India: Tea, tea, tea, tea, tea

MAR 15

Last night at the hotel (Palmy Residency) we found out that there is a new Pope. I joked with Suresh, one of the employees that it was ME that had been appointed and that I was designating him my assistant pope. He laughed and laughed (maybe moreso because he was drunk than hat he thought this was funny). Regardless, he referred to me as “Pope” thereafter.

And then this morning on my walk, I discovered that the news was out! I found this posted on the side of an abandoned building. Someone must have been very excited about the news to take the time and care to post this.

When I checked out of Palmy I found it funny that Suresh was relying on me to tally the bill. I had purchased countless bottles of water, borrowed rupees to pay for a rickshaw when I only had big bills, and needed to pay for my boat tour. None of this had been recorded. Good thing I’m honest!

After a 5 1/2 hour ride ascending up winding roads, I arrived in Munnar (1524 M above sea level). It was nothing short of stunning. Lush green hills in every direction, from a distance looking perfectly manicured in neat, tidy rows, looking much like a well manicured topiary garden. Billions of tea plants in every direction, seemingly sprawling forever.

After checking in to my hotel (JJ Cottage), I immediately had to get IN THAT! Here’s my first experience in the hills.

Then I booked myself for an Ayurvedic massage, sirodhara (where a continuous stream of oil is poured on your head) and a steam bath. Prior to starting, the woman who was doing my massage had me strip down. She then tied a string around my waist, put a long cloth between my legs and tucked one end up over the front of the string and one up over the back. Due to the language barrier, I had no idea what was going on, but was impressed at the speed with which she executed the setup! Initially I thought this a unique way to fashion a pair of underwear, and then it occurred to me that when my mom was a teenager, this was the same arrangement for wearing maxi pads.

After a luxiously lengthy scalp massage (part of which involved slapping my head), the massage began. More oil than you can imagine was rubbed over my entire body until I was as slippery as a wet bar of soap. Perched naked now on the huge antique wooden bed, my masseuse began braiding my hair – bonus! But of course there was a reason for this – when she then began pouring the warm oil across my forehead, the braids contained the oil – somewhat. In fact afterward she had to wring the oil from each braid in the same way one would wring out a hand washed tea towel.

Next came the steam bath. What an ingenious invention. My greasy body was directed to sit on a stool in a small booth measuring about 4 feet in height. Several doors were closed around me leaving my head sticking out the top. It was as if my masseuse was a magician and I her subject waiting to have my head sawed off. Strange feeling. Then she hooked the box up, via a. Long rubber tibe, to a pot of boiling water which created the steam. I’m thankful that my slick bum didn’t slide right off that stool as I was still oozing oil!

Fortunately, at the end of it all she cleaned me up, wiping me down so I didn’t have to slide out of there!

It’s much cooler here. When I left Allepey, it was a very humid 35 deg C and here, with the little bit of elevation, it’s 31 deg C. When I left Appelley I was told it’s “very cold” in Munnar. I guess when you’re used such high temperatures even a few degrees cooler is “cold”. That thing about being all relative…

MAR 16

Today I went on a 5 hour hike with 2 other guests at JJ Cottage – Meike and Richard from Hamburg, Germany. We had a lot of fun joking with our guide, whom I nick-named “Kumar from Munnar” (how could I not?)!

Kumar led us up to the second highest peak in Kerala – Meesapulimala (2642 metres/8609 feet).
It was so great to be up there, close to the clouds, feeling the wind blowing in my hair.

The Tea Plantations in Munnar, India from jennifer hicks on Vimeo.

Kumar even had a hot breakfast for us when we reached the top!

After descending we walked through a spice plantation and saw wild cinnamon, cardamom., eucalyptus and clove.

Unfortunately, I didn’t exercise common sense and I didn’t reapply sunblock. Silly, also to wear a tank top hiking. So, you know, my skin became pretty darn crispy. I have repeatedly apologized to the largest organ in my body (i.e., my skin) and am taking care of it, so am trying to make amends.

I’m enjoying watching the National Geographic channel here. I haven’t had a TV elsewhere and to just flake out and watch really interesting documentaries is a nice way to relax.