Woke up surprisingly easy this morning at 5am, maybe because we hardly slept all night and that we were stuck to the bed sheets it was that hot! Now I know why we weren't given a bed sheet to put over us! Opened the windows to let some air in but that didn't work! Shower... No water in the tank! Scott went to see if someone was awake but all the lights where off.

We got ready, and much to my surprise Jon Jon was there at 6am waiting for us to go to the bus stop. I didn't think he would remember! Bless him, lovely old man!

It must have rained so much last night, the puddles were huge everywhere and there was still rain in the air, men in skirts using umbrellas the British way and not the Eastern world way as sun protectors!

I loved it, the only bit I hated was the mass amount of Mosquitos surrounding us - everywhere! They could smell my fear! I've already been bitten to shreds in Kochi! I was terrified of being bitten again just because they itch and look awful and are a nuisance, so hard to not scratch but I really don't want marks everywhere, especially on my face and that's the most itchy one!

Really looking forward to the bus journey up to Munnar, even though it is 5 hours long!

Scott thought we were going on a private minibus with air con because Jon Jon was saying 'yes, yes my buses are very good'.

Much to Scott's disappointment we were on a government bus, two seats the one side and three the other; apparently the women side was the one with three seats although when we headed off everyone sat anywhere.

Fair play to Jon Jon, he waves us off on our way - lovely old man.

The bus had air con, don't know what we were worried about; it was natural air con aswell, came through the windows! Haha. At least this bus had windows most buses just have metal bars and no glass of plastic!

Bus conductor came around for the fare... 210rupees for 2 adults 5 hour journey to Munnar. WHAT! I can't get a 3 minute journey up Penygarn hill for £3.50 these days, incredible!

It was really nice seeing everyone jump on and off going to work and school and seeing the different cities and villages as we climbed! It really didn't feel like we had been on the bus 5 hours!

The bus never really stops, it just slows down for people to jump on and off, and the step is about half a metre it's pretty big when you can't lift your leg up with skirts and saris on like these guys.

We got to Adimali, about 25km from Munnar.

**POP** the bus slowly deflates on the front passenger side. "Alfronso tkdiuzhbemdigbf" (translation: get off the bus quick)

Up here they dot just make their awful roads with awful concrete or Tarmac they add a few rods of metal to the mix aswell! The driver went around the corner too quick and over a bad patch of road and he popped the tyre on the bus. And I thought we were doing so well for time!

It was so funny! I just knew something had to go wrong with this shed, and I was grateful he did because I was dying for a wee!

Fairplay to them though, the fare conductor went and got the local mechanic who rocked up in his knee length skirt and flip flops; the driver got the rod out and started loosening the bolts my jumping on the metal stick and the work experience lad got underneath the bus and started putting metal blocks underneath the metal but that holds the wheels onto the bus. Nutters!

And if that wasn't enough the spare wheel they put on was completely bald and had a crack in the rubber. - But it's fine we are in India, jump back on the death trap!

It only took about 20-30 minutes to change the tyre, if that was in Wales it would have been, take it off the road, nobody can get back in you have to have another bus, wait for AA to come; bla bla bla! None of that here because there's no health and safety! Yaaaaah.

I mean they shovel and dig with flip flops on and carry rubble on their heads in whicker baskets nothing wrong with all that! It's a bit of fun at the workplace!

We arrived in Munnar, it was a noticeable drop in temperature. It was around 20 degrees, and drops to 12 at night. Jumper on immediately, it was like being at home which was nice in one way!

It's so very green up here 1550m above sea level; the tea plantation trees made the place so picturesque! It was quieter than the city, and it seemed like a proper winter where everyone was wearing bobble hats and costs, not an Indian winter of 30 degrees!

We had to wait for check in, but it was worth the wait, we had the villa which was just down from Munnar in amongst the spice plantations.

They said rain was coming in this evening and boy were they right! It absolutely hammered it down with rain, incredible! Our roof is made of tin as well so it made the noise even worse! The storm went on for around 3 hours and just didn't stop, muddy water everywhere!

The one night we needed hot water because of the temperature drop and we didn't have any, it was absolutely freezing, so a quick arm and a leg underneath it and held my head under it which have me brain freeze near enough!

What we didn't know was up the little path there were two cottages which also belonged to the hotel company and the wife's manager of this part of the company was cooking for us, the food was gorgeous! We had some sort of daal which is lentil based and another curry dish which was lovely too! Fair play they know how to cook!

Most definatly having an early night tonight, up at 5.30am again tomorrow for our trek tomorrow!