Munnar Hotels
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Western Ghats (hills)
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Friday 3rd March 2006 Munar
No rest for the wicked, after a good nights sleep following our 10 mile trek, we packed our bags and moved onto our next destination of Munar. We went posh and hired a 4x4 jeep taxi together with Patrick, Hannah and Maiya. The road has to be the worst ever. As bad as the ones in Cambodia even but instead of orange dust it was brown. We were so grateful to have avoided the same road on a bus. It was terrible.
After 4 and a half hours we arrived in the tea growing hills of Munar. This area experiences similar weather to England. Cool and rainy. And true to form it was raining when we arrived. The cloud was low and the views were nil. What are we doing here??
Eventually we checked into a nice home stay by the river and ordered some food.
The next morning we awoke to cloudy skies but beautiful views from our bedroom window.
Together with our friends we spent the next few days walking and exploring, we would just choose one road and see where we ended up.
The weather improved on our 3rd day. Blue cloudless skies and warm not boiling hot sun. Just perfect.
We visited some local gardens called Blosom Park. The locals really take pride in the growing of flowers here. Most of the same type you would find in England. I did however, take a few different seed pods!! Many locals and their lovers frequent this park. One group of young men asked us to be in a photograph with them. We find this request (which has happened a few times now) really amusing.
The lads then proceeded to take their tops off to do body building poses while we all sat on the park swings watching them.
At the end of the park we drank fresh coconut juice and watched life go by.
 
Our last day we spent of a long walk with Patrick, Hannah and Maiya. We set off along a different road than before after first buying some samosa's and vegetable puffs (like pasties) from the bakery.
This road took us along some of the most beautiful tea picking plantations we had ever seen. They were truly stunning. We walked and walked for ages, finally stopping for our picnic near to a tea-pickers village. The world and his auntie came out to look at us. Especially the young children. They were all especially interested in Maiya's buggy (wanting to push it and even sit in it) and even more curious about her story books. They all crowded round to listen and look at the pictures. See photo.
  
Then the boys in the group challenged Martin and Patrick to a game of football. They guided us to their make-shift football pitch which was situated right beside a small river!
The men played football with the boys and they were loving it. Most of the village parents turned out to see what the commotion was! There was a lot of laughter and cheers from everyone.
The young girls were really interested in Maiya. Which becomes a little tiresome for her after a while. There is only so much pinching of arms and cheeks a 2 and a half year old can manage. Poor Maiya they can't believe she is real!
I (Caroline) started a game with the non football players of learning the names of animals. These children knew a few words especially animals. I would ask the equivilant in Tamil, there language and repeat what they said. Then I would do the corresponding sound. Tiger, Lion, Elephant, Monkey, Crocodile, etc Each time I did this the children would scream and run as I chased them. It was such a laugh!! I was knackered when I finished.
The men were knackered after their game of football then it was time to say our good byes to the children and their parents and headed off back (a long way) to our home stay. It was a great end to our stay in lovely Munar.
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