Wednesday 8 February 2017

Preparation, with Trepidation

Getting ready for our 3rd visit to India.     This is the first time we haven't used a tour company to organise travel and accommodation.  David's organised everything and is currently biting his fingernails in case we have to be in two places at once or we have to drive 200 miles in 2 hours.  I've been asked to 'audit' the plan, mainly so he can apportion any blame for errors on me.

For our 'road trip' section we've engaged the services of Joshi as our driver for a week - he was our excellent driver last year and very obliging about stopping for me to take photos or to buy cups of chai.  We've stayed in touch via email.

From Heathrow we're flying overnight to Bangalore then getting a connecting (David says) flight to Cochin/Kochi and a car journey to Alleppey on the coastal backwaters where we'll stay 3 nights at the Olavipe Homestay as guests of  Sumi and Anthony (mother and son, who used to live in England until about 3 years ago).   We stayed there last year and really enjoyed drifting around the plantation, walking to the nearby village and meeting the locals so a good way to get over any jetlag whilst still getting some photo opportunities and enjoying their wonderful home-cooked food.

Our itinerary after that takes us to Mettupalayam in readiness for our steam train journey on the Nilgiri Hill Railway.   We did this journey before but going downhill.... David now wants to do the uphill haul as he reckons the train will do more 'chuffing' as it works harder!!    Boys and toys ....

The journey to Ooty is 5 hours starting at 0710 and we're told that breakfast at the station is not to be missed, so an early start then.  We have first class seats, for two of us, on a five hour journey, with extra charges for overseas credit cards.  It's cost the grand total of £5.81.

We then drive to Mysore - where last year we ate in a wonderful 'locals' street restaurant - and where we became the main attraction at their zoo, then back to Bengaluru. A long flight north to Ahmedabad in Gujarat and a three hour drive to Velavadar National Park famous for its blackbucks (Indian antelopes). We have a three day stay, with game drives and excursions. I want to see the people, the scenery, the animals and the birds; David wants to visit the village where they drive old ships onto the beach at top speed then dismantle them by hand on the sand.  

Finally we fly south to Mumbai to see some of the sights we didn't have time to visit last year.

So ... that's the plan [Note the word 'plan'. D.] and I hope we'll have reasonable internet access at enough of these places to enable me to keep up with the Blog.    Suex









2 comments:

  1. Looking forward to your adventures, hope all goes to "plan"! x

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  2. It all sounds wonderful and I'm sure you have a fantastic holiday x

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