Periyar National Park - "Government do not allow" Yes, Sami and Alice are right. The Green View Home Stay is really first class. Everything is Potzblitz clean, we have two large rooms, each with a spacious balcony and a very nice owner Suresh us because we worked as volunteers, were also made a special price. Instead of 750 rupees for a room, we pay 800 along both. Suresh is also very helpful and gives us some tips on what we could do here in Kumily, Periyar National Park at the entrance to all. We stay four nights and his wife Suleikha makes us each a very delicious, typical Kerala breakfast. Then we do with the children in each home work, so school so we get through the material by the end of India. We are all three well in the race.
The climate here at about 800 m is cool. Afternoon rain usually comes and we enjoy it then to sit on the balcony and into the green and into the mountains to look.
on Sunday after the Husi's organized Suresh us a rickshaw and we go first to the elephant riding, where one expects us already. Again, the season over and no one else besides us is there. "Strangely," are the famous "Indian minutes," which would otherwise take a little longer, on occasions such as elephant rides are a bit shorter. But what the heck ...
Then we go to a Spice Farm (spice farm) and make a tour there. Our guide is very knowledgeable and explained to us very interesting things about the different plants and their aryurvedischen agents. At first we have to get used although a bit on his English, but it moves with the times quite well. Over an hour, we hear him on the tour before we go into the shop, where you of course, all potential could buy. It has been a group more or less well-heeled Indians there who buy tons of spices and ayurvedic oils. For them, the tour is usually not as long as they have no patience for such details, it is then fed reached when shopping vigorously. We hold back and buy a little, wisely, that's all we have to always rumschleppen itself. Return Home Stay in
we let it rain a bit and allow ourselves a Sprite Aperöli. Suddenly comes to my mind that we have planned Green Walk (a three-hour trip on foot in the park with a guide) has not yet posted. I'm looking for Suresh, find his son and tells me that lies recently, the age limit for such events at least 12 years. There had been an incident a few months ago and since then the be it. "Government do not allow!" By phone, he asks again after and it really seems to be that way. Claudia and I want to believe somehow, and not even walk to the information office of the park. Fact is that you pay as a foreigner, a high entrance fee for Indian conditions, even for the children, but you can not go to this other than an hour's boat ride. Booyah! Possible nor would a full-day jeep trip, but it has not advised us Suresh because he is both very expensive and secondly it does not go right in the game park and most of the time on it before going for a round trip. Slightly frustrated, we return again and free our children from the boob tube. Yes, all three are of course super happy that the great room anyway Greenview even with a "Magic Box" are equipped. Sami has huge appetite for a pizza and has "unfortunately" already seen the day before, at the entrance of the village is a pizzeria. Suresh says that we should not go there because had only finished the pizzas (we will inevitably come our first "pizza" in Kathmandu to mind. No, thank you!). Very close to it but a real pizzeria, run by an Englishwoman. An English girl and pizza? Whether that is good? The restaurant looks really still out quite nice, the pizzas are homemade and do not seem to be bad, but the pastas, Claudia and I are eating, then fade some of ... and the whole thing is of course expensive pork. The children also found that it was "disturbed". But even India and pizza, that's still alive. In Varanasi, it worked. But India, pizza and English? No, no, no "Chrissie" is the way restaurant. "Crisis" would be more appropriate when I think with the stale taste in the mouth of stringy pastas to the delicious Indian food, that there is.
The next day we take a lazy to make Husis go quite tasty and cheap in a real Indian Restaurant eating and then want to make a stop anyway for two or four clock in the park the boat. At the park entrance, but then the next frustration. All the boats of the Forest Department are already booked up, maybe there were still those of the four times more expensive Kerala Tourism blablabla. Maybe ... So we should pay admission 300 rupees per person, and then 3 km further on to find the lake, then perhaps it is no longer cruise. On a billboard is that the tickets would be issued until an hour before departure. Yes, but why, then, are already all sold out? Then you can give me an answer. The first time I am a bit sour. Was best to come early in the morning. The fund makes by 6 h, and since we had the best chance to take a boat ride. Wow, slow us gurkts.
It would also be stupid if we go extra to a national park and did not go in, right? Sun the next day my sweet voice coming from the mobile phone again to the train and announces: "It's five forty-five Time to get up.". The ski ski Gaga's are thus in a very early stage and to make the journey on foot to the park entrance. Short pass in front of us already the first stinking tourist buses. "You are late", the same guy I said yesterday, was sitting behind the barred switch, as I'm paying at 6.15 h finally turn to. At least he makes no flaws when I Sämi degrading to Eleven year, so we do not have to pay for it in full. On foot we go the three miles to the Periyar Lake, probably knowingly, that we pass a number of Indian tourists in their stinking buses. But Gottfried Stutz! This is a national park here and there is one does not simply get in the cart! This gives me "dr Gring" simply not the case. This is about the same stupid, like if you go by car to the white stone, but if it is such a beautiful cable car ... Ah no, it has so I think now no more. Item, we flippfloppen so very ecologic to the lake, finally, we pay foreigners in addition to the normal admission still an eco-fee for the park Therefore we must go on foot, or see I incorrectly? In any case, I see that the 7.30-boat of the Forest Department is already full. So we try it with the Kerala Tourism blablabla boats. Well, that goes like this: It was raised in a mesh cage in the snake, which somehow will not go easy. Louis is with me and suddenly I realize that this is not enough if a family member lining up in the queue. So I send Louis and he gets rid of the other three. After a while a man in uniform, and therefore distributed forms. For each family member must be filled out a form. Name, first name, gender, home address, nationality, phone number, name of hotels, etc., the desired deck (we cross "Upper Deck" on) and then comes the date and signature. "Huh, what?", We think. We want to make just a boat ride!? Time marches on and the 7.30-boat floats away. Here we are already in line, I think we will remain dependent on the more expensive Kerala Tourism blablabla boats and book our seats for 9.30 h, because according to the guide are the better boats and you can go to the upper deck. Finally I'm at the checkout. Since typing but actually a type all the stuff from the form in his computer and on the five tickets to be printed after the whole procedure is, but actually our plan Biberist native telephone number. We are left with only a loose understanding Head shaking. The ticket for the camera of course we must switch to the other, to solve that of the Forest Department. Is clear, right? The
us time remaining until the boat ride, we want to sell under the huge trees with a Yatzy. But the bill we have not done with the monkeys. Since jumps but a middle of our table and before we can respond, he steals all have our five cubes, sticks it in his mouth and is back on top of the tree and wants to eat with relish.
The monkey has not made the bill with Swiss quality plastic dice and spits them after a while from. After eating this funny interlude, we have hunger and go for a drink just eat a masala dosa and chai. Early on, we make our way to the boat. Sorry, this is a boat on the bottom and also on the upper deck is almost full. Fortunately, it is not ours, but the Forest Department. Ours is almost empty and we install with a few Indians on the upper deck and are all looking forward to the upcoming boating. Meanwhile, the ready with people occupied Forest boat up and down for the exit, get some in uniform and want to make clear to us that the upper deck should not be used. There are quite a commotion and we all understand not know why this is so. "Government do not allow", the only reason that you give us, whereas the Forest vorbeituckert boat with people above and below us. I am totally nerve and would "Bächtiger pussy, but Bächtiger cunt". And I can not spare some expletives in honor of the Government. Louis says in retrospect, it had already been a bit funny and he had never seen me so ... Huiuiui! When I was finally not even want to allow it to stand on the lower deck (!!!), I leave the boat, cursing and demanding that I am signing on the ticket that I ride and not get back the money. This has an impact and I was assured that I could stand, to photography. My goodness these guys are stupid! When we were still forced to wear a lifejacket because "I need ...", Government" töif i Bode abe schnuufe "...
I had no idea that I can annoy me so. In retrospect, I am of course most nerve to say that I've ever annoyed follows from this crap. Where's my other alone? Somehow I think this tourist rip-off not to get well. And "government do not allow"'s simply no justification ... Forget it, "om shanti".
we see no elephants, but a few smaller animals already. Particularly impressive is the scenery, although I's be honest can only be realized when looking at the photos and really enjoy.
The trip, which is still estimated at about two hour guide will take, certainly not an hour. But we already know ...
As dutiful Ökotouris we go all the way back on foot. Louis nürzt, at the beginning pretty, but suddenly he goes again like a young deer. With a bit tired legs, we finally come back to the Home Stay. The children may stare something and Claudia and I are still on a walk to reach a vantage point. Today, for once not a holiday, but a strike (which seems to be in Communist Kerala a "hobby" to be). Therefore, no auto-rickshaws to see what we could to the starting point of the walk. And when the first residents, we ask for directions, says it is only 500 meters from there, it is clear that we do not need Ritschka. After about 500 meters further, we ask, be it about 1 km from there. And the next person that we ask later, saying that the issue about 1.5 km. No wonder, must the strike at this rapid "inflation" ;-). The subsequent rise is very rough and sweaty, but after about an hour we will be rewarded with a beautiful view, although it is a bit cloudy.
until we are back in the valley below, we find a Ritschka. I am amazed once again that my flip-flops, which I bought before x months in Varanasi and daily wear still hold. I have never had blisters, in contrast to my other family members. Is it a nice skull motif that decorates the insole? No way I would have bought in Switzerland such flip-flops. But if there's no large, you will stop what it has. When we tell
Suresh great from our boat trip, is astonished not that bad. And it is also the riddle. Last fall, on 30/09/2009, it was a serious accident. A boat is flipped, as have emerged on the one hand, on the banks of elephants and all passengers are running on this very page to see the elephants. About 45 people have drowned here, all Indian who could not swim. And probably may uniformed clowns with the truth simply does not budge, because then no one else would go to these Kerala Tourism blablabla boats. Yes, if I had known, I would have all the "Government-don't-allow-excitement" to save, although of course it is a mess anyway, that you can not with open playing cards.
the end of our stay we Periyar eat again in the fine Indian restaurant. The children are slow in sharper food on the flavor, especially the boys.
Our journey early on Wednesday morning by bus to Munnar. The ride is very great and amazing, through beautiful mountain landscapes, and finally, above all by not less beautiful tea plantations. We sit in the second back row, which on the winding route is not necessarily the best thing. The buses have no windows, because it's very hot all year round. However, it lowered them in a kind of roller shutters, when it starts to rain, or in front of a pukes out the window. Yes, suddenly stop going down the shops and we have to temporarily abandon the beautiful view. Not because it's raining ...
In Munnar, where we arrive after 4 ½-hour drive toward the south, already waiting for a rickshaw to us, which brings us to the JJ Cottage. The rooms are very clean, but very small and no view. First, we quench our hunger. Outside it starts to rain like buckets. Apparently it does so here every afternoon. We grab a waterproof rickshaw, which brings us to the tea museum - the best program in this weather. The museum is interesting, but now we drink tea every day and do not really have any idea how this process is. First, there is a very professionally made documentary, then a Teeverarbeitungsmaschine is put into operation, which shows us how it works. The museum itself has a few old photos and furnishings from the era of colonization, during the cultivation of tea was introduced here. The children I can tell an old telephone, old accounting machines and other pictorial. Outside it's still raining in torrents.
The next day the fighting in the early morning sun against the still existing residual cloud cover. Claudia, Louis and I are up at seven clock and take a short morning hike up to the tea plantations. The sun is becoming more like by and the tea plantations are at their best.
Even before lunch, we check out and take us to 11 hours by bus on the way to Madurai. We have our favorite places in front. The journey is scenically the most beautiful things I've experienced so far. The curves are breathtaking and the view in the cardamom and later in the Palani Hills. Photography is not really, because this bus driver is on sport and is very physically demanding. You have to hold constantly to the hairpin bends not to fall off the seat. So we are glad that the last two-hour drive to take place in the plane and the track is almost always straight. Against 17 h, we arrive at Madurai. We are back in the heat. Sweat, sweat! We look at three hotels and decide finally for the Shree Devi. The interior is indeed better than Indian and again no comparison with the Greenview, also it has no TV, what Alice and Louis did not goutieren (they push a crisis, but stoutly say they have nothing to do with the TV ... ), but the view of the Sri Meenakshi Temple is simply sensational.
(Rémy)
And here is the updated card
