The Original Harmony

Wednesday:

The ride to Thekkady was a little less intense than into Munnar. More stunning landscapes covered in tea and boulders. Along the road we were seeing some of the most amazing flowers, white and pink trumpets, indigo morning glories, bright red hibiscus, and a other yellow, orange, purple, pink, fuscia, blue flowers.

As we went on, the tea started to give way to cardamom plantations, growing in the forest shade. The lower altitude tea plantations that were around also grew sour oranges, in part to provide shade from the hotter sun.

Once in Thekkady we stopped at  tourist center to arrange for a jeep safari the next day and go on a short elephant ride. We had mixed feelings about this, and if given the time to think about it probably would have not gone on the ride. The animals seem very well cared for, but not especially happy. Interesting maybe, but feeling bad for the elephants didn't make it very fun.

Next we went to a spice garden, where they are growing plants from all over the world mostly for educational purposes. Our guide, Krishna, was great. It'd be impossible to list everything we saw. Some highlights were: nutmeg, clove, allspice, cinnamon, ginger, cocoa, rose apple, curry, sour gooseberry, betel, cardamom, pepper, sweet killer, and vanilla.

Now, as we wait to head back out to see a martial arts show the thunder from another pre-monsoon shower is rumbling.

Also, Kerela is a communist state.