Birthdays have come and gone and the second day as a 35 year old is celebrated as a rest day with many routine tasks to do. As I type away Rakesh is busy fiddling with his bicycles front mech; a cause of endless fascination and frustration to him. In the room next to me is a giggling Aravind who seems more than happy blowing washing- up liquid bubbles all over me and the computer for reasons known only to himself.
Spent the last three days on trail research which involves getting up at 7.30 a.m for the proposed 7.00 a.m starts and much faffing about. Rakesh maintains that only he can cook food properly with Anglo-Nepali relations reaching a nadir as he accuses me of undercooking the porridge; itself a recent innovation as Rakesh distrusts food taken from outside; I counter attack later in the day as I reprimand him for putting to much oil on his chain.
Massive days on the bikes with an epic 10-hour ride through India’s highest tea estate of Kohl Kumaily with its astounding sheer 2000-meter drops down to Tamil Nadu below. Climb up to 2300 meter with the last 30 minutes a carry to break through a seldom used pass to drop us into Silent Valley and complete a hoped for loop back to Munnar. Things take a turn for the worst as the trails disappear into the forests and we cycle and carry for hours staying high on the ridge looking for signs of a path. By 4 p.m it seems sensible to scramble down any which we can “Anyhow Kam Chalou” in the words of Rakesh. Long grass, stubborn shrubs and thorny trees tear our shins to shreds as we finally catch a glimpse of the tea estates again, only to be thwarted by a cliff sheer drop. We veer left back towards the forests in the gathering gloom and luckily manage to scramble down some less imposing rocks to the tea estate paths just before a night out in the open became a serious concern. I ask Rakesh what lessons we have learnt today expecting some Nepali philosphising about respect for the mountain. The lesson he proclaims is “don’t be stupid”. Seems reasonable enough.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Freewheeling
The first frost of the winter greets me as I step outside my half demolished Munnar hotel. Return to room and cover myself with Canadian made duvet jacket purchased on the Munnar market for 200 Rs (£2.50) The night clothes market has a remarkable ensemble of 2nd hand clothes mostly donations sent by North Americans for the Kashmiri earthquake victims a few years go which have now been recycled around India.
10 day tour just finished all went superbly with mid 30,s friends from home huffing puffing and tumbling around the trails with a New Zealander and a triathlete from South England. Some superb moments with wild elephants spotted near the trails slaking their thirst in the idyllic Mattupatty lake. Closer elephantine encounters came in Kuttikanam with a 1000 metre descent down to the sweltering plains being temporarily halted by a working elephant trundling up the narrow rocky trail head on towards us.
The highlight of the tour for me though was the cycling Sabrimalla pilgrims hundreds of who could be seen In the usual black garb, bearded and barefooted freewheeling down towards Mundekayam a 20km road descent. This was heaven to these men after the 30 km plus climb they had endured; on gearless Indian made lumps to steel; to climb up from the plains of Tamil Nadu before crossing the Western Ghats. The whooping noises and expressions of pure glee as they careered down the mountain side towards the sacred Sabrimmalla temple was unforgettable.
Rakesh the trainee mountain bike guide is much improved after his 10 days training in Pokhara Nepal. Seems more than capable on the rocky technical trails and his fitness has improved greatly. On the downside he appears to be transforming himself into my personal assistant with me in the role of clueless, hapless Engishman caught miles away from home and struggling with the ways oft the natives. My years of subcontinental experiences are reduced to nothing as he corrects my Hindi, makes a mockery of my Malayalam, laughs at my well rehearsed haggling skils in the market and worst of all condemns my freshly made salad as poorly chopped up and refuses to eat it. Need a firm hand these Nepali’s.
10 day tour just finished all went superbly with mid 30,s friends from home huffing puffing and tumbling around the trails with a New Zealander and a triathlete from South England. Some superb moments with wild elephants spotted near the trails slaking their thirst in the idyllic Mattupatty lake. Closer elephantine encounters came in Kuttikanam with a 1000 metre descent down to the sweltering plains being temporarily halted by a working elephant trundling up the narrow rocky trail head on towards us.
The highlight of the tour for me though was the cycling Sabrimalla pilgrims hundreds of who could be seen In the usual black garb, bearded and barefooted freewheeling down towards Mundekayam a 20km road descent. This was heaven to these men after the 30 km plus climb they had endured; on gearless Indian made lumps to steel; to climb up from the plains of Tamil Nadu before crossing the Western Ghats. The whooping noises and expressions of pure glee as they careered down the mountain side towards the sacred Sabrimmalla temple was unforgettable.
Rakesh the trainee mountain bike guide is much improved after his 10 days training in Pokhara Nepal. Seems more than capable on the rocky technical trails and his fitness has improved greatly. On the downside he appears to be transforming himself into my personal assistant with me in the role of clueless, hapless Engishman caught miles away from home and struggling with the ways oft the natives. My years of subcontinental experiences are reduced to nothing as he corrects my Hindi, makes a mockery of my Malayalam, laughs at my well rehearsed haggling skils in the market and worst of all condemns my freshly made salad as poorly chopped up and refuses to eat it. Need a firm hand these Nepali’s.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Sabrimalla
All going swimmingly here as new bikes, new arrivals and the the trainees absorb all time that could have been spent watching the Australia-India test series.
New Year was quiet. No foreigners for hundreds of kilometres as I spent the evening in Kuttikanam at the hotel with 4 young families from Kanjirappalli waiting for the arrival of a booked group of 50 revellers before the evening buffet and music could start. 8 p.m was delayed till 9 p.m, an hour greeted with anxious phone calls to the revellers who promised to arrive soon. 10 p.m came and went, byrianies became cold and kitchen staff became suicidal at the prospect of working through the night to feed the hordes. By 10.30 I was starving and managed to shovel down a plate of tapioca and fiery fish curry in the kitchen just before an announcement that the revellers had cancelled and the food for 60 was to be shared between us. Too full to eat any more I retired early for 2008 with burning lips and a belly full of syrupy ales and expanding tapioca.
Running around like a madman today and have made the 1st half of a 10 hour round trip to pick up an extra bike for the new trainee Sinoj. Crappy looking Trek 4500 but should be O.K for the lanky 17 year old who after 5 rides on the Kona's already looks a better prospect then me. Trainee "number 1" Rakesh from Khatamandu is making his way down on a three day journey by bus and train to arrive on the 9th after 10 days intensive training in Pokhara, under the tutelage of the masterly French downhiller Rebours Tangi. Expect to be reduced to the sweepers role on the tour starting tomorrow and further expect to be put out of business by the pair of them soon after.
Sabrimalli season in full flow at the moment which means medieval scenes at railway stations, picnic spots and almost everywhere else. Millions of pilgrims dressed in black lungis (men skirts)
walk the streets barefooted with bundles of clothes and offerings strapped to the their heads as they make their way to the the forested temple complex of Sabrimalla.
Only men are allowed into the temple complex as women who are capable of menstruating are scene as polluting and could defile the temple complex's purity. Three of us including one lady tried to cycle down a superb downhill trail through the forest last year, but were ambushed by local forest guards unwilling to let the lass pass despite the fact we would by pass the complex by miles.
The men most undergo 41 days of abstinence from sex, wash only with water, not shave and walk around barefooted on their way to the temple complex. Many walk hundreds of miles from the neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh visible as shuffling black skinned bodies on the side of the road.
In about a weeks time the pilgrim season reaches its climax as the celestial lights appear over the temple to signify the pilgrims darshan with the god Ayappa. The mysterious lights appear like flickering stars and ignite uproarious scenes amongst the frenzied devotees. Non believers claim that the light has a far less godly source and can be tracked down to two men hidden in the thick forest with a powerful torch.
New Year was quiet. No foreigners for hundreds of kilometres as I spent the evening in Kuttikanam at the hotel with 4 young families from Kanjirappalli waiting for the arrival of a booked group of 50 revellers before the evening buffet and music could start. 8 p.m was delayed till 9 p.m, an hour greeted with anxious phone calls to the revellers who promised to arrive soon. 10 p.m came and went, byrianies became cold and kitchen staff became suicidal at the prospect of working through the night to feed the hordes. By 10.30 I was starving and managed to shovel down a plate of tapioca and fiery fish curry in the kitchen just before an announcement that the revellers had cancelled and the food for 60 was to be shared between us. Too full to eat any more I retired early for 2008 with burning lips and a belly full of syrupy ales and expanding tapioca.
Running around like a madman today and have made the 1st half of a 10 hour round trip to pick up an extra bike for the new trainee Sinoj. Crappy looking Trek 4500 but should be O.K for the lanky 17 year old who after 5 rides on the Kona's already looks a better prospect then me. Trainee "number 1" Rakesh from Khatamandu is making his way down on a three day journey by bus and train to arrive on the 9th after 10 days intensive training in Pokhara, under the tutelage of the masterly French downhiller Rebours Tangi. Expect to be reduced to the sweepers role on the tour starting tomorrow and further expect to be put out of business by the pair of them soon after.
Sabrimalli season in full flow at the moment which means medieval scenes at railway stations, picnic spots and almost everywhere else. Millions of pilgrims dressed in black lungis (men skirts)
walk the streets barefooted with bundles of clothes and offerings strapped to the their heads as they make their way to the the forested temple complex of Sabrimalla.
Only men are allowed into the temple complex as women who are capable of menstruating are scene as polluting and could defile the temple complex's purity. Three of us including one lady tried to cycle down a superb downhill trail through the forest last year, but were ambushed by local forest guards unwilling to let the lass pass despite the fact we would by pass the complex by miles.
The men most undergo 41 days of abstinence from sex, wash only with water, not shave and walk around barefooted on their way to the temple complex. Many walk hundreds of miles from the neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh visible as shuffling black skinned bodies on the side of the road.
In about a weeks time the pilgrim season reaches its climax as the celestial lights appear over the temple to signify the pilgrims darshan with the god Ayappa. The mysterious lights appear like flickering stars and ignite uproarious scenes amongst the frenzied devotees. Non believers claim that the light has a far less godly source and can be tracked down to two men hidden in the thick forest with a powerful torch.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)