We set off from Cochin after a final breakfast in our local cafe for a masala dosa and a cup of coffee. We got into a tuk tuk which had agreed to take us over from fort cochin to the mainland for free as long as we visited 3 shops and pretended to be interested in buying something and therefore getting him 3 petrol tokens. A great deal for us as we saved 300 rupees and only took a few minutes and meant we didn't have to get on that deafening ferry again! Somehow it worked out and he delivered us to the bus station on time and we parted with no money! We got onto the train heading to Munnar and waited. I won't go into too much detail about the ride there, because it would worry folk at home, all I will say is that it was 8 hours of punishment. We hit a white hatchback and also killed a goat, all without the driver showing any concern. It wasn't all bad though, we did arrive safely and in time to hunt down a place to sleep. Just. After hours of being mislead by tout after tout promising one thing and delivering something completely different we ended up returning to one of the first places we looked at only to find it was only available for one night! Luckily the man took us to his friend's place which was much better and cheaper and situated right in the centre of the market! We quietly died in our beds after the long day.

The following morning we slept late and woke for an early lunch, followed by a visit to the tea factory and museum. Although I don't like tea, I really enjoyed looking at the machinery and the processes, and comparing it to the visit we made in Sri Lanka. After mike and Hugo had there fill of tea, we started to walk back down towards Munnar when we met three Indians who looked about our age, giggling at us and walking in the same direction, we were trying to find a paper factory where disabled kids worked to learn new skills. So we walked with them until they got to a dusty path leading to some huts they called home. They kindly invited us in, so we followed them down the drive and they welcomed us into the house. They laid on fresh watermelon and cups of chai and coffee and we watched the cricket on the remarkably big TV. it was great!

I had planned to get an early start the following morning to head to the top station 39KM up through the mountain roads from Munnar on a rental motorbike, but that didn't go too well when mike and I were woken by a worse for wear Hugo shaking involuntarily on his bed at 3am. We quickly woke the nightwatchman and tried to find out where the nearest hospital was, we found it was a short walk away so we got there quickly. The hospital was fantastic, cleaner than at home and beautifully quiet. The nurse was straight onto Hugo and by the time the doctor arrived she had his pulse and temperature ready. The doctor calmed the situation when he said it was just a fever and he should be ok in the morning after a paracetamol. In hind sight Hospital was perhaps an over reaction, but better safe than sorry. The next morning, sure enough Hugo was fixed and I could continue with my plans, if a little later than I had hoped. By 12 I was all fixed up with my Indian TVS180cc 4 speed bike and ready to take on my adventure.

I was so excited about riding a bike again as its one of the things I really miss about being at home with the freedom to go for a ride or a drive. I headed out of town and onto the road leading to top station. Within minutes I was filled with butterflies with the sense of freedom that came over me, no one to barter with, no drivers pestering me just the bike, some water and my camera. The views were so picturesque, with tea plantations sweeping the hills and beautifully new tar-Mac roads and white milestones leading to my destination. I stopped where I wanted and took in the views and drank coffee and fresh juice at the various stalls scattered along the roads.

Along the way a passed several large lakes, one at a point called echo point- as the name suggests, lots of Indians shouting and waiting for there echoed responses! It was here where I was greeted by some lads from Bangalore on a lad's holiday driving a Suzuki wagon R+ and living the dream! They got me in amongst there photos and we talked for a while.

I continued to top station which took a few hours and arrived at an off road track which I was told lead to the view point walk 4KM away, so I pressed on down the track on my trusty bike and sure enough I arrived at a small area full of other bikes and some rickshaws, where I left the bike and took the hiking. It was a beautiful 7km round trip walk stopping half way at the view point at the highest point in Munnar - 2450m above sea level. (munnar town is 1850m).

I drank a litre of water before mounting the bike to return towards Munnar. About 7Km from my finishing point, I got caught out in the most torrential down pour I had experienced since landing in India. Wearing shorts and t-shirt and a helmet with no visor I soon cooled down! I knew I had to press on, so I slowly continued my decent towards munnar, watching the km slowly ticking down on the bikes odometer. By the time I got to munnar town, the roads were rammed with people trying to get to shelter and I was riding in water a foot deep, creeping over half my wheels diameter. Eventually I got to the garage to drop the bike off and soon I was back at the hotel. Looking forward to a shower I asked for the key at reception, only to find that they hadn't handed it in! reception had no spare, so all I could do was wrap myself in a bed sheet and sit outside the room until the guys got back, which happened to be 2 hours after me, having spent there afternoon playing board games in a 5 star hotel!

I was sad to leave munnar as I had had such a good time riding the roads and the climate was so great! Also the idea of the journey ahead was not pleasing me. We were heading to a place still in the mountains, north from Munnar called Ooty. 12hours and 4 busses latter we were at a stop over town called Mettupalayan (we called it Michael Palin) where we would stay for the night in a grubby room in order to get up at 5 to achieve tickets for the 'toy train' a small gauge steam train which goes up into the hills to Ooty. According to the lonely planet It is the most romantic way to enter Ooty, but in our experience it was cramped (knees couldn't fit so were forced to stand) and everything romantic isn't. Cheering crowds wolf whistling as we entered tunnels etc. was quite a laugh though!

By 12 we were in Ooty and found a nice place to stay, with a cosy lounge and kitchen, where food was available on request! The room was clean and comfy, and for the first time since I left home there were duvets and soft beds. The nights were very cool and we woke up feeling fresh, although the days were fairly short as it started raining every day at around 3 we managed to see some sights via tuk-tuk such as the waterfalls and the highest point in southern India - Doddabetta 8640feet!

From Ooty, we set off out of the mountains heading north to Mysore. After being in the hills for over a week it was quite a shock to be in the heat again and the hustling bustling buzz of a big town. Mysore was a beautiful town, with wide roads, sidewalks and an organised feel to the centre. The architecture was historical and the town plan had a much more British layout - perhaps from the time of the Raj… there were some incredible restaurants which we visited in a grand tour, eating far too much- it was great! Oh and for the first time since being in India, restaurants were licensed so we could enjoy an ice cold mug of beer (or 5) with our meal without it being served to us in a tea pot, or wrapped in newspaper!

The second evening in Mysore was spent at the Palace where its grounds were open to the public to view it with all its 100000 exterior light bulbs illuminated, showing the buildings skeleton and glowing brilliantly for an hour between 7 and 8. I think it was better seeing it like this before visiting during the day. We wondered around for an hour watching the Indian kids playing in the grounds of the palace and talking to families who were interested in us. After the hour was up, the lights switched off and left the buildings glowing orange just lit by the usual few floodlights. It was then that I realised how lucky we had been to see it lit by the thousands of lights bulbs which we were later told only turn on when it's an Indian holiday!

The following day, we visited the bazaar which was filled with people and bowls towering with bright powders used for skin painting, and the religious dots worn above the heads of married women etc. it was fantastic! We also saw people making incense sticks and others trying to sell me home made aftershave ''the same as Hugo Boss''.

In the afternoon we went to see the interior of Mysore Palace. After the ordeal of handing shoes, and cameras into lockers, and buying tickets and after the full body search, we finally were aloud inside to look around. It felt like a national trust visit, just on a bigger, busier scale. The interior was immaculately preserved and I soon began to wonder how it was all so well maintained, when I found out that the palace had burnt down only a few hundred years ago, and had been painstakingly rebuilt fairly recently. Never the less, it was a truly over the top but magnificent building, and fascinating to look around.

Bangalore is fantastic, I wasn't sure what I would think of the big cities in India I just thought they would be big filthy overcrowded, over polluted places. Surprisingly, Bangalore is relatively clean with huge roads and even bigger modern shopping malls, and commercial streets packed with familiar shops, and food chains! It has been very refreshing to walk around a comparatively normal city where you can go into a shop and look around without being cornered and forced sales. Also you can go into a shop knowing what they sell!

The sidewalks are filled with westernised Indians wearing smart suits or jeans and striped shirts, talking on there mobile phones and wearing designer watches, glasses and leather shoes. So as you can imagine, for once I feel under dressed, and my doti is not suitable for use here! In the bars which seemed to be from cyber space, with neon lit walkways and domed ceilings I was amazed to see the wealth, which had been so illusive so far in our trip.

Had a SUBWAY for lunch today!!