After a very strange night in Mettupalayam we made it up through the hills on the mountain railway to Ooty. Was a bit of a mission sorting out our train tickets, but thankfully the 5am start to meet with the illusive station master was worth it. And after the initial pandamonium of 20-odd people frantically barging through a 3-foot wide carriage doorway, it was a relatively chilled out little trip.
The train journey was fantastic; with amazing views of the rolling green hills, waterfalls and sheer drops from the track. Ooty is a really beautiful little town. We're staying in a little 'holiday home'/shed with a gorgeous view overlooking the lake (although we did read somewhere that the majority of the towns sewage ends up in there?)
We're staying here for Christmas and then heading to southern Goa (via a couple of other places) for New Year. Our plans change by the day (so ignore previous mentions of Wildlife Sanctuaries and Andaman Islands...)!
Off for some Christmas shopping now!
Hope all is well back in blighty.
Tuesday 23 December 2008
Friday 19 December 2008
Ex-patients and houseboats
Tegan is out of hospital hoorah! Came out Wednesday afternoon....and (touch wood) is feeling back to normal.
Went on a lovely boat trip yesterday along the backwater canals; a house boat in the morning and a row boat in the afternoon.
Tomorrow we're heading to Ooty; stopping for the night in Mettupalayam on the way (for those who are interested in checking the map!). We'll get the early morning miniature railway train to Ooty on Sunday morning which takes about 4 hours as it's such a windy, steep journey...although distance-wise it's probably only about 5 miles (OK, maybe slight exaggeration).
So it looks like we'll be in Ooty for Christmas and are hoping to be taking a leisurely walk through the hills on the day (or maybe a horseride)! It's going to be a lot cooler in Ooty, down to zero at night maybe, and I have to say we're both quite excited about the prospect of being a little bit chilly for a few days after 2 weeks of heat and humidity.
After Ooty, we're heading Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary and plan to stay in the 'Jungle Retreat'...cant wait!
Inabitski...
Went on a lovely boat trip yesterday along the backwater canals; a house boat in the morning and a row boat in the afternoon.
Tomorrow we're heading to Ooty; stopping for the night in Mettupalayam on the way (for those who are interested in checking the map!). We'll get the early morning miniature railway train to Ooty on Sunday morning which takes about 4 hours as it's such a windy, steep journey...although distance-wise it's probably only about 5 miles (OK, maybe slight exaggeration).
So it looks like we'll be in Ooty for Christmas and are hoping to be taking a leisurely walk through the hills on the day (or maybe a horseride)! It's going to be a lot cooler in Ooty, down to zero at night maybe, and I have to say we're both quite excited about the prospect of being a little bit chilly for a few days after 2 weeks of heat and humidity.
After Ooty, we're heading Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary and plan to stay in the 'Jungle Retreat'...cant wait!
Inabitski...
Tuesday 16 December 2008
Patient Update
Tegan is in for what is hopefully the final night tonight.
We were sure she'd be out today...but now we're sure it will be tomorrow! Fingers crossed. She's just waiting for her 'sample' results and once they have those (tomorrow morning) they can discharge her with a specific antibiotics course (for the next week or so I guess). She had her last intravenous dose this morning - so is now free of the tube! She's feeling pretty much back to normal so it's all good. Just getting bored I think. She said she sometimes forgets she's actually in India as she hasn't left her little 'apartment' for 4 days. It certainly makes dealing with being in a hospital a little easier to cope with when you open the blinds each morning to sunshine and palm trees over the balcony edge. The nurses have been teaching us some Indian and practicing their English.
Not much else to report. Just watching lots (and lots and lots) of films.
Oh, and we'll be purchasing a wheelbarrow full of antibiotics to take with us before she leaves the hospital so we're ready for any repeat incidents!!
Laters....
We were sure she'd be out today...but now we're sure it will be tomorrow! Fingers crossed. She's just waiting for her 'sample' results and once they have those (tomorrow morning) they can discharge her with a specific antibiotics course (for the next week or so I guess). She had her last intravenous dose this morning - so is now free of the tube! She's feeling pretty much back to normal so it's all good. Just getting bored I think. She said she sometimes forgets she's actually in India as she hasn't left her little 'apartment' for 4 days. It certainly makes dealing with being in a hospital a little easier to cope with when you open the blinds each morning to sunshine and palm trees over the balcony edge. The nurses have been teaching us some Indian and practicing their English.
Not much else to report. Just watching lots (and lots and lots) of films.
Oh, and we'll be purchasing a wheelbarrow full of antibiotics to take with us before she leaves the hospital so we're ready for any repeat incidents!!
Laters....
Monday 15 December 2008
First Installment (only took a week and a half?)
Well we made it to Delhi in one piece and spent a few nights in Paharganj. Delhi is definitely as weird and wonderful as everyone reports! Kamikaze rickshaws dodging ambling cows (cows rule the street; most amusing). We're coming back to Delhi before we head home so will check out all the sights next time round (Red Fort, Jama Masjid, etc). Just spent a few days rickshawing about, sorting out mobiles and flights and shoveling down lots of amazing curry – yum!
We flew down to Kochi, Kerala, last Tuesday. With lush rolling hills, palm trees, waterfalls and a definite slow in pace, it certainly feels a hell of a lot more chilled out down here (and about 10 degrees hotter). We’re staying in Fort Cochi at the moment. We visited an elephant camp on Thursday and watched them being given their daily scrub at the riverside. Then we visited a couple of waterfalls and cooled off with a paddle…was looovely. We watched a Kathakali show at the local theatre; a religious play/dance including facial dancing (hilarious) and crazy make-up and costumes.
Plans have been slightly put on hold as Tegan managed to get herself an intestinal infection, d’oh. So we’re on day 3 in the hospital. After lots of antibiotics and rehydration fluids being pumped into her, she seems to be on the mend. Hope to be out tomorrow. Thankfully there was a private hospital 3km from our hotel….and she was insured!! We’ve got a nice room with a tv, and are being well looked after I have to say.
Once Tegan is back up and running, we’ll take a day trip on a house boat along the nearby meandering backwater canals. Then east to Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary (more elephants!), north to Ooty, Mysore and Hampi. From there either west to Goa and Gokarna or east across the Bay of Bengal to the Andaman Islands for a few days of snorkeling on the reefs and lounging on the beach.
Hope all is well back home…
We flew down to Kochi, Kerala, last Tuesday. With lush rolling hills, palm trees, waterfalls and a definite slow in pace, it certainly feels a hell of a lot more chilled out down here (and about 10 degrees hotter). We’re staying in Fort Cochi at the moment. We visited an elephant camp on Thursday and watched them being given their daily scrub at the riverside. Then we visited a couple of waterfalls and cooled off with a paddle…was looovely. We watched a Kathakali show at the local theatre; a religious play/dance including facial dancing (hilarious) and crazy make-up and costumes.
Plans have been slightly put on hold as Tegan managed to get herself an intestinal infection, d’oh. So we’re on day 3 in the hospital. After lots of antibiotics and rehydration fluids being pumped into her, she seems to be on the mend. Hope to be out tomorrow. Thankfully there was a private hospital 3km from our hotel….and she was insured!! We’ve got a nice room with a tv, and are being well looked after I have to say.
Once Tegan is back up and running, we’ll take a day trip on a house boat along the nearby meandering backwater canals. Then east to Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary (more elephants!), north to Ooty, Mysore and Hampi. From there either west to Goa and Gokarna or east across the Bay of Bengal to the Andaman Islands for a few days of snorkeling on the reefs and lounging on the beach.
Hope all is well back home…
Monday 1 December 2008
Monday 1 December 2008
So today is the first day of being officially unemployed...a nice and scary feeling at the same time. Spent the day writing lists, purchasing stupid amounts of toiletries and digging out the backpack from the attic. Hoping to finish packing and sorting tomorrow so I can relax for the next couple of days. Getting a bit nervous now (not helped by recent events I have to say) ...sinking in that we're actually off in a couple of days...
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