Another day away from the bike and another new experience. A trip on a house boat is a classic thing to do in Kerala and none the worse for that. All there is to do is sit at the front of the boat, eat and drink and watch the world go by. There is lots to see. People watching, wildlife watching or just watching the other boats - it was a nice 24hrs. Yes, we slept on the boat in a comfortable air-conditioned mosquito proof room - excellent. Another blog lite day so I hope you enjoy the pictures.
Day 9 - Cycling in SW India - Alleppey
After a rest day, it was good to get back on the bikes again, although to be honest the scenery was similar to the long day approaching Fort Cochin.
The big news today is that after 8 days of incident free cycling three of the party sustained minor injuries, and two fell off their bikes.
 |
| Bloodied knees |
I was slightly involved in Ken's crash and if I'm guilty this should be read as my confession.
I was at the back of the group when Rinto overtook me and shot off to his usual position at the front. Roger suggested (I'm already spreading the blame) that we go out after him and without giving it a second thought I set off on a lung bursting chase. We were soon hurtling through villages with Rinto in front, me on his wheel, Roger on mine and Ken on his. After a couple of kilometers, in a village and approaching a junction, Rinto was either slow to signal or I was slow to spot his signal. I braked quite hard but safely, but behind I could hear brakes locking with wheels and tyres skidding on the road. Roger stayed upright but Ken fell off, his fall arrested by his helmet and the rear bumper of a Tuc Tuc.
 |
| Running the gauntlet |
Apart from grazes to his knees which were treated at a tea stop 2km further down the road in a cafe full of flies, Ken did not suffer serious injuries. Ken did point how that the brakes we have on these bikes are on opposite sides to the ones you get in Europe, something I hadn't really noticed.
Feeling slightly guilty I stayed at the back and missed Tom's crash. Apparently he spotted some railway lines late and braked too hard while crossing one of the many speed humps. He went over his handle bars and his wife fell off trying to avoid him.
 |
| Roadside rubbish |
 |
| A lovely welcome |
Happily, we arrived at the Heritage Lodge without further incident and, after 60 km, in good time for a wonderful lunch. It's located right alongside a classic Keralan backwater and we spent the afternoon watching vast numbers of house boats glide past. it was a very pretty spot, but also a perfect place for mosquitoes. Our little heritage hut has air conditioning but no mosquito net. Mosquito queues up to bite me so this place may be pretty but it's my idea of a living hell.
 |
| Blogging |
Postscript
I did bring a mosquito net with me, a single net, and with the aid of coat hanger managed to suspend it from the bamboo ceiling. This meant that I was on the inside, protected while Christine was on the outside. Now, apparently the reason that some people get bitten and some don't is that some people produce an odour that repels the little buzzers. Christine is apparently an odour emitter so was safe in the death zone.
Cycling in SW India - Roaming around Fort Cochin
Fort Cochin is a great place for a roam around. A truly cosmopolitan port, a key node on the spice route, connecting the Far East with China and the Middle East, the impact of a range of nationalities, ethnicities and religions hits you as you wander around the town.
Anyway, I took a lot of pictures a sample of which is included below.
Anyway, I took a lot of pictures a sample of which is included below.
...
Day 7 Cycling in SW India - Fort Cochin
Today was long and hot - the full sweaty impact of being down on the coast has hit us. Also, I regret to report that although the route went close to the coast the stretches where you could actually see the sea were few and far between.
The best thing about today was the welcome stretch of cycling on the flat. When the road surface was good two of us would go to the front, get behind Rinto and just fly along. It's perhaps a bit late in the day, but I have discovered a new thing I enjoy. Despite being on fairly heavy hybrid bikes I was pleasantly surprised to discover how fast I could go and how easy it was to sustain a good pace. I'll definitely explore this further on a road bike when I get home.
 |
| Zipping along through the coconuts |
Day 6 - Cycling in SW India - Guravayoor
After yesterday's long journey the pace has slowed down again and we spent the morning cycling around the environs of Guruvayoor, the afternoon hiding from the heat and resting, and the evening exploring the town and sampling street food.
Tootling through the suburbs was very pleasant. Once we got out the city centre our progress attracted lots of attention from children and adults alike who shouted and waved at us, asking us where were we from and what were our names. They were all smiles and very friendly.
Guruvayoor is a significant town for Hindus and its main temple is the fifth most visited Hindu temple in India. The population of Kerala however is very mixed with roughly equal proportions of Hindus, Muslims and Christians. Today the Muslim children were particularly easy to spot on their way to religious schools. Both boys and girls were immaculately dressed: the boys in white with little round hats and the girls in darker clothes with head scarves. Apparently all communities get on very well together.
Day 5 - Cycling in SW India - Guravayoor
What goes up has to come down. After breaking personal records on yesterday's cycling ascent I did the same today with the descent. It was not, however, a simple reverse; today's ride was different in every respect. The road was potholed and broken, and the dappled shade from trees made the surface difficult to see. There were also big lorries coming the other way which often forced you onto bits of the road you would want to avoid. In skiing terms it was a black run, although I don't think there is a ski run anywhere that is 50km long with a 2,200 metre drop.
 |
| St Stephens in Ooty |
Day 4 - Cycling in SW India -Ooty Hillstation
Today was the big one, a massive 1600m climb up the Ooty Hill including 36 hairpin bends. The biggest hill I've cycled up before this was Ditchling Beacon on the South Downs and I found that tough. Ooty Hill was more than 15 times higher so this was definitely a new experience for both Christine and myself.
 |
| Hairpin bend 24 (with monkey) |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)