We caught the bus to Coimbatore as we had to overnight there before catching train up to Ooty. The bus journey was not too interesting - over the plains. Coimbatore was also forgettable - another dirty city even though we had a really good South Indian meal (vegetarian) there. We were up at 4:30 to get the train up the mountain. The train is narrow gauge and pushed by a steam train using a rack & pinion system because it climbs very steep gradients. ...

We woke up to find there was a strike so no cabs, tuk-tuks, buses and all the shops closed. Fortunately, it only applied to Kerala so we could walk to the state border (about 3Km.) to take the bus out. The descent was a bit hairy but we eventually arrived in Madurai. It was like another world - a big city - hot, dusty, dirty and noisy. We went to our hotel - it was a former home of the Coates family on hill outside of the city. It was a beautiful old pro...

We set off to Periyar to see the nature reserve this morning - 4 of us in a tuk-tuk with our luggage entertained the locals. We caught the bus no problems - the route took us up and up until we hit the tea plantations. After checking in at our hotel and sorting out park tours, we decided to go to a spice plantation. There was an interesting guided tour but after that it was just an opportunity for Fran to buy spices. At least they sold good chocolate as wel...

We left Mr Waltons - a nice clean place, very friendly. We had organised a taxi to take us, with another couple, to our homestay in the Keralan backwaters. The journey took a couple of hours - first down the highway, then across the lake and finally down little lanes. The homestay is basic and very rural but does give another perspective on India. (I am writing this looking out over vast rice fields and palm trees). George, our host, is a Syrian Orthodox C...

We arrived safe and sound. India was its normal self - lots of progress, buildings, metro under construction but underneath it was still the same with little stalls, cows, lots of colours and smells. We checked into our hotel, it was as we remembered from 6 years ago. Check in was typically Indian, the owner had to fill out an enormous register that seemed to date back to the 50s. We went off to get a good breakfast at a place we knew - Fort Cochin is a ...