The journey to and around Madurai

Hello from Calcutta, where I've been resting a bit after an adventurous week with Kate across southern India. What a chaotic, exciting (and sometimes relaxing) trip it was!

On the road again -- our bus at the Kerala-Tamil Nada border crossing.

For something new, I've taken the last piece of our adventure -- Munnar into Madurai -- and turned it into a narrated flipbook of sorts. To read more about Bus Journey No. 2, more southern Indian food and, yes, Meenakshi temple, check out the photos and captions here:
https://plus.google.com/photos/116025665513023685677/albums/5851464684593644801

KSRTC for the win

I can now add a check mark next "riding a bus" in India.

I'm not a huge fan of buses in general. My experience in the States has been that trains are much smoother than long-haul buses, and local buses -- especially in San Francisco -- are too slow and not on time enough. As Kate and I cross southern India, however, there's an abundance of mountains -- and thus, a lack of trains. So our choices have been either to hire private cars or to take one of the many buses available.

After a trial 90-minute ride this morning with the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation -- to Ernakulam from Alleppey, where we'd stayed on a houseboat -- Kate and I decided we were up for the 5-hour ride to Munnar. At the total fare of Rs. 131 per person, or about $2.60, it was certainly the economical choice.

Not our bus, but one similar to it -- in Alleppey.

The test ride was decently smooth -- even though we were sitting behind the rear axle. A very sweet young woman in Alleppey had helped us locate a bus to Ernakulam with empty seats so we wouldn't have to stand until seats became available. (Very helpful with our huge bags!)

(Side note: Kate traveled all over South America in buses, and I always pictured vehicles like this -- but then I found out that her buses were often grand coaches with fold-out flat seats for sleeping and even champagne on one route!)

I was a little nervous about heading all the way to Munnar on the bus, as it's a winding road up to the hill station. But I have to say I was fairly impressed with our driver. The bus was hot and crowded, of course, but everyone was friendly and helpful. (We also had seats the entire time.) The conductor pointed us to the right stop (we got off just short of Munnar, at a junction closer to our homestay) -- and two other backpackers helped toss our bags off the bus.

Inside our bus from Alleppey to Munnar. Think U.S. school bus in terms of style.

All in all: I think this was a smoother ride than when I traveled up the mountain by car in 2009. I don't know if I'd attempt this just anywhere, but happy to have a chance to test it out here in lovely, well-planned Kerala.

Food: Channa bhatura

Possibly the best bhatura I've ever had. So soft! And the channa was flavorful but mild and smooth.

At The Pinewood in Barog, a mid-point between Shimla and Chandigarh.

Food: More chai

De rigeur upon landing up, after all.

Food: Chai

Tea break en route to Shimla, somewhere near Dagshai.

Food: Sweet chai

We stopped for a cup of chai this morning at the mid-point to Dehradun. It was quite sweet, as Pops says is the local custom.

En route to Chandigarh -- and beyond

(posting much later in the day after writing)

After a slight hiccup of yesterday spent mostly in bed with a stomach bug (it was bound to happen at some point), we're now on a plane headed to Chandigarh. There, we'll visit with Bua, Pops' oldest living sibling, and her daughter, Vinita-didi, before traveling on to first Dehradun and then Shimla.

From there, Ma and Pops will head back to Bombay and I'll head on to Bangalore to see my brother- and sister-in-law -- my devarji and devrani. Bangalore will be my jumping-off point for trips to Mysore, Kochi, Munnar and Madurai (with Kate D.). Once I've conquered the south, I'm hoping to head east to Calcutta and north again to Delhi, though those trips have yet to be sorted out.

Chief accomplishment of the week so far: Getting my new backpack all packed up. Looking forward to seeing how everything faired when we arrive in C'garh!