On top of the world in Munnar

Our taxi driver Das has  been trying to persuade us to go up to Munnar for 10 years! 

Four years ago when he was driving us back to the airport he was telling us about all the off the beaten track places  he would take us next time we were back! 

I told him I was afraid of mountain roads and he promised he would drive really slowly! So this time how could I refuse! 

He picked us up at 7.30 from Thomas’s tea stall and set off through the morning traffic across Ernakulam. A couple of hours later we stopped for an Indian breakfast but Charlie was banging on about wanting toast and jam! He said he hadn’t had it since he was a kid!

After another couple of hours thorough lush landscapes and rubber plantations we stopped at a tribal Hindu village. As Das has been taking visitors there for years we were allowed to visit. About 60 families live there, completely separate from the outside world.

Next was a visit to a Spice garden. Interesting to see all the different plants…I never realised cardamom was a shrub, and that pepper grew on a vine! 

The guide kept asking if we had different ailments and tried to sell Charlie organic viagra and herbal weight loss capsules for me! 

Needless to say there was an exit through the medicine  shop but we resisted the temptation! 

Slowly the road began to climb, bend after bend …I had no idea we were going so high…then suddenly there were tea plantations stretching as far as the eye could see! The hedgerows were full of wild pink and yellow lantana…so pretty.

Then Das pointed right up a hillside almost touching the sky and said that’s our hotel! 

The room is amazing with a triple size bed, soft furry blankets and a balcony with the most incredible view! 

We chilled out for a bit at then set out to explore the village, walking up the hill even further to a pink bus which served half as a cafe and half as a public loo! 

We watched the sun disappear into the mist while Tibetan prayer flags fluttered in the breeze.

Up at 6.30am the next morning and up the hill again past the Pink Cafe ( bus!) 

We clambered over a wire fence to start walking through the tea gardens …at every turn there was a spectacular view especially with the sun glinting on the tops of the tea trees. 

Later we headed off to visit a charity place where they make paper.  The differently abled people were making brown bags for Starbucks. It seemed a bit like exploitation to me  but Das seemed to think they were reasonably well paid, and they were happy to have work. Then the textile print and dyeing place…a deaf and dumb guy block printing with batik wax...it was fascinating to watch the repeated pattern emerge.

Next we went to the tea museum where, after a film, our guide showed us all the processes and explained how white tea is made with first leaf, green tea second two and then English breakfast with the next few down the branch.   

All the workers and tea pickers are from Tamil Nadu and for lunch Das took us for a delicious Tamil thali in a cafe in Munnar town itself and then a whirled wind tour round the vegetable market! 

We walked up to the Pink Cafe to watch the sunset, and ended up staying there for our tea! What else could it be but momos! 

Vypin island

 We had always intended to come back to the top end of Vypin…and this time Charlie has brought his fishing rod specifically for our visit! This time we chose Blue Birds homestay with a room perched right up in the trees! Every device is operated by Alexa and we’ve got disco lights beside our bed! 

The homestay is run by Wilson who also runs the little local shop downstairs. This man never stops smiling…not much English but so keen to sell us what we wanted…Google translate in Malayalam came to the rescue! 

As we were exploring down the little lanes a scooter stopped and there  was Shabdi…our homestay host from four years ago! Such a warm welcome, and she invited Charlie to go fishing in the lake from her garden. 

She is now catering for Russians who come on an Ayurvedic retreat with yoga.

Next day Charlie was off to Ambadi villas first thing and I walked right up to the tip of the island for a swim. Shaiby had mixed up some special bait for him and he caught three cat fish…but I didn’t really fancy them for tea! 

I would come back to this blissful hide away again…a narrow strip,of land with the ocean on one side and backwaters on the other. They are building a new bridge…it will not stay like this for much longer…

New Year in Goa

Set off to Goa on the overnight train, slightly less daunting than the first time four years ago as we kind of knew what to expect! 

Savia and Anoop welcomed us at the station and whisked us off for an Indian breakfast. Vada and chutney, Charlie’s favourite!

We spent a relaxing week in their 200 year old quinta, a different Indian breakfast every morning and every evening walks down on the beach at sunset.

 

All the time we were talking about art and all our ideas, while Savia gently crocheted denim patches that her mother had embroidered years back when her boys were young. As she worked stories emerged for each patch, which will eventually form a complete quilt/installation. 

We went on trips to different galleries, Carpe Diem and to Porvorim to see the exhibition of Angelo de Fonseca’s Madonnas that Savia had curated. Her book on this previously little known Indian artist will be published soon. After this we headed into Panjim for the best fish thali ever! 

 

While the roads were chockablock with seasonal traffic we enjoyed walks around the peaceful village of Carmona…and on New Years Eve we took rugs down to the beach at Zalor and sat in the dark watching the moonlight catch the crest of the waves.

At midnight the skies erupted with fire works and the local beach shack pumped out disco music accompanied by a fire eater and later a belly dancer! An unforgettable way to celebrate the start of the new year!