Mountain Greenery (and monkeys)

We were awakened around 7am with scrambling on the roof, sort of lolloping noises, lots of creatures and then a little while later they were back. Monkeys I thought and later as we stood outside our hut watching some of the cornucopia of exotic birds we see all the time in India and young German confirmed that a raiding party of monkeys had attacked the hotel - some had entered his room and his banana was missing! They have obviously learnt that at that time people are still asleep and have balcony doors and windows left open.

We were sleeping in a small hut at the end of the hotel garden, over the wall is the wildlife reserve complete with water buffaloes (which we saw) but even some tigers and wild elephants (which we have not) but it is nice to look out on. Mind you we realised we were on the front line - not for tigers or monkeys - but for mosquitos and made sure the hotel mended some holes in the door screen and then had to use our bodge tape to repair their mosquito net. We slept fine until the monkey raiding party but have moved to a much better hotel - a lovely 3rd floor room at tree top level, a sweet breeze and gorgeous view and probably fewer mossies.

We are in Kumily, still in Kerela but up in the Western Ghats and right on the border with Tamil Nadu. We had the most extraordinary bus ride up here, actually two buses, a 6 hour journey in all that cost us all of one pound fifty each. The first bus was fine, took us to a large town south of Kochi from which we sought out the Kumily bus. We have discovered that timetables mean little, we had turned up at Kochi 45 minutes early and still missed our direct bus to Kumily so we (and two German girls travelling the same route) took local buses. We discovered that our final 110kms up to Kumily in the hills was to be on the most decrepit bus in the bus station and the driver started her up and drove like it was some kind of race, there were no straight stretches on the road and we roared around each corner. We all jammed ourselves against the side of the bus (I have a bruised elbow and shoulder and Tess has a sore bum - excuse the technical term) but actually it was a fascinating drive. We passed many places covered in bunting for one political party or another, loudspeaker vans driving up and down - its election time here. And then as we ascended the Ghats there were jaw dropping views (Tess did not look), the bus careering around corners. As we got higher the lush jungle suddenly gave way to a bright green landscape of pin cushions with a few tall trees growing among them - it looked like a sort of Telly Tubby land and we realised that this is a big tea planting area, it looked just like the packets of tea, lines of pickers working on the steep hillsides. There are also spice gardens everywhere and Kumily is filled with spice shops. Just down the road we came across a Cardomen wharehouse with lines of women chatting and sorting piles of seeds - it looked very sociable work.

Brian

Brian isn't quite right, I did look but was extremely thankful that he was on the side next to the drop, we had both wedged ourselves in the corner of seats on oposite sides of the ailse to preven the one on the outside of the seat form ending up on the floor, I am not kidding the driving was that frantic. Strangely, I didnt notice the uncomfortable seats so much, probably due to the fear factor.

I have turned into a right moany old bag. I got us our 400 r back at the hotel in Kochi for a non appearing but prepaid taxi. At the Coffee Inn, very good write up in Lonely Planet; I had to ask several times for the many rents in the bug mesh to be mended, complained that the room was dirty (which it was) and complained about the wildly over salted pasta sauce. I was told that the room was dusty because their machine was broken, when I pointed out that a damp duster would have done the trick the man went into full Basil Faulty style hotel management school performance and got very sulky.

As compensation for the rigours of the journey and not having had a proper meal yesterday we went to the most expensive hotel here "Spice Village" (we now overlook it from our balcony). It's one of those 'if you have to ask the price its not for you' places, but had a very good buffet super for a reasonable amount. The food was lovely and you could have gone round again and again, if you'd had the appetite and the nerve. We ate plenty, had a beer and watched some lovely Indian clasical dance and went home tired but happy.

Tess