Trivandrum a city with a lote of people
March 6 2010
Have you ever hear someone say that there are a lot of people in India well I have and so I expected it to be very busy, but I could not ever imagine what
was about to experience when I arrived at Trivandrum airport. It was a little bit to extrordenly people where everywhere.
As I sat in a taxi to take me to my hotel it looks like a traffic jam in one of the big city´s but how it's only 4 o´clock in the morning is this normal?
The morning passed by and had a bit of walk around a very busy city with many people. It was in the afternoon when I met two Indians that invited me for a drink they were around the same age as me.
It was only then when I learned way there were so many people in town. Over 300.000 women had come to town with their cooking pots to perform a ritual for health and prosperity of their families. This festival is cold Attukal Pongala and is held around February for 9 day's this was jus the ninth day and things wore starting to rep up.
The guys where incredible proud of their job what they were jewellers and yes they are rich to. They had companies in over 50 countries. Well it ant the things that I had expected to in counter at all let stand on the first day.
The days went by, there is not a lot of interesting places in and around Trivanrum A few day's ago I met Silvia a German girl that happened to be staying in the hotel next of that of my. Together we went to Veli tourst village is a small park outside a few kilometres outside Trivandrum. It is not a big place just a place to relax for an hour or so.
On sunday I left Trivanium a sort train raid to Kollem. Where I got a room in Lakshmi tourist home. This is the town is the starting point for the Blackwater tour. . The blackwater tour is a 8 hour journey over the water rivers to Allepey. You will not take him for anything els exept for the amazing landscape you go thourgh. A lot of birds are on the water age like herans Cormorant and ducks.
Allleppey I spend two nights in a very cheap hotel but with a terrible and ugly bathroom but what do you want for only 80 Rupees per night.
A very scary bus ride
It´s late morning when I finally got on board of a ferry that will take me to Kottayam and it´s the only way to get there from here. A big noisy motor was the mean sound on board people were taking however it was difficult to even hear something also the smell of gasoline was present. The ferry picket people from different village's. After 3 hour the ferry docket on in Kottayem. A lunch of rice and chicken to full up for the next trip. Busses for all kinds of destinations were at the bus station I toke a bus to Kumily there I´m gone vised the tiger reserve natural park. After an hour or so the bus aprosed the mountain a sharp bent to the left than to the ride driven at speed other cars rushing down the mountain on the other side of the road it felt like beaning inside a role coaster. Almost every turn I thought that we would crease after a hour or two we reach the top and was relief to get off the bus In kumely I got a home stay for the night.
Together with 4 people I met on the way we were picked up for a tour the national park. At the intrens we got two guides with us. On our way we say monkeys, buffalos, and the sound of countless birds, After one hours we arrived at a checkpoint where we got some food and drink we had a half hour break. And another guard went along he had a rifle. We had regular break and around the clock 12 h we arrived at a small hut where we got a lunch (rice with sambal and vegetables) very nice. After a break of 2 hours we went further on our route. mid-5 were we back at the entrance of the park.
Munnar
It was still early when my alarm goes off just 6 o'clock a little bit of breakfast and then on the bus. A bus trip of 4 hours to Munnar also my fellow passengers took the bus. There were only a few buses a day going to Munnar very day. In Munnar we went our own way. After I had accommodation I went looking for tours to Eravikulam National Park but was told that the park was closed at this time of year. Thus another tour arranged to go somewhere in a forest around the town. The route went through the tea plantation on the mountains and through dense forest we have seen no animals but a great view of the valley and mountains oven It was still early when I walk to the bus station end went to the highest point around Munnar. The bus drove through the tea plantations and forests before he reach the area. The view is amazing and after a while I make my way back down on foot. After 15 km I arrive at a dam where I've stayed a while. Then I make my way further down and it started to rain, quickly I make my way downstairs in search of a shelter. I took revues in a small hut where a few locals were sitting drinking coffee everyone looked at me and laugh and spook in their language they spoke no English but understood well what they were talking about. After about an hours I got a ride back to town.
Kodaikanal
It is half past 9 when I exit from Munnar what I thought to be a short ride turned out to be a 7 hours trip and had to take 4 different busses. Around the clock of 4 I finaly arrived in Kodaikanal a hill station at 2500 meter above sea level height, I wanted to stay at the youth hostel but it was booked full. So I have arranged other accommodation but this hotel was not very nice maybe because I did not want to stay here ore the 4 concreted walls around me. The nights were cold I keep my clothes on and had three thin blankets over me from the hotel. Daytime the temperature is normally warm is possible for a pair of shorts but mostly I walked in a long pants and sweater. at night the temperature drops to almost frizzing.
Ooty
After a number of cold nights I left and mead my way down by bus. When the bus had left the mountains behind the heat of the lowlands was heating up quickly. I continued my way to Coimbatore a large bustling city where the smell and noise of the traffic is very annoying. Coimbatore is a stop over for me for just a day then up to Ooty, you would think that you will find skyscrapers in a big city well not in Coimbatore everything is here on the streets.
The next day breaks on and I grab my things and leave for another hill station Ooty lies 2000 meter above sea level. After several hours in the bus I arrived in Ooty ask where the youth hostel and walked toward it the hostel was empty except for the owner and someone else. The next day I awakened by loud noise it is still early but there is an entire classroom inside. Some 50 students around the age of 18 and 19 years had just arrived.
Afther breakfast I went around Ooty and did not must after. The next day I went with a guide into the forest well a guide moor a young guy like me a bit around 20. Is this the case in India when you want to walk true the forest or national park You need a guide or local people? Well probably this is the rule. First we saw a very poor part of Ooty behind that lead a hilly forest landscape with trees and needle-like sting shrub. After several hours of hiking we arrived at a lake were they are doing a movie shot, there was not a lot of action in most of the time they were taking in there language. After 3 hours to walk around we went home.
The next day I took a bus to Dottabetta's lookout post a lookout on one of the highest points around Ooty. It is a 3 kilometres walk from where the bus dropped me. A steep climb to the lookout was at least another 3 quarter but a great view of Ooty and the mountains behind. After an hour hanging around I made my way down a motorcycle came by and boot me a ride to the bus stop. The rest of the day a bit hung around in the hostel.
Up early and went to Mudumalai National Park. When the bus was on the way down the mountain it already started to warm up and can see the green landscape changing in a more dry environment there are even cactuses growing here. When I exit the bus, I can really feel the heat. I ask myself whether there are still giving tours. Looking for a tour agent as they told me that only in the morning and evening there were tours. Well this is very unwanted but there is nothing I can do about it so I took the next bus home. Back in Ooty, I went to a the botanic garden. There relax a little and did not much more.
Wayanad district
After a week spent in ooty I move on again. The plan was to go to Sultan batherry but the bus driver didn't understand anything and just seed yes to everything asked, so I got on the wrong bus. It took a sometime before I realest that the bus was heading in the wrong direction I was hadding back to Coimbatore it's the opposite way from where I need to go.
A man who could understand English said that I need to go back to Ooty and there take the ride bus. So 6 hours later I was back in Ooty and took this time the right bus. Because I had already spent 6 hours on the bus I went first to Gudalur where I stayed for a night and in the morning take the bus to Sultan batherry Most of The local population have been very helpful and often want to speak to you what sometimes annoying and other times very helpful is.
The next morning I went over to Sultan batherry. The hotels are more expensive than where I've stayed so far I usually pay between 100 and 200 rupees which is about 1.60 to 3.30 euros. Now I paid 500 rupees per night. The same day I went to Kalpetta went to the tourist information centre to see watt I can see around here. The national park where I really wanted to go was closed because of bush fire and would open again after 2 weeks. But there were enough other things in Wayanad district.
It is Saturday and I went to Mananthavadi. I stayed there 2 nights. The same day I went to Banasura sagar dam, it's the largest earth dam in India. Yet you could not walk more then 750 meter until the path ended. The next day I went to Kuruvadweep an island set in a large river. And finally the first place where I could walk in nature without guides okay I still had to pay 50 rupees. It was still early and I began my walk in front of me there was a very noisy group and luckily the road split and I could go my on way. In the quiet part of the forest I finally could hear the birds singing instead of traffic. Not only birds manage the island a group of monkeys crossed my path and even a lizard. He was greatly shocked by my presence and made a run for it. After a walk of several hours I came back to the interns and I decided to make another round, well maybe I sudden. I could already hear far from me a huge group of noisy young people I had already thought they wanted to speak with me and when I encountered them there was no more escape. Everyone wanted to know who I was and where I came from shake my hand. As they went the same way as me, I had little choice in order to follow but after a while It became too much and went back to the exit. A very nice attention but they were simply too busy and noisy for me.
Monday packed my stuff and went to Kalpetta it was a very hot day and I went to have Meenmutty waterfall well you can only see the waterfall from a distend. It was unfortunate that the fog had not yet disappeared what gave a very poor visibility.
Mysore and Bangalore
The last few days in India I spend in Mysore and Bangalore two bigger city's in Bangalore you got even fast foot restaurants. Well my flight to Bangkok is waiting on me so long see you next time.