Munnar

 

This morning we drove up from the coast through rolling countryside to the hill station of Munnar (150km). It was raining when we arrived but in the afternoon we walked up through the Ambady Estate where we were staying into the woods looking for birds, we were entertained by a Indian Giant Squirrel feasting on a large fruit and even donated a little blood to the leeches.

 

 

 

The area around Munnar is South India’s largest and highest tea growing region, the rolling hills surrounding Munnar town are covered with clipped tea bushes cascading down the slopes in neat rows. This former British hill station, at an altitude of 1,500m, provides a refreshing retreat from the heat in the lowlands.
 

 Next day we went on an exhilarating drive in a 4WD jeep up steep, rough tracks to Kolukkumalai, which they say is the highest organic tea estate in the world. To say it was a bumpy ride would be an understatement and when they suggested a walk up through the tea plantation we eagerly agreed. Keeping a sharp lookout for leeches we climbed steadily upwards to the tea factory. On arrival we were given a tour of the factory and bought a few types of tea to bring home. Afterwards we made our way back down the slopes enjoying the scenery.

 

 

 

 

In the evening we returned to Munnar town to watch a very exciting martial arts display. The beginning of the show is a ceremony and then came the displays of the use of different weapons, swords, shields, sticks and hand to hand fights. All of the men were extremely agile and experts in yoga. The finale was fire jumping, over fire hoops and through them. We really enjoyed the show except when one of the lads got hit by a sword and made a hasty retreat.