Ending our Indian travels in Kerala

Incense and perfume in Fort Kochi

After Hampi ruins in Karnataka it was time to head south to the state of Kerala, our last stop in India. Instead of a long slow train journey from Hampi to Hubli (we had an 8pm flight from Hubli to Kochi) we decided to go by taxi, a distance of 170km.  Oh my goodness, what a fraught journey this turned out to be!

The taxi driver (booked through an agent in Hampi Bazaar) was surly, unfriendly and an extremely incompetent driver.  In addition, it became apparent that he wasn't familiar with the route and spoke no English.  There's a new road being built between Hampi and Hubli (it's completion eons away we estimate) so there's constant weaving around road works, the old road in pitiful condition. Road traffic in India weaves a lot anyway...there's no concept of lanes, multiple vehicles overtake simultaneously, horns are sounded constantly and enormous HGVs and buses are kings of the road and roar along at high speeds.  Oncoming vehicles overtake recklessly, so it's necessary to veer to the edge of the road to avoid collision. Concentration and skill are essential and our driver lacked both. In the back of the taxi we contemplated our chances of survival anxiously.

The hero of this tale is my mobile phone. We called the travel agency who'd arranged the driver to complain, searched online for a hotel in a nearby town and used Google map to direct (with some difficulty) the driver to it.  We took refuge in the hotel, ignoring requests for payment. For over an hour the driver and travel agency lady (she via phone, he in person) pleaded in vain for payment.  We felt reassuringly safe in the hotel lounge, surrounded by sympathetic hotel staff who'd taken an intense interest in the situation.  Eventually new transport was arranged and hotel staff ushered us protectively into a waiting car (a bit like royalty) and we continued to Hubli Airport, much relieved.  We learned an important lesson...never begin a lengthy taxi journey before establishing verbal communication between you and the driver. It was close to midnight when we reached our B&B in Fort Kochi, Kerala, with just five days to go before ending our travels in India and returning to Malaysia.

Once a fishing village, and then a trading hub, the area known as Fort Kochi was under Portuguese, Dutch and British control from the early 1500s.  Preserved buildings and churches reflect the colonial period and a stay here is a delightful introduction to Kerala. Leafy streets are lined with hotels and guest houses, as well as small shops and restaurants, and tuk tuk drivers eagerly call out to us as we walk by. This is tourist country. Close to our comfy B&B is a popular tourist attraction, the Chinese fishing nets, so we trot along to have a look at them. These unusual "shore operated fish nets" are made out of bamboo and teak poles and it's interesting to see the large fixed nets in use. After rough and ready Hampi, Fort Kochi exudes wealth and sophistication and we enjoyed our two night stay here, taking advantage of the cafe culture as we explored the area.

Chinese fishing nets in Fort Kochi

St Francis Church in Fort Kochi, the first European church to be built in India

We intended to spend a night or two on the famously tranquil and scenic Kerala backwaters so travelled 50km south by taxi from Fort Kochi to the coastal town of Alappuzha (still referred to as Alleppey) to seek out the perfect houseboat.  Houseboats are big business in this part of Kerala, and many trips begin and end in Alleppey, from where waterways spread out. After an exceedingly hot midday walk around the jetty areas, asking around and examining boats, we lost interest. The boats we saw had (in our opinion) seen better days and we reluctantly concluded that, here at least, we were unlikely to find a houseboat that was affordable and comfortable.

Houseboats near Alleppey jetty, Kerala

We retreated to Raheem Residency, a restored 1868 heritage home, now a somewhat faded boutique hotel on Alleppey Beach. We liked our stay in this formerly grand home, but sadly its days are numbered, as a whopping great motorway along the beach road has recently beeen constructed. When the motorway opens in the near future traffic noise alone will deter guests, quite apart from the ugliness of the enormous concrete pylons that loom right over the front of the hotel.  The current road to Alleppey from Kochi is extremely inadequate for the volume of traffic so the motorway bypass will presumably improve the situation, but in doing so Alleppey Beach has lost all its charm. However, lying by the pretty pool at Raheem Residency for two days was enjoyable and relaxing, and we ventured out only to see Alleppey's impressive 19th century lighthouse nearby. We'd have liked more time to travel in Kerala, but with a flight to KL already booked, our five weeks in India was up.

The entrance to Raheem Residency, motorway monstrosity above

It was hard to shift ourselves from this pretty pool
at Raheem Residency, Alleppey Beach

Want to know if Gordon and I are still friends, or how much we spent? Were we travel weary after five weeks? Look out for my next blog post, coming soon, which sums up the whole trip and gives top tips for how to travel independently in India.

Interesting street art in Fort Kochi, Kerala

Hazardous Moments in Hampi

Hampi boulders

After a glorious beach break in south Goa we travelled on the VSG Howrah Express from Margao to Hospet Junction in the neighbouring state of Karnataka. It was anything but express. When the long train pulled in at Margao Station at 0750 we sensed it wasn't going to hang around long as the crowd around us dispersed rapidly, many at a run. Anxious, and unable to locate our carriage, we hurriedly heaved ourselves up steep steps and got on. A few moments later the train set off.  Leaving Gordon with bags I went in search of a conductor.  A polite enquiry about the location of carriage A1 was ignored at first (he was laboriously writing out a ticket) but after a bit told me it was two carriages up and we'd have to get down at the next station to make the move up the train. It was a relief to find our assigned berths and we setttled down for the 7 hour train journey.  Apart from being cheap, there's not a lot we recommend about train travel in India.  We've only done two train trips but it's far more comfortable to fly on low cost airlines that crisscross India for not much more than a first class train ticket.  There are train journeys we'd love to take in India (Shimla) but for the remainder of this Indian adventure our train journeys are over.

Waiting at Margao Station for the train to Hospet

At Hospet Junction Mr Paul, an exuberant tuk tuk driver,  greeted us. Almost immediately he started calling us "mama" and "papa" which, although most likely a sign of respect, I find rather irritating. About 20 minutes later we pulled up to a gate on a quiet country road some way from Hampi - our accommodation for the next 3 nights, Lotus Riya Guest House.  I broke a couple of my own top rules booking this guest house but the risk did not pay off.  Rule number one: location, location, location.  We're out in the sticks, 3km from Hampi and Lotus Riya Guest House isn't quite as appealing and tranquil as Booking.com depicted. Rule number 2, read current reviews thoroughly on all booking sites.

Hampi is an extraordinary place on the banks of the Tungabhadra River.  Scattered over a hilly area of 16 square miles are clusters of mostly Hindu ruins in varying degrees of restoration or decay.  Many temples are spectacular and date from the 1500s.  There's a lot to see and would be guides intercept regularly, but we prefer to wander guideless and explore monuments without the constant chatter.

Gateway to the Vittala Temple, Hampi

A shrine in the shape of a stone  chariot in the courtyard of Vittala Temple, 16th century

Beautifully preserved Lotus Mahal

All around are hills dotted with granite boulders of different sizes, and on flatter patches of land picturesque fields of vivid green rice paddies and banana plantations.  In the centre of Hampi town, charmingly called Hampi Bazaar,  palm trees stand tall along the river bank and we climbed up a small hill beside the town for a fabulous view of temples and ruins.  Hampi Bazaar is a hodge podge of narrow dirt steets crammed with rough and ready guest houses, shops and restaurants catering for Hampi tourists.  Every few moments waiting tuk tuk drivers whip maps from their pockets and insist they show us the ruins.

View of Hampi Bazzar and Virupaksha Temple

Paddy fields and palm trees in Hampi

Street in Hampi Bazaar

Seenu, friend of Mr Paul, picked us up this morning for the drive to Hampi.  We like tuk tuk travel -  journeys are cheap and there are always plenty of tuk tuks available wherever we've been.  Drivers are skillful at negotiating potential hazards (potholes, cows, goats, children, motorised vehicles) so we weren't prepared for the moment at which a motorbike slammed into our tuk tuk.  The crash occurred on my side and although I had, at the very last moment, been aware of an approaching motorbike from a side road, I assumed Seenu would magically avoid collision. Thankfully there wasn't any damage to the tuk tuk or me or the motorbike driver and after loud group discussion between witnesses and Seenu,  we continued on our way. Hazard number one.

Towering above Hampi Bazaar is the spectacular nine tiered Virupaksha Temple, still a place of worship today.  The temple's long history dates back to the 7th century but Vijayanagara rulers in the 16th century turned a small shrine into a large temple complex and  there's a lot to explore. Walking barefoot around the complex (no shoes allowed in a place of worship) we were regarded by lots of small monkeys scampering mischievously around the temple. Not sure if this is their permanent home or they too were visiting.  Rounding a corridor we suddenly encountered Lakshmi, the temple elephant. She (and her carer) were only about 10m from us. I took a quick photo. A second later Lakshmi was steered in my direction (trust me, elephants take big steps) to begin her circuit through the temple. I retreated into the corridor we'd come from, but over my shoulder Lakshmi was gaining on me...clearly this was her route.   I don't really think she'd have hurt me, but it was alarming to see an elephant coming straight for me. Gordon said he'd never seen me move so quickly as I stepped out of her way.  I like elephants but not quite so close. As for Lakshmi....I suspect it's not such a great existence living in a temple, even if she is a sacred elephant.

Hazard no. 2 - Lakshmi, the sacred elephant at Virupaksha Temple, Hampi

Entrance to Virupaksha Temple near Hampi Bazaar

15th century elephant stables 

We're just in from a final ride in Seenu's tuk tuk, through the dark unlit back lanes from Hampi to our guest house. Dinner tonight was a plate of Tibetan steamed momos (a kind of stuffed dumpling) followed by a delicious pizza.  After four weeks of predominantly Indian fare, pizza is heavenly! There's barely any moonlight as we drive out of Hampi but just enough to see outlines of temples and boulders as our tuk tuk splutters along, its revving engine making quite a din.  This doesn't sound like much of a ride, but it's oddly atmospheric and exhilarating.  Hampi has grown on us. We weren't sure if Hampi was worth the journey, but I think it is.

Gorgeous Goa

It's common knowledge that Goa was a Portuguese colony but I didn't know that it was as recent as 1961 that Goa became part of India.  The Portuguese settled in Goa in the 1500s and over the centuries put their mark on this part of India.  Having long been curious about Goa we flew to Panjim, the capital, and decided to stop there a few days. The beach could wait a few days.

St Sebastian Chapel (1880), Fontainhas, Panjim

Street in Fontainhas, Panjim

In the small district of Fontainhas in Panjim, the capital, you feel transported to Portugal  (albeit a Portugal that's rough round the edges).  Many of the old Portuguese villas are painted in vivid colours and traditional blue and while tiles indicate road names. Portuguese is still spoken by some Goan inhabitants and you just don't feel as if you're in India.  Strolling around Fontainhas our Heritage Walk guide Alirio da Costa (in his early 70s) recalled his childhood growing up in the area and remembers clearly the period of turbulence following the peaceful surrender to India and subsequent mass exodus of Portuguese inhabitants after 1961.   After their death Alirio inherited his small house from his parents and as we sat having a beer there after the walk, the Portuguese decor and furniture indicate still his intense attachment to Portugal alongside his Goan upbringing. We wonder whether, with the passing of his generation, what remnants of the Portuguse will remain in the future.

Villa in Fontainhas, Panjim

Panjim Post Office

Traditional Portguese decor
 inside our guide's home in Fontainhas, Panjim

Afonso Guest House, where we stayed in Fontainhas, Panjim

An 8 km breezy tuk tuk ride took us from Fontainhas to Old Goa where many 15th and 16th century churches, built by the Portuguese, still stand. These amazing churches are testament to the zeal with which the Portuguese imposed Christianity in India.  The most famous visited church here is the magnificent Basilica of Bom Jesus and from there we crossed the road to the huge white painted Se Cathedral.  Holding no religious beliefs myself,  I'm conitinually fascinated to see such enormous monuments borne out of religious devotion.

The magnificent Basilica of Bom Jesus (completed 1605), Old Goa

Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa, seen from the side - what a huge building!

Se Cathedral, Old Goa, built in the 16th century

Viceroy's Arch, Old Goa, built in 1559 to mark the Portuguese conquest of the city

Now we're at Agonda beach in south Goa and loving it here.  Goa's entire coastline is famous for beaches, but lengthy research led to me hope that Agonda, south of Panjim,  would meet our exacting requirements for a beach break.  In under two hours after leaving Panjim we were driving along the small lane that runs parallel to Agonda beach.  The narrow patch of land between the lane and the beach is filled with beach huts, restaurants, shops and palm trees and the occasional undeveloped bit.  The 3km long beach is one of the best we've seen in a long time. So what makes Agonda beach so great?  It's a wide beach with clean golden sand, perfect sea temperature, waves with some oomph (but not too violent), no noisy water sports, no music blaring out and not very many people.  Even though it's peak season and the beachfront is lined with huts and restaurants there's a air of tranquility.  Other tourists are mostly Westerners, a mix of the mature brigade (like us) and slender young ladies who, early in the morning and at sunset, appear on the beach and practice yoga.  We wish we were as supple as the latter.

Agonda beach, south Goa.

The lane behind the beachfront, lined with small shops, Agonda.

Our "cottage" is rather fabulous with a large seafacing balcony and we're spending our days reading and pottering down to the sea for a swim. It's all of 50m to the waves.  On daily walks up and down the beach we've seen playful healthy looking dogs, sleek horses (with riders), the odd camel and lots of gentle,  happy cows. In spite of this menagerie no animal poo to be seen!

On the left, our fabulous  "cottage" on Agonda beach

Just a short hop and a skip from our balcony to the sea!

Either side of our cottage small beach hut complexes have pretty beachfront bars and restaurants, shaded by tall palm trees, so there's not much hunting to do when a mealtime comes around.  Talking of which, Goa gets another tick for it's cuisine. We've eaten superbly everywhere, for a fraction of the price you'd expect. We saw an oddly named Indian dessert on a menu here so had to try it. "Hello to the Queen" conjures up an  exotic finale to a meal (think royalty) but what appeared was banana and icecream, drizzled with chocolate sauce, sitting on a bed of sweet biscuit crumbs.  Is this what our Queen eats, we ask ourselves?

G & Ts on our balcony 

We talked to a British couple who have been coming to Agonda for many years and they told us that, unsurprisingly, tourism has changed Agonda enormously over the last decade.  The current beachfront accommodation is tasteful and low rise so we only hope it stays like this. Goan hospitality we're experiencing is warm and genuine and standards of service high. We'll be sorry to leave but already foresee a future visit.

Rajasthan - Part 4 - Kumbhalgarh and Udaipur

It was time to get out into the Rajasthan countryside so we set off for Kumbhalgarh. Mr Bharat, our driver, collected us from our haveli and we settled into the back seat of the small air conditioned Toyota, heading south 180 km to Kumbhalgarh. Mr Bharat's English was poor (his boss's had been better) so there wasn't any chit chat along the way, but we preferred driver competency to chatter. Competency on roads is much needed in India where undisciplined drivers dominate.  There's a constant sound of beeping horns which isn’t just to alert other drivers to a potential hazard (as in Europe) but simply to say “get out of my way NOW”.

There was nothing of beauty to be seen as we drove out of Jodphur. Traffic filled dusty roads, no pavements, buildings in varying states of disrepair, construction here and there, and the odd cow wandering about. On the outskirts of the city we passed clusters of commercial buildings and educational colleges. The road was good as it stretched ahead and the flat landscape became more rural, although not very interesting. Turning off the main road after an hour or so we drove through small towns and poor villages and the road deteriorated, slowing us down as Mr Bharat negotiated potholes, narrow tracks and oncoming traffic.  Reaching the Aravalli Hills, the road wound up and down in forests of trees, and troops of monkeys looking interestedly at passing cars.

Kumbhulgarh fort, built in the 15th century

Couryard at the top of the fort

At the top of the fort this amazing building

By 9.30am the next day we were walking up the steep path of the 15th century fortress (it took 15 years to build) and almost had the place to ourselves. Stopping to admire views along the way, we could see the 36km wall that snakes along the hilltops and encircles the fort. It’s the second longest wall after the Great Wall of China and a trek along the whole wall can be done in 2 days. Mewar rulers retreated to Kumbhalgarh as it was so impenetrable. The view over the surrounding mountains and valleys is stupendous.  It was a hazy the morning we visited but, using just a little imagination, if advancing enemies were visible, Kumbhalgarh Fort would be a place of safety. Sadly the poor roads and underwhelming accommodation near the fort make us wonder if it was worth the journey and overnight stay.

Temple in the grounds of Kumbhalgarh

 We’d intended to drive on to Chittorgarh, another four hour car journey, but decided instead to head directly to Udaipur and have an extra day there.  This was a good decision. Udaipur was our final stop in Rajasthan and it wasn't long before we agreed it was our favourite of the four cities we've visited.  Our simple but comfortable haveli is one many in a tourist patch close to the gorgeous city palace, on the banks of Lake Pichola. The havelis are all squashed up together, many of them four stories high, all boasting amazing lake views from their rooftops restaurants. The streets in this area are narrow and winding and yet still the tuk tuks and motorbikes roar up and down without colliding. Surprisingly, Udaipur is the coolest of the cities we’ve visited, with a light jacket needed for the cool evenings.

Beautiful Lake Pichola from the top of our haveli in Udaipur

Udaipur

I’m sure I’m repeating adjectives when it comes to describing the buildings of Rajasthan. In Udaipur there’s yet another spectacular palace and we spent hours meandering around the courtyards and corridors, impressed by the size, architecture and decoration of the palace.  The current palace was developed over centuries by successive leaders in the Mewar region (south central Rajasthan).  As usual, we took advantage of the high quality audio guide and moved around slowly with our headphones, hearing much about Rajasthani rulers over the last 500 years. You can’t help admiring how tough they must have been to build such vast and beautiful forts and palaces and defend them against invaders.

Udaipur's magnificent palace

We love audio guides as we tour Indian forts and palaces

View of Udaipur palace gate, and city beyond,  from the top of the palace

It’s hard to be a tourist in Udaipur and not buy anything. The shops and stalls surrounding the tourist trails in Udaipur are stuffed full of colourful and enticing Indian handicrafts of varying qualities.  Fabrics, scarfs, clothes, shoes, jewellery, ornaments….the list is endless and the sellers are ferocious in their attempts to get you into their shops. We were resolute in our desire not to purchase. But of course we failed, so parcel number two, sewn up in muslin, is on its way to Horsham. I defy anyone to leave Udaipur without succumbing. The posting experience in Udaipur replicated Jaisalamer’s but took longer - two trips to the Post Office. I’ve been tracking the parcels progress (both of them) online and am somewhat dismayed to read “parcel opened” in the tracking description.  It remains to be seen what arrives in Horsham.

These shops might look innocent enough
 but their owners are masters of persuasion

Whilst we liked all the cities we visited in Rajasthan, Udaipur is by far the prettiest probably because of its lakeside location. At night, with buildings lit up, the reflections over the water are reminiscent of Venice and Udaipur is popularly known as “The City of Lakes”. We felt like royalty on our last night, dining on the top terrace of the Lake Pichola Hotel, having been offered a corner table with uninterrupted views over the lake and the illuminated royal palace on the opposite bank.  I’m not big on seeking out romantic venues, but this dining spot will be hard to beat. The food was delicious and my companion charming. A lovely evening.

Udaipur at night, the palace lit up in the distance
(not our dining view - my phone camera failed to caputre that stunning setting!)

After two weeks in Rajasthan we arrived in Mumbai, eager to meet up with long standing friends Katleen and Urban who've recently moved there. We had a splendid reunion, drank a lot of their wine and enjoyed a meal at the famed five star Taj Mahal Palace Hotel.  The four of us took a Saturday morning stroll in the fort district of Mumbai keen to see some of Mumbai’s iconic buildings built by the British.  We did admire some but the metro construction that dominates much of the area made it difficult to appreciate the magnificent Victorian architecture. We’ve promised Katleen and Urban we’ll be back.  Our exploration time in Mumbai was short, due some digestive disturbances (me). Happily a day in bed cured me and I’m back to full health and eating curry again. Next stop Goa.

Dinner with Katleen and Urban in Mumbai

Gateway of India in Fort district of Mumbai

Iconic Victorian buildings in Mumbai's fort district