Under the Rainbow: Travel

3. Exotic Kerala - Travelogue

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 18:23:08 GMT

Enroute Guruvayoor, we decided to visit the Athirapally and Vazhachal falls. Our driver, Dijo, warned us that it is a deviation of about 30 kms from our route. He wasn't very interested but I insisted and off we went under the hot fiery sun. By the time we reached Athirapally, it was almost two in the afternoon. We were hungry and disappointed at what we saw. I mean, it was just some rocks and some water flowing on them. There was no ‘falls’; it was more like a river. There were a lot of people bathing in water to cool of the heat. In comparison, the Kuduri Habbi falls near Chikmagalur was better - at least it was not crowded. We skip our lunch, walk through the arduous path right under the sun and there was no falls. From there, we went to Vazhachal 'falls' 5 kms away. Well, there was a water fall here but it was fenced and people could not get close to it. Our travel agent had mentioned, 'visit the famous Athirapally and Vazhachal falls'. If this is famous, I don't know what to call Jog, Hogenkal, Abbe and Hebbe. Lesson learnt: listen to your driver, he knows the place.

Next up was Guruvayoor and by the time we reached our hotel, Kanoos Residency, it was dusk. I really liked the hotel we stayed in. I think it was some 4 star, 7 floors and 45 rooms in all, very clean with a balcony and the best part - a vegetarian restaurant. Dijo said we could visit the temple next morning. Delighted, we went to the vegetarian restaurant Arya-n-Dravida. What was supposed to be an evening snack became our dinner and we went straight to bed. Next morning, post breakfast, we were at the famous Krishna temple at sharp 9 AM. The receptionist at the hotel warned us about the seasonal crowd. So, after passing through the circuitous path, we finally had our darshan at around 10:45 AM. But boy! this is just like Tirupati. You hardly get to see the God for a second. Now, that I have visited Tirupati so many times, all seconds add up and I know what Sri Venkateshwara looks like, I have his picture in my mind now. But Guruvayoor Krishna, I think I need at least three more trips.

Post lunch, we set off to Kochi on the highway with what looked like peak hour traffic. We went to the St.Francis Church at Fort Kochi first. It ha a very interesting history - built in the early 16th century by the Portuguese, it is said that Vasco-da-gama's remains were buried in the church for eight years before it was moved to his home country. The architecture is Victorian, the design on the aisle is said to be from that era. You are supposed to leave your footwear outside before entering the church and as I was doing so, I saw man wearing his shoes sitting on what looked like a fully covered bench. Suddenly, I realized it was someone's grave. Eeks, this was scary. Only later I learnt that the bodies were moved to the nearby Dutch cemetery and only the stones were replaced as it is. I wonder why.

Right opposite to the church is the beach. It is like Pondicherry beach - rocky, boundaried by a brick and stone wall. But the beach was so dirty. People managed to get into the water, fishermen were selling fish right there, so the stench. What more? There was a bike race being held when we were there. So, many people had climbed nearby buildings to watch the spectacle. There was a motor boat ride available but Ewwwwwwwww... who wants a ride there? However, I saw some really nice skirts there. I mean the cut was just superb, so was the fabric but the design did not impress me too much. I searched for the same at Jew town without any success. It reminded me so much of Goa, now I want to get there just to get some snazzy skirts. The museum is shut because it is past time.

We reached our hotel Wyte Fort, again by dusk. We give our driver a break and ask him to meet us again at 3 PM next day and he is very happy to spend the evening at his home. The hotel looks great from the outside but inside, a lot is left to be desired. We were escorted to our room in the second floor but as I get out of the lift, there is a strong stench of alcohol. It was like; the carpets were soaked in beer or whatever. The disgusting odor spills on to the room and we try to get rid of it by running the AC at maximum. Shash wants to be refreshed and decides to jump in the pool. He was yearning to jump in the pool at Silver Crest Hotel in Thekkaddy - bad timing. He was open to the Alleppey beach as well but that did not happen either. So this, he was not going to let go.

Dijo joined us next day sharp at the time we mentioned. And we boarded the car for one last time. He took us some posh mall nearby that adjoined the beach. The beach was fun - a floating restaurant, Taj's very own boat docking place and boat rides. We just had something to drink and packed some supper. And Dijo dropped us back to the Ernakulam bus stand - right where we started - to catch our bus back to Bangalore.

Hmmmm, a memorable trip. But I really want to revisit Alleppey and Thekkady.

Read about our Munnar experiences here.

2. Exotic Kerala - Travelogue

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 05:24:53 GMT

Next morning, we set out to Thekkaddy. The scenery enroute was absolutely fabulous. We saw Tata and Kannan Devan tea estates. It was just green and silver everywhere. On the way, we stopped at a waterfall. I can't describe how beautiful the water felt. It was cold but was not cold enough to shiver you inspite of the cool breeze. It was soft and soothing to touch. It wasn't too forceful, you could easily stand on the rock. It is not hidden away, it passes through the road. Although, it was very less in volume, it was at the right place and everyone stopped by for a refreshing touch. Just then, many people got down from the bus and promptly put thier children in the water for a bath and the kids ranged from 2 to 12 years in age. I wondered if they had purposefully avoided the morning wash :-). Enroute we also saw a beautiful lake.

Post lake, I had slept off in the car and woke up when we reached Kumily. By the time we reached Thekkaddy - Silver Crest, it was about 2 in the afternoon and as usual the restaurant served non-vegetarian. I had seen some vegetarian restaurants on the way and persuaded hungry Shash to have lunch there. The restaurant we chose was in the basement, dingy. The food wasn't great but they had white rice and buttermilk. Ahhhhhhhhh... what sweet heaven.

The prime attaraction at Thekkady is the Periyar Tiger Reserve and the boat ride. We reached the entrace of the reserve around 4 PM and bought the entry tickets. The route to the lake is through the forest. Our driver, Dijo said that there were tigers there. I was surprised how people could walk on the roads. Not only that, there were resorts there too. The 1.5 km drive to the lake was just awesome. It is just a two lane road, well tarred surrounded by trees. The only noise you hear is that of the breeze and whizzing cars. We reached the lake around 4:30 and we were told that the last boat had left. Disappointed, we returned determined to make it the next day. We said, 6 AM would be a good time as there would be a long queue for entry tickets. We then visited a plantation and bought some tea and cashew. Dinner was at Mahaveer restaurant. He made some really good phulkas but the khichdi I ordered was drowned in ghee. We went to bed early thinking tomorrow was going to be a long day.

The next day dawned for us 4:45 and we were at the Periyar Tiger Reserve entrance at sharp 6. And it was very disappointing. The queue was like Lord Hanuman's tail. We learnt that people were waiting there since 4:30 in the morning. After a wait of 45 minutes, we finally got the tickets and Dijo raced the car to the pond. Again, no tickets for the boat :-( Just when I was returnign dejected, one person said he had 3 tickets for the 7:30 AM ride. We quickly grabbed the tickets although we were one person less.

The boat docking place was completely white with mist. I mean, there was hardly any visibility. We wondered how the boat man would steer the boat. By the time our boat arrived and we left the dock it was 7:45. The onward route was interesting. No, we did not see any wild animals. All we spotted were a few kingfishers, couple of ducks and a nest. But the kids were real excited and screaming. Return was however much quieter. We were retracing our route back and we had seen it all so everyone was bored. Besides, we hadn't even had the morning milk/tea so we wanted to get back to the hotel. After breakfast we set out for Alleppey.

Allapuzha (now I can even pronounce the name right :o)) is a about 4.5 hours from Thekkady. Our room was Kovilakom backwater resort that is about 22 kms from Alleppey. When we entered Allepey, someone called us from behind, came running and gave a visiting card to our driver. They spoke something in Malayalam and we moved to the resort. It was about 4 in the afternoon by the time we had our lunch and set out to sightseeing. Dijo asked us if we wanted to rent a houseboat but we had found on on enquiry with the resort manager that it would be very expensive in this season. We, however, decided to try the moto boat instead. We went back to the man who gave Dijo his visiting card and hired a shikaara for two hours at 700 bucks an hour after negotiation.

Although, it is a tad expensive, the ride is something I will never be able to forget. I was apprehensive when we boarded the boat because the water was filled with hyacinths. We were promised that we would be shown paddy fields, islands and the fisherman houses along the backwaters. So, we started.

I am really fascinated about the lifestyle of people living along the backwaters there. Thier whole life is about the water. I mean, they bathe in that water, wash thier clothes and vessels and even use the same for domestic consumption. Thier means of transport is water. Every house has atleast one boat. Even the women - old and young alike - row boats. Shash said, 'Here people measure societal status not by the number of cars they own but by the number of boats' :-).

Just imagine a road, any road. Now think of it submerged in water. So, instead of bikes, you'd be riding boats. We saw many platforms in water adjoining the land. We also saw some people sitting on the benches and chatting. I kept wondering what it was and then suddenly it struck me that it could be a boat-stop (just like a bus stop). I had seen a large boat that was overly crowded and thought how come so many people wanted to view the backwaters at the same time. This answered it. The bestest part was I even saw signboards there saying 'So place.... So kms'. I missed taking a picture of that :-(

I even saw houseboats. The person who rented our boat said normally he'd charge 8k for a houseboat but now it'd cost us double for 22 hours. Again, what surprised me was these houseboats were equipped with AC and some even had a Tata Sky dish antenna. Wow! people come here to relax and rejuvenate but can't leave the TV behind :-)

Next day, we left Alleppey but not before visiting the calm beach. Hardly any people, absolutely no hawkers, clean is probably the best description of the beach. The sand texture also was very smooth, it was soothing on the sole. Somehow, I felt it wasn't too humid like other beaches probably the pollution is much lesser. The air isn't too salty either so you can stay there a long time without feeling sticky or uncomfortable.

I really want to visit Allappey again and spend lot mare time in the water and at the beach. With this thought, we left for Guruvayoor...

Part 1 of the travelogue is here and part 3 is here.

1. Exotic Kerala - Travelogue

Fri, 04 Jan 2008 17:19:50 GMT

I was looking forward to this holiday for a long time. Things had been piling up for a long time and it seemed very hectic. Besides, due to other commitments, we could not take our usual October break. So, I was ready to get out - anywhere.

I had been to Kerala only once and that was 13 years ago. The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of that trip is greenery. So, I was longing to see that again. We planned Kerala for honeymoon and later on some other occassions but some how it never worked out. This time - it worked in the last minute. Until second week of December, we did not know if we would go on a holiday and when we did, there were no tickets available. We finally managed to get the last seats of K(arnataka)SRTC and then we booked the package.

Sunday, the 23rd of December 2007 had decided not to be nice to me. Went to withdraw cash at the ATM and the system hung. The machine said it had given me the money but it was stuck and wouldnt come out. Weary, I came home only to get an ugly, nasty cut on my finger while picking up Shashi's razor. Finally, it was dusk and we were all set to hit the road.

The bus arrived two hours late in Ernakulam. We were hungry and untidy at 9 on Monday morning. To add to our woes, there was a miscommunication from the agent and the taxi driver did not turn up. I was thinking if the holiday was going to happen? After an hour, the taxi driver Dijo turned up. He promptly took us to nearby Hotel Bharath where we had a filling breakfast. After we made the final package payment at Travel India office, we set off to Munnar - Forest Haven Resorts.

Forest Haven is some 20 kms from Munnar town. It is set right in the middle of winding mountain roads tall trees. It is a decent place to stay but I'd warn you to take this place only if you can't find anything else. The location is great and but the service isn't. Besides, somehow, the place our bathroom smelt of fish and that was very annoying. The food isn't all that great. My dinner was chakli and besan laadu that Shashi's mom had prepared.

I was really in awe of the houses I saw there. Imagine your home. Imagine a natural moat around it. To get to your house you have a kaccha bridge made of wood. Your neighbour is atleast a km away. You are surrounded by tea, coffee, eucalyptus, pepper and cardamom. I was surprised to see so many toddy shops initially but one look at the vegetation and all was explained. I can't imagine the kind of clientele these shops have. The tall trees shield you from the sun. The air is cool. And not to forget, there is a small stream right next to your house, the sound must be such a music to ears. The whole place is crimson at sunset. It is magical.

On Tuesday, Christmas, we set out to Rajamala. Thats the forest and is maintained by the state government of Kerala. You can go upto a certain point after which the state owned maxicab is the only way to get to the forest region. The ticket costs 35 bucks per head and there is an additional charge for the camera. There was a long queue to get the cab and Dijo said it was because of Christmas holiday. After more than an hour's wait we bought the ticket. The maxicab took circuitous route around the hills and dropped us at another place. We were told we could trek up the hill for a distance of about a km and get to see the Neel Thar - wild goats.

The trek was really good. I mean the roads were clean, the scene was great and there were not too many people. You can walk upto a certain point beyond which the guards do not allow you to go. Were the neel thars intelligent? We couldnt find them till the end of the trek. And there they were relaxing by the brook. There were quite a few of them. And one of them would certainly be a model had he/she been a human. That goat was very camera friendly and the camera-holders were very delighted :-). The walk back was easy. What impressed me most was the forest range was very clean. They claimed to be the cleanest park in India and was absolutely plastic free. At the base of the hill, when we picked some ice candy at a shop, the guard refused us to get past a barrier and insisted us on eating it there and dropping the remains in the bin.

Kerala is a non-vegetarian's paradise, I think - especially if you like sea food. However, that was my biggest problem. I asked our driver to take us to a good vegetarian restaurant and he took us to Saravana Bhavan in Munnar town. A good south Indian meal later, we were ready for more action. Next we went to Mattupetty dam. Thats a huge lake and different parts of the lake is used for different purposes. We went to a boating area that had only motor and speed boats. The problem there is you have to hire a whole boat and the minimum is a 5 seater. And just sitting in a boat is no fun so we decided to give it a miss. We next went to echo valley - another part of the same lake. I dont know why the name because everyone was screaming thier gut out and there was no echo. We hired a paddle boat and went around the lake for half an hour. I still like the Kodai lake but this comes a close second.

Tired, we returned to our room ready to pack and get to Thekkaddy the next day. That in the next post...

Part 2 of the travelogue is here and part 3 is here