Kerala trip 23-27 March

Long drive (5 hours after our 2 hour flight already) to get into the mountains. Very green and beautiful area, but also hardly any network connections ... not mobile nor wifi. But a great time. Nice temperatures at 1500-1600m hights. In the Tue & Weds evenings sitting on our Munnar balcony and having to wear our long sleeves and trousers, but still very comfortable. We are amidst tea gardens, so we have to visiting a tea garden and museum. This is followed by a flower garden, the church, mosk and temple in one village just by walking distance separated. Weds eve an Ayurvedic massage and off to diner at our balcony.

Thursday a 4 hours mountain drive (on the slicks the car already had when it picked us up from the airport btw) to get to Thekkady: Periyar park where the monkeys stole our lunch, martial arts show and typical local dance show. We had a boat trip, and all wildlife was at least 2 kms away. We saw buffalos, some more waterbuffalos, a deer, and some birds. We all had expected a bit more. But we had fun to see how an Indian complained about overbooking the ship. He and his family did not have seats allocated together (free-choice for seats), and he was highly annoyed because of that.
We have a room in the Ranger Resort with wildlife view. We only get to spend their way after sunset, so no wildlife to be seen just monkeys to be heard. In the morning, while having breakfast we were hoping to be surprised... and yes ... we see some wildlife .... in a hurd, nicely walking as they are being chased ... and of course the shepard follows. They were buffalows or cows, but nothing more specific or exotic. Thekkady actually requires for a person to stay for a few days and to do a 3 day hike into the darkest areas of the park to even have the slightes opportunity to see some wildlife.

Another 4 hours drive (4 hours = ±100-120 kms a day, so many curvy roads, a lot of traffic, you name it) to get to Allepuzza (Allepey) and to get onto the houseboat. We have to speed up, as the boat departs 12.30. We make it in time, but then a 1.5 hours stop is introduced for grocery shopping. Then we move a bit, see people washing themselves, washing clothes, get to a fish market where we buy our appetizer and then be lazy and enjoy the views.
The next morning checkout at 9, and then anther 3 hour drive starts to get us to the beach resort that I have booked to stay my last 2,5 days. On our way, our driver wants to sightsee, and we are not in the mood. we have spend days in the car already, we just want to enjoy outside. But we get to see some of Allepey and old city part of Cochin. We later learned it took 20 mins to get into the old city, now we had to get out again around 12.30 because we wanted the beach resort !!!!! 30 kms.... busy roads, so again 1.5 hours. Just give us the beach NOW. Stefan has to leave the beach around 3 pm to catch his flight. So he gets to enjoy 1 hour on the beach only and then off to shower and get ready. Of course I stay on the beach as long as possible, have a shower and see sunset over there. The evening I will spend at the resort, I am not up to another drive now and all seemed to be at east 5 kms away from the resort. Maybe tomorrow. I will get up early and go out running along the beach, and maybe I find a lunch and/or dinner place for that.

Have to stop, my hours webaccess is expiring. Just find a quick selection of the pictures to get you a flavor.
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