Fwd: Friday 30th - Pt 2 : Mysore

The JP Fortune Palace is a much smarter hotel than we anticipated,  having booked online at a fairly modest price. We are quite early but there is no problem. We are being upgraded to a club room FOC. If only we knew what we were doing right we would do it more often. R has to be dragged away from the cricket on the lobby TV. England are just starting to take a few Indian wickets. The room is splendid, even running to a kettle and Assam tea bags so we indulge. 

By now it is nearly midday and the sun has yet to break through so it is significantly cooler than any day since we got to India. We plan out our day. As we have missed breakfast we will have lunch and then visit the Mysore Palace and the nearby markets.

The restaurant is devoid of customers but is open. They obviously don't get a huge amount of business as the waiter has difficulty finding the menu page that lists the 'Always Available' items. The background music is all instrumental and appears to be from an album called Bert Bacharach meets Russ Conway. We have ordered a plate of veg pakoras and Chicken Kathi rolls which take a while but are worth waiting for. Just as we are finishing our meal a TV screen is switched on and a clatter of English wickets ensues.

We sort ourselves out and head out onto the street.  A passing auto stops immediately and offers to take us for Rs 40. En route the driver suggests a programme of autoborne delights covering our time in Mysore and pulls the no change trick as an encore. There is a pattern emerging here. Mysore seems to have more open spaces than many cities in India with some quite broad boulevards, particularly in the area around the Palace. The traffic is not too heavy and moderately well behaved, even at roundabouts. 

We are dropped at the main gate and buy our 'Foreigner Tickets' @ Rs 200 apiece.  The rate for locals is 40. There are notices prohibiting photography and a security guard directs D to a special locker room for cameras. Next stop is the Shoe Depository. Suitably barefooted and camera less we queue to have our tickets checked and pass our bags through an unattended scanning machine. There is a very big notice saying no cameras and mobile phones are to be switched off.

There are a lot of Indian visitors and just a few Westerners.  We all have a set route to follow. The men who ruled Mysore up until 1947 were big shots with their own private army and some field guns survive. These are still used on ceremonial occasions. We move on to the first of several vast rooms that we will visit. The first that we come to is the Wedding Pavilion, lavishly decorated and topped  by a stained glass rooflight displaying peacocks. Every feature has a plethora of intricate detail. It soon becomes apparent that nearly everybody ignores the photo ban. Some people are walking round holding their phones in the air taking videos.

Most of the Indian visitors are in no mood to linger and jostle each other to get through the doorways first. Some places on the circuit seem to be persistent choke points and there are staff on hand to blow whistles and hustle along anybody who dawdles.  Every so often there is a gap in the flow of humanity and for a couple of minutes there is the option for tranquil and serene contemplation of the intricate details that abound everywhere that you look. 

The circuit takes us upstairs and into the absolutely breathtaking Durbar Hall, where the ruler of Mysore heard petitions from his subjects and ruled on disputes. The room doubles up quite handily as an elevated viewing platform looking out over the parade ground. This room is clincher for D. Hang the consequences,  out comes the phone and a few photos are taken. After this the Private Durbar Chamber pales into insignificance. Our circuit is over. We recover our shoes and camera, ignoring the very unsubtle demands for tips. None of the Indian visitors are asked for these and the noticeboards clearly state that these are free facilities. We  take a walk in the grounds and get some pictures of the exterior of the Palace. On Sunday evenings and public holidays the building is illuminated with 90,000 light bulbs. Our train on Sunday leaves 20 minutes before switch on.

We walk a few hundred yards to the main market area. This is a proper market, mainly selling necessities for the locals and we only see one other Western couple in the hour we spend walking round. There are so many colourful stalls. The photo opportunities are endless and many of the stallholders happy to chat. Even the ones who do want to sell are not persistent. R decides that she needs some tea so we navigate the excavated pavements and deposit ourselves in a Modern Cafe for good sized glasses of black tea. 

We return to the hotel to discover that the background music is now being played in the lifts and in the corridors. The current selection is bagpipe music, with Auld Lang Syne the only recogniseable tune. We sluice off the dust and change into our gladrags for a Friday night on the town. On our way out the music has moved on to a selection of Country & Western tearjerkers. Nothing quite like Your Cheatin' Heart by Hank Williams to set a party mood.

Our choice is the Park Lane hotel which gets a decent write up in LP. They have draught beer in pitchers which is reasonably priced and acceptable quality. After last night's epicurean bonanza we opt for good ol' Butter Chicken with lemon rice and a butter nan to share. Just right as none is wasted. The auto driver wants more for the trip home than the way out but it's still less than a quid so not really worth a row.

Fwd: Friday 30th - Pt 1 : Room 101

One of the facilities offered by Indian Railways is the Retiring Room. We have not tried these on previous trips but this year have booked one for later in the itinerary as our train arrives at around 4.15 a.m. Today's arrival at Mysore is amost as bad at 5.15 but for some reason the Retiring Rooms at Mysore have been privatised and are not available on the IRCTC system. We manage not to sleep in and miss our stop but these dark hours disembarkations at non terminus stations are quite fraught affairs. R says that she did not sleep well on the train and D, wishing to avoid a grumpy R, offers to go to see if we can spot book a room. 

The retiring rooms are at the far end of the platform. The door is open and the man asleep behind the counter stirs as D enters. "Do you have a room available for two people?" There is and he is happy to show the room. We go upstairs and along an airy balcony, stopping outside Room 101. He opens the door on a a room dominated by a large circular bed but also containing a three piece suite and a large flat screen TV. The price is pretty steep at Rs 1200 but it is worth it just for the photos. The normal price for a double is Rs 250. The inevitable paperwork is completed and D goes to collect R and the luggage, grabbing a couple of  chais en route.

R is not quite as enchanted by the room but welcomes the chance to get some shuteye in a bed that does not sway. We collapse into bed just as the Indian night sound repertoire kicks off. Howling dogs, honking cars, train hooters and loudest of all what sounds like the destruction testing of a multi cylinder diesel engine right outside our door. Sleep does not thrive in such conditions and after a couple of hours of fitful dozing D decides it is time to get up. There is hot water but no towels so a body wash and flannel dry will have to suffice for now.

Eventually R gives in to the inevitable and gets up to discover that there is no longer any hot water. D goes in search of chai but is intercepted by the reception man and his favoured rickshaw man who have our time in Mysore planned out until the last second. Another lacky is despatched to fetch chai while these two pile on the hard sell. D is shameless. "My wife is unwell. When she is ready we will take an auto to our hotel. No tourism today". After chai D takes a stroll around the station.  The good news is that there has been a shift change and Mr Pushy has gone home.

We decide to make a break for it but the rickshaw henchman is lying in wait. "Your hotel is 5km. I take you for 80 rupees" doesn't sound too bad but it turns out to be significantly closer. At the end of the trip he plays the no change card and then suggests that we pay him tomorrow after he has taken us on a tour of the city. Sorry mate. Your patter is rotten and you just blew it.

Thursday 29th - Pt 2 A Dinner Date

Our train rattles northwards along the Kerala coast at a speed more like a Shatabdi than a humble Express. D clocks the speed at over 100 kph using the km markers on the trackside. There are notices on the end of our coach saying Maximum Speed 110 kph so we are pretty close. We stop at a few major stations and there are a few more travellers in AC but the coach is nowhere near full. It looks as though we could be getting into Mangalore Central early! These hopes are dashed as we come to a stand and wait for 20 minutes outside the city. Eventually we pull in more or less on schedule. The train halts here for two hours.

We load up our luggage and head for the exit where we are due to meet P, an IndiaMiker and food connoisseur who lives in Mangalore. She will be our guide tonight as we try for some good food in our short window of opportunity. P has persuaded her dad to act as chauffeur* which is a big plus as the city's autos are on strike.

* Note from D - this seems familiar somehow.

Navigating the roads in Mangalore city centre seems like a bit of a nightmare with lots of double backs and U turns but we get to P's recommended venue The Ocean Pearl. This is a rather splendid spot with a wide ranging menu and properly trained staff who clearly take a pride in doing things well. Guided by P we have Kingfish, Mutton Biryani, Ghee Roast Chicken and Spinach with Mushrooms and Corn. It is a feast! We learn quite a bit about food and some local general knowledge as we chat but we are up against the clock. All too soon it is time to head back to the station to get our train onward to Mysore. P's dad is a total star. He collects us and weaves his way through the obstacle course to Mangalore Central. We had a great meal and a lovely evening.  Thank you P. 

Our train is being announced as we enter the station so we walk along the platform, cross the footbridge and do two lengths of the other platform without finding our coach. Starting to worry we ask a chap who looks like a TTE and he tells us to go back to the far end of the platform where we see that more coaches are being added to the train. Our short train has been coupled onto one from Karwar, much further north, and the combined train will go on to Mysore and eventually Bangalore. Coach AB1 is now quite full but our berths are free and we settle in. We leave promptly at 20.55 and shortly people start to get their berths ready for sleeping.  We follow suit.

Thursday 29th - Pt1 The most relaxing place in India?

D has to get up today to book a train ticket. In the UK this would involve setting an alarm for 2.15 a.m. and sitting in front of the laptop in the kitchen with a cup of tea waiting for 2.30. This is 08.00 Indian Standard Time when the official agency (IRCTC) open bookings for tickets for travel 60 days hence. Nearly all Indian trains have this 60 day Advance Reservation Period and some of them book up very quickly indeed. We had to amend our plan because D got idle and did not get up in the middle of the night for one train booking. When he tried a few hours later the entire train was booked and we had to travel a day later.

Nearly all but not quite. Some open for booking closer to the day of travel and one train that we want opens 30 days from today. This is a conveyance called the Railmotor which travels from Kalka to Simla and back on the narrow gauge line into the Himalayan foothills. D's first attempt at booking does not complete and by the time he has logged back into the system 2 of the 8 seats available have been taken. The second attempt works and we have our booking.

By now it is time for breakfast. Chickpea curry, puttu and banana fritters. Puttu is made from rice flour. Once again we have a large flask of black tea and lots of fresh fruit. Hyacinth comes to chat and tells us a bit of the history of the beach house. There is no pressure for us to check out as her next guests do not arrive until quite late this evening. A good job really as our washing has only just gone up on the line to dry. We take the chance to repack, making sure that the things we will need on our overnight train trip are ready to hand. 

 Once the admin is sorted we take a stroll along the beach in the opposite direction. There are more rocks and pools this way and different crabs. These are green or black with red lower parts and there are swarms of them. We also see a Western Reef Egret and repeat the Whimbrel/ Curlew debate. And there are chaps diving but we still do not know what for. We keep forgetting to ask Hyacinth.  A local lady is using her hands to scoop sand off the beach into a large sack. When it is full it is too heavy for her to lift. Using sign langauge she asks D to help which he does. Once the sack is lifted she has no difficulty balancing it on her head and walking away hands free. Just wait until the shovel and wheelbarrow arrive here.

On the way back to the house two chaps have just hauled their boat up onto the beach and are extracting small, sardine like fish from their net. They are happy for D to take photos but don't have much English beyond Good Morning. At the house we just sit in the shade, reading and blogging. There is a power outage. Hyacinth has explained that these usually start about now and become more frequent over the next couple of months.  The only other thing to do besides the beach is to visit Theyyamdancing ceremonies,  a Hindu religious rite that the area is famous for. There were none of these happening locally and we didn't facy a 60km round trip in an auto during darkness so maybe another time. We would certainly come back to Hyacinth's place if we are back in the area. We may just have found the most relaxing place in India.

Our auto arrived promptly at three and we set out for Kannur Main station and our first overnight trip of this visit. Our train is at the platform and we watch the man pasting up the charts. A quick check for our names gives the expected result and we prepare to board. This train is quite short with four Unreserved coaches, four Sleepers and a single AC coach - in this case a fairly rare combination of AC two tier and AC three tier. All of the doors have been unlocked except for our coach and as it nears departure time we start to worry. Then D discovers that the AC3 door at the far end of our coach is open so we can board that way. The coach is like an oven but a man appears and switches on the AC. Boosted by the overhead fans the temperature soon comes down. We have a pair of side berths 17 and 18 so we each get to sit by the window. In fact we can sit anywhere that we like as apart from us the only occupant is the TTE. D takes the chance to get photos highlighting the differences between AC2 and AC3. You never know when you might need them.

Wednesday 28th - On the Beach

We wake to the sound of the surf and the wind in the palm trees. A pre breakfast stroll along the beach is the stuff of dreams. Hardly a soul about and a warm sea to plodge in. The Canadian ladies are moving on today but there is no great hurry. We all breakfast together under a canopy on bananas fried with coconut, boiled eggs, some kind of roti with sambhar and a choice of 4 different fresh fruits. This was washed down with mugs of black tea. Big thumbs up from R.

We pass the time until the girls' car arrives and then go for a longish beach walk. It is close to low tide and the sand is alive with small crabs that are almost invisible when still but easily seen when they race away to their burrows. A couple of fishermen drag their boat up the beach. Overhead brahminy kites glide effortlessly in the blue sky. We take a break and sit on some rocks in the shade of the coconut palms. There are birds to watch, as well as men fishing from boats and rocks and a couple of chaps diving.

Time to get back to the ranch and in some shade. On the way back we see a couple of much bigger yellow crabs with eyes on stalks. They scuttle off into the sea when we approach. Our balcony provides shade and a welcome breeze as we sit reading, drawing and bringing the blog up to date. D's new found, if belated, mastery of smartphone trickery pays off as we can use the phone as a wifi hotspot for our other gadgets. Hyacinth has gone to market to get tonight's supper so we have the place to ourselves - so peaceful. The water is solar heated and once we have worked out which tap does what there is plenty of hot water for a jug shower each.

As it cools down we take another turn along the beach, still deserted apart from a whimbrel. Or is it a Eurasian curlew? And that little one. It must be a stint but what kind? The time flies by and soon we sit down for dinner. By way of an hors d'oeuvre R is treated to having her toenails painted.

Tonight's menu is baby shark, snake gourd (a vegetable), beetroot and carrot, green peas and rice. The shark is cooked in a spicy red sauce, not too hot, and is a bit like tuna but less firm fleshed. For dessert we have coconut halwa and some biscuity things. Just as we are finishing dinner a very young Australian couple turn up by auto, looking for a room on spec. They want to pay about a third of Hyacinth's standard charge so she makes a couple of calls and finds them something that suits their budget better. They plan to Couchsurf their way up to McLeodganj. Rather them than us.

Doing nothing much can be quite tiring. We sit on the balcony and listen to the night for a while and then turn in and sleep like logs.

Tuesday 27th - Kerala on Strike

We wake up early to an eerie silence. Looking down on MG Road we see that it is almost deserted. After packing we head downstairs where check out is quite painless. We have calculated that we have 15 minutes for breakfast so we hit the restaurant bang on 7. This prompts the staff to switch the lights on. We get fresh pineapple and a few items from the buffet and sit in splendid isolation to eat them. Time to go.

We have never seen an Indian city so deserted. Crossing the road is a breeze. The temperature is very pleasant for a walk, even when burdened with rucksacks,  and we make our budgeted time to tbe station.  All of the shops and stalls outside the station appear to be closed and, although we see a couple of autos, they do not have passengers and don't seem to be looking for business. The station is quite crowded but there is seating space close to where our coach is due to pull up on Platform 1. Despite the strike the platform kiosks are open. 

Train 16606 arrives around five minutes late and for once there isn't a scrum to board. We are at the back of coach C1 in seats 72 and 73. This coach is an AC Chair Car, about one third full and with the AC keeping things just nicely cool rather than blast chilled. Our seats are a pair, facing forwards, with an adequately clean window. To our left is the pair of seats reservef for the TTE (Travelling Ticket Examiner). The TTE on this train is a lady,  a first for us. . We clearly don't look as youthful as we think we do as she waves aside the passports that D proffers in order to prove our entitlement to Senior Citizens discount. Between checking tickets the TTE's job seems to be sorting reams of old fashioned computer print outs into order.

Our train is classified as an Express,  near the bottom of the velocity hierarchy of Indian trains. Today's trip of 283 km is costing just over a fiver for the two of us. We make stately rather than speedy progress across the countryside, stopping at most stations. There are very few vendors and not a single chai walla so D takes advantage of a ten minute stop at Shoranur Junction to buy some from a platform kiosk . Here there is a crew change and the lady TTE hands over to a male colleague.

 En route we speak to Hyacinth, proprietor of our next stop - the Ezhara Beach House outside Kannur. She is concerned that the strike will mean that her driver will not be able to pick us up from the station until after 6 p.m. The only alternative appears to be an 11km walk. This does not appeal. We arrive on time (14.20) at Kannur and grab ourselves a row of seats in the shade and under a fan in the waiting room. The station facilities are trading so we can get water and chai. The wait allows D to explore and he finds train 16518 Kannur - Bangalore City Express at Platform 2. We will be taking this on Thursday so D sneaks onboard to check out our berth positions. As long as it is the same coach things look set fair. D also discovers that the booking office sells Trains at a Glance - the printed Indian Railways timetable.

D walks down into the town to look for an ATM. It is like a scene from some sort of post apocalypse movie. The streets are deserted. Very spooky. Around 4.30 some autos start to move and we call Hyacinth's driver who picks us up around 5.20. The traffic is still quite light and before long we are at the Ezhara Beach House, right on the shore a few miles south of Kannur.

Hyacinth greets us and immediately makes us feel at home. We have the upper floor with a small but comfortable bedroom, bathroom and seaview balcony. There is also a spare bedroom in case we fall out. We are introduced to the other guests, two young ladies from Canada who are on their second trip to India, and who have been here for a week. After a quick wash dinner is served - Calamares, three types of veg, rice and dal. For pud we have sweets and donuts.






 The two young girls of the house entertain us with a song and dance routine before a few people settle in for a game of Sorry. D does not win but there is no tantrum. Not a lot of physical effort today but somehow we are quite tired.

Monday 26th - Republic Day

 We have enjoyed Fort Kochi and our three nights at the Saj Homestay. A real gem with comfort, cleanliness and great hospitality.  We even got clean towels every day. A big thank you to India Mike member Zamba who gave us the tip. The town itself is a bit touristy, with a knock on effect on prices, but it is fairly easy to get off the beaten track.

Mr Saj has warned us that Tuesday will be a strike day in Kerala, with all local transport and many businesses shut down. We have a fairly early train to catch at Ernakulam Junction so D had already planned to spend Monday night in a hotel there.  We decide to spend the day in Ernakulam checking how long it will take to walk to the station and stocking up on some essentials. 

A very short walk finds us an auto for the kilometre or so to the Boat Jetty. There is a short queue for tickets and then we take our place in the holding pen. The boat is on time and we get seats towards the stern. This ride really is value for money at Rs4. There is a bit of jostling as we disembark but we are soon clear of the terminal and striking a deal with an auto-walla for a ride to the Grand Hotel. Our man knows his way around and taking a shortcut via the kitchen yard we are deposited at the front door.

The Grand Hotel, Ernakulam really is rather grand. According to Lonely Planet it 'oozes the sort of retro cool that modern hotels would kill to recreate'. Normally well beyond our budget, D found a deal on the Internet. We arrive before 10 a.m. hoping to leave our bags with the porter but our luck is in. Not only is there a room ready but we are given a complimentary upgrade to an Executive Room. This turns out to be huge with a vast bed and a three piece suite. It also has  kettle and passes R's ultimate test by providing a separate hand towel. Even with all this class the bathroom still has shoogly taps.

After a cuppa we set out to find the station and time how long it will take to walk there. The route is pretty straightforward and we time it at twelve minutes. Next we check out a possible venue for tonight's supper before deciding that it is warm enough to hit the big air conditioned shopping mall. Today is India's Republic Day,  a national holiday, and the shops are much busier than a week ago. Fortified by lemon tea we hit the Big Bazaar for a few necessities before heading back through the heat to the Grand. 

Last time we were in India for Republic Day R got interrogated by the West Bengal Police and all the bars were shut. She stayed out of trouble today and the latter rule appears not to apply to the Grand so we go for a stiffener. The aforesaid LP says that this is 'Ernakulam's most sophisticated bar'. We cannot vouch for that but it has to be the gloomiest. When you walk in from daylight it is so dark that you cannot see the floor. The beers are cold and the complimentary snack includes Chipples. It will do for us.

Once it starts to cool down we walk up to the markets area and wander around for an hour or so. As usual for an Indian market there is lots of hustle, bustle and colour along with a refreshing lack of hard sell. There are a few shouts of 'Which country?' but these are from people who want to chat rather than sell us something. R is black affronted when a youthful costermonger addresses her as Grandma.

For supper we have chosen a restaurant a short walk from the hotel called 'Chillies' . This describes itself as Kerala's only Andhra cuisine restaurant. Andhra food is renowned for being hot and spicy. Arriving a bit later than we usually eat we still find the place empty apart from a dozen or so waiting staff but are greeted effusively by the man in charge, who appears to be the only English speaker. We opt for Veg Pulao, Mutton Pepper Fry and Onion Raita. The mutton (goat) is quite a small portion but it is beautifully cooked with just enough spice to make one's nose run uncontrollably.  Even R avoids the lethal looking lime pickle after trying just a tiny piece. It is excellent and so are the fresh lime sodas.

Sunday 25th - More Art

So much for idle relaxation. The alarm goes while it is still dark. It must be for somebody else.

R here - I love my yoga so decided to go to an early morning class in Fort Kochi recommended by our hotel. The session was to last 2 and a half hours, gulp! The chap on the left kept putting his leg behind his head, the girl opposite did a full lotus standing on her head and I got an all over massage from Mr Santhi, the teacher. He asked me why so tense? How to explain having a stranger rubbing one's thigh can do that? I staggered though the postures, including the headstand and came out feeling elated and shattered. Mr Santhi said if I stayed for three  months I would be able to put my legs behind my head, and I will leave you with that thought.

Back at base D has a lie in,  some gentle web surfing and then starts to worry.  But why bother? As sure as night follows day she has managed to get lost returning from the yoga and gets back half an hour late. We make the last call for breakfast - some kind of rice pancake with leafy sauce, more pineapple juice and black tea. The sun is pretty high when we set out to see some of the smaller Biennale venues. The first is David Hall, where a series of loudspeakers are arranged in a false wall. Each has the name of a country and they are arranged in ascending order of each country's military spend expressed as a % of GDP. As you walk along the exhibit each speaker plays the appropriate national anthem, all at once.

The only possible response to this is to go to the attached cafe for a pot of tea. We sit in the shade and marvel at the enormous fruits on a nearby jackfruit tree. You would not want one of those to fall on you - they can weigh up to 80 lbs. The next gallery is in quite an upmarket part of the town, on a street of pricey looking boutiques interspersed with some smart restaurants. The blurb tells us that it is a traditional dwelling that had been divided into two to make separate homes. These have now been reconnected to house a sea themed exhibit. This  seemed to be a lot of empty space illuminated with blue light bulbs. One room was separated off by a piece of glass behind which was a diver's helmet. We used the reflective nature of the glass to create our own art and expect to win a prize for it.

It is now scorching so we dive into one of the swanky places for refreshment. R casts caution to the wind and orders Iced Tea with real ice. D plays safe with beer. The gaff is very pleasant and the service is excellent but boy do they know how to charge. The heat drives us into AC hiding for a couple of hours until it is cool enough to venture out to look at one more Biennale venue. This is a derelict storage compound where the artists have used whatever was lying around to create structures and sculptures. Some of these look like piles of rubble but others do seem to have some sort of grace and beauty. Somehow the overall feeling is that of an illicit skatepark.

We stroll around town in the evening sun, checking out possible dining venues.  None of the places in the main town catches our eye so we had back over to the street of smart boutiques to check out 'Dal Roti', another Mr Saj tip. We get there a few minutes before opening but already a few people are hanging around the entrance. The door opens promptly and we are seated at a window table. Within minutes the place is full. The menu is mainly thalis, we go for one fish and one prawn. They are also leaf free. The lime and ginger sodas are brilliant and the thalis both plentiful and delicious when they arrive. We have enjoyed all of the meals in Fort Kochi but this was the best (and the cheapest!). D pigs out with gulab jamuns to follow, R is too full.

Saturday 24th - Leaves on the food

We sleep in this morning and it is 10a.m. by the time we make breakfast. We opt for local (as opposed to Continental) and are soon served up a kind of pineapple smoothie along with small masala dosas and the coconut sauce with small leaves that appears to be the all purpose accompaniment to any meal in this part of the world. This is followed by a bowl of melon chunks and a cup of black tea, mercifully without sugar.

When we hit the streets we realise how much cooler it was up in the hills. This is going to be a day for pacing ourselves. We head first for the Biennale ticket office and then the main exhibition complex nearby, called Aspinwall House. This is a collection of buidings that were originally the local headquarters for a commodity trader, now disused and in rather dilapidated condition. The theme of the 2014/15 Biennale is Whorled Explorations. The resulting collection of exhibits is eclectic to say the least - exhibits of light bulbs,  weird machines, a pair of i-phones fixed to the wall showing simultaneous sunrise and sunset at opposite sides of the planet.

R is in her element, devouring the art and savouring the message that each piece imparts. Needless to say most of it passes straight over the head of D the philistine although he is quite impressed by the room full of various bubble making machines. Both of us enjoy those exhibits equipped with seats and electric fans. About halfway round the complex there is a shady waterside cafe where we linger over cold drinks, enjoying the sea breeze. But this can only be a temporary respite and we are once more immersed in the various installations. A mobile sculpture crafted from the chains used to secure luggage on Indian trains catches the eye, as does a dramatic and very noisy whirlpool. The big name artist is Yoko Ono. Her piece is a stack of postcards bearing the sentence 'Listen to the sound of the earth turning'. We are exhorted to take a postcard away with us. Does this mean that we will have to take out additional home contents insurance? 

                                                                                                                                                            
 By early afternoon even R is starting to flag and we head back to base for some AC and a shower. By 4 p.m. it has cooled down a bit and set out to explore in a different direction. The first job is to recce the venue for a yoga class that R has booked for tomorrow.  This is down a series of alleys but well signed. Suitable arrangements are made and we move on towards Mattancherry, one of the historic parts of Kochi Island. The walk takes us through a non- touristy,  mainly Muslim area full of small shops and workshops. D remembers that he wants a slimline phone charger suitable for use at railway stations and on trains. This costs a princely 80 rupees. We learned earlier today that we now only get 92 rupees to the pound, as opposed to 105 last year. Still the charger seems like a bargain. We also stock up on Orange Bites, the small boiled sweeties that R hands out with reckless abandon.

Eventually we reach Mattancherry with its very distinctive architecture. The hipped roofs on many of the buildings clearly  indicate that this was originally a Dutch colony. Part of this area is known as Jew Town and has a Synagogue and an extensive Jewish cemetery. We stop for tea - with cardamom for R and Lemon for D, then stroll along the main street. This is all a bit touristy and as it is starting to get dark we decide to head back nearer home for a beer and supper. We turn to look for an auto and are greeted by the chap who drove us from the ferry landing to our homestay yesterday.  

He enquires after our health and asks how our day has been before depositing us in the main part of town close to the XL. We take a refreshment there, keeping a close eye on our change, before heading to Fusion Bay, one of Mr Saj's recommended eateries. R opts for Roast Crab with Lemon Rice while D goes for a Kerala Syrian Beef meal, a bit like a thali with lots of little side dishes on one big plate. Both are delicious. Without too many leaves.

Tuesday 20th - First Train Ride (With photos)

Today has been planned as a fairly light workout to get us back into the swing. A mid morning train ride for a couple of hours followed by a gentle stroll to see the sights of Kollam and pick out an eatery for supper.

The execution of this started well as we hit breakfast just as it opened, made the all important call to Airtel to activate the SIM card and got to the station 30 minutes before travel time. The Kannur -Trivandrum Jan Shatabdi arrived on time and we found our seats in AC Chair Car coach C1. We were facing forward with an exceptionally clean window to see out of. The third seat in our row was vacant. There were vendors aplenty as long as you wanted idlis, cutlets or biriyani. The chai wallah made one pass while we were settling in and then vanished for the rest of the journey. 

Much of the trip is on a single line section that is being upgraded to double track although not a lot of work is happening today. There are a couple of extended halts while we wait for northbound trains to pass. The scenery is lush and dominated by palm trees with lots of feathered friends to look at. At one spot we see a whole flock of Brahminy kites, and there are plenty of egrets of different varieties in the fields. As we get closer to Kollam the trees part to give us views of a large stretch of open water- part of the famous Backwaters. 

We arrive 45 minutes late into Kollam, a bit surprising for a favoured train such as this. We soon find an auto driven by an enthusiastic young man who knows no fear. We make up for this in spades. On the map our hotel is quite close to the station but there is an overpass under construction which forces a lengthy detour. Given the heat it was Rs 50 well spent. 

The Hotel Nani is quite modern and our room, though smallish, is pleasant enough with super efficient AC. Once installed we decide upon a short snooze. This is a mistake as we wake 4 hours later. We quickly get organised and head off to check out the Boat Jetty, where we plan to get a ferry tomorrow for the eight hour sail to Alleppey. Kollam is quite a busy town but we have relearned our road crossing skills and make it unscathed to the Jetty.

There is a Kerala Department of Tourism information office so we enquire abouttomorrow's Government Ferry. "Here sir. 10.30" . Great! Sorted!  We stroll along said jetty to admire the view and are approached by a young man rigged out as a tout. "Boat trip? Houseboat? Sight seeing?" . We decline politely.  "Tomorrow?" "We are leaving tomorrow" When pressed we mention Alleppey and he announces that we must buy our tickets from him. We tell him that we will be taking the Government boat. "Private ferry only tomorrow"

We decide that enough is enough and retrace our steps.  As we leave the jetty a man in a Kerala State Transport uniform hands us a leaflet about ferries. When asked about the Government boat tomorrow he tells us that it will be a private ferry. A great man (Montgomery?) once said that time spent in reconnaissance is seldom wasted. He had not been to Kollam Boat Jetty.

We do a little exploration on the return to the hotel, failing to find either an ATM tast would work or a dinner option but we do find a bright modern cafe where we have black teas followed by lime teas. Delicious, most refreshing and best of all a total bill of only Rs 28 (around 30p). Eventually an ATM that wants to do business is found and we head home for showers and supper.

The restaurant at the Hotel is a recommended in LP and we are not disappointed. We have Tempura Vegetables followed by Malabar Meen Fish Curry and Garlic Chilli Prawns with Vegetable Pulav. Very good.

And so to bed.

Friday 23rd - More Birds then Fort Kochi.

The pace at Eldho's is relentless. Early reveille for a 6.30 breakfast and then off for three hours birding. A different venue today, more mixed woodland than forest. We walk down a track beside a rubber plantation to Sainu's favoured spot and watch. At times we don't know which way to look as the birds fly in thick and fast. They are all of the colours of the rainbow as well as all shapes and sizes. Not counting repeats of yesterday we see another 30+ species today.

Towards the end of our spell we meet another group of Western birders who are desperate to see a Jungle Owlet. Within a few minutes Sainu spots one which poses beautifully. All too soon our time is up and we head back to collect our bags. The drive back to Ernakulam does not take as long as the drive out but the way to the Boat Jetty is blocked by a demonstration and Police barricade. By the time that we have got our luggage sorted the barricade has gone but our boy is away for the hills. A 40 rupee auto ride gets us there.

There are two queues for ferry tickets. D manages to join the Ladies' line and loses a few places before he realises and switches.  We stand in line and watch the teller count the contents of his till. He then ambles off and returns with a newspaper. Then his pal arrives for a chat.  Eventually he deems it auspicious to sell tickets. D obtains two at a price of Rs 4/- each. We board the ferry and find seats near the front. The trip out to Fort Kochi takes about 15 minutes with one intermediate stop. At the far end we are accosted by an auto driver who offers a fare of 50 rupees to our homestay. Given the heat this seems like a no brainer and we take it. Not the longest 50 p ride we have had but not the shortest either.

The address of the Saj Homestay is Federal Bank ATM Building which makes us wonder if we are staying in a skyscraper but it turns out to be the upper floor of a normal house that has an ATM kiosk built onto the front. First impressions are good as we are relieved of our bags and ushered onto a shady balcony where we are served tea. After a few minutes Mr Saj arrives with the register and we check in. He issues us with a local map, gives us the run down on a couple of dozen nearby eateries and tells us about the Kochi Bienniale, currently in full flow.

The room is a good size with AC and a spotless bathroom. There is wifi and a four poster bed. What more could we need? Old age is telling on us and we opt for an hour's snooze before much needed hot showers. Luxury. As it is Friday a modest libation is deemed to be in order and we head for LP's recommended hostelry,  the colourfully named XL Fishnet Bar. Falling betwixt quaint and nefarious,  the beers are cold and not too expensive as long as you don't fall for the 100 short in the change routine. D spots this and protests successfully. No tip for him. 

We continue to explore, arriving at the Bienniale ticket office as it closes. We check out a possible supper venue overlooking the waterfront but they are not yet open. We settle upon a restaurant called CasaLinda where we have Mixed Veg Pakora, Fish Molliee and Lime Rice with parottas. Delicious. +1 to Mr Saj for the recommendation.  A long day and we turn in early.

Thursday 22nd : Cold Showers & Birding (with photos)

If you think that you have already read this you are probably right. This is a repost to include pictures.

The Venice Castle loses a fraction of a point as the morning shower is lukewarm rather than hot but we arrive refreshed at breakfast which is served on the button and to our liking. We definitely recommend this as a budget stay in Alleppey. Thomas has ordered an auto for us and it arrives promptly for the ten minute run to the station. Our train will be on platform one and our coach will draw up opposite the seats adjacent to the station entrance. Once again Alleppey makes a good impression for cleanliness.

We are taking the Trivandrum-Calicut Jan Shatabdi for the short ride back to Ernakulam Junction but trading down to 2S as we have not tried it before. The seats are more closely packed than in Chair Car and there is no AC. The train was 15 minutes late and a lot of people got on. We evict a man from one of our reserved seats and sit at a table for six with a family on their travels. Besides us, they were the only people with luggage and our rucksacks went on the overhead racks with no bother. These coaches have 6 seats across and are a bit of a squeeze for lard-ass Europeans. It was nice to have the window open on a pleasant morning but there must be a problem in inclement weather. 2S will do in a pinch but we don't recommend for long trips.

We are to meet our driver at the Information Centre on Platform 1 which we soon find.  D's phone rings. "Where are you?" Inevitably there are two information centres, one for IRCTC and one for Kochi Tourism, and both are on platform 1.  Soon solved and we board a fairly elderly Land Rover clone built by Mahindra. Every internal surface of this vehicle is upholstered in purple and eau de nil velour. The young man who is driving is clearly embarrassed and apologises for bringing the 'field car'. The morning traffic in Kochi is pretty desperate but eventually we progress out of the city and start to climb into the Western Ghats. The roads are quite narrow and winding but get emptier as we head inland. After a couple of hours we turn off on to a dirt track which takes us to Eldho's.

This is a small resort run by a man who is renowned amongst the birding community.  He has got the gig because of this and because unlike some of his competitors he answers emails promptly. The man himself greets us with glasses of mango juice and shows us to our eco-cabin. We are given a few minutes to sort ourselves out before an early lunch and our guided bird walk through the forest. Lunch is fried chicken with dal, rice, mixed vegetables and a chapati, with sliced fresh pineapple to follow. Straight after fodder Mr Eldhose leads us out to a large tree where he picks out a well hidden Mottled Wood Owl before wishing us a good afternoon's birding.
There is a drive of about 10km to the first venue and we pick up Sainu, our guide,  en route. We park up near a Forest Department blockhouse and walk into the forest along a broad track. After about a hundred metres we are ushered into a small clearing and instructed to look into a particuar tree. At first we see nothing but eventually we make out the camouflaged form of a female Sri Lankan Frogmouth,  a rather ugly bird that is only found in this area. This spot is followed up in quick succession by various woodpeckers and a pair of Great Racket Tailed Drongos which trail a pair of streamers around behind as they fly.

 After a while staring upwards into near by tall trees gets quite hard on the neck and we move down a side track, across a stream and up the far side of the valley to where we are on a level with the tops of some quite bushy trees. There are a lot of smaller birds flitting about but Sainu is really good at spotting and naming some of the more static ones. At this point D's camera battery expires and he realises that he has left the spare back at the cabin. In total we spend around three hours in the forest and spot around twenty species. As a finale Sainu finds a pair of aforesaid Frogmouths among the bushes. We also bag a Red Tailed Skink and a Giant Malabar Squirrel. 

We move on to the next location via base to collect a battery.  This time we occupy a purpose built hide overlooking two concrete water bowls set in a clearing in some scrub. There is a slow start to proceedings as some locals are working in a nearby field and making a real racket. They move on and we wait...........and wait..........and wait. 

Just as we are getting bored the birds start to arrive.Watching from about 4 metres away as various small birds arrived to bathe was quite something. Eventually the big boys (Orange headed thrushes) arrive and try to muscle out the small fry but they keep sneaking back until the light runs out. A really good day with 29 different species clearly seen.

Our driver does not really believe in headlights which makes the trip to base quite exciting.  We arrive back with a few minutes to spare before supper. This is much the same as lunch but with raita and cake for pudding.  We retire to our cabin rather sweaty but having had a great day. What a splendid opportunity to try out the cabin's eco shower with pebble bed soakaway. The water was freezing!