Odayam

Allo from Odayam.

I'm back here after spending 2 weeks here in February this year. Odayam is a small muslim fishing village on the Keralan coast about 100 km north of the state capital of Trivandrum. That makes the area sound lovely and unspolit, but Odayam is a couple of kilometres north of Varkala, which is an ever-expanding place of hotels, guesthouses, restaurants and health spas. I stay in Odayam and walk across to Varkala once a day for some lunch and other bits. Nothing much happens in Odayam apart from fishing, I think that Varkala was once like that too. Odayam only has 6 hotels at present but I'm sure that'll increase over the coming years.

Around the beaches between Odayam and Varkala.


An Ambassador car parked up at Edava, north of Odayam.

Odayam beach in the morning, with fish being discussed.



This traditional Keralan house is located in the middle of loads of hotels set back from Varkala's cliff.

Varkala beach from the clifftop.

Looking at Odayam from north Varkala. The Mosque's minarets should be visible among the trees in the background.


Purple palak plus many more items for sale at the market in Varkala town.


Mark waiting to see the ENT surgeon at the Mission Hospital in Varkala town.






Odayam beach at sunset.





Lunch at Shiva's Garden in Varkala.


Varkala beach looking quieter than usual.





Winding down after the morning's work.


Morningtime around Odayam beach again.




The Mosque at Odayam, built about 20 metres from the sea.

Hauling in the catch at Black Beach inbetween Varkala and Odayam.


OK. That's it for One Masala Dosa for the moment.

Keep on keepin' on
Chris

Munnar

Allo

After leaving Madurai on Tuesday morning, I spent Wednesday walking around Munnar. Most of the time I was walking up in the higher parts of the Letchmi Estate, which is a tea plantation covering the southern area away from the town. The climate in Munnar is different from down on the plains, the temperature is about 20C in the mid afternoon and around 12C at night. Munnar town isn't anything special, but out in the hills there's some great views plus the sounds of birds and the tea pickers chatting.

Munnar has probably the most attractive location for a bus stand in India.

Looking at Munnar town and its hotels from the Letchmi Estate.




This is where a cup of tea begins.




This lady on the right of the above photo and in the one below is Miss Packiam. She is a Tamil, and works on the Letchmi Estate picking tea. She was very keen on me taking her photo, and her colleagues shared her enthusiasm to be captured on camera.


Smiling wasn't compulsory.





These are Kurunji flowers, which grow all over the mountain region, often on tree trunks like below.


About 30 minutes after I extracted myself from the clutches of Miss Packiam and her team, I encountered another group of ladies engaged in tea picking, and I had to take all of their photos too.






The Moon is right in the middle of the top half of the above photo.

This is about as good as a sunset gets in Munnar.

"You have school pen? Chocolate? Sweet? English money? Indian money? One photo?"

See you at the beach in Odayam.

Cheers
Chris