As the bus climbs further up the mountain the air gets cooler and cooler. I am wedged between Alex on my right and my bag, which is on the floor - my feet on top and my knees almost up to my chin. After five hours of hair pin bends we arrive in the 'Queen of Hill Stations', Ooty, also called Snooty Ooty.
'Discovered' by the Brisish in the 18th century and built up as elite holiday retreat from the heat of the cities, Ooty has a golf course, race track, boating lake and botanical garden. Thankfully for us it also has a YWCA, which is so far the cheapest, cleanest and all round nicest place we have stayed so far. Set in large grounds back from the main road, the beds have sheets and blankets and I am very excited at the prospect of needing to wear a jumper in the evening.
We spend the afternoon on the sort of treasure hunt which is becoming more and more a part of life in India. We are looking for the tourist office. Here is how to find something in India:
1. Go to where the guide book says it is.
2. When its not there, which it probably won't be because its moved or was never there in the first place, you ask someone standing near by (there will be plenty of people to choose from).
3. When the person you pick doesn't understand, keep asking until someone over hears and offers their advice (which will happen fairly quickly).
4. Follow their directions. Sometimes you will helpfully be taken there, and you have to politely pretend that 'there' is where you want to be. Repeat steps two and three.
5. Eventually you will find what you thought you were looking for, usually to be told you're at the wrong tourist office/bank/bus stand/post office and steps two and three need to be repeated again.
6. Persevere!
When we find the right tourist office - the first didn't book tours and in the second there was no one who spoke English - we manage to book a day long tour of the local area, ending in a trip to the Mundalami Wildlife Sanctuary. We are told we will have an English speaking guide and the only extra we will have to pay is entry to the wildlife sanctuary. I am very excited and feel sure that I will see a tiger despite everyone's claims that 'its possible, but probably not'.
'Discovered' by the Brisish in the 18th century and built up as elite holiday retreat from the heat of the cities, Ooty has a golf course, race track, boating lake and botanical garden. Thankfully for us it also has a YWCA, which is so far the cheapest, cleanest and all round nicest place we have stayed so far. Set in large grounds back from the main road, the beds have sheets and blankets and I am very excited at the prospect of needing to wear a jumper in the evening.
Above : Our room at the YWCA
We spend the afternoon on the sort of treasure hunt which is becoming more and more a part of life in India. We are looking for the tourist office. Here is how to find something in India:
1. Go to where the guide book says it is.
2. When its not there, which it probably won't be because its moved or was never there in the first place, you ask someone standing near by (there will be plenty of people to choose from).
3. When the person you pick doesn't understand, keep asking until someone over hears and offers their advice (which will happen fairly quickly).
4. Follow their directions. Sometimes you will helpfully be taken there, and you have to politely pretend that 'there' is where you want to be. Repeat steps two and three.
5. Eventually you will find what you thought you were looking for, usually to be told you're at the wrong tourist office/bank/bus stand/post office and steps two and three need to be repeated again.
6. Persevere!
When we find the right tourist office - the first didn't book tours and in the second there was no one who spoke English - we manage to book a day long tour of the local area, ending in a trip to the Mundalami Wildlife Sanctuary. We are told we will have an English speaking guide and the only extra we will have to pay is entry to the wildlife sanctuary. I am very excited and feel sure that I will see a tiger despite everyone's claims that 'its possible, but probably not'.
I love this mini guide to finding a tourist office in India. The African version would be ' I am not the one'! Luv Murv
ReplyDeleteDid you see a tiger? love Emma and Poppy xx
ReplyDeleteP.S really loving your posts, each one makes me smile :-)