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.