Have escaped the dump which is Kottayam - sorry dudes but that town is not an inspiring one - but The Ambassador Hotel rocks if you want to live like Alan Partridge! (it has that travel lodge feel about it!)
SPent most of last night chatting to Kim in real time on MSN - awesome! and then caught some more really bad movies - Eraser / Anaconda and the shining light Charlie and the Chocolate Factory! Got the bus out of Kottayam about 10 and what a ride! Took the back seat - our fav as it is usually empty because it is the bumpiest ride and u can keep an eye on your luggage - but such a bad idea : ( Everyone in window seats in front of me got instantly sick when they sat down - come on people get stronger stomachs!!!, so grateful for my stomach of steel probably reinforced by pint drinking competitions and hop-scotch drinking games in Jumping Jaks!! - so got a little back spray in my prime position- YUCK!
Bus also took a steady climb up mountain roads that made Matheran look like a mole hill! When a bunch of nuns got on I was glad - a good omen prayers are what were needed here to get this bus there in one piece - but then i thought of all those disaster movies i've seen (e.g. Airplane!!)where there's always a nun in the thick of things - maybe they were a bad omen! Either way was glad when they got off and we were back on an even keel!
The views were stunning all the way up - tea plantations and lush, green mountains and hills that stretched for miles. Kumily is also amazing - found myself an awesome bamboo hut at Wild Huts / Coffee Inn for 150r a night with mossy net / safe/mossy coil and fab views over the park. Perfect for a spot of birdwatching - my bird book has been the best buy so far. Think i have spotted a sunbird, oriental magpie-robin and a red crested something or other!!
Off to watch a Kathakali show this evening and then a spot of bamboo rafting tomorrow - think i'm gonna love it here!!!
