Checked out of Brunton Boatyard Hotel and left Kochi in heavy rain and heavier
but still orderly traffic. We can't avoid comparison all the time with
the country's north, namely Rajasthan. Apart from the obvious difference
in the climatic types, Kerala seems not as poor. We were told the human
development index is higher, with better education and health. Whether
that was credit to the social support from the significant church
presence or the lengthy Marxist regime, we still don't know.
The winding road through dense tropical jungle to Munnar reminded us of Malaya, especially the Cameron Highlands. The rain eased as we climbed higher and went on by jeeps to the Windermere Estate, a cardamon and coffee farm among tea plantations which also serves as a tourist resort. At 1600 metres it is a cool respite from the humid heat of Kochi. Did we learn that the temperature drops l deg F every 800 feet? I have forgotten. KM
Dinner was Anglo-Indian food - green pea soup, curries, and bread & butter pudding. But not the bred and butter pudding of boarding school - this had a variety of fruit and cardamom.
Piccies below.
Not my best photo - but this is one of the jeeps that took us to Windermere Estate.
Tea explanation and tasting.
And also needs a spittoon - just like wine.
Landscape around our hotel complex. Damp, but cooler than Kochi.
KM ventured to the lookout. We were literally in the clouds.
The winding road through dense tropical jungle to Munnar reminded us of Malaya, especially the Cameron Highlands. The rain eased as we climbed higher and went on by jeeps to the Windermere Estate, a cardamon and coffee farm among tea plantations which also serves as a tourist resort. At 1600 metres it is a cool respite from the humid heat of Kochi. Did we learn that the temperature drops l deg F every 800 feet? I have forgotten. KM
Dinner was Anglo-Indian food - green pea soup, curries, and bread & butter pudding. But not the bred and butter pudding of boarding school - this had a variety of fruit and cardamom.
Piccies below.
