(Lesley) A few days ago, I was writing about how easy it is to travel in India. Today, I have some examples. I'm sure we won't be this blessed in all our travel day in India, but it was a seamless day of traveling and so we will celebrate it.
We woke up early, skyped a few folks, then set out for a lovely breakfast in Fort Kochin. We ate at a tourist spot because we felt like eating porridge and fruit salad. It was our most expensive breakfast so far in India but it was a change from our usual (masala dosa at the local joint). We then wandered around town one last time before checking out just after 11:00 am. With our packs we only walked 10 paces from our homestay before a rickshaw came by and we got a lift to the Ernakulum ferry dock. We bought our tickets (15 rupees for all 4 of us) and the ferry came within minutes. Off the ferry, we got some samosas and our favourite banana bread balls (which may in fact may be sweet bean balls, but they taste just like a lightly deep fired ball of banana bread -the size of a tennis ball).
We hadn't even got out away from the ferry dock area, when a big rickshaw offered us a ride to the train or bus station. We haggled lightly for the best price and zoomed off to the the train station. There, we bought tickets for Coimbatore just as our train arrived. We found seats and before pulling out of the station, we bought biryanni meals, samosas and lentil cakes from the vendors on the train. The journey was 4 ½ hours long and there was lots of good scenery complimented by a pleasant breeze. So far, so good, for a travel day.
When we arrived in Coimbatore, we asked about trains to Mettepalayam, or Ooty, our real destination. For tomorrow, there was one morning train, fully booked beyond Mettepalayam, but they do save 'tourist tickets' on a first come first serve basis for travellers who can't be bothered to book (like us most of the time). We figured our odds would be better getting the Ooty train if we were first in the line in Mettepalayam, having slept there; so a willing rickshaw driver took us to the bus station. It was a great ride through Coimbatore. We saw lots of whole families on motorbikes and scooters, one with a little 3 year old girl asleep on the tank. We also saw oxen pulling carts, a donkey riding in the back of one small pick up truck and a work crew of 7 painters in another even smaller truck. We arrived at the bus station in time to get seats on a bus leaving for Mettepalayam within two minutes.
That bus ride was fine, as there was always something to look at. No need for ipods and such in India. Upon our arrival in Mettepalayam, we found the closest hotel, Hotel Nandu, were shown a clean room for four at a reasonable price, accepted it and were given a sheet with instructions and directions on how to get the Ooty train. We asked for a restaurant recommendations and were steared close by to one veg and one non-veg. Everything just went tickytyboo all day long in our favour. We didn't even need to haggle for the room price, it was perfecly within budget, spacious and we had hot water and colour TV. Not usual for us. So before we went for supper, we watched a Dracula spoof movie starring Leslie Nielsen and Mel Brooks.
John and Sam bought our waiting list tickets at 5:30 am the next morning, ran back and got Mhari and I to join the queue. We managed to get seats on the Toy train to Ooty! The train that is all booked up for the next few weeks. It is an old train that is pushed, not pulled, by an old steam engine up into the mountains. It was given World Heritage Status by Unesco in 2005. The train doesn't go quickly, but it is a once in a lifetime adventure. One not to miss, if you are in the area.
We were in the last car so we had a good view of the engine. We also got a few blasts of sulfury steam through the window on two tunnels. Yuck! The views however were spectacular; it was lovely to see the changes as we got higher. In Ooty, now we are quite comfortable. It is not hot. In fact, we might be quite cold tonight but that will give us a chance to use our sweaters and justify carrying them. (We have been tempted a few times to ditch them).
No comments:
Post a Comment