The rest of South India!

Ok I take it all back – I got it a bit wrong about the temple we weren’t allowed into – I think I was having a very negative few days!

Basically we weren’t allowed into the inner sanctum but there are 7 outer areas to visit.  It was actually pretty cool and very very colourful and much more interesting than a lot of the other temples as this was actually in use with lots of people going about their business.  IF I can upload some photos with this blog you;ll see some pics below!  As its been a while since I saw it I may be getting confused with names but I think it was in Trichy and called Meenakshi Temple.  It was pretty darn amaaaaaazing!

After the temple we arrived in Maduri and went on a cycle rickshaw around – a great way to see the city – i.e. less effort!  I’m having real trouble remembering everything now which is a shame, I think this was the day we went to the Ghandi Musuem which was very interesting – a very one sided view of the English in India but interesting nonetheless.

Next it was on our way to Perriyar Tiger Reserve.  I was expecting to be high up in the mountains again and a really cool climate – but we didn’t go up as far as before.  We visited a spice plantation that evening which wasn’t what I was expecting (much smaller) and if I can I am posting a picture below of the tiniest chilli possible – I was half tempted to get one and send it to Richard!

Next up was my trek through the jungle in search of tigers and wildlife.  We had to be fully covered up AND they gave us these gator sock things to wear on top of our trousers so leeches and ants didn’t get in!!  Well it was pretty rubbish.  I saw a poisonous spider – yuk, a killer wasps nest – eek! And a very large squirrel.  It was hot, humid and not fun.  The only thing it has shown me is that I might not enjoy doing a full day or twos trek in Thailand – this was only 3 hours and it was enough for me!!!  I’m pleased I found that out now!!

Thankfully the trek was early in the morning so we finished at 10.30am and had the rest of the day free….we all spent a few hours milling about the local shops and then went for a ayurvedic massage – traditional Indian style.  Well it was an experience to say the very least!!!  3 of the girls went an hour before us and the place comes and picks you up from the hotel and then drops you back.  They came back looking very relaxed as we were being picked up but had odd smiles on their faces….we couldn’t work it out but knew something was going on…………….so it wasn’t a total surprise when we are shown into our little massage rooms with our therapists and have to strip off naked.  And I do mean strip off, there in front of the therapist down to absolutely zero apart from a paper thong that THEY put on you and tie up!  Once we all got over that – the massage was amaaaazing but REALLY oily as they cover you in it and you feel like you are basted and ready to cook at the end of it.  Then if the embarrassment at the beginning of stripping off isn’t enough, they then rub you down completely at the end to take off the excess oil. 

A few days before in Pondicherry we found a good cheap English Wine Shop – that is what they are called by the way.  If they sell booze its just a wine shop, if they sell international booze and wine, its called an ENGLISH wine shop!  We all decided to buy a bottle of wine (well to share) to have the night after the trek as wine is insanely expensive in most hotels if they sell it, or they don’t sell it at all.  We had a good dinner, shared the wine and had a relatively late night for us – I think it was about 11.30!

The next day we went off to Kerala again to our Homestay.  It wasn’t what I expected as the trip notes make out you are staying in tiny little homes and split up and perhaps sleeping on the floor in a sleeping bag. 

These homestays are actually large houses and you are all in bedrooms (twins) with proper beds, but they aren’t hotels and the family cooks for you and you chat to them etc. 

 This was a really really nice one, its based on an Island in Kerala which we had to take a canoe to get to.  It was so peaceful and our hosts were lovely.  In the evening we had a walk around the Island which was beautiful followed by a pitch dark canoe ride back down the backwaters to the home, accompanied by beautiful singing from the locals “driving” us with local songs.  It was really really special and a wonderful experience.  We stopped on the way to try the local coconut toddy.  There was one that was fresh and sweet and one matured and alcoholic – both were aweful and tasted like feet!

See below - me - smoking a fag outside the local pub - it had to be done!

Being back in Kerala was a lovely way to end our tour, we took a cruise down the rivers the next day to reach Alleppey and then bussed it back to Kochi where I spent a few hours with some of the girls doing some last bits of shopping then headed over to my 4* hotel……where I learnt my lesson spending all that money and still no bloody hot water and the internet stopped working after 30 minutes!!!!

Next instalment…..Hong Kong!

Here’s a couple of photos of the kerala backwaters until I upload them to facebook J