Tea Plantations at Munnar

So it's been a while since i've updated the blog & also haven't written anything in my journal so am going to try and recount last weeks fun & frolics as best I can... From where I left off, Aggie has arrived and we've booked an overnight trip up the tea plantations high in the hills of Munnar. Set off at a horrid hour in taxi via an elephant training centre. At about 8am the elephants are taken down to the river to bathe. There's 5 in total, 2 adults and 3 babies....the babs are dead cute and the adults incredible & huge. All seems a bit set up for the tourist tho, all shackled together and whacked if they even slightly step out of line. Such a shame as so beautiful...secretly hope that elephants hit back at mean trainers but to be honest they are none the wiser about their cruel set up. Set off in taxi again set for Munnar. Experience what will become blindingly obvious is Indian sat navigation. First of all we assume the taxi driver is lost as about every couple of km's stops to ask someone where the hell he's going (get slightly worried when a couple of guys both point in contradicting directions)- however this continues pretty much for the rest of the journey and for every subsequent lengthy taxi/tuk tuk drive following. In future do away with the expense of Tom Tom's and adopt the Indian way - although with UK honesty & warped humour you'll prob never end up in your desired destination....ha.

When start getting close to Munnar the scenery is stunning. Rolling hills overlapping each other completely covered in tea crops which appear in a jigsaw pattern and look real green & pretty. Go to a tea museum where they serve us a cup of masala chai out of a machine....authentic.

Stay over night at a little home stay nestled in the hills which overlooks a valley with a little separate tree house perched on the edge. Extremely tranquil and serene! Ash ends up in the tree house accompanied by a massive spider which gets removed fairly quickly....you're a soldier girl for sleeping in fear! See probably the most gorgeous sun set yet....flame red setting behind the hills....ahhhhh. In the morning visit a view dams - it actually felt like we could be in the Lake District....slightly weird. Back to the lodge where get fed another amazing home cooked kerelan thali. I need to do a cooking course pronto. Super amazing food.