Ooty Ooty

If I do this properly and don't get carpel tunnel and don't get bored then this may be a long blog...so sorry!

So when I last left you I was gearing up for my train ride/bus ride to Ooty!
The train ride was a bit hellish because my stomach was still being irksome but I finished my book on Antony and Cleopatra and started a John Grisham book so all was not lost. Then when I was about to get off the train, which is scary because they don't announce the stops so around the time you think you should be getting there you are frantically staring out the window so you don't miss the sign for the station, I had decided to leave Antony and Cleo behind because it cost me all of $3 and I didn't want to carry it because I already had 4 more books in my backpack :-) A lady across from me helpfully told me I had forgotten my book and I said "oh no no I finished it and it's too heavy to carry"
"So you are going to leave it?"
"Yea I have too many others and it is too heavy"
"You really don't want it? Are you sure?"
"Yea yea I'm sure, do you want it?"
"Only if you are really sure"
"Go for it!"
"THANK YOU!" Big smile from random lady. I felt very helpful even though I wasn't leaving the book behind to be helpful, it still made my day that it made her so happy.

Then I had to find my way to the Central Bus Stand. I had no clue where it was. I had my guidebook and knew it was too far to walk. So I asked random man where I could get a rickshaw. Random Man (henceforth to be known as RM) said he would take me and sped off at a rapid pace through the very dirty and confusing streets of Coimbature, a city which I can spell but not pronounce. RM then found me a rickshaw and asked for a price: 100 rupees! What? I think I actually said "Hell no!" because it was more then twice the actual fare! Damn foreigner prices. Not to worry though, RM asked if I was willing to take a local bus? I have no problem with buses as long as someone put me on the right one. RM said he would handle it, so we sped off again to the local bus stop . I was told which bus to go on, we chatted for a bit and when the bus pulled up, RM checked to make sure they would tell me where to get off and then we waved goodbye. Some people in India are awesome and a real lifesaver when you have no clue what you are doing :-)

So the bus was a 35-40 min experience as I spent the time standing and at points the bus was so jammed with people that they were standing in the stairwells. Luckily the bus man pointed me in the right direction and told me where to get off the bus and another local guy helped me get across the crazy lanes of traffic without being crushed like a bug.

And the Central Bus Stand I waited in a big queue for the bus to Ooty behind a woman with a baby who could not use words yet but shrieked every time I stopped looking at him and then giggled whenever I smiled at him. It didn't matter what direction his mum turned, he was determined to look at me and giggle and yell random baby nonsense. He was adorable

On the bus I sat next to the window for what should have only taken 3.5 hrs and really took 4.5 because of a car crash on the mountain roads. So we were going up switchbacks which, if any of my OACers are reading this, would remind someone of the switchbacks that go up the mountains out west and then everything stopped. The men jumped out because even in India, when there is something going on every man must stand and watch and offer commentary or else nothing can proceed properly. And I sat in the bus for around 30-45 min but I didn't care because I saw my very first monkeys in India and the mountain scenery was gorgeous! It looked like the smokey mountains only GREENER! And the monkeys had me riveted simply with their very existence, plus there were babies and the had wrinkled old man faces and it was awesome.

Eventually the bus started moving again, and we drove past a little car which had obviously ran itself into the mountain. It reminded me so much of our trip to the Grand Canyon this past spring when we saw the car crash on the winding mountain roads...but with no snow....and more Indian people

Eventually I got to Ooty and waited for Becca and Laura and we got ourselves a hotel with a TV and the option of having hot water brought up in a bucket, which is cool. And we have had the best time being together ever since.

Yesterday we spent most of the morning trying to figure out the most economical and ethical way to rent horses and go for a ride and arguing with the horse people about not wanting to ride tired or injured horses and eventually settled on going for a hour long ride around the lake.

My horse had an 8 month old foal who waited anxiously for her to come back and she was wonderful except for the fact that the boy who insisted on helping us find our way kept telling her to speed up. This is really irritating because it takes a bit to figure out how the horse responds best and get her really listening to your instructions and then just when you have her at a good pace and want to try a few things, all of a sudden she is listening to the boy and starting off at a trot that you did NOT instigate. A) it was kinda startling and I looked like an idiot because I was not prepared and B) I can do it myseeeeelllllfff!!!!

But other than that it was nice to have a ride round the lake and when we got back we bought the horses some carrots and played with the little foal who we named Ginger (after Becca who is a ginger too). Then we bought a 5 rupee pass to...the Boathouse. Which is like a sketchy old carnival kinda. Complete with old rides, a mirror maze, a haunted house, 3d movie and BUMPER CARS! We did indulge ourselves with this last one and has a surprisingly great time slamming into each other. We also bought some heavenly chocolate and have been eating since we bought it, yuuuummmy.

When we got back to the room we accidentally took a nap/ rest while watching the amazingly awful show called VIP which stars Pamela Anderson as a body guard kinda... so awful it was wonderful. Then it was late and we went to go get internet and got sidetracked when we found a travel agent who was open and booked our tickets (it takes 4 trains) to get to Hampi just in the nick of time. We will be taking the Toy Train which is supposed to be very relaxing and has a gorgeous view of the mountains. The total journey will start at 3:15pm on the 20th and we will reach Hampi 4 trains later at 7am on the 22nd after spending 10 hrs in Bangelore the day before. Then we went to finally find some food while singing Disney songs in loud voices most of the way. It is great to be with the girls again haha!

Today we didn't do much, it has taken a long time to find the internet cafe and we find ourselves enjoying the chance to be lazy and enjoying the cool weather. It is actually COLD in Ooty, I bought a jacket and have been wearing long pants and socks. Plus it is freezing at night and we refuse to move in our little blanket cocoons because when you do you have to warm the whole area up again. It is quite chilly and feels like fall at home.

Tomorrow we want to go to Mudamulai sanctuary and take a jeep tour. We could spend 800 rupees to do an hour long elephant safari but we can still see wild elephants in the jeep which is cheaper, can go farther faster, and really the only downside to the jeep is that we won't see tigers. Which we had a very low chance of seeing anyways. While we are in Bangelore we are going to take an hour long bus ride to a sanctuary where they rehabilitate lions, tigers, sloth bears, etc...from zoos and circuses and other bad situations so that should be way cool!

So I will for sure be seeing Hampi and if I have time, maybe somewhere else, but it will take me a bit to get back to Cochin before I leave so we will see until then I am off to explore Ooty which is a very Indian touristy place, have not seen many Westerners, but the Indian tourists are all over!

And hey look, it wasn't that long and I hit the main bits!