Saturday, January 12, 2013

Cobra Trail


 We have a few rest days now between the groups and its time to sit out in the sunshine outside our abode in the Queen’s Pantry. Misty Mountain, Kuttikanam and enjoy a bit with the MTB Kerala family.
 Outside we have Sheffield Mike running around in his Katcha’s (underpants) sweating away the pounds to make way for a few Kingfisher’s tonight. Pankaj the facebook kid is absorbed in his phone, chuckling away as usual as events unfold in facebook world. Kerala’s best and richest mountain biker (£1250 for 2nd prize in a 4-cross event) Jibin Joy is out on the bike with Rakesh (a name familiar to all loyal readers of this blog) working out a few new trails to link together for our next tour.  All will be back tonight for a game of cricket on the tennis courts so it is indeed happy times for all here.
 For me its time to put down a few highlights of the past month or so.
 Wildlife. We have had Tigers, Macaques, Elephants, Cobra’s, Malabar Hornbills and barking deer in abundance this year. The tiger on the Singalila Ridge tour was the probably the most exciting spot followed by a never to be forgotten frantic adrenalin fuelled pedal for your life 5 minute section of trail with Pankaj a bit too far out off the back for comfort.
 Loads of elephants in December which is always a humbling and mesmerizing experience. We were witness to a family of elephants on the banks of Maddupatty Dam followed by a sighting of an solitary elephant near Aryanakkal Dam which was more than likely the same elephant that was responsible for trampling to death  of a tea worker the previous month. Local newspapers also reported sightings of a rogue Tiger which seemed to be on a sight seeing trip of Munnar district leaving a trail of dead dogs and mauled goats in its wake.
 The strange incident of the Cobra that sprung out of  the wall is about as close as we would ever like to be to “nature” on our tours we managed to catch it on video so have a look at the link below.
 Misty Mountain life is as good as ever. The manager Sumesh has been on great form recently. For the past week every meal time has featured a tomato on my plate. When I take my meal Sumesh comes in to chat and watch and ensure that I eat the tomato. I questioned him on the new meal with tomato policy and he said the reason was that he really enjoyed watching me eat tomatos.
 Yesterday whilst engrossed in computer work in the Misty Mountain office I found myself subjected to a barrage of assaults by paper. Sumesh stuffed bits of paper down the back of my t-shirt whilst tickling my neck. I was also made a dunces hat, which was crowned upon my head as I sat in the office chair trying to maintain a business minded composure.



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