The long drive to Coonoor

Up at stupid O’ clock (5.15am) to beat the strike action, then floundered around in the dark due to a very poorly timed power cut at 5.20am! Managed to stumble to reception where our breakfast in a bag was waiting. All the staff were on hand to see us off, including our pal the chef! We left in the heavy rain at 6.00am, just avoiding the strike as we departed Alleppey. Phewf!

It was then a long, but comfortable, eight hour car journey to Coonoor in Tamil Nadu. A few hairy moments were had along the way with buses driving head on towards each other whilst overtaking, and glimpses aplenty of car crash wreckage on the side of the road, but other than that no dramas as we steadily climbed into the steamy mountains. The views around the hairpin bends were impressive; tree clad hills with swirling clouds hanging on the summits. Awesome! We eventually arrived at Coonoor, 1800m above sea level. The drop in temperature was sharp – Gaz looked happy whilst Rach snuggled up in her fleece! The hilltop settlement was busy, so we were glad when the taxi driver dropped us off outside town at the Gateway Hotel. The security guard on the large gates told us this place was going to be somewhere special. We were not disappointed…

The hotel was an old nineteenth century British retreat, complete with manicured gardens, badminton court, games room, mahogany clad bar and huge dining room. The staff couldn’t do enough to help us, and soon enough we were in our gigantic room, complete with walk in shower, flat screen TV, and huge bed! We opted for a bit of lunch in the dining room whilst looking out at the monkeys clambering around the gardens and nicking left out food. We then went for a walk through the local town and out to Sims Park. We had a nice hour wandering around the terraced gardens containing 1000 different plant species, with some foreign tree species up to 200 years old. On arriving back in the hotel we became very colonial and played some badminton for a bit, with Gaz considering whether or not to grow his moustache so that he could twirl it, before heading back for tea. How nice.

Rach chilled whilst Gaz made use of the gym facilities, then we went for an indoor games battle of table tennis and table football. We finished the day with dinner in front of an open fire. We also managed to get a fire sorted in our room as we had an open grate. Two fires in an Indian summer? Anyone would think this place is cold or something…