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It’s hard to believe that it
was five weeks ago that we took a bus from the Tamil Nadu
side of the Western Ghats into the beautiful state of Kerala.
The moment you cross the border you immediately notice the
difference. Suddenly it’s cleaner, greener, houses are
bigger and more colourful and things just seem a little
tidier and more organised and you can tell that Kerala is
one the wealthiest and healthiest states of India. However,
it is still India and with people everywhere, that constant
honking of the traffic and the chance of becoming sick if
you eat the wrong thing.
After a couple of days
cycling we quickly headed right down South by train where we
met Simon’s cousin Anna and then spent a week exploring and
experiencing as much as the south Keralan sites as possible.
It is such a diverse place, which makes it a very popular
and ideal Indian spot for a holiday. Beaches and backwaters,
tea and spice plantations, temples, wildlife sanctuaries and
very laid back and friendly people, Kerala really has
everything.
It is also the only state in
India that we were able to find a detailed cycling map and
we were determined to put it to some use. The cycling
conditions in India have been very tough, noisy polluted
roads, far too much traffic and very hot. However If you
have a map and can find the quiet roads then it can be the
most amazing experience ever. In Kerala we’ve been able to
plan routes through the backwaters, along quiet beach tracks
and due to it being festival time we came across numerous
elephant festivals as we pass through the villages and
towns. You really never know what coming around the next
corner. |
