[password] kudzuu1114
[position] 10 02.555n 76 57.800e
[weather] cooler at 980m above sea level, sunny days, a shower at night
[speed]
[heading]
[d]05/02/18
[status]
Munnar, Kerala, India

Mersoleil securely tied to a dock in Kochi, we've decided to tour Kerala
State for a few days. First stop, a three-day visit to Munnar, 125km from
Kochi, with its mountainous tea plantations, lush forest and cooler
temperatures. Warm and gracious hosts of Flower Valley Home Stay, Ancy and
Joy, made us feel like long lost family amid their peaceful countryside
gardens, bird song and home-cooked meals. Stunning scenery, a luxurious
room with our own private veranda, flowers, birds, morning mists and Ancy's
home cooking. Can it possibly get any better than this?

[position] 10 05.630n 77 03.058e
[weather] beautiful
[speed]
[heading]
[d]06/02/18
[status] Tea Plantations, Munnar, Kerala, India

It takes an entire day to enjoy the tea plantations perched along the
slopes of the Munnar Mountains and visit the Kanan Devan Hills Tea Museum.
Tea grows best on steep slopes of 35 to 70 degrees, allowing winter's
occasional frosty air to move along down into the valleys at a good pace in
early morning, sparing the tender plants damage that might result from a
freeze. Of course, those slopes make hand picking a challenge for the
ladies from the tea plantation village who walk amoung the bushes every ten
days pinching or shearing off the top two leaf sets. Actually, the tea
pickers walk amoung the bushes every day, returning to pick again when the
new growth is ten days old. After visitng a tea factory and learning the
entire arduous and heretofore unknown tea making process, Jeni drove us
for hours through the beautiful hillside where we demanded photo stops by
the dozen. Watching people picking tea is as addictive as watching
Cleveland Demolition tear down a fifteen storey building. You just stand
and stare, listening to the hypnotic music of the shears as they clip clip
clip clip clip the young stems. Now I see why all those gaps exist amoung
the bushes wherever tea is grown. They are pathways for tea workers, and
for the odd passing elephant.

[position]
[weather]
[speed]
[heading]
[d]07/02/18
[status]
Munnar, Kerala, India

Tata Beverage Corporation operates tea plantations in India in addition
to its other business enterprises around the world. They make a dandy tuk
tuk, too, and I might like riding in a tuk tuk better if I could ever get a
lift in a Tata vehicle! The company provides a complete village to
accommodate the tea workers and subsudizes rents, provisions, education and
other necessities. In addition, Tata has implemented programs to educate
and rehabilitate the differently-abled resident of the village, those whose
bodies and minds reflect the results of a narrowly restricted gene pool.
Robbie and I toured the factory where they produce stunning handmade paper
products (no trees sacrificed, all from recycled materials), vibrant
natural dyes and sumptuous fabrics and garments. We bought a few items in
the shop to support the efforts of the good people who labour there. No
photos are permitted inside the factory, out of respect for the workers,
but their website and these pictures tell the wonderful story.
http://www.srishtinatural.com/

[position] 09 37.234n 77 09.726e
[weather]
[speed]
[heading]
[d]10/02/18
[status] Kumily, Thekkady, Keraly, India

Three days seemed too short for our visit to Ferndale Home Stay where
hostess, Debby Fernandez, introduced us to the all conveniences of local
life. Finally, my questions were answered about the proper use of all the
faucets and the ubiquitous plastic bucket and pitcher in the typical India
bathroom! The showerheads installed on the walls in tourist accommodations
do not exist in a real Indian bathroom. There's just a tub spout a few
feet above the floor - not associated with any bathtub - a drain in the
corner and the plastic bucket/pitcher combination. One mixes hot and cold
water in the large bucket, scoops it up in the plastic pitcher and pours it
over the soapy parts to wet the skin or get a good rinse. Perfectly
effective, conserves water, why doesn't everyone do it this way? There's
also the hand shower near the toilet, a fixture to which we neither of us
has warmed, that everyone seems to use to drench the entire room, but most
especially the toilet seat, before leaving.

I've written about toilet tissue beofre. In India, if you're partial to
the use of TP, bring your own.

One night while in Thekkady we attended a double-feature cultural show,
first an hour of martial arts demonstrations, then an hour of ancient
Kerala Kathakali Traditional Dance. And followed it with another delicious
dinner at a local hotel where we continued to plead for "spicy spicy spicy,
INdian spicy" curries and were served moderately spicy, but wonderful
food. They simply can't believe that we know what we're talking about.
I've heard that the cuisine of Kerala is perhaps not as highly spiced as
that up in Rajasthan. We shall see.

Debby and her sister, Cheryl, were so complimentary of my Indian
clothes, that I asked them to take me shopping for sarees. We three girls
piled into Jeni's car and instructed him to deposit us at Debby's favourite
saree shop, Mickey, as in the mouse, Tex. Shopping for sarees is not like
buying a dress in size 10. One simply eyes a bolt of fabric on the shelves
piled high with bright colors, the shop keeper pulls out the one he thinks
you're pointing at from six feet away in front of the counter - or the one
he wants you to buy - and it is unfurled luxuriously on the counter for
inspection. Each saree is several meters long with the last meter or so
being the portion intended to be cut off and sewn into a choli, the short
sleeved short waisted blouse always worn with a saree. There is no fitting
room required. You either like the fabric, the pattern, the price, or you
don't. I selected four sarees and we rushed off to Debby and Cheryl's
tailor to beg for overnight service.

I love my sarees, indeed all my Indian clothing, but it's going to take
some doing to make me comfortable hanging my flabby white midriff out there
for the world to appreciate. Nonethesless, when in Rome... so here are
some pictures. My sarees are totally authentic, the real deal, donned in
the traditional way with an underskirt and, thank God, two safety pins for
security. Any time you see a woman wearing a saree who is NOT constantly
fiddling with the pallu to keep it up on her shoulder, she is grateful for
her safety pin. Those who fiddle are the rigid purists. Maybe I'll get
there someday but not yet.

[position] 09 26.857n 76 24.321e
[weather]
[speed]
[heading]
[d]11/02/18
[status]
Pamba Hertigae Villa, Nedumudy, Kerala, India

It was entirely my fault that we were four hours late for the home
cooked lunch Rajeev Thomas' mother had lovingly prepared for us at Pamba
Heritage Villa. After waiting for my 4 new cholis, we didn't even hit the
road till lunchtime in Thekkady and it was a long, but scenic, drive back
down to sea level. The Allepey area, south of Kochi, is the rice growing
center of southern India and is riddled with backwaters, lakes and man-made
canals as you can see on this GE image. We had only one night in Rajeev's
gorgeous guest room with cozy balcony overlooking the canal, and we gazed
eagerly from the balcony at each traditional houseboat passing by.
Tomorrow night we'll be on one of those!

Rajeev conveyed our deepest apologies to his mom, he and Robbie solved
all the political problems of the world while I took a nap, and we were
sorry to depart after such a short stay. I'm just not one of those
"if-it's-Tuesday-this-must-be-Belgium" travelers. Give me several nights in
a row at my lodgings, please.

[position] 09 37.863n 76 21.669e
[weather]
[speed] snail's pace no kidding
[heading]
[d]012/02/18
[status]
Lakes and Lagoons, Allepey, Keral, India

See all those long rectangular shapes stacked along the edge of the
canals? Each one is a traditional Kerala houseboat converted for use as a
luxury touring boat with one or two or more bedrooms, and it plys the miles
of Allepey backwaters at a leisurely pace while the lucky occupants sip tea
and watch and listen to the village life of southern India, the slap slap
slap of laundry on a stone, the laughter of kids on bicycles, the casual
conversation of two fisherment on a long canoe or four guys standing on the
bridge. We were ferried to our private one-bedroom houseboat at noon by
water taxi, introduced to the crew of three: Arun, the helmsman; Sattish,
the chef; and Manu, helper and asistant helmsman, then served a wonderful
luncheon of local river fish, Kerala rice, curry, sambal and hot salty lime
pickles. I ate with my right hand as I have done at each meal since we
arrived in India. I'm getting pretty good at transporting food to my mouth
without mishap. It takes practice, especially for a lefty like me.

Robbie spent the afternoon alternating between his current read, War and
Peace, and exploring the passing world with his camera while I napped again
in hopes of conquering a cold which has been plaguing me all week. When I
appeared for a glass of wine before dinner he announced that this is
definitely the life for him! Peaceful, leisurely to the point of
decadence, and completely captivating. We never left the boat, stopping
only to tie up for lunch and again at dusk for the night. Our houseboat
was truly luxurious and we felt pampered and fortunate, watching the
sunrise from bed as the world slipped slowly past our leaded glass
windows.

Alas, this was only a one night tour. They seem to offer only half-day
and full-day tours. We could have stayed a week! I think when it comes to
relaxing we may have achieved a higher level of performance than most of
the tourist population.

[position] 09.59.115n 76 16.100e
[weather]
[speed]
[heading]
[d]013/02/18
[status]
Kochi International Marina, Bolgatty Island, Kerala, India

Our charming and competent driver, Jeni, is now a treasured friend. He
dropped us back at Kochi Marina at four this afternoon after a delightful
week of fun, exploration and laughter. Thank you, Jeni. And thank you to
Mr. Bhagwan Das Soni of India World Wide Travel who conceieved and
organized our wonderful week in Kerala.

[END]