Can’t believe we aren’t even half way yet. Today is another one on the move, so time for thinking about India.
But you cannot think without a hearty breakfast:
I was thinking about how to take a single photo which summed it up, but of course that’s impossible. So for now will stick to “gritty” and start with a view from my walk around Madurai this morning.
It’s just starting to get busy, with all the shops opening up. If you add to this scene other things I saw in a single hour:
– cows and dogs roaming about
– someone milking a cow on the roadside
– someone else selling milk directly from a churn – bring your own cup
– two ladies in beautiful saris sorting through the rubbish. Wood is saved for fire, plastic bottles in a pile – presumably to be sold for recycling, and organic stuff put in a pile for the cows to eat
– a group of men sitting around an open fire in a shop making a brew
Add the cacophony of noise – horns, music and tuk-tuks and there you have it. And all topped off with the advert for very expensive men’s jewellery with an unfeasibly pale-skinned model.
Anyway, on the move again. Here’s a map – it’s only about 130kms from Madurai to Thekkady:
So we scoffed when Anan told us it would take 4 hours. And we were right – 3hrs 50 minutes! The roads are great but the traffic can be a nightmare. And having to stop to get a permit for reasons we didn’t find out.
Into the mountains now. View from the hotel:
A quick shopping trip around Thekkady in the afternoon – bananas anyone?
And a great acrobatic show:
Dinner must have been one of our cheapest ever – about £11 for fantastic curries (vegetarian, of course. To be honest, the food is so fantastic meat wouldn’t add anything.). One of the reasons is that we have moved from Tamil Nadu to Kerala. Kerala seems to be restricting alcohol which obviously reduces dining costs!
Finally, it’s cold for the first time. Cold is a bit of an exaggeration – means need a sweater when we’re out in the evening.
And I liked this – stopped for petrol and a bus full of passengers rolls in right behind us.
Early start tomorrow.