India November 4th to November 29th 1998

 Depart Heathrow 10.30   4th November

 Arrive Kuwait      16.00  (UK time) 7.30 (local time)

 Depart Kuwait     18.00  (UK time) 23.30 (local time)

 Arrive Delhi         11.05  (UK time) 04.30 (local time)

 

Flight from Heathrow to Kuwait seemed to go very quick.  A very pushy woman behind me was extremely irritating banging my seat everytime I reclined it (Ok to recline hers)

Kuwait – Delhi flight seemed to take forever finally arrive at Delhi airport approximately 4.30 am.

 

5/11/98   Day 1 

Await luggage, which eventually arrives, fortunately rucksack still intact experience a bit of Indian bureaucracy with the immigration control form filled in not just so.  Exchange 12 nice crisp £10 notes for a huge wad of grubby Rupee’s about ¾” thick stapled together.  Same old story, we paid a porter too much to carry our rucksack to the taxi, then striped by taxi from airport to Hotel even though we got a pre-paid taxi, the taxi driver wanted 20 dollars for guided tour (refused to pay) he also wanted to take us to a different hotel which is apparently the regular scam & you end up paying way over the going rate for the room and the taxi driver gets a bung. Although we are not booked into any hotel we insisted on being taken to the Kanishka Hotel where we are to join the tour on Friday evening. Arrive at the Hotel at about 5.30 am. Very tired and prepared to pay for a room if only for a few hours, the Manager let us have a room from 7am. rather than pay for an extra day.  Went to snack bar for drink of coffee (gallon) till 7am.  Room rather grotty for what is supposedly a four star hotel, all the corridors smell damp and musty, sleep from 7.15 till 1.00.  Lunch at hotel; buy a street map of Delhi and then out for a walkabout along Raj Path to Rashtrapa Bhawam.  Kites and parrots everywhere.  Seems just like Bangkok everybody beeping.  Traffic horrendous, another sleep.  Evening meal at 8pm Punjabi Festival with music and dancing, buffet meal, had to try everything and so ate far too much, excellent food so many different tastes and flavours, watched Punjabi dancers and musicians very colourful, exciting and enjoyable, retire to Bed.

 

 6/11/98   Day 2

Breakfast in the hotel, venture out onto the street with a view to walking to Connaught Place but decide to take a Tuk Tuk get dropped of supposedly in Connaught Place!  Various cottage industry emporiums (all selling pretty much the same sort of thing), not sure if we are really in Connaught Place.  Jude went mad spending, return to Hotel to drop off Jude’s spoils, wander around the hotel gardens and shops, out again in tuk tuk to India Gate, Jude gets out of the tuk tuk totally unaware that she is stepping backwards towards a snake charmer with a Cobra at about 3 feet away I decide it’s time to warn her of impending doom, wander around for ½ an hour, the whole area is full of children playing cricket with all manor of home made equipment. Then on to a very expensive looking department store (time to beat a hasty retreat) and various shops in Old Delhi. The Tuk Tuk cost’s a whole 10 rupees for the day (70 rupees to the £1).   Return to hotel to find a note in the hotel room with arrangements to meet Prem our tour guide and some of the members of our tour i.e. Don and Donna (Canadians) on a world tour, Jean, Claire and??????. (English) Went out to a free evening at Delhi University for a traditional dance night performed by a very famous traditional music writer and performer, whose name is totally unpronounceable  (Ok for half an hour but a bit boring after that).  Back to the hotel for a meal and then bed.

 

7/11/98   Day 3

The tour start is delayed due to late flight arrival of various other members of the tour party.  Coach tour starts without some of the party with a view to meeting up with them at lunchtime tour to take in New Delhi and Old Delhi.  1st stop Bengalk Sahid Sikh Temple, the temple runs a free food kitchen feeding up to 10,000 people a day.  Come out of it to the start of a downpour, streets awash in seconds and get soaked to the skin running just 50 yards to the bus. Prem. says the weather this year in India has been totally out of order. Next stop Indira Ghandis house, amazing array of pictures, newspaper cuttings, clothes.  It is very hard to imagine all that has happened to this family, could have spent a lot more time in here.  House was like a river of people flowing around it – not stopping just continually flowing.  Go past the India population clock currently at 972,783 171. Stop at traditional Punjabi restaurant for a really enjoyable lunch the rest of the tour party arrive.  On to the QUTAB Minar Victory Tower.  Not allowed to go up the tower anymore, to many suicides. Then you will never guess where – a carpet shop!  Back to the hotel, evening meal at the hotel next door – service was disastrous but meal was very nice and different.

 

8/11/98   Day 4

Left hotel early (7.30).  Tour around Old Delhi.  Saw old city walls and two gates.  Went to a Mogul Mosque amazing scene through one of the archway entrances onto the streets below a seething mass of people going about their business. Tried to take a picture but it did not come out very well, would have been a good portrayal of Old Delhi.  General tour around Old Delhi past Chandni Chowk market unfortunately because of lost time yesterday we could not stop to have a wander round again amazing scene, so many people. Next stop the Red Fort very crowded and many hawkers on to Mahatma Ghandis  shrine with flame burning eternally – a pilgrimage for many Indian people and a very peaceful place. Next stop India Gate were the changing of  the guard was taking place, the contrasts between the colonial area’s of New Delhi with its wide open tree lined avenues and not many people and Old Delhi with its narrow streets and alleyways with masses of people is unbelievable.  On to the Viceroys buildings, Parliament building and the Raj Path. We then leave Delhi the route out takes us past all the Embassy Offices, our destination Sariska Wildlife Reserve. The journey takes about 31/2 hrs travelling through Rajasthan every bit of land is cultivated, lasting memory of this region is the wide open fields with women dotted all around dressed in brightly coloured sari’s and people dealing with their natural bodily functions wherever they happen to be at the time.We arrive at The Sariska Palace Hotel originally the Maharajahs hunting lodge huge sweeping oval drive either side of along ornamental pond, meet the Maharajahs grandson obviously a very wealthy young man and a friend of Prems, quite down to earth really except for the Mercedes.  The buildings and grounds were very impressive probably still the same from the Hunting Lodge days but quite run down.  When we arrived sun was just going down and monkeys were on the roof, parrots everywhere - a really magical place.  Swimming pool, sauna, steam bath, massage available. Stuffed tigers all around hotel, walls covered with photos of hunting parties.  There are now only 22 tigers on the reserve (which is some 700 sq. miles in area) but at least they are trying to do something to conserve them instead of killing them off completely.  Hope we can see one tomorrow (highly unlikely).  Room is massive 35’ x 20’ wide and 20’ high.  Big fan on ceiling and magnificent unusable shower contraption in the bathroom.Had an excellent meal (quite pricey) then local musicians and folk dancers entertained us on the balcony (10 times the size of our patio) with balancing act, bed of nails, walking on broken glass and hot coals.  Can see monkeys all over the building and large fruit bats flying around everywhere. 

 

9/11/98   Day 5

Early start again, 7am.  Very misty.  We travel in open jeeps around park where we see deer, wild boar, peacocks, partridges, big deer, reuses monkey, langur monkeys, kingfishers, blue jays, and wolf.  Don and Donna who were in South Africa before they came here say the safari they did there was much better in terms of the wildlife they saw but in terms of the scenery this is much nicer, much greener than the dried up plains in South Africa. One of the other jeeps saw a leopard just disappearing into the undergrowth but no tigers but then we did not really expect to see any. 

 

 

Return to Sariska Palace Hotel for 10.30 breakfast and pack for 1.30 departure.  Weather glorious.  Sat out on lawns drinking lime tea, reading and watching eagles soaring overhead.Depart at 1.30pm for Jaipur (The Pink City) about 120km.  On the way down into Jaipur we stop at the Amber Fort for photo-calls (elephant ride up there tomorrow).  Then on towards the town we stop at the top of the hill looking down on Jaipur for pictures of the gateway to the Amber Fort with one of the working elephants coming through on his way home for bed, another short photo stop at the bottom of the hill at the Jai Mahal palace (Water Palace) on the lake, on into Jaipur where we stop off at a silk printing works, (Jude had a mini spend, bought a tablecloth a made to measure top and trousers to be delivered to the hotel that evening. The view of the streets in front of us as we go into Jaipur on the coach are a teeming mass of heads which part as the coach drives very slowly through.  On to Hotel Bissau (ex Majarahs house) again quite run down, room quite small (must be the servants quarters) mosquito’s everywhere. We have our evening meal up on the rooftop with rest of tour.  We are really bonding now.

 

10/11/98   Day 6

8.00 start.  With a coach ride back to the Amber Fort another photocall and then up the hill on elephants to fortress gates at Amber Fort (loads of hawkers). 

 

Looked around palace, hall of mirrors, Queens quarters, then down in jeep to the coach and off to the Jantar Mantar observatory and Tripolia Gate in the centre of Jaipur (even more hawkers and a lot of badly disfigured people begging).  Visited city palace, which is currently in use.  Displays of clothes and armoury (some nasty looking weapons), then a brief photo stop outside Hawa Mahal.  We are then dropped off in a fast food place for lunch.  The rest of the afternoon is free to wander around and walk back through the frantic city to the hotel. 

City was very crowded and smelly (some of the smells good others not so good) every sense is attacked here the smells and colours in the spice shops are amazing. We have a short rest back at the hotel and then off to Rambagh Palace Hotel for the evening meal. The palace was very beautiful and built for maharaja’s favourite queen who is still alive.  Sat in the lounge for a drink (some French guy got up to leave and walked into the fountain/water feature in the middle of the room to everybody’s amusement. Hotel was beautiful inside and Jude managed got a glass of wine the meal was excellent (fish and chips and bread and butter pudding.) Then watched a puppet show in the garden.  Return to the hotel where I pack again while Jude slept.

 

11/11/98   Day 7

Early start again 7.00am call for 7.30am breakfast.  An ok breakfast.  Scottish Doctors had a very bad night (diarrhoea and sickness).  Set off to Keoladeo Ghana bird sanctuary at Bharatpur stopping at a Hindu Temple with a ceremony taking place, which was very noisy.  Saw stone carving works by the side of the road it was amazing what these kids were doing with a lump of stone and a chisel.  Countryside from bus was amazing, dogs eating dead cows, skeletons, converted jeeps carrying 20 to 30 people, happy schoolchildren desperate to have there photo taken and impoverished village children (who were quite aggressive). 

 

We stop for lunch en route (pakoras and lassi) at the nearest thing we have come across to a motorway service area.  We finally arrive at our hotel near the Bird Sanctuary rooms were good in hotel but nothing else here. After settling into the room the coach takes us to Keoladeo Ghana bird sanctuary, we change forms of transport from coach to rickshaw, the old man riding the bike attached to the rickshaw didn’t look strong enough (he was probably much stronger than me and certainly fitter). Saw open mouthed and painted storks, cormorants, snake knecked   cormorants, snakebirds, eagrets, eagle, pied kingfisher, spotted owl, many more.  Deer, watersnake, jackals, and jumping fish.  Lovely place we go for a short walk then watch the sun setting over the lakes. Back to the Hotel evening meal of curry and noodles and then a talk with Prem. sat around an open fire outside explaining the Indian class system.

 

12/11/98   Day 8

Have a bit of a disturbed night (Mild dose of Delhi belly) Manage a slight lie in!  Breakfast at 8.00am.  We then set off for Agra we stop en-route at the deserted city of Fatepur Sikri. Built by Emperor Akbar over a 12-year period and lived in for 11 years before being abandoned thought to be because of problems with water supply.  On to Agra the actual town of which was a dive.  The hotel Amar which is on outskirts of Agra had   lunch at the hotel and a lounge around the swimming pool. We then go off to the Taj –Majal, a real feast for human eyes a true wonder of the world watched the sun set on it and the colours change from white to golden glow. Shah Jahan built taj-Mahal for his wife as a tribute to their love. Managed to get sucked in by a hawker who shows us all the best spots to take photographs (in all fairness they were good places). You could see that Prem who see’s this site every ten days is still moved by its beauty. Return to the hotel for a magnificent meal, actually had wine a very quiet day I manage to catch a cold and a mild bit of Delhi belly.

 

13/11/98   Day 9

A really early start, up at 5.00a.m.  Coach to the Taj Mahal at dawn.  Tuk tuk taking us from the coach park to the Taj was crazy.  Taj Mahal on the other hand was peaceful and so so serene.  Looked inside and just looked and looked.  We then went off to the Shah Jahans palace in Agra.  Saw his prison rooms which overlooking Taj Mahal along the Yamuna River it was very sad.  Mist cleared showing Taj.  Took in a marble tabletop works on way home.  Jude was severely tempted but I made her see the light.  Had a very long lunch in Indian restaurant, which was worth waiting for and then back to hotel.  Taxi into town with Don and Donna – Bill bought pyjamas 600rp and Donna bought a nice trouser suit.  Also Bill bought two T-shirts for 100rp.  Walked up to Pizza Hut for a meal on the night.

14/11/98   Day 10

Up at 7.00am for the return journey to Delhi.  We stopped of at Sikandra to see Akbar’s tomb, Jean was knocked over by a monkey, amazing architecture and acoustics.   Saw horrendous accident on road, which spoilt the rest of the day.  As we came back into Delhi we stopped at Acquas tomb got showed around by cleaner   I think Prem. is losing interest now.  Back to Kanishka Hotel which seems like home now.  Too tired to go out to Emporiums to shop.We all meet for dinner at 7.30 in the hotel top floor restaurant, which was Chinese.  Very good dinner, hot noodles.  Speaking to Prem. he tells us that he used to be s ski tour company owner up in the north Jammu and Kashmir, but the tourist industry has been stopped up there due to all the political problems in the area, he seems too have had an interesting life, he was trained as a ski instructor in Switzerland and used to run skiing and trekking holidays.   Said goodbye to everyone, was very sad to see it all end.  All in all the tour has gone quickly.  It has certainly been very tiring but a lot was fitted into it.  By the end of the tour everyone was getting tombed out.  But a very good tour which has given us a good insight into India, her culture and her history.  Also day to day living, such as how to cope with begging, hawkers, haggling etc.                          

 

15/11/98   Day 11

Very early start 4.00 am and off to Delhi airport for a flight to Madras.  Flight was delayed due to fog flight was ok arrive in Madras at approximately 10.15am step out of the plane into unbelievable heat. We can see through the glass frontage of the airport that there are many people outside the airport waiting to pounce on unsuspecting travellers. Bought tickets for the train from Madras to Mysore (in 2 days time) at Madras airport. – We are both tired and feeling all alone. Scrabble through all the car drivers outside the airport finally settle on a driver and get a car to take us to Tamil Nadu Beach Resort at Mammallapuram   for 800rp (which is about £11.00 for a 2 hour taxi) The Tamil Nadu Beach Resort is recommended by the Lonely Planet as a middle of the road place to stay, in reality it’s a dump. It was probably quite nice when it was first built small apartments on the beach, but the Indians don’t seem to understand the concept of maintenance. After sort of settling in the room we take a car to the Shore Temple and stone carvings. 

We walked around town and ate at Ashok restaurant (dive), and then we walked more but very hot and sweaty. Take a Tuk tuk back to Tamil Nadu.  The waves coming on the beach are massive the sea is quite dirty (like room).  Jude’s feeling a bit down it seems like we are the only Europeans in India, really miss everyone and being organised by Prem.  There are no English anywhere. We decided to have a meal in the holiday camp restaurant, which was really grotty, and then have a drink in the sports and social club, which was even grottier.  We are both very tired.  Had early night.

 

16/11/98   Day 12

We get up not particularly early.  Feeling not quite so lonely but tummies are a bit upset.  Go for breakfast in the holiday camp grotty restaurant and then back to the balcony to read for a while.  Debating on whether to take Imodium or not, decide to take a Taxi to Crocodile bank and things are looking up again.   Spent an hour here with lots of Indian people – we were definitely as much on show as the crocodiles. The place was quite well laid out, two crocodiles decide they don’t like each other and have a fight; you would not last long in amongst that.  Paid for a parking ticket and back to Tamil Nadu.  Organised a taxi for tomorrow to take us to Madras.  (This time it was only 450rp, which is better than the 800rp paid to get here).  Decide to tempt fate at the holiday camp restaurant and have the Indian meal the same as the Indians on the next table which is a potato and vegetable curry with a paratha  (bread)– waiter seems much more friendly now maybe because of our choice of food. Lounge around walk on the beach and read for the rest of the afternoon.In the evening we take a taxi into town and wander around looking at the stalls and trying to select a restaurant, finally settle on the Tina Blue Rooms.  The restaurant is up on the roof along passageways and up rickety stairs. I have fresh tuna steak with salad and chips; Jude had a cheese sandwich, as she was not sure about her stomach. The right choice as it turned out.10 minutes later Jude had to leg it out of restaurant to the only toilet in courtyard way down below. We decide that it might be wise to get back to the room as I am starting to feel a bit iffy. We have a quick beer in the sports and social club back near the accommodation. I get taken short going to the room and have to run for it. We think we suffered effects of lunchtime meal.  Maybe not be so adventurous next time.  Delhi Belly did not get us – but Madras Bad Ass did!

 

17/11/98   Day 13

Up at 6.00am and Jude watches me pack.  The taxi is booked for 9.00 to take us to Madras we decide to give the lonely planet another chance and settle for a middle of the road hotel the Ambassador Pallavas Hotel. The car driver knows the hotel and takes us straight there as we pull up outside I’m thinking it’s the wrong hotel, marble everywhere, doormen with red jackets and gold braid, Jude’s thinking what a lifesaver!  The hotel was like the Ritz. The room was twice as big as the last place and ten times as clean. Settle in the room, then first stop the restaurant for a superb breakfast, then check out the swimming pool which was acceptable, back to the room to change into swimming kit, sunbathed, swam, sunbathed, swam, meet three English girls who in a group of twenty have been travelling for 2 months in the back of a lorry down from Nepal, returning home tomorrow.  Caught the sun had an absolutely lovely day.  We were a bit unsure about the train tickets so asked at reception if they were the correct ones, they said they were ok. Had a superb evening meal then a couple of beers in the bar, drunk Indian in bar was a real pain.  Really luxurious, self-indulgent day.

 

18/11/98   Day 14

Up at 4.45 to finish packing.  Take a taxi to Madras Central Station, bodies everywhere sleeping out on the pavements and the station platform; you had to pick your way over or around the bodies to get to the train, total bedlam.  Not too much hassle to find the train “The Shatabdi Express” seems quite comfortable, air conditioning and allocated, numbered seats. Tickets cost 1140 RP (£15.00) for 2 people to go 350 miles including food water and newspapers. Given loads of snacks the view out of window has a strange yellow hue giving a sepia view on the world, maybe they should try cleaning the windows on the outside.  Passing paddy fields with palm trees dotted everywhere, and not really a lot else, at some point we had to face the toilets fortunately they had a European and an Indian style toilet, finally 71/2 hrs later we arrive at Mysore we actually see some Europeans getting off the train. Outside the train station we ask a tuk tuk driver how much to take us to The Metropole Hotel as selected from the lonely planet, he tells us the Metropole Hotel was shut down a couple of years ago we thought we smelt a scam coming on so insisted only to find he was right, so the second choice came in to play the Kings Court Hotel across the road, got a smelly room and settled in and then off by taxi to Mysore Palace.  Very interesting Built in 1912 and the present Maharaja is still living there as the security man told us when he suddenly latched onto us to become our personnel guide.  We then take a taxi back to the hotel.  Had nap and then a very pleasant meal in the hotel which in general was a very gloomy place, its surprising how tiring it can be sitting around doing not very much – very tired so early night.

 

19/11/98   Day 15

Up reasonably early for breakfast, which was some very strange but not unpleasant semolina potato donuts and curried scrambled eggs?  Jude wants to see the zoo, which is supposed to be quite forward thinking in that they give the animals plenty of room, not in cramped cages. So off by tuk tuk to the zoo, which was as described very big the zoo with lots of Indians and animals in it. We seemed to be creating more interest than the animals, all the Indians wanted their photos taken with us at zoo with Indians – they really liked us!  Jude thought she might be wearing an Indian nightdress or something the way they were all looking at her.  Jude shook hands with one girl after having her photo taken with her to gasps of shock from all her friends Same Tuk Tuk takes us to Chamundi Hill.  Did the temple and got our very own red spots on the forehead (for a small contribution of course). Then partway down the hill to see the Nandi bull,

very impressive – views across Mysore. Next stop the Lalitha Mahal Palace, which was very grand. Had a wander around the grounds then into the restaurant for a very expensive meal approximately twice the cost of the hotel for the night, palace was lovely. Back down to earth in the rickety Tuk tuk and into Mysore to an incense factory.  I had massage and bought body oils from a little man in a shop smaller than my bathroom that said he had a contract to supply Body Shop.  Back to hotel knackered, a lay down before dinner, quite a nice meal again the Indians were amazed when Jude drank a whole bottle of wine.

 

20/11/98   Day 16

Indifferent breakfast.  Luxury coach to pick us up at 8.30am (arrived at 9.15am) to take us to Ooty up in the Western Ghats Mountains. Coach not so luxurious, luxury in Indian means you have a seat. Went round town to pick up various people at various hotels.  Robin and Gail (Scottish) join us and are the first Europeans we have talked to for a week.  They are on an open ticket for a year and staying till the money runs out.  Flew to Bombay and had 2 weeks in Goa going all down west coast and hoping to go up the east coast with a return flight from Delhi Leave Mysore eventually and cross country and then up hills.  Spectacular waterfalls and scenery, hairpin bends etc.  Jude’s not very happy.  We arrive at Ooty and go to Kheims Hotel again selected from the lonely planet as a middle of the road hotel! Wrong! It’s a dump.  Robin and Gail go to another hotel; we think we are the only people staying in this hotel.  Eat at hotel and wander around the town trying to find the recommended Chinese restaurant to eat in tonight!  Failed!  Robin and Gail appear at the Kheims, as they cannot get in at their chosen hotel. Not sure what to do tomorrow the original plan was to catch a train down the mountain to Coimbatore which is supposed to be really spectacular over gorges and rivers, unfortunately it does not leave until 2pm which would mean hanging around Ooty the best part of the day and then stop over in Coimbatore for one night which we did not want to do.

We bump into Robin and Gail in the hotel lobby who had been planning pretty much the same thing so we agreed to share a car to Coimbatore first thing in the morning which will then give us enough time to get a coach to Cochin which is a 5hr drive in the same day. The plans set we arrange to meet in the morning. Ooty is a building site.  Ate dinner in Kheims if you wanted a beer with the meal you had to give the waiter the money and he would run down the road and buy it then when he opened it you would lose half of it where it was shaken up.  The power was off till it got dark and then it might as well have stayed off.  Dark, dingy, dirty hotel.  Walked a bit around Ooty, very busy, very dirty and not what we expected.

 

21/11/98   Day 17

Breakfast at Kheims asked for some toast what we actually got was a toasted sandwich with no filling, which took ½ hour to arrive.  Taxi with Robin and Gail to Coimbatore (800rp approx. £2.85/head). Fairly uneventful journey down the mountain, apart from accidents (bus), occasionally catching glimpses of the railway line, I’m sure it would have been a superb journey on the train Lovely scenery going down mountain. The journey to Coimbatore took about 31/2 hrs and the driver took us to a bus depot, which does Luxury coaches to Cochin. The coach does not leave until about 4.30pm so we go out for a wander around Coimbatore find a little café, not really enough time to search out any places of interest. Back to the bus depot and at last get going. Very interesting scenery in Kerala – but the coach appears to have a severe drive shaft problem hope it holds out till Cochin. We stop halfway for a break by which time it is almost dark which is probably not a bad thing at least you can’t see the near misses. All in all a very long day 31/2 hours in taxi and then 51/2 hours in coach.  Robin and Gail recommend the Sealord Hotel so we take a tuk tuk to Sealord Hotel –very clean hotel and quite smart.  Nice room.  Had shower and meal very late.  A very long day.

 

22/11/98   Day 18

Got up when we woke up.  Breakfast at 8.30 Am. Wandered around marine parade.  Organised tour by boat around Cochin bay Past the Taj Malabar Hotel supposedly the best hotel in South India. Land at Fort Cochin and visit Mattancherry palace and the Mattancherry Pardesi Jewish Synagogue.  Then back on the boat and around the headland to see Chinese fishing nets which are not particularly efficient and not really used much, except as a tourist attraction,

pass St Francis church in amongst the trees. Saw eagles soaring above at quite low levels, from Fort Cochin we travel across the bay to Bolgatty Island.  See several dolphins swimming close by and playing in the wake of the boat.  Nothing much at Bolgatty apart from the Bolgatty Palace Hotel had beer and looked at the sea.  Back to hotel decide to try the downstairs restaurant for dinner, the menu is the same as the rooftop restaurant Indian band playing the usual, Sultans of Swing, Every Breath You Take, You Look Wonderful Tonight.  Cannot seem to stay awake on a night so early to bed again.

 

23/11/98   Day 19

Up fairly early and have a quick breakfast, then off on a Back water trip with two German guys for company.  A Jeep picks us up outside the hotel for about an hour drive to the boat on the backwaters.  Very relaxing, very quiet.  Saw a temple elephant, kingfishers, cormorants, eagles, water hyacinth, coconut trees, hibiscus, and deadly mangrove tree. I bought our lunch 40 RP some tiger prawns and prawns from a local fishermen who just happened to be passing by on the backwaters.

Had a wonderful Indian meal served on banana leaf, lots of different little salad dishes some of which were seriously spicy hot and the prawns and tiger prawns, which were superb. 

Saw girls making rope out of coconut husk using a bicycle wheel and wooden frame, cement making using ground up shells.  Very tranquil.  Back home in the jeep and walked around shops and arcade. I would have liked to stay in Cochin one or a couple more days, Jude has got the call of the beach and a bit of lalling around so when we get back to the hotel we sort out our train tickets for the trip from Cochin to Trivandrum, slightly worried about this as we were given three different stories about where when and why with the trains. Had our evening meal in the hotel rooftop restaurant and another early night

 

24/11/98   Day 20

Up at 5.00 am finish packing and then ring the station to check out the train for delays off to Cochin station by taxi.  Train is due in at 8.00 am.  It arrives ½ hr late absolutely full to capacity, bodies everywhere the seating was in three tiers, we fight our way on I can here Jude behind me saying I cant do this I have to reverse out of the door that I and my rucksack are wedged in to convince her that she has to, once I am behind her a group of Indians who were all dressed in black must have seen the look of horror on her face as she was trying to back off the train and they made some room for her by the window (not so much a window just iron bars). Everything went uphill after those views were stupendous.  Lovely family we sat with.  Father, sons and uncles?  Grandad gave us crisps.The train seemed to have quite a few disfigured people on board a lot of the Indian people seemed to carry bags of small change to give to these people. Typical Indian scenery, squalor, green fields, people washing in rivers, eagles, kingfishers.  The train journey was to take 5 hours (cost 90rp approx. £1.30 each). After about 2 hours the train had emptied considerably. We arrive at Trivandrum around 1.30pm outside the station we expected the usual clamour and scuffle with the taxi drivers but it was all quite calm.  Got a taxi at the recommended rate to the Kovalom Ashok Beach Resort – a very smart hotel.  We got a cottage (cheaper) for 115 dollars very nice.  Best shower yet.  Restaurant is very nice but very expensive.  Lounged on the private beach.  Lunch 800 RP Evening meal 1200rp.my eyes are starting to go like cash registers.

 

25/11/98   Day 21

Leisurely arising, taxi to Kovalum (lighthouse beach). 

Breakfast at the beach restaurants 135 RP or 300rp at hotel (No competition).  We watched local fishermen bringing in catch the net fills the whole bay almost, it takes about 30 people about 11/2 – 2hrs to pull them in. Sunbathe, swim have lunch, a fresh fruit salad bananas, coconut, oranges, mangos.  Got burnt, Jude as usual wants to adopt the puppies in the restaurant.  Have made friends with Lalitha and James – they are ok people. Lots of Indian men/boys wandering up and down the beach ogling some with binoculars, Jude’s not very comfortable with this.  Jude bought some tops on beach.  Nice beach but my head is now the colour of a tomato.  Had a very good meal at Ashok Hotel clifftop restaurant on evening.  Jude’s really is getting into this holiday now. I cannot take the cash register effect any more and talk Jude into looking for a more reasonably priced hotel in the morning.

 

26/11/98 Day 22

Up for breakfast at Ashok (700rp). Packed and moved to Raja Hotel in morning about 500yards down the road. The hotel is full of package holiday people, but they had one empty room at about a quarter of the cost of the Ashok.  Lounge around the pool in afternoon, then stroll down to the beach on night to eat, this place has a superb atmosphere about it, a bit hippiesh, all the restaurants are lit up with coloured lights right around the bay the waves lapping up– very nice. Jude had Pomfret fish and ate with her hands. I had crayfish.  Sat with an English couple that had been here for three weeks and not even left the resort.There are many English people here who are really only here for the sun – they don’t know what they are missing.

 

27/11/98   Day 22

 This is Jude’s part of the holiday now, having said that she has thoroughly enjoyed all of it and does want to return, breakfast on beach, then lounge around, the sand on the beach is so hot by lunchtime that you cannot walk barefoot, I try a bit of surfing the waves are very big and incredibly strong, fresh fruit salad for lunch, sunburnt again up to the pool in afternoon.  Then a stroll down to the beach on night.  Tiger prawns for me and Chicken Curry for Jude with banana fritters to follow.

 

28/11/98   Day 23

 These is a change raining, sky overcast, still very sticky, decide to go into Trivandrum in a tuk tuk, took in temple,

market, bought bangles, park, several beaches.  Met an Indian girl called Judy and Jude frightened a baby.  My sandal broke managed to get it repaired.  Back to hotel for the final pack, Lovely sunset. Last evening on beach don’t really want to go home                 

 

29/11/98   Day 24

 Home, depressed but we shall be returning.