Ess Paradise Hotel Coimbatore

When we decided to zero in on ooty and kodai for our very recent tour,we did some mapping and found that coimbatore was the ideal location to start our tour since it was in middle of ooty and kodai. We were about 8 of us and we needed a minivan for tour so we again started hunting on google for a suitable car rental company, who had a good airconditioned tempo traveller. We found Kannan Tours & Travels Pvt Ltd as one of the leading ...

... br>Once you have paid for your choices, they send your package down a chute to the first floor and you pick it up on the way out. How nice.

I also found the Indian version of Wal-Mart. It is called Big Baazar. They have food, make-up, cleaning stuff, clothing, jewelry, and even a restaurant. It was pretty cool. I bought Kellogg's cereal there.

Outside of these stores is a different story ...

... grannys, the lot) we were on the novelty steam train. Up to now we had seen 2 foreigners - now was no different. The journey was kick ass - first through jungles of banana and coconut trees with cows and monkeys thrown in and then steep climps (1:12.5 was max i think - using old Swiss train technology). This was extreme canyoning country - mostly dry and huge drops 30-50m + typical but also some wet ones. Every corner and each end of the many tunnels ...

... We traipse through the forest, making all sorts of racket, being the stupid urbanites that we are, when Dhijan stops and points. Right there, no more than 5 feet away, is a wild rooster. Not quite what I was expecting from a Wildlife Reserve, but now I see why Dhijan doesn't have a gun, if this is as wild as it gets. We continue along and hear some rustling above us and it's a giant flying squirrel - black and red and brown and about a meter long, not including the tail. We watch it for a ...

... taking a jeep ride into the park to see birds, rhinos, elephants, tigers (cross your fingers) and more...then an overnight stay in a treehouse within the park followed by an early morning trek and then out to the Keralan coast of Southern India for some tasty fish meals and some more R & R...life really is very good... Happy Thanksgiving to everyone at home! I will be missing the pumpkin pie this year!! I will try some pumpkin curry instead...photos will come soon

... it had an Indian-style toilet, and though it had no shower, it did have the indian-style shower, a bucket and a small pitcher. The water runs very cold in Ooty, so I came out refreshed, to say the least. . After a walk down into town, I found a couple of Kingfishers, of course warm, and scanned the marketplace. A kilometer away was a resort area, and for 85 rupes, I got myself some real dark chocolate. 250 grams, or about 9 ounces. Strong, and with high cocoa content. A real treat ...

... exhibits would be enhanced to say nothing about improved coat, beak and foot health. The reptile 'house' here was the best I have seen in India so far. True the glass needed a good clean and the exhibits tarting up but from an overall management point of view they were good. I am making a distinction here between 'house' and 'pits' because the Bannerghatta pits were good and those here very poor. Once again the poor little Palm Civet or Toddy Cat seem to be getting the raw ...

... government. This government is far more pro-farmer (and is trying to do the right thing) than the former government, and thus far it looks as though the farmers will win their case. The BMIC would be a toll road (100 rupees, no matter how far you plan on travelling on it, which is an astronomical amount for the farmers who will be the main users), however it has been revealed that even with the projected usages, the project will not pay for itself, as most Megaprojects are ...

... worthwhile for the bank, plus oodles of other issues that are too lengthy to go into here). Hmm, what else ... we had a really interesting guest lecturer and panel discussion the other day about the IMF and the World Bank and other such global organisations ... very interesting and something I will be reading more about when I get back home. Last night Alexis and I also had mehndi, or henna, done on our hands in these beautiful patterns. I took photographs (which hopefully I will be able ...

... that is renowned worldwide and completely defies description. I am, of course, talking about Indian driving. Basically, there's only one rule for this - go forward. It doesn't matter who is in the way. A moped? No problem, just honk your horn and keep going... Just hope for his sake he moves out of the way and gives you the 2 inches you need to pass him. Coming to a junction? Just keep going, there's no need check for other traffic. Technically, people ...