Incredible India Part 2 … Kerala, Southern India

Finally got round to part 2. I know what you’re thinking… What the hell has she been doing?! Turns out its a lot harder to blog on an iPad than I thought and also the temptation to watch one more episode of something on Netflix, rather than use the old brain cells, is just too strong! 

Anyhoo, please find below a quick round up of the second half of my awesome Indian adventure…

Day 21-22 Cochin/Fort Kochi Arrived at the hotel and met my new roommate Bre who is a beautiful and sassy 29 year old Canadian girl. We hit it off immediately and I would soon find out what a blessing that would be! To say that my second tour group was a bit more mature than my first group would be rather an understatement. There were only 5 other people: Bre, Tom and Trish (a retired couple of former teachers from Sheffield) And Betty and Frank/Francois (an English/French couple aged 76 and 84 respectively). I’m all about diversity so I entered with an open mind but I’m not going to lie the next two weeks featured some pretty challenging moments. 

On our last day in Fort Kochi we had a lovely local guide called Mr Chester, an Anglophile, whose sons were called Prince and Charles LOL! Visited some fabulous land marks including St Francis Chuch, the Roman Catholic basilica (which looked like the church from Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet) and the Dutch Palace. My favourite place however was the manual laundry where they wash everything by hand in washing pits, dry them on big lines and then iron using hot boxes with coals in them. In the evening we went to see a traditional Kathakali Dance show which was pretty bizarre but strangely enjoyable… I advise a google!

Day 23-24 Kalpetta We took the train to Calicut and then drove up in to the mountains to a place called Wayanad to stay in a cute homestay (Indian b&b but you get more meals). On Monday we went to a tea plantation to see how they produce loose leaf tea. We also went to a cottage industry where they produce bamboo blinds and other furnishings and gifts by hand. In the afternoon we went on a nature walk and I rather embarrassed myself attempting to climb a palm tree and ended up with a farmer trying to push me up by my fat bottom. I’m quite glad he didn’t speak English. 

Day 25 Mudhumalai This morning we climbed up a very steep hill/mountain to the Edakkal Caves and nearly killed Frank and Betty. I’ll admit I’m not the fittest but I’m fit enough and this climb was HARD! How anybody thought that a pensioner would be OK to do it is beyond me but as I held Franks arm and prayed to God to keep him alive and not have a heart attack I was also extremely impressed, the old boy actually did it! 

That night we stayed in a tiger reserve. We went on a long and rather fruitless safari where the most exciting animal we saw was a peacock. However I awoke in the night to hear something rather large and scary on our roof and Was informed  in the morning that it was the Malabar Giant Squirrel (again, Google it!)

I haven’t really elaborated on the challenges of our elderly travel companions so I feel I owe you a bit of insigh at this point. Trish and Tom to be fair to them were very gung-ho. Despite talking constantly, even when Saj our guide was trying to talk to us, and wandering off to photograph things when we were all waiting for them, they turned out to be great fun, rather charming and very brave with food! Frank and Betty on the other hand were quite honestly a pain in the arse! Frank was just pathetic and hen pecked but in between complaints about pretty much everything and only eating French fries and tomato soup Betty managed to offend and insult pretty much all of us. She even called Bre ‘thunder thighs’! Imagine going on holiday with the granny from Catherine Tate and you’ve got it. 

Day 26 Mysore Loved Mysore. The palace was amazing and we were lucky enough to go back and see the sound a light show in the evening. We had the best meal at a local restaurant where we had a thali veg meal on a banana leaf and ate with our hands. 

Day 27-28 Mamallapuram After a long day of travelling by train to Chennai and then onwards on the bus it was relief to have a rest day. I walked the beach, got sunburn, had a massage and ate pancakes. In the evening we visited lots of monuments Including Anjunas Penance, one of the biggest bas-reliefs in the world, the five rathas, and the Butter Ball. 

Day 29 Pondicherry It was pretty but mainly enjoyed eating at the French bakery in Pondicherry. Went to an ashram and meditated for 10 mins. Didn’t feel like Julia Roberts so I left. 

Day 30-31 Madurai Went to the Ghandi Museum and came out feeling very guilty to be British. Good job Indian people are so nice and forgiving. Got away from the oldies and went with Saj and Tas, our driver, to the cinema to see Paadmavati in3d which was ace. I love Bollywood! 

The next day was one of my favourites. The Sri Meenakshi Temple didn’t make the new 7 Wonders of the World list but it should have. It was the most impressive of all of the temples I’ve sent (and that’s a lot now!) The colours, the detail, the sheer massiveness of it is breathtaking. In the afternoon we went on a cycle rickshaw tour and although I felt guilty for the poor skinny man towing me along with no shoes on, I loved experiencing the real Madurai. 

Day 32 PeriyarBack to Kerala for a great spice garden tour Featuring a lemon bigger than my head And then a kalari martial arts show where they played with swords and fire. 

Day 33 Alleppey Final leg of the journey. We got to Alleppey and got on canoes over to a man made island where we had a homestay. In the words of Bre it was HOTTER THAN BALLS! Which is apparently very hot! No ac available which was horrific but we got some fabulous home cooking including a particularly good water buffalo curry. We took a lovely evening walk around the rice fields and narrow canals returning by boat where our guide and his friends sung us traditional folk tunes as they rowed. That was a bit of a moment. 

Day 34 Back to Cochin and on to Singapore! The end of a tour is always sad but I have to say this one was tinged with a slight sense of relief. I was dropped off with Bre in Kochi and we went for lunch before I left for the airport. I genuinely feel like I’ve met a friend for life as well as my Canadian soul sister! I hope we keep in touch and see each other soon.