Crossing the desert

Winter is back again in Kuwait and it takes me back to the trip we made during the end of last winter.

A road trip through GCC countries had been in our bucket list since long and then KSA opened up and we grabbed the chance. We watched YouTube videos and read whatever google offered. Hubby took the Saudi tourist visa before we could change our minds. It was our first border crossing by road and there was a lot of apprehension. Our plan was to travel to Qatar and then visit Bahrain on our way back. In Qatar we had a few friends who had shifted from Kuwait a decade ago and few cousins too. We left for the Kuwait border early in the morning to avoid the crowd and since it was mandatory to take biometrics to cross Saudi. This took almost an hour since there were a lot of travelers like us taking advantage of the 4-day long weekend. The rest of the formalities went on quickly and we started the first leg of our journey. There were petrol bunks every 100 km or so where one can have some refreshments and visit a restroom. But I had packed some food and had also brewed some black coffee. Did try the tea at one stop and did not like it at all. Our first stop was at Al Kobbar where we dropped a friend who wanted to visit his brother. Lunch was done at their place, and we proceeded to Qatar soon after lunch. Guess it is okay to say that Qatar is what Kuwait was in yesteryears. We had a lovely time with friends and relations. Drove around Qatar and saw tourists from all around the world. On our drive back we did visit Bahrain as planned. A short visit though but could get the feel of the place. The border crossings can either be short or long depending on the country. Sometimes they let you pass without much ado; else the whole vehicle will be checked. 

Such road trips are possible since there are restrooms across the region. Since prayers are mandatory, mosques are mandatory and hence there are restrooms attached to these mosques too, if not petrol pumps. It is possible in India too since roads are essential, why not restrooms too?  Making it mandatory is essential too? Clean toilets maintained by the same folks maintaining and building the roads? (NHAI or  National Highways Authority of India) Yes, there are restaurants everywhere but one would need to eat too even if not needed. I have used a toilet attached to petrol pump once in Kerala but it is guarded like a bank vault :). 

Anyway, it was during this trip that another wild idea got hold of us but never thought it would materialize so fast. (Youtubers can be inspiring and encouraging too!)

The Rub Al Khali desert or the Empty Quarter beckoned us since there were loved ones at the end of it. 

'A road between Oman and Saudi Arabia,^[8][9] through the Empty Quarter, was completed in September 2021.^[10] Measuring between 700 and 800 kilometres (430 and 500 miles), it extends from Ibri in Oman to Al-Ahsa in eastern Saudi Arabia. A 160 km (99 miles) stretch of the road is on the Omani side and 580 km (360 miles) on the Saudi side.^[8][9] The road also goes through the archaeological sites of Bat, Al-Khutm and Al-Ayn in Oman.^[10] '

We have already visited Oman by air but crossing the desert was a once in lifetime opportunity and we latched on to it before we could change our mind. While crossing it, the scenes were stunning, especially the changing colors of the sand dunes. We travelled during the day and hence could stop in between. Crossed the Saudi stretch and reached Oman in time for some lovely food. On our way to Oman the roads were fine but during the return trip it was windy, and the sand piled upon the road. One had to be very careful. We had 3 drivers eager to take turns so none complained of tiredness. In Oman, we watched the dolphins swim and while the youngsters snorkeled, I tried testing my fear of water and found it is still terrifying. 

There is Riyadh and Dubai beckoning us now... maybe... who knows?

Those beautiful places on earth

A tweet took me back to Peerumade and the one day trip that we made to that place. Just like Munnar and Ooty, even Peerumade and Kuttikanam have changed. Since the tea estates no longer seems to be viable much land has been sold (illegally one presumes) and many cottages and buildings have sprung up. More educational institutions too have been built since the climate is good and it is far away from the usual distractions.

A resort up on a steep mountainside astonished me and we thought of exploring it. I remember climbing that mountain and finding lost or wandering cows and even small caves where wild animals made their home. No idea how this place was given up for a resort. The road that leads to it goes through the estate where I once lived and it is very narrow and steep.

We found none when we reached there.

 Maybe because it is the monsoon time and hence off season. Water source is a small dam built at the bottom of the resort.

One can see Kuttikanam and much of Peerumade from the spot.

Maybe next time one should book early and stay at least one night out here in the wilderness before more buildings come up and take away all the charm.

A road trip to cherish-3

Was supposed to finish this narration last week but something literally stopped my breath! What else but demonetisation? The initial reaction was shock and then the feeling that finally something is being done about it. Then came the nagging doubts, knowing well how the Indian administration works. How in the world are they going to manage this exercise! As for it's long term effect, not even Harward experts seem to have any clue, so why break my head? And knowing our politicians, if this only to fool the voters, then it is going to burn them for a very long, long time. So let me leave it and get on with my trip.

We decided to leave Panaji early in the morning so as to reach Kerala in time. The roads were free at that time except for the cows! Think Goans are letting their cows use the roads during the night. A dangerous action for the cows as well as the vehicles. We decided to go slow until daylight broke completely. It brought back memories of Kumily- Kottayam road of yesteryears, when cattle for slaughter were made to walk all the way from Kambam, Theni etc, to Kerala. They could be seen in all sizes along the roads.


What are you doing on my road? :)

Did click a group of them but cannot find it now.

Thus we reached the Goa-Karnataka border and we still had the Feni and Wines to be taken care of.

 We had packed them into our bags and the police guy wanted to see our bags. For sure they found it and Hubby was asked to see the Inspector or whoever was heading the police station. He went along and was asked to pay IRS 2,000! The whole stuff did not cost that much but since we had no clue of the rules or regulations and since we did not want to waste time, had to settle for 1000. Yes.. it was a bribe. Meanwhile, Son was asked to show the papers by another guy who demanded IRS 100. Upon telling him that all the papers were fine he said this is the custom. After all that trouble, not many takers were there for the Feni. I think Kerala toddy is much better.

The drive through Karnataka was smooth except for a few stretch where the roads are being widened. It is only upon driving through Karnataka that made me realize that it is blessed with so many rivers. The beaches along the road beckoned us to stop but we had to reach Udipi in time to visit a friend.

We halted at Udipi and was treated to lunch by our friend. They almost made us break the journey by enticing us with so many places that Udipi has. The Krishna temple that I once mentioned on this blog is one of them and so is Manipal where so many from Kerala come to study. We promised to visit another day and continued our journey. We thought of halting at Kozhikode but realized it will be to late to find a good hotel. The drivers were fine with driving non stop (it would be almost 25 hours of driving) and since they were taking turns to sleep, it looked okay.

The GPS did take us through a vey bad stretch of road in Kasargod which delayed our journey even more. It was near Kasargod town, when we stopped for refreshments that a strange incident happened. There was this ice cream parlor which also had a board saying Tea/Coffee available. We stumbled out of the car, much tired and in want of something to drink and maybe eat too. Upon asking the father and son duo (they looked so) who were running the shop if they served coffee, they said there was no coffee but can serve tea. We waited for quite some time and found no tea coming. Later, the fellow came and said that there was no gas to boil the tea. Just when we were about to enter the car, we saw the fellow happily boiling something on the fire! Why did they refuse to serve us? I still do not have an answer to this question and at the next stop, both me and daughter stayed in the car while coffee was brought to us. Did not want to test anymore and go without refreshments but this was the first time we encountered such a behaviour in Kerala. Hence it was with much dread that we halted at Kannur for dinner. It was getting late too. But to our utter surprise and delight, we found the hotel(Bamboo Fresh) crowded even at 10:30 pm. A very jolly crowd too. Maybe it was the Onam spirit and celebration.

The rest of the journey was mostly nodding off and waking in between to see if the drivers were fine.  Reached home the next morning and used the day to rest. Thus ended our road trip and maybe next time we shall plan a longer one.

A road trip to Cherish - 2

Bombay/Mumbai, for a newcomer is always a horror until you get used to it's liveliness and convenience. Aggressive drivers are more in Bombay than anywhere else in India am sure. The skill of our taxi driver to negotiate the meanest traffic was so fascinating to watch that I kept wondering how people managed their cars out here. Don't they get scratched and dented all the time?

Our trip to Bombay was during the two main festivals: Ganesh Chaturthi and Eid A Adha. In fact our trip around Bombay was on the Eid holiday and hence Mumbai was supposed to be less chaotic! We were able to watch the big crowd at Haji Ali Dargah and also the various pandals erected for Ganesh Chaturthi.

The mandatory visit to the Malabar Hills to see how the rich in Bombay lived was done too. Unfortunately one finds not much difference anywhere in Bombay since everything is kept shabbily, at least outside. And as long one will never get to see the inside, it is what one gets. Think about Beverley Hills in California and what would you expect to see? Hopefully how the rich should be living? :) Or maybe it is the great Indian paradox where equality can be found in strange ways. Even Ambani couldn't resist building his Antilla smack in the middle of the whole mess. Am sure he faces the same mess that the rest faces unless he is using a copter for every trip that he takes outside. No wonder India’s richest man still thinks he is “middle-class” at heart. Anyway, Mumbai can do better being the commercial capital of our nation. And if the rich is able to manage the inefficient government machinery to make money for themselves, they can also do the same to improve their city too. (High hopes indeed!)

So we left Mumbai early morning for the drive to Goa. Was stopped by a traffic cop just before we exited Maharashtra and wondered if we would have to dole out anything, even if all the papers were up to date. The licence, insurance and pollution certificate were checked thoroughly and we were allowed to proceed. Hope we did not disappoint the officer :)

The drive to Goa is through a forest area and it was a very nice trip. We checked a few hotels online and called them up to see if rooms were available. Panaji was our destination and we reached there in time for hotel hunting. The first one was right in the middle of the city and the shopping centre but they had a room for only one night and had no parking space. Guests had to use the paid parking service located elsewhere. The next one was Verandah Do Mar which looked good enough and being offseason,  we were offered a suite with sea view and a big balcony. We decided to rest for the day and maybe do a bit of shopping later. The hotel had a good restaurant and hence we did not have to go elsewhere for dinner.

Found Goa exactly the same as Kerala; the same kind of vegetation, houses and weather. The only difference being, in place of mundu/lungi one saw pants/shorts. To me, Goa looked like how Kerala looked two decades back. Everything was there in Panaji; branded shops, restaurants, wine shops and yes the Casinos too,

... yet it looked laid back and simple and not filled with concrete buildings like Kerala. Maybe the Goans are living elsewhere? The one's who served us in the hotel restaurant were from Karnataka and Bengal since when I asked them about the nearby touristic places they could not help me. Even the driver who drove us around was from Belgaum.

We had a tour of Panaji and being off season it was an easy trip. Shops were also not crowded and we had a good time selecting things leisurely.

Upon asking our driver to take us to a good restaurant, he chose The Fisherman's Wharf. We loved the food!


Chicken Teriyaki

Beef Stroganoff



Breaded Kingfish fry

Midnight in Panjim



The permit paper

How can we leave Goa without it's Feni? So we were taken to a wine shop where we found the salesman who speaks Malayalam (maybe a Mallu pretending to be a Goan? :) )

We were told that we are allowed to take two bottles each per person and that the shop will provide the necessary permit papers for the same. Maybe it is an age old trickery but we fell for it! We bought a few bottles of Feni and some good wine too.

 Papers were given to cover the entire purchase and just when we were exiting the shop two Malayalees appeared and told us that it is an utter waste of money. They warned us that the Karnataka border police will not let you go and it is better to consume it in Goa. They did look a bit drunk and we decided that it must be the drunken advise from an overzealous Malayalee. (It was not!)

 

A road trip to cherish

Am back on these pages to reminisce another vacation and a crazy trip that we made. If I put it down here, can always return to savor those days once again.

Since the children are now studying in Kerala, one has to wait until they get a vacation for us to move around. This time it was the Onam vacation and although it would have been my first Onam in Kerala after coming to Kuwait, our promise for a road trip had to be kept. Our plan was to drive to Bombay and maybe take a break in Bangalore. No hotel was booked but only the car was serviced to ensure a smooth drive. This time around we had two drivers; one reason why we embarked on this trip. Our son who landed in Kerala year before last took his licence as soon as his age allowed and was already driving comfortably (if one can forget the occasional screams and advise given by his parents).
We left early in the morning on a Sunday and hence had an almost traffic free roads in Kerala. The road after Vadekkencherry is too good. In fact the National Highways are too good outside Kerala. Not sure how Kerala can have a 3 lane highway when the space is limited but......I mean look at the roads...


Kochi - Salem Highway (NH544)

The drive and the food is what we were all looking forward to.

At Peelemedu, we had a very delicious Thali. Along the national highway, specially in TN, one can find good restaurants and toilets behind petrol bunks. Most of them are built similarly and this one was named Gowrishankar Pure Veg. The normal meal is at IRS 80, while the special Thali(vegetarian) was IRS 150. It started with lentil soup and ended with an ice cream. The fried cauliflower even tasted like chicken to our chicken lover son who seldom relishes a vegetarian meal. The waiters hovered around asking us if we wanted anything extra or more. They ensured we ate until our stomachs were full. The bathrooms were neat too which mattered even more.

We had to break our journey either inside Bangalore or little ahead by skirting around Bangalore.  Hubby decided that we break the journey outside Bangalore, since getting out of Bangalore would be tough, so we chose Tumkur. Daughter had already chosen Naveen Regency, after reviewing them on TripAdvisor. Since it was getting late, we did not want to go hotel hunting even though the GPS was behaving pretty well. Luckily we found them very close to the highway and although they are not well maintained, the food was good. We just needed a few hours of sleep before we hit the road again.

It was only later that we realized that not getting into Bangalore was the best decision since the Kaveri riots would have cut short our trip. Oblivious to the agitation we left Tumkur early in the morning.

The roads were too good and the drivers were having a gala time. Both Father and Son reached speeds which Kerala would never give them. We passed places which we have only read about, occasionally stopping for toll gates or refreshments. I think there was a toll gate every 60-100 km and we ended up paying around IRS 2,000 for the Kochi-Bombay road.

Just before Pune, we stopped for lunch at hotel Kaveri and found that it was run by Keralites. They had a vegetarian and a non vegetarian restaurant. We skipped the vegetarian this time and headed for non veg. It was pure malabari food and tasted really great.

 We skipped Pune and headed for Mumbai. Went through many tunnels and drove down the mountains. Reached our destination after 9pm since the traffic inside Mumbai was pretty slow and the drivers very impatient. Not seeing the regular MH car but a KL registration may have made them put extra efforts to heckle. It was after two decades that we were both visiting Mumbai and I found it to be the same old Bombay.

We took a taxi to tour Bombay the next day and the driver gave us a Mumbai Darshan. The kids were more interested in shopping and that is what we mainly did in Bombay. We dined at the fairly new restaurant Bombay Vintage.

 

 

 

We selected the chicken and fish meals; the Mangalorean Tiffin style while the children had a Continental fare.

 

We had planned two days in Bombay and was supposed to return via Bangalore to visit relations, but the riot made us drop the entire route and take Goa for the return trip. Thus the much awaited Goa trip too was accomplished. Since we had a function to attend on Sunday and the kids had to return to their classes, we could spare only two nights and day at Goa. Another blog post maybe....



 

Gavi

This time we made another trip to Gavi. It was a decision made at the spur of the moment between cousins. Too much planning can sometimes kill the plan itself.  In year 2013 we went to Gavi from Vandiperiyar and hence missed the road through the thick forest. We were told that this road from Pathanamthitta, via Seethathode needs either the KSRTC (Kerala State Road Transport Corporation) bus or a vehicle with a high ground clearance. None wanted their vehicles tested and hence we decided on KSRTC. Besides, only a certain number of vehicles are given passes each day and one need to obtain this in advance. We were three families and decided to move from Thiruvalla at least by 5 AM to reach Pathanamthitta in time to catch the bus that leaves at by 6:30. Getting families out of the house in time is no small task but we did manage to reach Pathanamthitta to see the bus about to leave. While the men went to find a parking space for the cars, we ran to catch seats. To our dismay we found that the bus was almost full with only a few seats empty. Initially one thought they were all heading to Gavi, but later realized that this was an ordinary bus that would be stopping enroute to Gavi.

The children had to stand for a while and a certain family selfishly occupied a seat which otherwise could have been shared. The bus left in time and the ride early in the morning was too good. Fresh air, light drizzling and low traffic set the right mood for the trip. The bus halted for 15 minutes at Angamuzhi for breakfast. The choice was Kerala Paratha and curry or Appam and egg. The bathroom was also clean for such a small town hotel. We devoured what was ordered while keeping an eye on the Driver and Conductor, lest they left us behind!

After almost 2 decades of not getting an opportunity, the KSRTC bus made me feel like meeting an old pal! The same old seats and paraphernalia. When it started raining my hands went up automatically to loosen the clasps that held the shutters. And down it came with a crash...the familiar sound felt like music to my ears. Silly me! When you lift it back, it needs to be done in such a way that keeps it balanced, else getting the clasp back in place will need some more tinkering. But for me, it happened like old times J

Two buses trying to negotiate on the narrow road

The ride was too good because of the passing scenery even when the road turned bumpy and when the branches kept knocking the sides and the passengers. These branches were also dropping strange bugs and insects. The road for almost 25 km seems not to have seen no tar since it was first laid! It is almost a four hour trip but I never felt it so.

 

 

We got down at the main center at Gavi, only to realize that it was open only to those who have pre-booked.

 

This was done since tourists were harassed for their camera and other stuff. One can pre-book either a day trip or stay over program. Details are provided on the KFDC website.

 

Luckily we found a jeep which took us to Kochu Pampa where the government has developed a second place for the rest. They have a snack bar and boat rides too. Since it was lunch time and stomachs (plenty of them!) started grumbling, the men folks made use of the jeep to fetch lunch from a canteen a little away. Meanwhile the rest of us went for the boat ride.  If one is not pre-booking, it is better to bring along some food. The canteen is a little far away and there are no other shops close by and you may have to be satisfied with packaged  juice, biscuits etc. from the snack bar.

The captain of our boat.. Unni

 

We did see an elephant and wild buffaloes during our trip. We also got to hear about the tragic death of two Gujarati tourists early in 2015. Seems the lady was so engrossed in taking photographs that she failed to heed the warning calls of the rest. When everyone else managed to run away from the Tusker, she continued clicking photos. She was trampled to death instantaneously while the husband who came to her rescue was thrown away and a tree stump went through his neck. This happened very close to the main road.  Wild animals ought to be treated as wild and sometimes one may feel bold, but one can never be sure when they may get irritated.  The following video shows that elephants can be a common sight in Gavi, specially during summer when they move around for water. It is always better to be cautious while enjoying wild life.

The same bus returns from Vandiperiyar around 3 PM. We managed seats this time since it was quite empty. We reached Pathanamthitta around 7 PM. 

One needs to appreciate the driver and conductor of this trip who manages such a precarious route and on a daily basis. As for the driver, while driving his eyes also scans the horizon for wild animals and does not hesitate to stop so that one can see them and photograph them.  Luckily we did not see any very close :)

 

Another Vacation

Am back after another vacation, hectic as usual. This time it was to admit our daughter for higher studies, a task which can be like climbing Mount Everest! Every parent who has admitted a ward anywhere, be it even a nursery, knows the feeling. Leaving her behind was even more heartbreaking and much tears were silently shed on the way to the Airport, but I thank technology for connecting us at least when it is possible. My watch continues to be on Indian time so that I don't miss the window of opportunity to call her.

Due to the uncertainty of opening dates, we could only travel to places close by. Saw a few places that I have never seen earlier in Kerala, this time too. Travelled through roads that are holding well (the monsoon was late) and left Kerala just when the rains started to play havoc. But it was enough to rock the Airplane and scare the passengers.

Alapuzha beach is the closest for us, yet it is strange that I have never been there! It was always a passing point to Kochi or other destinations and was always dismissed. Hence when we planned a day trip with cousins this was the perfect choice. It started with Azheekal beach, made even more closer to Tiruvalla due to the roads that are now better maintained. The one via Haripad has been recently repaired and ply through paddy fields. It was sheer pleasure travelling through the same. At Arattupuzha one was able to see the much talked about black sand (karimanal) and memorials for the the December 2004 Tsunami. It is still a sleepy village with a road running parallel to the beach and ending at Azheekkal, a common name for a place where the sea meets the end of the land or a lake? The locals told us that the sea is very deep around here and anyone unfortunate enough to be swept away will surely be eaten away by sharks, since it is near impossible to retrieve the body. The beach is not clean and hence we did not stay long. (the photographs are in another device and need to be uploaded later).

We proceeded towards Alapuzha and visited another secluded but a very beautiful beach: the Mararikulam beach. We were 4 adults and the rest were a big bunch of teens who immediately took to the waters. There were enough coconut trees to provide a good shade from where my camera could get some good shots. There were only a few foreigners who might have wandered away from the more frequented Alapuzha beach.

The best part of the visit was the fresh fish that we bought directly from the fishermen who were transferring it from their nets. My greed for it was so much that upon returning home quite late at night, me who very rarely handles fish (due to lack of experience) proceeded to cut, clean, fry and eat before I did anything else. No way was I going to miss this opportunity to eat fish so fresh, without ammonia or whatever they add and after having sat in the freezer/ice for God only knows how many days. The trouble was worth it. Fresh fish can taste so lovely! Nothing beats the taste and now I can understand those who patiently fish by the river that passes by in front of our home.

Time well spent..

I went on a short trip to Kerala to leave our daughter, who is planning to pursue her higher studies in India. Time is indeed flying and it was with a pang that I saw girls in school uniform this morning.

While at Kerala, I could spend some time with my parents too, and let me express it in pictures.

Who said cooking cannot be mastered after the age of 80??
The Vada is store bought: here my Father is soaking it in boiling water to make curd vada..

Chopped ginger, green chilly and enough curd. Never mind the presentation!

This one loves eating the long bean (vanpayare)! a rare sight? 

Another beauty, though a little snooty in this picture: elder brother to the white one and now the mother is pregnant with the next lot!

Summer bloom

Early morning drive to Trivandrum and where else but at the Indian Coffee House