Munnar - mmm mmm tea

  We came to Munnar late in the evening, and faced a big problem – finding a decent budget hotel. Most places were full. Running from hotel to hotel and slowly running out of options, we decided to stay at Kaippallil Homestay. Picturesque some time ago, the room was now dingy, with peeling paint and mold stains on the ceiling. We asked for a change of sheets, only to receive ones either ripped in half or full of enormous holes. To top it off, the shower head was missing. The evening was redeemed by a dinner with a sweet German couple, who found themselves with the same problem.

Sneak attack of the paparazzi on the bus

  The next morning, we started looking for another place, only to be faced with a similar situation. One of the hotels had a sister location, Greenwood Cottage, outside of town, and one last room was available. We signed on enthusiastically, only to be once again sorely disappointed. To wash up, we had to use a bucket “shower” (some might say a folky experience), and the family of staff was rather unpleasant. But at least it was clean.

  And at least we didn't spend too much time inside. The next morning, we took a day long trek throughout the countryside. Beautiful rolling hills, full of tea plants that formed a lush green carpet, delighted us. We were in nature's supermarket, fruit and spices at hand's reach. We saw banana, grapefruit and papaya trees, as well as coffee, cardamon, nutmeg, lemongrass, clove and pepper plants, among others. The aromas in the air were heady. After a long, sweaty day, we were only too happy to relax on the homestay's veranda. 

Tea plants

View of the Western Ghats, S India's mountains

Coffee

Pimp my rickshaw

Fellow Pole.  We're everywhere

Grapefruit 

Pepper - grows like a vine

Kids, always happy to get their picture taken

Pineapple, of course

  Since everything dies down in India around 10 PM, we called it an early night, ready to set off for Kochi in the morning.

And to all of you as well!

Alleppey - it's getting steamy

  Alleppey is the city at the entrance to Kerala's backwaters. As a town, it has little to offer. A ten day festival started when we got there. The main street was decorated with overhead streamers, and all manners of gaudy goodies were sold on both sides. Since we stayed at a hotel in town, we were forced to wake up at 5 AM each morning, as the nearby concert venue and its loudspeakers made sure every each one of the town's citizens got their Hindu music fix.

  We opted out of renting one of the houseboats (the to-do option here), since they were so big and cumbersome they cause river traffic. We failed to see how that could be a magical experience. Instead, we signed up for a day canoe trip. The nifty canoes allowed us to easily navigate some of the smaller canals of the backwaters, and from the sidelines, have a look at village life undisturbed. Although we expected to see some more wild terrain, we liked the peaceful experience. Unfortunately, I messed up some of the settings on the camera, so most of the photos came out too light exposed. There's a reason Pawel takes the pictures most of the time.

Diving for mussels

Laundry - don't we have it easy?

Lunghi instead of pants

Lunch at our captain's

  We decided to spend another day in Alleppey, mainly to avoid the rush of moving from one place to another. Randomly after a brief chat with our hotel host, P was able to rent a motorcycle for 300 rupees ($5). What a deal, we thought, until we got on the road, and were faced with the Indian traffic. Keeping as close to the left as possible in order to allow for maximum room for the crazy bus drivers, we set off for Marari Beach, some 20 km out of town. Unbelievably, the best thing about the ride was the number of people we spoke to, most as we rode side by side. We even got a house invite.

My charming on a mechanical horse :)

  The beach was pretty and quiet, devoid of locals and tourists alike.  P took a quick dip and we headed back. We spent the evening with another Polish couple, who have been traveling for five months, sipping on some Polish Okocim (!) beers, swatting the ever-present mosquitos and exchanging “war” stories.

  The next morning we took a ferry to Kottayam and a bumpy bus to Munnar, known for its tea plantations and spice production.

Varkala – or this is why I quit my job

  So we finally arrived in the south. At a balmy 90 degrees Fahrenheit, the change is immediately apparent, even more so in the relaxed attitudes of its people. Gone is the rush, the chaos, the multitude of individuals, the trash on the streets (mostly). Varkala is a small town, at least on the Indian scale, of about 42,000, located on the cliff coast of the Lakshadweep Sea, which is directly connected to the Indian Ocean.  Lush green of the palm forests contrasts amazingly with the blue of the water. A wide path along the sea leads you from hotel to hotel. Restaurants dot the way, perfectly situated for a view of the colorful sunset.  As with any place that offers a view, tourist touts are alive and well, especially as they try to pull you into shops along the way, every single freaking time you walk by.

  We found a hotel room, right by the ocean, with a private veranda and bathroom, for 450 rupees per night, or about $9 for two people. Blue Marine has some of the friendliest staff we've met so far. At their request, Pawel shared most of his music with them. 

  We laze away the days at the beautiful Black Beach, our biggest concerns the possibility of a sunburn or a whack from the falling coconuts. 

Pawel even took up bodyboarding.

 We simply lose track of time. We fall asleep to the sound of the crashing waves that seeps in through the open windows (thank you mosquito net!). 

 For dinner, we usually wander the main path in search of the tastiest fresh catch of the day, be it fish, crabs, prawns or mussels, which then gets cooked up on a tandoori grill. Finger-licking good.

Delicious barracuda

Sometimes there are quiet moments when you just realize that life is good. Away from the hassle of a job, of daily responsibilities, of the regular routine, life is pretty perfect right now, actually.

Tomorrow morning we leave for Allepey, the entrance to Kerala's famous backwaters. Take care, and, for those who celebrate, Merry Christmas!