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Vannalli to Kochi to Trivandrum – 1st to 31st March

Thursday 1st March
Vannalli to Bailuru
Distance: 42.78 km
Total Distance: 20019.98 km
From our little rocky camp spot we can enjoy watching the sea, sun and fishing fleet.


We actually find a road to Kumla without needing to backtrack which is a treat especially as we cycle through more fishing villages and see a lively fish market.

Back on the Highway 66 and we see 2 cycle tourers approaching. It’s Sarah and Mike. We met this Irish couple last September in Osh when they had abandoned their backpacking after a year to see some of the World from a bike.

Since Osh they’ve done the Pamir Highway, Iran, Oman, the UAE and then flew into southern India. OMG it’s so good to see them again and hear their stories! After several hours (well about 5 actually) we finally head off in our opposite directions.

 

I soon find a back road away from the Highway but it’s recently been relaid with large, loose stones so it’s quite hard going but we finally find a little spot of waste land to set up camp.

Friday 2nd March
Bailuru to Maravanthe Beach
Distance: 58.09 km
Total Distance: 20078.07 km

Today there’s a highlight at the beginning of the day – a beautiful Temple.

 

Murudeshwara Temple in Bhatkal Taluk is famous for the world’s second tallest Shiva statue. Built on Kanduka hill, this temple is truly remarkable for certain extraordinary features not seen in any temple in the world. Located between Honnavar and Bhatkal, the temple is surrounded on three sides by the waters of the Arabian Sea, and from the hilltop the scenic landscape that unfolds in front of our eyes is breathtaking.

Murudeshwara Temple is world renowned for the 123-feet Lord Shiva statue and a modern Rajagopuram or tower at the entrance of this ancient temple. This Rajagopuram is the world’s tallest, standing at 249 feet. Inaugurated in May 2008, this mammoth structure is the latest addition to Murudeshwara Temple. The gopuram has 22 floors and is the only gopuram to be fitted with elevators. Visitors can go to the topmost floor and have an aerial view of the Arabian Sea and the statue of Lord Shiva. Another exclusive feature of this temple is the life- sized statues of two elephants at the base of the gopuram. Murudeshwar Beach, which is near this temple, is a popular tourist destination and is among the most beautiful beaches of Karnataka.

And the beautiful Maravanthe beach to end. Between is the hellishly dull NH66. Hopefully tomorrow we’ll find some smaller coast roads to follow.

Saturday 3rd March
Maravanthe Beach to Padukere Beach
Distance: 56.25 km
Total Distance: 20134.32 km
Our camping spot last night was a bit of a delight. A beautiful beach for a lovely refreshing evening dip.

Plenty of clean water from a pump to rinse ourselves and our clothes and even oodles of fast food shacks so we had tasty chicken with fried rice. Delicious. Today the Highway 66 was not only dull but a bit taxing with a lot of heavy traffic trying to squuze passed us. So just after Kundapura we returned to a back road on the coast and then discovered after questioning loads of locals that we could avoid the inland detour around 2 estuaries north and south of Haradi by taking the Hangarkatta – Bengre ferry.

This meant we cycled down the spit of land to Hude. All very pleasant and then we found a very basic fish restaurant but the food was very tasty.

Onward and another possible inland detour was avoided when we spotted the Malpe – Padukere Bridge which isn’t on Maps Me but was on Google. Malpe beach was absolutely jammed with people – it’s full of stalls, attractions, camel rides, jet skiiing etc.

There must’ve been 6 coaches parked there in addition to all the cars. Further south there’s a pier out to Fishing Point, another draw for the visitors. There’s a pretty statue at the end. Before crossing Malpe Bridge we cycled passed the fishing harbour which was absolutely rammed with boats.

We have no idea how they all got their catch ashore nor how they manage to extricate themselves in the early hours when they go fishing! We find a camp spot near a temple and have a late evening dip.

There are hundreds of crabs on the beach, many quite large so we go crab chasing. They’re quite comical with their sideways crabbing motion and eyes on stalks.

Sunday 4th March
Pudukere Beach to Mukka
Distance: 39.03 km
Total Distance: 20173.35 km

Today we follow the spit of land from Pudukere to Maluru with miles of beautiful beaches and so many temples.

We stop at Kapu Lighthouse and find ourselves surrounded by a group wanting photos. Why, oh why, do they want photos of random strangers. It’s soon time to return to the Highway and we stop in Mulki for lunch and find ourselves unable to resist the allure of the Kingfisher.

Ten bottles later, and definitely the worse for wear, we head off looking for a camp spot. Clearly our mental faculties were non-existent and we didn’t take our intended route back to the beach and ended up by the roadside setting up our tent.

It was a spot populated by numerous mosquitoes and totally sheltered from any breeze so we were swelteringly hot.

Monday 5th March
Mukka to Made near Madikeri
Distance: 48.88 km
Total Distance: 20222.23 km
Last night was possibly our worst camping night for awhile. It was so unbearably hot that we were drenched in sweat and in desperation we opened the tent doors but then Daz couldn’t sleep because of being bitten numerous times by mosquitoes. Ahhh so little sleep plus a hangover from our ‘Kingfisher’ session.

Today we headed towards Mangalore but didn’t bother to check out the town but instead took the bypass heading inland. After 30km we stopped to hitch. We’d tried earlier but weren’t successful and a helpful chap suggested we cycle to the Madikeri toll. So we did that and Daz simply asked truckers as they came through the toll booth and within minutes we had a lift. We stopped to eat but about 3 hours and 114km later our very kind truck driver dropped us in Madikeri. Excellent.

Then we cycled off to the Bus station to meet Rajen, our workaway host. He had told us his ‘off the grid’ farm was impossible to find and that it was far easier to meet him in Madikeri and he’d give us a lift. Oh how we laughed when we realised that his pickup truck wasn’t big enough – he thought we had conventional bikes. So we dumped our kit in his truck and cycled back 9km to the village of Made which we’d driven through with our truck driver an hour earlier. Then at Made we turned left and into the ‘outback’. Initially it wasn’t too bad – a narrow, uphill lane with potholes. But then Rajen, who’d been waiting for us at key points, directed us down a dirt, rocky track. The downhills were just about manageable but probably the toughest to date but we struggled hugely on some of the ascents, having to push our trikes with our cleats skidding on the rocks.

Thankfully we didn’t have the panniers on too so at least our trikes were at their lightest! Finally we arrived at the ‘homestead’, met by Saskia (from the Netherlands) another work-awayer and 2 huge Mudhounds (they’re like very tall greyhounds). We’re also with Amy, a Brit work-awayer, who Rajen picked up in Madikeri today. She had to wait ages for us to arrive and then escort us into the ‘outback’. This workaway was recommended by Lottie and Ryan, a British motorcycling couple we met on the Pamir Highway. So we’re looking forward to great things but I know one thing for sure – I’m not cycling out of here!

Tuesday 6th March – Darren’s birthday
Made Village workaway

Today we start with millet porridge for breakfast, I thought only budgies ate millet!

Rajen’s farm is 16 acres of which 2.5 are set aside as an organic coffee plantation. This morning we’re all off into the coffee plantation to clear undergrowth that has sprung up since the last monsoon. Fortunately Rajen kits us all out in spare work clothes, wellingtons, gloves and the compulsory machete. Off we go carrying water, packed lunch, fuel, strimmers and tool bag.

The undergrowth actually towers over the coffee trees and is densely packed. It’s difficult to see which are coffee trees, and should remain, and which are ‘weeds’. Rajen and Saskia are working the weedwackers (strimmers) and Daz has a chainsaw.

Mine and Amy’s job is to clear out and pile all the cut undergrowth so Rajen and Saskia have a clear area to work in. The heat and humidity make it hard going. The sloping ground, stubs of cut brush and exposed root masses make it especially treacherous!

We spend about 3 hours in the plantation with a small picnic break then finish off with a refreshing dunk in a nearby stream with rockpools. There’s even a small waterfall to cool off under… bliss!

Back at the house it’s siesta time then in the late afternoon we walk with Rajen to inspect a stream which has a pipe to take water to his vegetable garden. Unfortunately the flow is inadequate due to the lack of rain. It’s been unseasonably hot for several weeks and there’s been no rain. In fact the temperatures now are those expected at the end of the summer, just before the monsoon but it seems summer has come early, too early, and the coffee plants and vegetable plot is suffering. We are going to build a small dam so that a pond is created, the water hose submerged and an increase in water pressure results. That’s the theory anyway. We dig up soil and fill some sacks to build the dam. We manage to get the water level up, but only a little bit, there’s too much water escaping still. It’s getting late so we retire back to the house for Daz’s birthday celebrations.

Rajen has planned a ‘cook-out’ barbeque tandoori chicken, baked potatoes and tomato salad. All washed down with a couple of beers… happy birthday Daz. Delicious!

Wednesday 7th March
Made Village workaway

More weedwacker adventures but just for Daz and me. Amy is feeling ill after yesterday’s exertions in the heat and Rajen and Saskia are painting a floor. With no-one to clear away the undergrowth we are cutting it’s slow going.

After struggling to clear and cut our way through the undergrowth I realise my strimmer isn’t working properly. So we decide to check it later and I clear for Daz – a much more productive arrangement. In the afternoon Rajen and Saskia head off to Madikeri to shop and to meet up with another volunteer who is arriving by motorbike.
Whilst they are away me, Daz and Amy have another go with the dam. We reposition it slightly downstream, at a narrower point, and use some bin liners and mud to block the side flow. We soon have a nice pool of water backed up. So there’s a healthy inflow and pressure but the out-flow, some 100 metres, away is a sporadic dribble.

Daz thinks there may be an airblock but also wants to increase the dam height but Amy and I finally convince him to leave the dam alone and hope any ‘blockage’ clears overnight. Then we head back and cook our dinner and try and work out how to prepare the dogs’ dinner. By 9pm we’re all desperate to go to bed but apparently Rajen’s only 20 minutes away, so we feel we should wait up. By the time they get back it’s almost 10pm. Francesco, ‘Fran’, the Spanish motorcyclist has had to abandon his bike back down the lane as it was too tough for him to ride! What follows is madness – an unpacking frenzy, tutorial on how to prepare the dogs’ dinner, and how to run the place in the absence of Rajen and Saskia because they’ve decided they’re definitely off to Mysore tomorrow and will probably be away for 2 days. So everything we haven’t been shown (most things!) we’re told now when we’re all too tired to ask questions.

Thursday 8th March
Made Village workaway

Rajen and Saskia are off early today to go to Mysore, about 130km away. Unfortunately the truck has a flat so Rajen’s not in the best of moods and neither is Daz, who is tasked with changing it, when he finds that the spare is flat too and he has to inflate it with a foot pump. Once Rajen and Saskia have left we plan our day. Amy is still housebound so we take Fran to the plantation for more weedwacking. Daz strimming, Fran and me clearing. In the afternoon we plant some soy beans and haricot beans but the soil is in terrible condition even with crumbled elephant dung in it. Daz and Fran inspect the dam and pipe. Fran suggests moving the hose pipe from the garden back into the stream because there’s several drops in the stream bed. Amazingly now the outflow is considerably lower than the dam a better pressure results and after a few spurts the airblock is cleared and there is constant water. They move the hose back to the garden and now there’s water for the growing vegetables. Then Daz and I prepare dinner – not easy because there doesn’t seem to be an awful lot of ingredients but we manage to produce something edible. Fran and Amy appear to have an aversion to ‘the kitchen’ or at least meal preparation. Fran has been travelling for 2 years and has done numerous workaways, whilst Amy, a sustainability consultant from London, is just taking a 3 month break and this is her first workaway. Amy is a self-confessed hippy – apparently there’s a modern genre of hippy who differs from the stereotypical hippy of the 60s. They are into climbing, vegetarianism or veganism, sustainability, yoga, meditation and knitting……..Fran and Amy return from the simple daily tasks of nwatering the plants and washing down the solar panels ‘declaring them excellent ‘meditative’ chores.

What hippy bollocks – we would describe them us ‘mindless’ chores – perhaps it’s their meditative state that accounts for the inordinate length of time it takes them! BTW what’s the difference between mindless and meditative???? Still this workaway is proving informative. We learn about polyamorous relationships (a couple of lovers on the go) and non-binary (those who don’t associate themselves with women or men and are referred to as ‘they’ (although as a singular I insist ‘it’ would be more accurate).

Friday 9th to Monday 12th March
Made Village workaway

Friday, Rajen is still away so we all go into the plantation, more weedwacking. But today we teach Amy and Fran how to use the strimmers, not a light undertaking when handling a bladed strimmer is tough enough in normal conditions but strimming in the plantation is the toughest job we’ve ever done. Once we’ve taught them the basics on level, scrubland we let them loose in the plantation.  Well I clear and try and give Amy more instruction whilst Daz does the same for Fran. They are slow and hesitant initially but their confidence soon grows and they do about 3 hours which is no mean feat. We all take a dip after to cool down.

In the evening it’s Amy and Fran’s turn to produce their first meal. It’s really tasty but the kitchen resembles a bomb site with no pan unused. Rajen and Saskia finally return at about 9 pm. They are tired so we don’t berate them over the fact they didn’t bring any of the supplies we asked for.

Saturday we spend all morning in the blazing sun digging holes for the planned arrival of 4 banana trees and 12 papaya trees. Well Fran, Daz and I dig holes whilst Amy strims and clears the area. Twelve holes 24”x24” by 18” deep… on a slope! Bloody hard work. So hard that me and Daz take the rest of the day off.

Sunday. Saskia leaves today. Rajen is taking her to Madikeri and Fran joins them so he can get some Internet connectivity in town – oh did I mention there’s no Internet connectivity at the farm?. For us and Amy it’s more weedwacking. Daz strims whilst me and Amy clear. During our cooling down dip we spot a watersnake swimming about. We are quite relaxed as it decides to hide under some rocks on the otherside of the pool. After about 10 minutes it suddenly darts out towards us. Needless to say we all shoot out of the waterhole like rockets!

Monday – another day in the plantation. This is our 7th day and 6 of them have been in the plantation. It’s a bit demoralising because it’s a really tough job and hard to make any significant progress. Today Daz strims again; he’s really confident on the strimmer and works quickly but manages not to cut down the important trees. I’m pretty good and quite quick and confident but I hate trying to spot the ‘good trees’ so if I clear for Daz we get more done. Fran runs the other strimmer whilst Amy clears. Tomorrow we’re expecting the banana and papaya trees to arrive as well as another volunteer. We’ve checked distances, days available and places we want to see and we’ve decided tomorrow is an opportune time to hit the road. Probably after work though.

Tuesday 13th March
Workaway, Made to Mysore
Distance: 17.54km
Total Distance: 20239.77km
We had various ideas about how today would play out. We had actually worked out that we ‘NEEDED’ to leave by the 14th but had decided to tell Rajen we’d leave on 13th after work because we felt we could happily lose all of Tuesday afternoon and evening to ‘faffing’. However Rajen had some chores already planned for Tuesday so our exit strategy went more smoothly than expected. Rajen was expecting the fridge engineer in the morning and he needed to be picked up at the top of the lane. So on the trip to fetch him we took my trike.

We unloaded at the top of the rough track and then I was supposed to cycle the remaining 12km to Madekeri but I managed to get a lift after only 5km – a major result since the remaining 7km were all uphill. But without panniers it was easy cycling and a doddle flagging a lift whilst cycling. So by 11,30am I was already in Madikeri. Meanwhile back at the farm Daz was loading his trike and the panniers ready for a lift into Madikeri once the fridge engineer had completed his work. Before all that we said farewell to Fran and Amy as they set off to the plantation for more bushwacking.

It’s actually been a rather odd workaway where neither Rajen or Saskia felt the ‘need’ to share information about running the place and then both disappeared for extended periods. In a ‘normal’ home this wouldn’t be a problem because power, water, rubbish etc are all fairly straightforward. But ‘off grid’ with power from solar panels with an electricity system with some peculiarities, water from local wells, a generator to run grinders and the washing machine, 2 Mudhounds to look after and a cat in heat it was kind of fraught.
By lunchtime Daz was in Madikeri with his trike and our panniers and after a quick lunch we started hitching.

Within 5 minutes we had a lift that took us to Hunsur (50km) and after a 5km cycle to the other side of town we quickly had a lift to the outskirts of Mysore. Our truck driver loved us and wanted a ‘million’ selfies and even wanted to pay for our çay.

By this time it was getting late and we attempted to hitch the ring road of Mysore. We weren’t particularly successful. Hitching in India has often turned into a ‘committee’ activity. Initially we might start by ourselves but we’re soon surrounded by ‘helpful’ observers who initially want a close study of the ‘white foreigners with weird….. bicycles / tricycles but then can’t resist interfering when they realise that we’re trying to get a lift. Often they tell us we won’t get a lift or suggest a better place to stand. But if we persist they soon try and help get us a lift by whistling/shouting/haranguing potential lift givers and soon find us a lift.

Anyway we’d already had several ‘committee’ meetings and had moved along the ring road accordingly (yup poor positioning) and finally a young guy said the ring road was a really tough place to get a decent lift and we really needed to be on the Mysore to Gundlupet Highway and immediately flagged down a truck to take us 10km around the ring road to the Highway. This sounds simple but remember every lift requires a large, mostly empty truck and a driver prepared to waste his time in the loading (and subsequent unloading) of 2 trikes and baggage – so not a quick undertaking. Once on the Gundlupet Highway we try to hitch but it’s already getting dark. We try for a couple of hours but it’s soon too dark to spot the right vehicles and for them to see us and even though we have the assistance of another committee from the wholesale market next door we finally give up. One of the main problems is that the road from Gundlupet to Gudalur, through 2 wildlife sanctuaries, closes to all traffic at 9pm (so that the wildlife remains undisturbed on their night prowls) and so the truck drivers are loathe to waste their valuable time with us and our kit. Fortunately we know there’s covered hardstanding and water available in the wholesale market so when we decide hitching isn’t going to work that’s where we go to set up camp.

Oh, the reason we are hitching is we want to get to Ooty, a hill station further south. If we cycle we’ll run out of time and not make it to Trivandrum for our flight. After Ooty the plan is to cycle back to the coast 300 km away and continue south.

Wednesday 14th March
Mysore to Ooty
Distance: 1.5km
This morning we’re up at 6.30am and stop for a quick cup of tea and biscuit at a stall, still within the wholesale complex, and by 7am we’re standing on the Highway by the exit to the wholesalers hoping to catch a truck coming from either the Highway or wholesalers.

By 7.05am we have a lift to Gundlupet. At 8am we’re on the Gundlupet / Ooty junction hitching but there’s barely any traffic heading to Ooty, or the nearer town of Gudalur, and the handful of trucks we see are fully loaded. After about 45 minutes we go to a cafe for breakfast, watching the road for potential lifts – nothing. Oh dear this could be a problem. We return to hitching mode having not seen a single empty truck for 1.5 hours. Then a truck stops but he appears to be fully loaded but the driver seems determined to take us. I’m usually the one that’ll override Daz’s pessimism but I’m really not keen. But the driver is practically trying to move our trikes single-handed and we haven’t even unloaded them yet. DOH! There is some available space at tbe front of the truck but it means lifting the trikes and kit up and over the sides of the truck. It’s a nightmare.

Men have appeared from nowhere desperate to move everything on to the truck with no regard to where they grab and yank our trikes. On top Daz and the driver are trying to move the tarp and the network of ropes, that crisscross the load on top. Finally everything is up top and secured in some way and having tipped our helpers (the driver insisted) we hit the road. We hope we’re going to Ooty but who knows? This truck is probably only marginally faster than our cycling speed but at least at this pace we get to enjoy the views through Bandipur National Park and into Mudumalai National Park. We see deer and a mongoose but no tigers or elepants but I have a close up and personal experience with a monkey as it climbs into the cab through my open window to steal some sweets. Definitely a girlie scream moment – much to the driver’s amusement!
In the centre of Mudumalai National Park our driver stops and decides we’re getting off. We want to continue to Gudalur but he’s adamant we unload.

Admittedly there is a road through the park to Ooty which is only 36km whilst continuing to Gudalur and then Ooty is 67km. Perhaps he thinks he’s doing us a favour. But regardless we’re left standing on the side of the road having tipped more people who allegedly helped unload but actually left Daz hanging onto his trike by himself trying to lower it to the ground crew. The driver also wanted money! So Daz is furious but we resign ourselves to the 36km ride and then find ourselves chased down by Park Wardens. They won’t let us cycle – apparently it’s the elephant corridor. We argue our case saying we’ll cycle at our own risk. As we argue a huge amount of traffic passes us, including mopeds, that we find it difficult to believe the elephants will single us out. They tell us to get a Tour Jeep but we explain about our limited funds and they’re infuriated that we’re in India without money. We explain that’s why we’re cycling but the staff are incensed.

 

We’ve been ordered not to move and we wait for Park Officials and their minions!

They then decide we can’t cycle in any direction and since we arrived by truck we must leave by truck. We’re absolutely furious but when they mention the police and detention we decide we best shut up.

And so we wait and flag down another fully loaded truck and put our trikes on top of his slate blocks and 17km later we’re in Gudalur. In Gudalur we stop for lunch and its served on a banana leaf.

Then our newly recruited ‘committee’ soon find us a lift the Ooty. We have to sit in the back of the truck with our trikes and we soon find ourselves in need of our jackets – wow we haven’t worn our jackets since early January.

There’s even some rain – another rare phenomenon. We climb 1500m through beautiful Eucalyptus and pine forests and extensive tea plantations. It’s a really beautiful drive.

Finally we arrive in a rainy and cold Ooty and after considerable deliberation decide on somewhere to stay. We want to go out to dinner but Daz discovers most restaurants shut at 9pm and the hotel receptionist tells us Ooty shuts at 10pm – clearly a wild party town – NOT. But we find a Chinese that’s open so it’s crispy beef and sweet and sour pork for dinner.

Thursday 15th March
Ooty
A day off and we’re off to visit the Botanical Garden (very nice).

 

The Rose Garden (magnificent in May, I’m sure, when all the roses are in bloom).

and then a walk around town, lunch and then a delightful find – a really bar! Full of locals. It’s almost too dark to see our hand infront of our face, great for hiding the token woman.

I’m sure they don’t approve of women in bars and yet they’re delightfully stoic probably happy to consider it proof that ‘Whitey Man’ can’t control his woman! Reminds me of the Fast Show sketch “Women – know your limits!!”.

 

Friday 16th March
Ooty to Madukkarai
Distance:  100.24 km

Total Distance: 20339.91 km


It’s a late start this morning but after about 3km climbing out of Ooty it’s a 40km descent through acres of beautiful tea plantations. It’s a fantastic ride with numerous hairpin bends but Daz does have a near miss when a bus pushes him off the road – well evasive action takes him off the road. We lose about 1800m in height but gain approximately 1 deg C per 100m.

We cycle through Keeti and Coonoor, stopping frequently to admire the fantastic views over the valleys of tea. In Mettuppalayam we stop for lunch and then we push on. We’ve already done 60km and we’re debating whether to stop but we’re in a built up area with no decent camping spots and there’s a huge black cloud over to our right with thunder and rain in the distance. So we try and out cycle the storm front and before we know it we’re in Coimbatore.

Cycling through Coimbatore is a bit manic, it’s rush hour chaos but finally we’re out the other side. A few more kilometers so we hit the 100km marker and then fortuitously we spot a petrol station with loads of parked trucks.

Initially we just plan to get water but there’s a dark corner hidden by trucks so we set up camp. There’s toilets and water for a decent wash so actually a bloody good find.

Saturday 17th March
Madukkarai to Ollur
Distance: 96.70 km
Total Distance: 20436.61 km
Well we might have had plenty of water and toilet facilities but the sleep element was sadly lacking. It was soooooo hot and a bit noisy. When I got up I discovered someone had lifted one of my crocs, which we leave outside the tent door at night. I looked all over for it but no joy. Bloody gutting – why didn’t they take the pair – at least then someone could benefit!

Not much to say about today except we received an awful lot of attention – cameras everywhere we looked and then about 3pm the extreme heat (low 40s we think) finally broke with a huge rainstorm. We were soaked but it was so refreshing – about an hour earlier the sun had driven us into a shaded underpass to get a break from the relentless heat. In fact the residual heat from the road turned the rainwater warm as we spashed through puddles.

During a dinner break we miss another torrential downpour.

Late afternoon we spotted a building with grounds – ‘ The Samaritan Sisters’ – it was a hospital run by sisters treating those with skin disease. We thought they’d let us put up our tent in their grounds – after 20 minutes, answering various questions, the Mother Superior said “ No, find a hotel” – clearly they haven’t heard the one about the Good Samaritan. Off we went and spotted a Roman Catholic Church with extensive grounds. Unfortunately the Father was holding the service but we waited and it was another “No” – unless we could get the police to vouch for us!!!!

So eventually we ended up in a cement factory – so much for the Christian spirit and looking after your neighbour!!

Sunday 18th March
Ollur to Cherai
Distance: 51.85 km
Total Distance: 20488.46 km
The guys at the cement works come with breakfast, a bag of donut balls. And here they all are!

We left the Highway yesterday evening so we’re slower today following the country roads. Plus we’re stopped twice by journalists asking about our journey. I think we should have rehearsed this after our interview in Miramar because when Daz is asked his impressions of India he says “large and hot”! Not very inspiring but he is feeling out of sorts today, a bit poorly/sicky,  is it the heat, the 2 long days or the donut balls???

We head to the ferry at Azhikode and cross to Munambam. We’re now on a long split of land with the sea to our right. The wind has really picked up, a very stiff onshore wind.

We spot a bar and stop for a beer. Initially relatively quiet it soon fills with groups of men – I, as usual, am the only woman in the bar and possibly a 20 mile radius. It turns out to be a fortuitous stop because whilst we’re indoors a storm blows in and the wind makes a 180 degree turn. The coconut trees in the car park are a blur of motion causing concern amongst the coach drivers, worried about falling coconuts. When we arrived the car park was mostly empty except for a line of mopeds, now it’s full of coaches. The storm blows over, the wind drops and we cycle on. Then we realise we’re actually in a very popular venue for local Indians – Cherai Beach. There are more coaches, tuk-tuks and cars and when we stop to look at the beach it’s incredibly crowded – it’s such a short beach that there’s not much space for all these people but I think the Indians prefer large groups – there’s safety in numbers.

A few more kilometers and we’ve left the chaotic mob behind and we see a camping spot just off the main road under some palm trees – camping under coconut trees is forbidden. We quickly set up camp, already raindrops are starting to fall, and we’re worried it’ll turn into a deluge. But there was no need for concern, the light rain continues as we head into the sea for a dip! It’s the temperature of a warm bath – almost impossible to believe that this volume of water can be heated to such high temperatures.

It’s dark now and as the light rain continues to fall we watch the incredible lightning displays both to the north and south of us. Stunning forks of lightning,streaking across the sky for great distances, unable to ground due to the sea.

Monday 19th March
Cherai to Kochi
Distance: 10.71 km
Total Distance: 20488.46 km
This morning we have an audience of 2, sat on a nearby upturned boat, watching our breakfast/pack-up regime. But actually I think they’re just waiting to go out fishing because they’re soon seen launching their boat.

We follow the coast road but the sea is obscured by a sea wall which must be almost 20km long.  We turn inland and cross several causeways over large areas of water.  Our first sightings of the Kerala backwaters.

We’re on the outskirts of Kochi when we’re stopped by another newspaper journalist/photographer – I think that’s the 5th in as many days!  We head for Kochi centre and the home of our warmshower hosts, Katrin and Roland. They live in a fabulous apartment with views out over the bay. Time for a lovely shower and some relaxation.   Roland works for a top end construction company, Sobha, currently involved in the initial stages of what will be the largest water front development in Kerala. When he returns from work we go out to dinner.  Katrin and Roland have done several cycle tours one lasting 10 months from Alaska to Ushuaia – we love hearing about this particular trip because we hope to do this sometime in the future.

 

Kochi – Tuesday 20th to Thursday 22nd.

Tuesday – We have a list of chores to complete here in India because we think it’ll be considerably cheaper than Japan.  First breakfast – OMG Katrin has bought us bacon because we mentioned we miss bacon. Bacon and eggs and toast for breakfast – very western but so very, very good after months of porridge or curry.  Then it’s the dentist for a check-up and clean. Then a notary to renew our proof of ID. Next finding a decent bike shop so we can re-thread the hole for a bolt that secures my rear mudguard. We find a bike shop and they assure us they can definitely ‘fix’ our problem so tomorrow we will return with our trikes.  Then it’s a Decathlon visit; socks, bike lock, pants and gloves all need replacing .

Bus trip back from  Decathlon .

That’s 4 chores which sound relatively simple but have taken nearly 4 hours and we’re pooped and drenched in sweat. Back at the flat there are 2 new cyclists from Iran, Nima and Habibi. Every year they take a 2 month break to cycle, this year’s trip is India, Indonesia and SE Asia.  They’re flying out of Kochi to Medan (Indonesia) tomorrow so they’re busy getting boxes and packing their gear. Meanwhile we get a ferry to Kochi Fort to meet Ryan and Lottie.

We first met these guys on the Pamir Highway, just shy of Murghab when we shared a wild camping spot by the river. The last time we saw them was in Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan just before our flight to Kathmandu, so early September.   We’ve kept in contact and shared travelling ideas because they stored their motorbikes in Kazakhstan and then flew to India. They’ve been in India nearly 5 months and are desperate to be reunited with their motorbikes. Their future travelling plan is in disarray after they were refused a full visa for Russia. Originally the plan was to return to Kazakhstan and their motorbikes to explore Russia and Mongolia before wending their way home.  Now any forward exploitation of Russia is reliant on getting a transit visa and in addition the adventurous couple aren’t ready to go home and are considering Vladivostock to Japan/South Korea by ferry and then shipping their motorbikes to Australia and then working in Australia. Over several beers we discuss travel options and talk about our experiences in India and our workaway in Madikeri. It’s great to see them and the afternoon passes quickly but the last ferry leaves at 9pm so we head home.

 

And just time to celebrate Iranian New Year before bed.

 

Wednesday.

Cooked breakfast and not a curry or porridge in sight.

Our visit to the bike shop to rethread the hole is a frustratingly long and fruitless endeavour.   Initially they refuse to accept the only solution is to rethread the hole and when eventually they accept this solution they take us to a nearby engineering workshop with a drill press.  

However I’m convinced the drill piece isn’t long enough to fit down between the rear swingarm to the offending hole. Eventually they mention another engineering shop where the guys are more helpful.  I want to visit it but apparently it’s closed. But I insist. We’re incredibly fortunate that a passing local cyclist, Ashwin, has stopped by to offer his assistance and remains to act as interpreter.  The 2nd engineering workshop isn’t closed and when we bring the trike he uses a handheld rethreading bit and 5 minutes later the job is done. Then there’s a wild goose chase to another bike shop who, according to Ashwin, has mirrors.  It doesn’t and nor can they fix an arm onto my existing mirror but at least a visit to the next door car wash means our trikes are clean.

Finally a visit to a tailors to repair my shirt, our pannier straps and make a Japanese flag. We need to get back to the flat, the Iranians are leaving at 4.30pm.  We’ve done 3 tasks and it’s taken over 6 hours. We’re hot, tired and our patience has been sorely tested. We see off Nima and Habibi. I’m so happy as they believe they can help us travel across Iran. So many cyclists have said that Iran is fabulous but being British we’re not allowed to tour Iran without a guide – a very expensive proposition.  

 

We spend a quiet evening with Katrin and Roland. Roland’s been away for 2 days visiting other sites and he looks pretty tired, I’m sure working in India with the Indians is not for the faint-hearted. It must be super stressful because even with strict process guidelines and supervision, it only takes a moment of inattention, and the Indians revert to their former slack processes.  

 

Thursday.   This morning we visit Roland on site.  We see the mock-up of the finished site, 12 towers up to 30 floors high, built in a ‘U’ shape with all the services required by a community; parking, doctor, dentist, school, swimming pool, shops and beautifully landscaped communal grounds.  Sobhan is the premier construction company in India and also has numerous projects across Asia.

The show flat, €400-600k for a 3 Bed apartment with sea views, is absolutely stunning. Then we visit the site where the workforce are preparing the concrete piles (over 600 piles, 52 meters deep) which will support this build of over three million tonnes.  There’s only mud here, no underlying rock at the lower depths, and once the holes are drilled, the hole is reinforced with steel shuttering and then concrete is poured in.

Once all the piles are complete a concrete pad will be laid on top, forming the base of the build. Roland thinks it’ll be 3 years until the first 3 towers are complete and yet their apartments are already sold out.  After our site visit it’s back to the Bazaar to find replacement buckles for our Ortlieb bags. Unfortunately the extreme weather is making the plastic buckles brittle and we’ve had a number of breakages. Last job of the day – a waxing session (for me, not Daz). I’ve been a proponent of waxing for – well nearly 30 years – but being waxed in the UK is a very different experience to that given in other countries and I’ve been waxed in Cyprus, France, Spain, Turkey, Kyrgyzstan and now India.  Of course the main hurdle is language whereby it’s impossible to determine their interpretation of a bikini wax until the dirty deed is underway. So in preparation for a wax my dignity is left at the salon door and I prepare mentally for a degree of pain and acute embarrassment. Sadly even this was insufficient preparation for this waxing session. It took 2 beauticians to attend to me, not because I’m closely related to a yeti, but because that’s what the salon deems appropriate. One beautician initially seemed to be simply there in an advisory / supervisory capacity but she soon bored of this role and decided her time would be better spent waxing.  So each had a leg and applied wax and ripped off the hair at their own rhythm, whilst I was in my own personal hell little realising I was still in the honeymoon phase. Already questioning my decision and wondering whether an emergency exit was required, they moved on to the bikini wax. In the UK a bikini wax refers to the removal of hair around the edges of a bikini. The briefer the bikini, the more hair removed but it definitely relies on the premise that a bikini is an article of clothing aka panties, knickers, G-string etc. I’m sure you all get my drift. In India clearly the ‘bikini’ is code for nudity and a ‘bikini wax’, especially with a tandem team, is more invasive, painful and longer than a cervical smear.  Enough said – it was horrendous and I don’t think either was particularly skilled in the ‘art of waxing’, I’ve certainly had better. So perhaps it’s time to invest in laser treatment!

All chores complete, we were incredibly chuffed.  A very busy but constructive stay in Kochi. For dinner Katrin had prepared a whole chicken cooked whilst sitting on a steamer full of beer and herbs, (the chicken, not Katrin!) a more upmarket version of chicken cooked on a budweiser can! It’s served with pickled salad and German potato salad. Absolutely delicious.  

Friday 23rd March

Kochi to Alleppey

Distance: 67.91 km

Total Distance: 20591.16 km

It’s a very sad day today – we must leave Kochi and our incredibly warm and generous hosts Katrin and Roland.  Our last breakfast of crispy bacon and eggs, a frenzy of activity, hugs goodbye and we’re off.

It’s actually an easy ride to Alleppey, almost completely flat with no wind and there’s water lagoons everywhere – the backwaters of Kerala.  

In Alleppey we find the ferry terminal, we want the Alleppey to Kollam ferry but we need to check departure times and whether they’ll take our trikes. The ferry is at 10.30am. They will take our trikes and it’s 400 Rupees each and 200 for each trike.  An opportunity to experience and enjoy the backwaters. Eight hours of enjoyment we hope ; it’s 80km. After checking the ferry for tomorrow we have a very late lunch and then head to the beach to camp.

We soon find a nice spot but we’re a little concerned by the wind.   It usually drops in the evening but today it seems to be getting stronger – we hope there’s not a storm blowing in.

 

Saturday 24th March

Alleppey to Kollam to Eravipuram

Distance: 10.3 km

Total Distance: 20601.46 km

Wow, last night was our most horrendous todate. We were worried about the wind and had decided to put the fly up to reinforce the tent. Unfortunately this cut the draft in the tent and the heat soon built up to unbearable levels.

We open the doors and still it’s too hot. So we take the fly off and for a while we relish the cooling breeze. But then an hour or so later I am awoken by Daz slapping at the large number of mosquitoes in the tent. Time to shut the doors. Then as we start hunting down the mossies it starts to rain. We dash outside and put the fly back on. We are now back in a baking oven. We sweat all night long and even when we wake in the morning we are still drenched.  To top it all off at the start of the night we had the police visit us to say it’s not safe and we needed to move up the beach.

Too tired and too late we manage to explain we will be okay., they leave a phone number just incase! Later, in the dark, as we prepare for a dip in the cooling sea Daz notices a man walkng up to him. I’ve just gone ahead across the beach. Daz says Hi and the man responds then reaches across and gropes Daz’s tackle! Daz swears at him and pushes him away and he saunters off. Daz joins me on the beach, but the wind has whipped up the waves and it’s a steep drop so we don’t even get to cool of! Back at the tent we occasionally see some odd men moving about in the tree line. Obviously a meeting point for the local deviants!

So we are up early due to the heat and feeling tired we brew up and have some porridge, no bacon for us today!  We cycle back into town and then shortly after we load our trikes onto the ferry. There’s no ramp, it’s only a small passenger ferry so we have to take all the bags off and manhandle the trikes through the narrow doors.

But we are soon settled and at 1030am we set off. It’s a pleasant journey, except maybe for the noise of the engines. A breeze occasionally cools us off.  The ferry should take 8 hours to cover the 80 km distance. We see lots of birds and locals swimming in the waters along the shoreline. Sometimes we are going fast, but when it’s narrow the speed is cut.

Rural houses and boat houses slide by. Fishermen in small canoes and tourists on day boats. We stop twice, once for lunch then once for chai. Then with about 7 km to go the ferry lurches to a halt with a high pitched whine from the engines. We are adrift in the middle of a lagoon. It seems there’s some fouling of the propellers.   We limp to the nearest shore then two of the crew strip off and get in the water.

Numerous dives later they have cut away the rope, cloth and plastic that has become entangled. Daz starts a round of applause but none of the Indian passengers join in, they’re obviously not impressed.

We reach our destination just as the sun is setting and after disembarking with the bikes and luggage we stop at a local restaurant to get some food. The plan had been to do some backwater canoeing tomorrow but we both decide it’s going to be too much trouble to head back up the coast to Munroe island, especially as the last ferry will have sailed and we would need to camp and get the first one in the morning.  So we decide to head towards the coast again and a little ways south. We finally pitch our camp on some waste ground in a small village after an off duty policeman flags us down.

He knows the guy that has the house next door and we get water. It’s a bit public, and we get quite a few visitors to start, but hopefully we’ll have a quiet night!

 

Sunday 25th March

Eravipuram to Varkala

Distance: 21.05 km

Total Distance: 20622.51 km

A nice easy ride to Varkala this morning, well it would have been if we’d stayed on real roads, instead we choose a MapsMe dashed black into a dashed white.  Initially it’s fine, a bit narrow, but it’s fun and we’re practically cycling along the cliff edge.

Then we have a few sections where we need to carry or push the trikes.  The worst being a short but very steep concrete ramp, I’m supposed to pull but I can barely walk up the ramp without skidding back on my cleats. And we’re there, the very beautiful Mint Inside Hotel, only to discover that there’s no hot water and no air conditioning in our room and our 5th night is only available in a deluxe room which will cost as much again as 4 nights.  So we eventually decide to push on and find something more suitable. We settle on Basuri beach resort which sounds much more plush than it actually is but there’s aircon, hot water and the essential WIFI (although it’s a weak signal, exacerbated by frequent power cuts. They’re short but so disruptive).

We shower and relax go out to dinner and then have a WhatsApp session calling anyone that’s available – it’s lovely to hear from friends we haven’t seen in months and catch up on the new gossip.

 

Monday 26th March

Varkala

OMG why is there always so much to do and why does it all take so much fecking time.  We were well behind on the blog and then there’s prepping for our flight (cleaning all our gear and bags and trikes) and trying to pin down an initial Japan plan.  It seems that we booked a flight months ago so we could see Tokyo in blossom but by the time we land it’ll have been and gone and we suddenly discover Tokyo International Airport is 70km north of Tokyo.  Gosh what 2 fantastic discoveries! So a new plan is required. Arghhhhhhhh.

But at least after ‘choring’ (just made up a new verb) until 6pm we do actually leave our room for a sunset dip and dinner.

Tea with dinner?  No, definitely NOT!   It’s beer but served in a teapot because none of the restaurants have a licence to serve alcohol.  Several years ago the death rate through drunk drowning went through the roof for the Indian tourists, so now, in theory none of the restaurants serve alcohol.  The reality is that they all do!

 

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday

Varkala

May the chores continue – and yes they do!   We even make ourselves a new flag.

We do have time to enjoy the beach, swimming (surviving!) in the huge surf and savour a  number of nice restaurants along the front.

 

Friday 30th March

Varkala to Trivandrum

Distance: 45.20km

Total Distance: 20667.71km

The imminent flight to Japan is already starting to worry Daz, he was awake at 4.20am and three hours later he’s imagined any number of scenarios, none of them good, and his hands are shaking and he feels like crap.  Today we cycle to Trivandrum. It’s only 45km and for some, me for example, it’s relatively painless, but Daz can’t seem to rid himself of thoughts of tomorrow’s flight. Just before our Trivandrum hotel we find a carwash and our trikes get a good clean and at the hotel there are some final trike adjustments to be made, then it’s time to relax – if only!!!!

The room is super hot, and even with the windows open and the fan on full it’s too uncomfortable to sleep much. On top of that the bloody mosquitoes are having a feast! Thank God/Shiva/Ganeesh (him with the elephant face)/Budda and any other deity that gets worshipped here this is our last night in India.

 

Saturday 31st March

To Trivandrum Airport

Distance:  4.25km

We were awake super early and after a quick shower, we cycled to the airport in the dark.

We’ve only got one headtorch between us as all our lights (and mirrors!) have been detached and packed. Daz uses it in red light mode and puts it on the back of his head. We’ve never tried this ‘cycle direct to airport’ approach so fingers crossed it works.  Our flight isn’t until 9.55am and it’s only 5.45am so we’re pretty sure there’s plenty of time to get everything sorted. How wrong could we be! We speak to the assistants and explain we’re flying with Sri Lankan air to Japan and customer services have accepted the trikes as mobility devices (and we have emails to prove it). Last December we started researching flights to Japan and how other cyclists and trike users approach the problem.  Initially it seemed Sri Lankan air had a reasonable sporting equipment policy but after weeks of trying to pin them down for specific details they then decided our trikes had to go by cargo flight. Then another trike rider said she’d been on numerous flights and simply cycled to the airport and said the trike was a mobility device. We researched Sri Lankan air mobility device policy (mobility devices are free of charge) and the definition of mobility device.  We then wrote to Sri Lankan air and requested carriage for our mobility devices. We told them trikes were used by people unable to ride conventional bikes because of multiple sclerosis, parkinsons, back problems, balance problems, walking difficulties and a plethora of other conditions. They agreed to take them.

After waiting over an hour they want all our bags and the trikes scanned. Pushing the trikes through the xray scanner was fun, at first they said they wouldn’t fit, and as they haven’t been scanned check-in won’t accept them. But Daz gets them through.

Then we actually get as far as the check-in desk – looks like they’re going to take them but they need a copy of our emails to discuss with the sender.  More time passes and they tell us they’ll take the trikes but only as excess baggage. 30 kilos at whatever rate equals 61,515 rupees – £684. Yup a fortune.

We try everything but they won’t accept anything written in the emails and we’re running out of time. It’s 0845am and check – in is due to close. Finally resigned we offer up our credit card only to discover they won’t take payment by credit card only cash.  OMG we can’t even withdraw that amount of cash in one day. The minutes tick by as we wait for head office in Sri Lanka to accept a credit card payment. It’s gone 9am now and word comes back that it’s cash or nothing. By now we are very stressed, I shed a tear, Daz pulls his hair and still they refuse us. At this rate we’re going to lose our flight, in fact we’re convinced we are going to miss our flight because we can’t produce 61,515 Rupees.  We walk dejectedly over to the ATM and bizarrely our Halifax Credit card decides to be the card that just keeps giving (maximum withdrawal is 10,000 per transaction) and in conjunction with another card we have the cash, 7 ATM transactions in total.

Then it’s a panic to check the cash (they count it twice! Slowly!), finish our check-in, wave goodbye to our trikes and then get to the gate. At immigration there’s another problem – it’s 09.20am and customers need to clear Immigration 45 minutes before their flight.  The staff are so busy complaining and arguing with each other about check-in not informing immigration that there’s a further delay. And finally the security checks – when I empty my pockets into a tray the security man examines my bike computer and hands it back. I go to be scanned and the woman scanning finds the computer and says it must go through the Xray machine. I go back to x-ray machine, shove my way to the front, put my computer in a tray and return to the body scan / frisk. Another queue to push passed.  And then off to find my bike computer, whilst Daz, desperate to move on, keeps telling me it’s in my pocket, where I put it when the security man rejected it! Arghhhhhhhhhhh!

We board our plane with about 10 minutes to spare.  Fifty minutes later we’re in Colombo and realise our 7pm flight to Japan has been delayed until midnight.   So we spend over 12 hours in the departure lounge probably managing only 20 minutes of sleep.

We seek solace in a bottle or 3 of duty free red wine.  After an endless day we’re called forward to the gate but it’s another long wait until we board. We’re absolutely shattered but sleep is hard to come by.