Abad Copper Castle Munnar

Today, we're in Munnar, high in the mountains, surrounded by miles and miles of green patchwork quilt tea plantations.
We arrived here yesterday afternoon after a 5 hour public bus in the rain (as usual!). We did all our sight seeing today however, and in the morning jumped on an all day tour and managed to remain relatively dry.
We stopped off at some mountain viewpoints ...

From an email sent on Tuesday the 15th

"p.s my Brothers, and I, are getting lectured in Malayalam...about something needs to be replaced tomorrow-regardless of costs. Not sure if it's a glass, a tyre, or a key...oops a books now being slammed I feel like a six year old that may cry, or a note taker in court as I tap away on the computer oblivious to what the problem may be............"

It turns out Tony had a very valid ...

Munnar is a small town perched up in the hills in Kerala, near to the Tamil Nadu border. This position makes it lovely and cool, a nice change from the intense heat everywhere else in India! We spent a day here, soaking up the tea plantations and verdant surroundings.

The morning after we arrived we arranged to go on a trek up one of the peaks of Munnar. Our group of 9 started at 7am and spent 2hrs hiking up a grassy slope with ...

We have finally made the move from Kochi and are now 130 km inland in a place called Munnar. We hired an Ambassador car (a Morris, Oxford) and Babu the driver to make the journey as comfortable as possible. The journey was spectacular winding up into the hills and into tea country. Munnar sits at 1500 meters above sea level. The climate here is much cooler in the evenings and early mornings (below 10 & ...

... It appears that here in Kerala, a chief export, to rival spices and rubber, is people - often doctors and nurses. Our new economics chum (who doesn't know Warren - Rob asked) said that the Keralan economy is studied by students worldwide. A most enjoyable half hour and remarkably free of the usual small-talk. It is amazing how a few drinks can encourage people to chat and at breakfast the next morning everyone was cheerfully greeting each other like old friends.

... Nadu, on the rainshadow side of the ghats is short on water, a common theme throughout India. Thus, TN needs to get water from Kerala. The forests form a sponge and filter for the water that falls to earth, trickles through the leaves, and enters into the groundwater. Eventually, it reaches a stream, which leads to a reservoir. Reservoirs cover large parts of the Western Ghats, providing water for millions and for farms. In the heart of Periyar ...

After a tasty breakfast of omlette (indian style - with chillis) and really fresh juice, we decide we would do the tour of spices and tea. This was well worth it, however it was way too much totake in. First stop was one of the many spice gardens situated among the surrounding Cardomonn hills. The guide was straight in (no kissing) and talked like an actioneer on speed. This little garden had more spices than the spice rack in ...

since our arrival in south india just over a week ago, our trip has taken on a different flow. goodbye to days of wandering through cities and falling through sewer grates, hello to the gentle breeze up your sarong and the blackness on the underside of your now flip-flopped feet. our time in north india was comprised of sight after sight after sight: from temple to mosque to taj mahal to fort and then back again. we covered an incredible amount of ground in a few short ...

... i have an arranged marriage? The girls and boys sit on seperate sides of the classroom and the boy will get suspended if he is seen talking to a girl. The girl gets a warning and has to write a letter of apology. Doesn't seem fair for the boy! Apparently this happens often. I asked them if they were going to have an arranged marriage to which they all said yes and they were quite happy with this. Even the Christians have arranged marriages. Will write again after the weekend. LOL XXX