back on the farm

Yes, I am fine! I haven’t written because we’ve been so busy and having so much fun. On to more fun stuff-

We’re back on the farm now, and I’m so glad to be back! Like I said, we’ve been very busy.

We took a long train and bus ride to Ooty, a small city aka “hill station” in the Nilgiri Hills in NW Tamil Nadu. 4 or so days there. Highlights: 1. the hike down from Dotta Betta, the highest peak which is a lot like Disneyland – souvenirs, entry fee, crowds, weird orange soda fountain – anyways, we walked all the way back to Ooty through the forest and old Ooty. This awesome old man who was carrying an impossible load of wood showed us the way (starts down a goat path) and then we just headed down. The path opened up bigger and bigger and we were walking through all types of residential neighborhoods (all of which had a sewage system! Cool!) and meeting tons of people and talking to them in our limited Tamil – it’s surprising how much you can get across with just a few words and phrases. They were so nice!! Actually, almost everyone in Tamil Nadu has been super nice to us. On the train to Ooty we rode in the ladies car and met lots of awesome women and kids. Reema and her kids invited us to their house for tea in Ooty and Mary adopted us and made sure we got from Coimbatore (end of the train ride, transfer to bus in another part of town, crazy bus station wait of 2.5 hours, 5.5 hour ride) all the way to getting off the bus in Ooty where she made sure we knew how much to pay for an auto (motorized rickshaw) to our hotel! She fed us too.

So, Ooty is a nice temp. in the day but actually dropped to freezing at least one night we were there. 2 nights in the un-insulated, broken window, no duvet just wool blankets YWCA and we splurged ($12/night!) on a new place that was crazy warm and wonderful. That was after we took (highlight 2.) the day long guided hike through different ecosystems higher in the hills – it was amazing! I killed one camera battery on just that J

The Nilgiri Hills are known for their tea and homemade chocolates. We bought a bit of chocolate and took a tea factory tour as well as wandering through many a tea field. I have been drinking tea – small weak cups of milk brewed tea with sugar. Heavenly!

After Ooty, we took an overnight train to Kollam in Kerala (state), one of the 2 towns that is considered a ‘gateway’ to the backwaters of Kerala. 1 day in Kollam, early bus to Alleppey, the other of the 2 gateways. Same day we arrive we started our *bling* 2 day and night backwater cruise withour own boat & 3 staff. (big splurge for us!) Kerala is hot & humid and we were there when ‘the humidity is at its least debilitating.’ It was pretty strong tho, how else could you keep me cooped up on a boat for 2 days without exercise but to exhaust me? We had side trips walking thru villages and on a canoe trip thru a village (think Venice meets the less developed rural world.) Canoe trip highlight: we played pirates and hopped aboard a parked fishing boat. After we left the boat I stuck my hand between our canoe and the fishing boat as they slammed together – um, that hurt, and I don’t recommend it. Nothing horribly wrong despite the cries for ‘doctor’ and ‘hospital’ by the pirate crew. Just a wicked bruise and painful amateur rehab.

Next we spent ½ day in Alleppey and ½ day in Kochi taking a Keralan cooking class. Then, another overnight train (it takes forever to get anywhere here!) and here I am back on the farm.

Other fun stuff: I’ve started a list of fun product names like “happy,” a pineapple jelly, and “Playboy,” a play mat for babies.