Some garden

Today we relocated from Munnar to Alleppey a 4 plus hours trip which gave us time to reflect on a couple of things we had noticed recently as well as take an interest in the countryside we were travelling through.

We have mentioned the roadworks around Munnar and we have noticed the absence of heavy machinery undertaking the work. Yes we have seen some excavators but there is a heavy reliance on manpower and unlike road workers in NZ they don’t stand around do nothing.

We were driving back from dinner last night, it was dark but there were still workers pouring concrete. What time they finish is anyone’s guess but from the noise out on the highway this morning they start early!

After a while travelling in India you start to be conscious of the value of tips that you are throwing around, just like confetti. 500 rupees a time is not uncommon (& we know that is only $NZD10) but if you are tipping guides, drivers, waiters at three meals, guys who lug your bags, every day over the course of a 30 day holiday it would add up to $1000+

If you drive through a town at night it will be lit up like Times Square and tempts you go and  visit during the day however unfortunately it is only a mirage as in daylight you see the real truth.

A sign on a shop as we left Munnar – Live Chocolate Factory!

What we have noticed in South India is that the majority of mean wear dhotis, either full or short length.

And also numerous lottery outlets – there was an old chap sitting on the side of the road today in a remote location with a table of lottery tickets for sale and no shops or other retail outlets in cooee. Perhaps it is a state lottery rather than a national one as we didn’t see lottery sale in the North.

Kerala appears to be a very fertile area to grow produce as on the trip today we saw the following:

·      Pineapple plantation 

·      Jackfruit trees

·      Rice paddies 

·      Banana trees

·      Rubber trees

Rubber plantation 

Jackfruit tree

Mangoes 

And then there was the lunch fiasco!

Stopped at a restaurant just before we got to Alleppey, directed to a table and handed a menu each. Menu duly studied and decisions made and waiter returns. 

Order started to be placed and “sorry that is not available” so waiter dismissed while further study. 

Another decision made, waiter returns, order placed “sorry that is not available”.

“Ok what is available”

“These aren’t and this and this is” pointing to menu

“OK, we will have this” being one of the items he said was available 

“Sorry, that is not available”

Total frustration but in the end we finally ordered dishes that were available and couldn’t help wondering that if they have a smaller menu for lunch why not print a lunch menu- would be a whole like more simple.

Arrived at accommodation which is a century old building converted to a heritage villa set on the backwaters. A little remote but there are places that we can have a walk providing we are not zapped by the 30+ degree heat.

Accommodation 

So after settling in we went for an interesting walk along the “broad walk”, saw a ferry stop and pickup a family, house boats moving through the back waters, some spices drying in the sun, the rice paddies, more bananas, mangoes still coming into season, coconuts on and off the trees and a funeral (& got zapped by the 32 degree muggy day).

Houseboat

Spices drying

The owner gave us a tour of his garden which has nearly every imaginable fruit tree growing in it, from jackfruit to cashew nuts and out the rear of the property there is a 1000 acre rice field of which 9 acres are theirs - it’s an impressive setup.

Part of the 1000 acres of rice fields

Tomorrow we have an overnighter on a house boat and don’t expect that internet will be available.