Still unable to upload photos but I have a cunning plan for tomorrow.
So since the last entry we travelled North and slightly West to Kottanad on the banks of the Periyar River. This time our train was twice as quick as we were expecting but didn't leave at any of the times we were expecting...9.50 became 10.10, became 10.20 etc. We were excited and apprehensive about our new accommodation, The Riverfront resort, mainly because most of the correspondence had taken place by text...our anxieties were not ill founded. The Riverfront resort was quickly nicknamed 'The Resort That Time Forgot' and during our 2 nights there we were never really convinced that the sweet little man purporting to be in charge had any idea about how to run any sort of tourist establishment. He was kind and sweet and organised a whole day of activities for us, including seeing elephants being washed, which was a highlight for Liz but his efforts to take us to see beautiful waterfalls became rather a misguided and comic,involving various passers by, who tagged along, screaming old men masquerading as lifeguards, a brush with heatstroke and 2 English women wrapped in tea towels...all good fun. He also snuck off to the local takeaway at night and tried to pass off the all be it delicious food as his and the cook's own work...we were not fooled but he was so sweet that we forgave him. He accompanied Liz to the airport this morning and took me to my bus as well. It was a great end to Liz's 2 week stay and gave us plenty to chat about on her last night, during the regulation 1/2 hour power cut.
I shall miss Liz's inadvertent flouting of cultural taboos...mainly to do with underwear, I shall miss her fashion advice and hair tips, I shall miss her washing advice ( clothes not myself), I shall miss her elegant outfits, her laugh, her jokes but most of all I shall just miss her.....I'm on my own now for 5 weeks until I meet up with my next travelling companion and I need to practice being intrepid
Stage one to being intrepid happened this morning when I caught a bus all by myself to the hill station of Munnar. Everything was going so well and I was congratulating myself on my intrepidness and lack of panic at the driver's constant sharp braking when.......he didn't brake sharply enough and we ploughed into a car on a bend!! Yes first day on my own and I am part of a road traffic accident, not a good omen! However the sound of the impact was much more dramatic than it sounded...no one was hurt, everyone got off and had a good look, the police came, there was nearly a fight and then another bus came and picked us all up and I got to Munnar only 1/2 an hour later than planned. I've got a huge room in a nice, clean guest house called Green View and I've booked to go trekking in the hills tomorrow morning. I'm glad the accident happened because now it can't happen again....glass half full you know me.
So since the last entry we travelled North and slightly West to Kottanad on the banks of the Periyar River. This time our train was twice as quick as we were expecting but didn't leave at any of the times we were expecting...9.50 became 10.10, became 10.20 etc. We were excited and apprehensive about our new accommodation, The Riverfront resort, mainly because most of the correspondence had taken place by text...our anxieties were not ill founded. The Riverfront resort was quickly nicknamed 'The Resort That Time Forgot' and during our 2 nights there we were never really convinced that the sweet little man purporting to be in charge had any idea about how to run any sort of tourist establishment. He was kind and sweet and organised a whole day of activities for us, including seeing elephants being washed, which was a highlight for Liz but his efforts to take us to see beautiful waterfalls became rather a misguided and comic,involving various passers by, who tagged along, screaming old men masquerading as lifeguards, a brush with heatstroke and 2 English women wrapped in tea towels...all good fun. He also snuck off to the local takeaway at night and tried to pass off the all be it delicious food as his and the cook's own work...we were not fooled but he was so sweet that we forgave him. He accompanied Liz to the airport this morning and took me to my bus as well. It was a great end to Liz's 2 week stay and gave us plenty to chat about on her last night, during the regulation 1/2 hour power cut.
I shall miss Liz's inadvertent flouting of cultural taboos...mainly to do with underwear, I shall miss her fashion advice and hair tips, I shall miss her washing advice ( clothes not myself), I shall miss her elegant outfits, her laugh, her jokes but most of all I shall just miss her.....I'm on my own now for 5 weeks until I meet up with my next travelling companion and I need to practice being intrepid
Stage one to being intrepid happened this morning when I caught a bus all by myself to the hill station of Munnar. Everything was going so well and I was congratulating myself on my intrepidness and lack of panic at the driver's constant sharp braking when.......he didn't brake sharply enough and we ploughed into a car on a bend!! Yes first day on my own and I am part of a road traffic accident, not a good omen! However the sound of the impact was much more dramatic than it sounded...no one was hurt, everyone got off and had a good look, the police came, there was nearly a fight and then another bus came and picked us all up and I got to Munnar only 1/2 an hour later than planned. I've got a huge room in a nice, clean guest house called Green View and I've booked to go trekking in the hills tomorrow morning. I'm glad the accident happened because now it can't happen again....glass half full you know me.
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