway, passing local villages. Nope, we sailed out onto a humungous lake and just around with the other 3000 houseboats! It was still very peaceful out there and we had a great afternoon.

 

[bPeteb]

we went right across the lake and tied up outside a small resort where there were already some other boats. This is where we had lunch



then we got underway and continued around the lake shore



a dredge that was bringing up material being used for work on the highway nearby





afternoon tea of coffee and banana fritters (so not called that)

 

[bPeteb]

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

 

[Cossie]

lots of this hammer and sickle on the sides of buildings, fences and flags. Political signs?

View attachment 488209

Most definitely, Kerala was one of the first places to freely elect a communist government in 1957.

Communism in Kerala - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

A few photos from a loooong time ago. I was sure I had more, especially of the church, but who knows. (photos copied from slides to tiff then to jpeg)

The cricket game was happening just around the corner from where we were staying.



Again, really enjoying this, makes me want to go back!

 

[bPeteb]

This is the SIB State Indian Bank ATM that worked well

 

[MathNerd]

Hi @bPeteb, really enjoying your TR. Hope you're enjoying your time in Southern India - Kerala is really a beautiful part of the country and you're getting to see some amazing coastal sights (and houseboats)!

I'm in BLR right now (been here since Xmas Eve, and will be for another 5 or so days), visiting family, friends and that sort of thing. I'm glad you didn't venture far past the airport or the Taj, as you may have wanted to cut your India trip short at that point. The traffic, dust and general ease of movement/breathability in Bangalore/Bengaluru is unfortunately very sub-par, and each time I visit (typically yearly, at this time of year too), it gets worse. Very sad, I grew up here until about 12 yrs of age and it was beautiful back then - lush, green, spacious, friendly.
Anyway, I digress...

Enjoy the rest of your time here, and glad that things, for the most part, have worked out well for you.

Feel free to sling any questions my way in case you need, happy to help out in any way possible.

Looking forward, eagerly, to see the rest of your TR!

 

[bPeteb]

Hi @bPeteb, really enjoying your TR. Hope you're enjoying your time in Southern India - Kerala is really a beautiful part of the country and you're getting to see some amazing coastal sights (and houseboats)!

I'm in BLR right now (been here since Xmas Eve, and will be for another 5 or so days), visiting family, friends and that sort of thing. I'm glad you didn't venture far past the airport or the Taj, as you may have wanted to cut your India trip short at that point. The traffic, dust and general ease of movement/breathability in Bangalore/Bengaluru is unfortunately very sub-par, and each time I visit (typically yearly, at this time of year too), it gets worse. Very sad, I grew up here until about 12 yrs of age and it was beautiful back then - lush, green, spacious, friendly.
Anyway, I digress...

Enjoy the rest of your time here, and glad that things, for the most part, have worked out well for you.

Feel free to sling any questions my way in case you need, happy to help out in any way possible.

Looking forward, eagerly, to see the rest of your TR!

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 hosting us for dinner at their family home on our last night. I'm really looking forward to seeing Saravana again. Just deciding what to take as a thank you gift.

 

[bPeteb]

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!

 

[bPeteb]

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 the canal. Soon enough we turned in towards what I'd describe as a small resort complete with accommodation, what looked might be a restaurant, a pool and large covered entertainment area, and a very large group of people having a whole lot of fun. It felt like we were intruding but they took no notice as we tied up. Then Ajay connected a long power cord and next minute the aircon was running. So this is why we stopped here!





The sun had been setting as we arrived so Dhaneesh suggested we go for a walk to see it better and then mentioned something about seafood for dinner. We followed Ajay out of the complex and along a small road. .On the fence outside the complex we saw the name, Backwater Brook. It all made sense then - it's owned by the same company that owned our houseboat. Ajay pointed to a rice paddy that had been harvested and said the rice we 'd eaten at lunch had come from those paddies. How cool!

We then stepped through a fence and lady was sat there with a bucket of large freshwater tiger prawns. What did I want? Fish, prawns? 1kg for INR2000. I was very confused. For a start there's no way I wanted a kilo of prawns and two I had no money. bAlt is not a prawn eater so I looked at AJay and asked if this was for dinner. Yes he said. Ok, we pay for the main course for dinner. Ah well. I said half kilo and he said he would cover me until we got back. How very odd!

We went and watched a bit more of the sunset that was quite beautiful through the haze/smog



then walked back to the boat



and the cool of the lounge area (our bedroom also has aircon)

and there I am editing photos



time for the beers we brought onboard



AJay offered to get us some more. We have no idea where he went but it took him a very long time. He was also getting ingredients for dinner so we felt only half bad

a fisherman in the canal just beside the boat



the resort at night



and the fab dinner, prawns in the foreground. Just way too much for us to eat. I hope the guys finished it off

 

[bPeteb]

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 and the Tata Tea Museum.
In the evening, a show of martial arts characteristic for Kerala is planned. Another places are Mattupetty dam, Pothamedu view point.
Overnight - Hotel Lemongrass.

And what we actually did -

Before the guys wandered off and left us alone on the houseboat for a while they asked if we wanted to do a small boat canal cruise in the morning. Considering this is what I thought we were doing we said yes to one hour for INR1700 to 1800. Pick-up at 7.

So that’s what we did. The boat pulled up beside ours and we climbed down into it. Odd boat with a low roof that meant the view out was restricted and a difficult to get to front area that you could stand up on but couldn’t hear what was being said by the guy driving the boat.

the three bedroom houseboat of Backwater Brook



the Backwater Brook resort



our little boat



The hyacinths that had been closed when we originally went out had flowered and looked amazing.



sunrise



I had a weird feeling we’d go down the canal we’d boarded the houseboat on and that’s where we turned. Quite a few birds (somehow we’ve become semi-twitchers) to see, and some local life to be seen but not much more. We didn’t turn down any other canal, just went straight along until it was time to turn back





The highlight was bAlt not looking where we were going and nearly getting knocked on the head as we went under a low bridge.

DUCK!




our houseboat

 

[bPeteb]

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, a pea curry, chapatis, sweet bread toast and lemon jam.



We headed towards the lake then turned up a different canal, with dozens of other boats, eventually did a u-turn and then slowly motored back to where we hoped Sunil would be waiting




this is the outer skin of the three bedroom houseboat - all man-made, the the skin of ours - all natural



our wonderful crew - Dhaneesh first, then our wonderful smiling chef Ajay



Sunil messaged me telling me he was running late due to the buses on the road. They guys needed us off for the next booking but made no effort to hurry us off.

As soon as Sunil pulled up we loaded our stuff and were off to the tea plantations and the Munnar area.

Five minutes into the drive and Sunil got a call. We’d left the laptop behind. I’d seen this small silver thing down on the floor beside the dresser the night before and thought it was an electrical panel. Nope. Lucky we were only five minutes away.

Once retrieved we got on the road, and an interesting road it was. It was busy, often narrow with lots of what we thought was perilous overtaking by both us and people coming towards us. Being a passenger in a vehicle in India is not for the faint hearted.



we were stopped at the crossing for these rail lines for 45 minutes! Four trains came through.



Sunil chatted about the car we were in. All taxis since 2016 are speed limited to 80kmh. This Toyota Etios was registered just before the restrictions came into place and could therefore go faster, not that there was ever much of an opportunity to and the roads we’d been on so far.

 

[bPeteb]

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 museum and we went through a small town where I saw the sigh but we kept going.

We eventually got to Munnar where the roads got even busier. Sunil told us museum entry closed at 4 and we’d be pressed to make it there.

a tethered ballon



the first sighting of tea



endless line of traffic



driving through Munnar

 

[bPeteb]

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, watched an interesting video on the history of the plantations in this area.

Then we joined a line of people that we presumed would move through the museum, only they didn’t. The line just didn’t move.

We gave up, went and had a look inside the shop selling packaged tea, then decided to give the museum another go. Same deal. Joined a line that was going nowhere.

Gave up and went back to the car. Sunil asked how was it and we said we have no idea because we couldn’t get in to see it. Clearly there was seriously enthralling stuff in there, or maybe not.

How sad that Sunil had busted his gut, and his nerves to get us to somewhere that was such a fizzer.

It was 80km to Rajakkad and we took a different road that was very scenic and much less crowded.



We stopped at a plantation where we paid a tiny amount to wander amongst the tea. Indians take there travel very seriously and there were lots of posing and posturing to get the right shots so we thought we should join them.



We’d both hoped that Lemongrass Inn would be in the town so we could go for a wander but it was out the other side of Rajakkad.



The major selling point here was it had a bar.

Got the bags up into the huge room



and down to the oddest bar we’ve ever been in. If we’d been intending to shoot up we were out of luck. Check out the lighting



Service was unusual and two beers was enough. We couldn’t take the beers into the restaurant. They had to stay in the bar, or we could call from our room for more. Credit card accepted for beer after eventually working out, using google translate, that we couldn’t charge them to the room.



Dinner was actually pretty good in another sterile hotel restaurant



We just had four starters, at least too many.



They all feel a bit like cafeterias. Unlike in the bar, we could charge to the room.

 

[MathNerd]

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 hosting us for dinner at their family home on our last night. I'm really looking forward to seeing Saravana again. Just deciding what to take as a thank you gift.

Amazing - great to hear you're loving the trip. There's been interesting challenges along the way from what I'm reading, but you blokes are rolling with it and taking it all in. Love it!

The states are all very different - Kerala is one of the prettiest (the ones along the North bordering the Himalayas are picturesque as well), and the "culture" of each state's population is very different too. Kerala has invested in education - boasting a near-100 (if not fully 100) percent literacy rate, so this helps as well.

If you're back in BLR, do try my favourite local dish if you get the chance, from any local "darshini" (such as here or here), is a "masala dosa" with a healthy serving (or 3) of "sambar". Do try it if you get the chance.

Enjoy!!

 

[RooFlyer]

Once retrieved we got on the road, and an interesting road it was. It was busy, often narrow with lots of what we thought was perilous overtaking by both us and people coming towards us. Being a passenger in a vehicle in India is not for the faint hearted.

My favourite was being driven along a road, 2 lanes each direction and a solid barrier in between, with gaps. Approaching both of our lanes at standstill. Without missing a beat, driver turns across to the 'wrong side of the road' and zooms along there, tooting and lights flashing, on-coming cars just moved across, until we pass the obstruction and he turns back to the correct side. He may have noticed me wide eyed, clutching the seat & said "There - that's better, isn't it?". And it was. A professional!

 

[bPeteb]

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 little town dotted with small spice and handicraft shops. There is plenty to do in and around Periyar, so we leave the choice to you. Enjoy an included boat ride on Lake Periyar to spot herds of wild elephants or do local sightseeing of spice plantation.
Overnight - Crystal Cove hotel.

and what we did -

At least the road our room faced was quiet(ish) and it was well soundproofed so it was a no earplug night at the odd Lemongrass Inn.

My favourite sign in most of the rooms that we've stayed in so far



breakfast of champions



Poor Sunil had been up since who knows what time to swap our vehicle. We've gone from the Etios to a Suzuki Ertiga. Much bigger, but weirdly it's turned out to be not much more comfortable due to poorly placed seat belts.

First stop a few metres up the road from the hotel was the govt booze shop for some more beers. Our Kumily hotel didn't have abar and New Year's Day was a Kerala dry day. INR670 for four 650ml beers!



One the road to Thekkady.

Just not really sure what is actually available here




after the endless 'churches' of Kenya and Tanzania, the last thing we expected to see was so many churches in India, but we've found out that they take their Roman Catholiscism very seriously here in the south





just like at Long Beach



cardoman plantations, apparently many abandoned. We planted one at our last house and it was a bit like a 2m tall weed eventually



coffee



a large roadside Ganesha



I wonder what untruths people are being told by these institutions? Certainly not' come to the land of milk and honey where you might be worse off then here in India'.





Sunil mentioned two things for the day - spice plantation and massages. First stop, well before we got to Kumily, was the spice plantation. It was actually an Ayervedic therapies business with a spice garden attached.

I think the walk cost INR 120 each and it was actually quite interesting even if the guide was a little difficult to understand due to both her accent and the speed she spoke.

pepper



cocoa



we bought a bottle of stuff to manage our aging joints. INR1900

then it was off to Kumily for lunch, massages and our hotel for the next two nights.

 

[bPeteb]

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, not Crystal Cove. Not sure of where the crystals or the cove were. Things to do before check-in.

First stop tickets for the martial arts show we'd be seeing tonight



then we went to the quite beautiful massage centre - Pranamaya Ayurveda Chikilsalayam - www.pranamaya.in. They offer a whole lot more than just massage.

I have not had a massage since Colin joined the family and was a little apprehensive. The lovely lady at the desk just said to me to explain to the therapist what not to go near.

I booked a one hour oil massage INR2100 and bAlt and oil massge plus steam for INR2700 for 4.30

Then lunch at Periyar Cafe. Sunil has found it difficult to just accept our offer of lunch with us but we eventually talk hime into it. Nothing was expensive and we much preferred to sit and eat with him than him sit with us and watch us eat after he has a chapati. Fish in banana leaf that was made mild for us and was delicious, and was not INR5000!!



A bread covered in coriander that I left to bAlt



we stopped at the booking office for the Periyar Tiger Reserve to work out where to go in the morning for our rafting



Our tour included a boat cruise at the reserve but because we'd booked the rafting Sunil had recommended we cancel the cruise and we agreed. I always feel odd cancelling something that ultimately we paid for, even if it is just a few dollars.

Once we got that detail Sunil drove us to the carpark and showed us where the buses would be at 7.25 the next morning.

To Crystals Cove and our unexpected and absolutely cracking room. Lookee it up after we arrived and 301 was one of three suites at the hotel




Had a bit of a rest and then off to our massage. We'd told Sunil that as it was NYE he could have the rest of the time in Kumily off. We would walk to everyhere we needed to - massage, show and rafting. Took a while to convince hime but eventually he agreed.

It took longer than we thought to get back to the massage centre and we were both a little flustered, and sweaty when we got there (shot from the interweb)



I pretty much went straight in. My therapist Lindo and he was the most gentle guy. Nothing like being asked to strip down and then have a small paper modesty covering wrapped around you. I did first have to de-sweat with a small towel. I showed him my bag and just said not to touch it and he was ok. Then away we went. It was blissfull, if a lot more intimate than I've ever been massaged before. Gallons of oil. I'm surprised I had any hair left after the head massage part of it. He rubbed as much of the oil off me as he could then I pulled my clothes back on over what was left! Not allowed to shower for an hour after.

When I got out bAlt was waiting. He needed money from me for a tip. He'd gone in after me and come out before. I reckon I got closer to 90 minutes. bAlt couldn't wait to describe his experience. his therapist loked about 16 but must have been older. Great massage, similar degree of intimacy to mine. It wa sthe steam that was the thing. We both thoght it would be a steam room, but no, this is what it was



a steam torture box! bAlt said it felt like he was being cooked. At least most of his oil was sweated off. We both loved the massages, and would have booked for the next day if we'd known we'd have time.

Renewed and ready for the martial arts show



church lights

 

[bPeteb]

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 various martial arts/combat routines, with and without weapons and props. It finished with fire.

At one point they asked people with their phone lights/torches to switch them off. I saw a couple go off. Then they asked someone in the back row to switch theirs off and I realised it was mine. Horribly embarrassed I covered the light and quickly updated the settings.

I'll upload some of the videos to our YouTube as this needs video. Stills don't do it justice



we both received this crimson tilak for our donation at the end of the show



then it was time to search for drinks and dinner. It was NYE after all.

bAlt had located a bar called Moose and Malt Resto Bar Hotel Kumily Gate so that's where we headed. INR1250 to get in the door with no idea what was on offer so we declined. We then had great trouble finding somewhere for dinner and eventually found a place near our hotel where we got a couple of quite ordinary starters as they switched the lights off around us.

Crystals Cove



Here's our NY drinks. Classy eh?



I lasted not long at all and got the earplugs in before I hit the pillow. bAlt said the fireworks started well before midnight and that he was woken a few times as they continued into the early morning

 

[bPeteb]

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 glad I had the earplugs in as first call to prayer was apparently well before dawn, then there were two more bAlt thinks

We were super happy to have given Sunil the day off. We both hope he managed to have a drink his small bottle of brandy and have some fun.

We booked this direct. Thank you again to to Ranga/@Somebol for making the payment for this for us.

The buses to Periyar Tiger Reserve Book Tickets Online | Official Website of Periyar Tiger Reserve Thekkady | Online Bookings for Boating, Rooms, Trekking Programs, Accomodations, Jungle Safari, Nature Camps | Thekkady Boating bookings | Thekkady Online Booking | Thekkady Boating Online Booking | Boating Tickets Online | Thekkady Boating Tickets | Thekkady Accomodations | Thekkady Room Booking | Thekkady Online Room Bookings | Room Bookings Thekkady | Thekkady Room Bookings | Thekkady boating price | Kerala forest Department Thekkady Boating Online Booking left from a parking area about a 10 minute walk from the hotel.

When we were checking in Sunil organised a lunch bag for us both as we would be leaving too early for breakfast but later on he saw that breakfast was included with the rafting trip so we cancelled it. Breakfast it was not...

Very quiet new year's morning in Kumily



Told to be there at 7:25 but got down there a few minutes before and there was hundreds of people already there. We started talking to a younger couple who we discovered were also going on the full day rafting and walking safari as us. INR7000 for the two of us including 1000 for foreign tourists and small charge for one camera and bus transfers.

We joined the queue but were then directed straight to a waiting bus.

It’s a couple of klms into where the tours, and boats, leave from. When we saw the boats we were glad Sunil suggested we not do it. Very crowded, with everyone wearing life jackets



Wildlife sighting straight away – some gaur (Indian bison) - on the opposite shore to the boat landing. Yep, those fuzzy dots back from the lake edge





coulda, shoulda. There was coffee in here, and snacks



wishful thinking



The walk was supposed to leave at 8 but we sat and waited and eventually were told we were waiting for another group.

They eventually turned up at 8.30. We were then each given backpacks that had our ‘breakfast’, lunch and a bottle of water in them, and given these weird bootie things to keep leeches out of your shoes.

Both me, and Dennis, half of the couple we had met waiting for the bus, tried to get them over our shoes. Um no, shoes off, over socks, shoes back on. Emma, Dennis’ partner, thought it was hilarious that we both did it.

We then went down to the first of two rafts for the day. This one was pulled by rope by one of the rangers and took us across the lake to the start of the 7km walk.



We found we had lots in common with Dennis and Emma. Avid travellers. On a southern India trip. First time in India. Dennis ends up on his cough more often than not when travelling, something I might also be known for. They’re from Utrecht in the Netherlands.

There were 13 in our group plus seven rangers, one, the only female ranger, with a mighty big gun. Us two, Dennis and Emma from the Netherlands, a young couple from Bristol, one of who is based in Mumbai for five months working in the movie industry, Varun from Pune who owns a software company, and an Indian family of four. We all chatted all day long.

We had no expectations of seeing tigers but had hopes for elephants, bison, deer and whatever else. Deepu the ranger kind of assigned to us said only if we are very lucky.

a tiger print from a while ago not really that far into the walk




then monkeys, so my hopes were high for more





Then a teeny tiny Malabar pit viper



It’s been humid since we arrived and today was no different. We were both wearing long sleeves and long pants. I only have to hear the word humid and I look like I’m in an invisible mobile sauna. I felt like I sweat about 10 litres over the course of the day.

We stopped at some muddy ground and were shown some more tiger prints from a week ago. Big prints!



Then some prints of wild dogs, deer, gaur, porcupine



and lots of elephant prints.

A few log crossings



We saw a couple more monkeys not much more before we stopped for breakfast/morning tea – apple, mandarin and a banana that was more like a plantain.

a lapwing