Day Five. Captivating Kerala. Participating in the International Anglo-Indian Conference and First Glimpses of Cochin

Tuesday, January 13, 2026:

Participating in the International Anglo-Indian Conference and First Glimpses of Cochin

Today was devoted entirely to my participation in the International Anglo-Indian Conference—the very reason that motivated this trip to Kerala. But first, breakfast. It had been a very comfortable night and both of us had slept well. We awoke, showered, dressed and turned to thoughts of food. Our hotel tariff included breakfast—so we returned to the Rooftop Restaurant of our hotel and prepared to have a really good breakfast.

Breakfast at Hotel Presidency:

breakfast, we ran into Bridget White Kumar, the renowned Anglo-Indian cookery book author, whose books I had once owned in Connecticut. We struck up a conversation with her and joined her at her table as she was seated alone. The buffet was laid out just steps away from our table and we made several trips to enjoy its offerings: I began with Idiappam (which is a noodle-shaped dosa made with white rice flour) which is traditionally eaten with Chicken Stew. Now Kerala is famous for this combination and I had been longing to enjoy this dish. The chicken stew is made with coconut milk which gives it a wonderfully creamy texture and very unique flavor. It was indeed as delicious as I had imagined. Next, I went on to eat the idlis and menu vadas served with spicy sambhar (lentil stew) and coconut chutney. Then, I brought myself a glass of mango lassi to the table and I finished off with a plate of fresh fruit. It was one of the best breakfasts I had eaten on the trip so far and I relished it fully.

Off to the Conference:

Luckily, our Anglo-Indian Conference was in a place called Ashirbhavan which happened to be a Christian Pastoral Center just a ten-minute walk away. Equipped with my paper and my flash drive which contained my Powerpoint presentation on it, we left our hotel at 9.15 am to be there by 9.30 am so that we could sort out all issues related to technicalities.

We were among the very first to arrive at the Conference hall. I was delighted to meet my colleagues, Brent Otto and Robyn Andrews, both of whom were already there and adjusting the projector. We greeted each other fondly and then took our seats. More and more people piled into the hall and everyone was very friendly as almost all of them had registered to attend the entire week’s activity related to the Anglo-Indian Reunion. This event brings Anglo-Indians of the diaspora, who are scattered all around the English-speaking world, to the spot where these reunions are held once every two years. The reunions include religious, social and intellectual activities, including a Research Showcase and a Research Workshop. I have made presentations at these Reunion Conferences in Calcutta and Chennai in person and in Canberra, Australia, by zoom. I was very pleased to return to the Conference, this time in Cochin, as apart from enabling me to showcase my own recent research activity, it allows me to meet with many of my scholar friends who work in the same field of inquiry such as Uther Charlton-Stevens, Dolores Chew, etc.

The Conference began with the Welcome Address and in the middle of the preamble, my cousin Blossom and her daughter Menaka walked in. They had scheduled a visit to Cochin at this time to coincide with the famous Cochin Art Biennale which they too attend every two years. This time, the Biennale happened to coincide with the Anglo-Indian Conference and they were very pleased to be able to attend both.

The sessions went off really well and, as usual, were highly informative and enlightening. I learned a lot from them and became familiar with the manner in which the Powerpoint projection worked as my session was the last—scheduled just before we broke off for lunch, In-between, we did stop for coffee and cookies and this gave us an opportunity to socialize with so many of the scholars whom I happen to know well including those I was meeting for the first time.

My own session was a bigger success than I had expected. I presented a personal and professional profile of the late Deryck Jeffereis, an Anglo-Indian stagecraft artist who had impressed Bombay with his talents and vision as a set and stage designer, lighting expert and production manager from the 1940s until his death abut fifty years later. I had communicated with his sons Yohan and Renana, based in the UA, who had sent me audio recordings and family photographs that I was able to use as part of my Powerpoint presentation. It struck a chord with many attendees as Jeffereis is not very well known and his low profile has kept him out of the limelight for decades. I had a wonderful response to my presentation with many folks coming up and telling me how much they had enjoyed it and the Editor of the monthly magazine, Anglos in the Wind, Harry McLure, immediately commissioning a feature story on the same individual for his magazine. I was thrilled, of course, as I felt that my attendance and presence in Cochin had not been in vain.

Right after my session, the company broke up for lunch which was served in a dining hall just below us on the ground floor. We reunited with Blossom and Menaka as we sat down to eat together from a selection of dishes that were dished out by the nuns of the convent close-by who had been assigned the catering for the week’s events. It was a great opportunity for us to catch up as well as chat with other participants that we met, many for the first time.

Following lunch, Blossom and Menaka left and returned to Fort Cochin where many of the venues of the Art Biennale were scattered. Llew and I returned to our hotel to check out and call an Uber that would also take us to Fort Cochin where our next hotel was located as we too wanted to catch a bit of the flavor of this beautifully antiquated part of Cochin before we lost all light. We made plans to reconnect with Blossom and Menaka once we were at our hotel.

so, at about 4 pm, we were at our next hotel, The Fort Bridge View Hotel in the very heart of Fort Cochin, just steps away from the waterfront where the famous Chinese Fishing Nets are located. We checked in, called them to let them know we had arrived and then Llew and I sat down to have a cup of coffee in our room. About a half hour later, they joined us in the lobby and we began our exploration of Fort Cochin on foot.

Initial Exploration of Fort Cochin on Foot:

Fort Cochin has a very long and illustrious history. Its Western imperialist history begins in the 1500s with the arrival of the Portuguese in India. Vasco da Game landed not far from these shores at a place called Calicut and with his entry onto the scene, the colonial history of India began. The Portuguese were followed by the Dutch (who took control of a royal palace in the area) and the French. However, the Baghdadi Jews had arrived in Cochin long before the Europeans and they have left their mark in an area know as Jew Town.

As soon as we left our hotel, which was really quite ideally suited to rambles on foot, we made our way to the waterfront to see the Chinese fishing nets. These are in operation in the early morning when the daily fish auction also takes place. On inquiry with the local fishermen, we discovered that one must be at the venue by 8.00 am to see the fresh catch come in and witness the auction haggling for various lots of freshly-caught fish. That scene taken in, we walked just a few meters away, along wonderfully leafy avenues lined on both sides by well-established trees, past Bastion House, which houses a permanent exhibition on the history of Cochin. We arrived, in a few minutes, at St. Francis Church where Vasco da Gama was first interred (before his remains were transported to Belem, outside Lisbon in Portugal). However, St. Francis Church was closed at this hour and the notice stated that it would be open, the next morning, for Mass. And so Llew and I resolved to aware early and catch the fish auction as well as the interior of the church.

At Menaka’s suggestion, we then called for an Uber to take us to Jew Town, the most evocative and picturesque part of Fort Cochin as she felt that the atmosphere by night would be different from day light hours. We went along with her plan and the four of us reached the center of Jew Town, about ten minutes later.

Exploring Jew Town by Night:

It was really very atmospheric to stroll through Jew Town at night. The area is so-called because it was a Jewish stronghold until the creation of Israel which caused large numbers of Indian Jews to emigrate. Rumor has it that there are now only 12 Jews left in Jew Town. This area boasts the first arrival of the Jewish community from Baghdad and the place where the second Jewish synagogue was built. It still stands and is one of the largest spots of tourist interest in Kerala.

We walked down the street leading to the synagogue. This is lined on both sides by upscale shops selling clothes, jewelry, art work, Indian handicrafts and the like. A shop of more interest that the others was once the home of a woman called Sarah Cohen who became famous for her hand embroidered linens—towels, table napkins, tray cloths, etc. We entered her home and found that it contains a small museum filed with memorabilia from her own life. The man she trained and adopted and to whom she passed on her legacy still runs the shop. We shared a few words with him before wending our way deeper down the road.

A few minutes later, we arrived at the Synagogue which was closed, as expected. We took few pictures and just when we were on our way to have dinner, the heavens opened and it began to rain quite heavily—rather unseasonably too. We sheltered under a store awning for a few minutes before deciding to brave it and make a run for the restaurant at which Menaka had made reservations for us as she was taking us all out for dinner.

At Ginger House Museum and Restaurant:

In fact, our dinner reservation had been made at a place just on the next street and within a few minutes, we were there. Menaka had chosen an absolutely lovely place. It is an old seafood restaurant that sits right on the Cochin water front, facing the river. The approach to the dining area is itself very pretty with soft lights along the path and many beautiful antiques and handicrafts decorating the space—all of which are for sale. We were seated at a table right by the water and, in a few minutes, had ordered wine, beer, shandy, etc. to get us going. The Beef Roast, the Prawn Masala and the Vegetable Stew with the fluffy appams we ordered were just superb…it is really hard to have a bad meal in Kerala, to be honest. Best of all, we had a really fun time together, catching up on our lives and talking about our upcoming travel plans. We fell really grateful that we were able to spend this time with each other in this way and savor the joy of meeting even if two or three times a year because of the various locations in which we live.

And, on that happy note after Menaka paid the bill (refusing to let any of us pitch in), we called another Uber and returned to the other side of Fort Cochin where we parted company—going to our separate hotels—and made ourselves ready for another good sleep.

tomorrow, see ya…

Day Four. Captivating Kerala. Exploring Periyar Wild Life Reserve in Thekkady

Monday, January 12, 2026:

Exploring Periyar Wild Life Reserve in Thekkady:

We awoke in our Dale Dean Cottages B&B and after showers and dressing, decided to go out in search of breakfast. This was the day devoted to seeking and, hopefully, finding wild life…but first, we needed to fortify ourselves with a good breakfast. A Google search led me to a place called Misty Green where someone called Aunty Maggie was supposed to provide home-cooked, typically Keralite breakfasts. Well, suffice it to say that we had a very nice personal encounter with a lovely couple, Felix and his wife, Maggie who run a Home Stay and, as part of it, also provide breakfast to their residents. After making the journey and being told that breakfast was not available to non-residents, I told Felix that we had driven a long way in search of his place and, taking pity on us, he and Aunty Maggie decided to provide us with one.

And so, we were seated at a very nice homely dining table in a private house and looked after by a delightfully friendly landlady called Maggie. She served us Puttu—this is a typical Keralite delicacy which consists of steamed rice and grated coconut cooked either in bamboo or in coconut shells. To go with the puttu which is either served in the shape of a small mound (the coconut shell) or in long rolls (formed by the bamboo molds), there is a lentil curry, papad and small, ripe, yellow bananas. To top this off, there is really lovey steaming coffee and we had two cups as it was so good. For this abundant and very tasty meal, Aunty Maggie charged us just Rs. 150 each. She also gave us a sample of her own homemade chocolate studded with nuts and rice crispies—but, in the end, as it is our preference, we bought a bar of her dark chocolate. Thanking both Felix and her very much for accommodating our request and serving us a freshly-made breakfast, we were on our way. Thankfully, they had told us what to expect when going into the forest.

Exploring the Periyar Wild Life Sanctuary:

So, it turns out that we needed to park our car in the car park and buy tickets to board a bus that runs every 20 minutes (Rs. 75 a ticket) to take visitors deep into the forest. It’s a lovely way to leave the town of Thekkady behind and enter the forest where the vegetation is so thick that sunlight barely penetrates.

Once inside the forest, you are expected to buy another ticket for the Periyar river cruise which is one of the ways in which you can see wild life. The other way is to hire a safari jeep that goes deep into the roadways of the forest. I suppose one has greater chance of spying wildlife when they are asleep or hiding away from the public. But these jeep safaris are far more expensive than the boat ride.

Buying our tickets, we sat for a while awaiting the arrival of our boat. This gave us the opportunity to enjoy the peaceful, calming ambience of the forest with the Periyar river stretching out before us, its banks already showing evidence of a lone deer who had come to drink at the water’s edge.

About a half hour later, wee were boarding our cruise boat (two-tiered…we were on the main level) and were donning our safety jackets. Once they were on and all passengers were aboard, we set off to see wild life. I have to say that Peruyar is home to about 45 tigers but it has been a long while since a boat load of passengers have spied them. It is also famous for its herds of wild elephants, but these too remain elusive and probably can best be seen at dawn. By the time we set out, it was about 11.30am—much too late for the bigger beasts to show themselves.

All that said, we saw our fair share of animals. We saw several herds of samba deer, a large herd of wild boar and a huge number of birds of various kinds. We were able to sail very close to a black cormorants’s nest and to actually see the little chicks side it. It was perched high up on a tree stump that jutted out of the water. Yes, it was all very peaceful to simply be out on the rive surrounded by the sights and sounds of the jungle. So while we did have some wild life sightings, I do believe that it was the experience of being in that spot at that time that made our excursion really worthwhile.

Drive from Thekkady to Cochin:

Having checked out of our Dale Dean Cottages B&B in the morning itself, the end of our safari, following our return by bus to the car park where we met Shiju, meant that we were ready to embark on the next bit of our travels—our return to the city of Cochin. We had asked Aunty Maggie for a recommendation for a place to eat our lunch en route and she had suggested a restaurant called My Guest in a small wayside town called Pambanam where we settled down to eat Roast Chicken served in a thick and most delectable gravy with Appams—the lovely, fluffy rice pancakes that are really filling and more-ish. We downed this meal with bottled fizzy lemonade and then returned to our car, equipped with Toblerone chocolate for the road as our journey to Cochin continued.

Arrival and Dinner in Cochin:

By the time we arrived on the outskirts of Cochin, twilight was falling fast over the land. Shiju found himself braving traffic as he negotiated his way to the center of the city where our Hotel for one night was situated. It was called the Hotel Presidency and I had chosen it because it was a ten-minute walk to the venue for my International Anglo-Indian Conference which would take place the next day. Yes, we did have to fight through fairly bad traffic as we inched deeper and deeper into the city but it gave us a chance to see Cochin by night, to marvel at the modern city that it is, to comment on its affluence (it has many designer stores and all manner of modern merchandise, including imported goods, that can easily be purchased).

Finally, we did get into the little lane where our Hotel was located and after checking in and taking showers, all we were interested in doing was getting relaxing drinks in our rooms and then going up to the rooftop restaurant for dinner.

And that was exactly what we did. We took the elevator up to the rooftop and settled down at a table that offered a lovely view of the city by night. Sticking with the Keralite cuisine that was laid out before us (and because we do not get to eat beef which is banned in Maharashtra), we ate a lot of beef. This time, we ordered Beef Roast in Gravy with Buttered Vegetables and phulkas (small, dry chapatis) and fresh lemon sodas to wash it all down. It was a really terrific way to bring a day to a close and it was a relief to be able to simply take the elevator down to our very comfortable room where we made ourselves comfortable for the night

Until tomorrow, see ya…

Day Three--Captivating Kerala. Journey From Munnar to Thekkady

Sunday, January 11, 2026:

Journey From Munnar to Thekkady

We had a truly incredible day. Although most of it was spent on the road as we journeyed from Munnar to Thekkady (our next port of call), the drive was so adventuresome that it will always remain in our memory.

We left our Rheinburg House B and B in Munnar after thanking Kannan profusely for his service to us and told Shiju to take us first to a restaurant to have some breakfast as we were fully aware that there are not many outstanding eateries on the road. Accordingly, he took us to a place called Shree Krishna which offered ample parking space (which made life easier for Shiju). Llew and I chose to share the Chole Puri (Curried Chickpeas with large fried puris) and a Mixed Uttapam—which is a thick dosa flavored with a variety of vegetables such as onion, tomatoes, etc. We finished off with filter coffee (and although it was not decaf, it did the trick).

A Most Unforgettable Drive:

And so, with our tummies well-filled, we began our drive to Thekkady. I should point out that the distance was just 90 kms (55 miles) but was estimated to take no less than 4 hours. And we soon realized why. As we left Munnar Town, we drove higher and higher up the mountains past the most immaculate tea estates, each of which was scenic in the extreme because light mist was hanging over them. We found that loads of tourist cars and buses had stopped to take photographs against the backdrop of the dreamy mountains.

But as the day marched on, we found ourselves entering an area of heavy fog as mist gave way to near-invisibility. To make matters worse, the entire journey involves mountainous terrain. You go around and around sloping bends with sheer drops on the right hand side. Our driver was pushing ahead, just a tiny inch at a time, but was hampered in his concentrated endeavors by idiotic other drivers behind him who honked insistently or tore ahead of us at what seemed like breakneck speed. Llew and I have to admit that we were truly terrified. Eventually, after putting up with really anxiety-causing conditions for over half an hour and as the lack of visibility intensified, we requested Shiju to pull over in a safe lay-by and to take some rest while waiting for the fog to clear. I mean, we’re talking a real pea-souper of a day with no sunshine at all but just the cold fingers of mist wrapping themselves around us. What made the drive even more exciting was that we passed by packs of cheeky monkeys sitting by the wayside walls whose fur was wet with fog and whose faces had turned cherry-red against the cold.

After waiting for about half an hour and after the fog began to show just the faintest signs of dissipating, Shiju told us that he felt ready to continue. I had my doubts but I trusted his driving instincts and, before we knew it, we were on our way again, up and down the mountains. And just when one range of mountains ended, another began. It was amazing.

By mid-day, we had reached the valley and the most scary part of the trip had ended. On this part of the drive, we found bright sunshine to light our way and it was much easier to read road side signs and shop names. It was at this point that I discovered that we were no longer in Kerala. We actually stopped at a gas station to fuel up when I saw a large hoarding of Prime Minister Modi addressing the people of the state of Tamil Nadu about one of his welfare schemes. At the same gas station, we decided to stop for a much-needed cuppa and a snack of chocolate biscuits. It was while there that I entered into conversation with a young dad of two little girls who informed me that we had indeed left the state of Kerala behind us and had entered Tamil Nadu. He told me that we would stay in TN for just a little longer before returning to Kerala again. It was super interesting to know that we had crossed state lines and would do so again just a little ahead when we would re-enter Kerala. However, there were no signs on the National Highway saying, “Welcome to Tamil Nadu” or anything like that. It was just the sound of the language and the different script on the highway hoardings that told me we were in Tamil Nadu. So, as you can see, in little ways like these, it was a very interesting and eventful drive.

Eventually, we did make our way to Thekkady, more an area than a town. The biggest settlement is called Kumily and it was there that our next B and B was located. It was called Dale Dean Cottages B and B (also found through booking.com) and after we found the owner who showed us our en suite room (all of which was very much in order with a well-made bed and a spotless bathroom), we asked for suggestions for a nice place to eat a very late lunch.

Lunch at Periyar Tiger Restaurant:

The owner of the B and B, Dean, instructed our driver Shiju on how to find the place he recommended and about fifteen minutes later, we were sitting down to a very nice lunch. We were quite ravenous, having subsisted on cookies and snacks after our breakfast and were ready to attack some typically Keralite food. After surveying the menu, we opted for Keralite Chicken Curry (which was no great shakes) and a delicacy called Karimeen Polichattu (which is Fried Spotted Pearl Fish roasted in banana leaves). Since Llew does not eat fish, I had the large fish, served whole, after being stuffed with a spice mixture that gave it flavor and texture, all to myself. We also ordered Garlic Naan to go with our meal and lassis and indeed, it was one of the best lunches we ate in Kerala. Everything was bursting with flavor as the spices are so fresh and all dishes are made right on the spot.

By the time, dinner was done, we had about half an hour to wander around Thekkady and browse in the shops. The main market drag is highly touristic with many shops selling the same tourist merch that you find at every Indian beach resort or wild life reserve: loose, linen clothing (I bought a pair of loose linen, striped pants for Rs. 250), semi-precious jewelry, silver items, scarves, bags, embroidered clothing, Indian handicrafts and knick-knacks, etc. It was nice to have this half hour of wandering before our next visit.

Off to See A Performance of Keralite Martial Arts (Kalari):

One of the big attractions of a visit to Kerala is a chance to watch Kalari in action. Kalari is typically Keralite Martial Arts. I had seen such a performance in Munnar when I had visited with my friend, Michelle, while on the Fulbright Program, a few years ago. I was keen for Llew to experience it too—so I suggested we go to the Kalari Center and buy tickets. They were Rs. 300 per head and were highly popular. In addition to Kalari, the Center also runs performances of Kathakali, the typical classical dance form of Kerala. However, while the Kalari performance lasts one hours, so does the Kathakali and having spend the whole day sitting in a car, we did not fancy spending more than an hour there. Hence, we opted for the Kalari and thought we’d postpone the Kathakali for another venue.

To watch Kalari, you enter a large indoor stadium which has a deep pit built inside it. Spectators sit around the bleachers or stands and look into the pit to watch the performance. About six young men wow the audience with their prowess at fencing with swords, sharp harpoons, etc. There is also a segment devoted to long jumping over the backs of at least 7 people, many of whom are spectators invited to participate. The highlight is the performance of pyrotechnics where the athletes jump through fiery rings or hoops which become smaller and smaller as their skills are showcased. It was indeed a very good and very unusual display of skills and talents and we were quite happy to have witnessed the show

soon as it was over, we headed off for our car—Shiju was waiting for us and we drove straight back to our B&B where we sat down and had a drink on our own private balcony before we called it a night.

It had been a day devoted almost entirely to travel—but it was so full of unusual experiences that it made it all so worthwhile. Tomorrow, we shall actually explore the Wild Life Reserve that we came to Thekkady to see.

Until tomorrow, see ya.

Day Two--Captivating Kerala. Sightseeing in Munnar

Saturday, January 10, 2026:

Sightseeing in Munnar:

Awaking in our B and B, after a good night’s sleep, we showered, got dressed and set out for a very early morning start to a whole day’s sightseeing.

Off to Eravikulam National Park:

As we were headed to Eravikulam National Park which tends to get very crowded at this peak tourist season of the year, we needed to make a start at the crack of dawn. I had tried to get tickets to his place online for several days before leaving home—with little success. And so, it was necessary for us to get to the venue early before the crowds heaved. After an early start (we met Shiju at 8 am), we set out for the Park. I was surprised to find that it was less than a fifteen minute ride to the spot from the center of town.

As soon as we arrived at the spot, we parked our car and joined a short line to get tickets to a bus (run by the park) that takes visitors up to the spot from where they would have views of Annamundi Peak (the highest peak in the South of India). This is also one of the few spots in South India from where one can see the rare Nilgiri Mountain Tahr (Goat) whose natural habitat these Kannan Devan Mountains happen to be. If we were really lucky, we would see them. Our fingers were crossed.

We grabbed a chocolate muffin from the small snack stall attached to the big restaurant and equipped with those (as I did not want to enter the park on an empty stomach), we were ready to go. About ten minutes later, we were in a small bus with about twenty other people. About ten minutes later, past really beautiful mountain terrain, on narrow roads that were lined with fully established trees, many of which were lush with wild flowers, we arrived at the bus stop where we were required to alight. From there, we had to hike up a mountain for about an hour, going higher and higher, with the idea of seeing the Tahr.

Although it was a hike, I have to say that it was a very gentle gradient and we slowly, but surely, gathered height. As we climbed higher, we had the most glorious views of the valleys below us bathed in full golden sunshine. There were tea estates all around us, very thick vegetation in the form of tall trees, birds (and a bunch of bird watchers who had bazooka cameras and field glasses with them), hazy hills in tiers in the far distance but right behind us the peak—Annamundi—which in Tamil means ‘Elephant’s Head’. And, indeed, if you looked at it, from the right angles, it did resemble an elephant’s head.

We stayed in this spot for a while as someone told us that the Tahr were expected at 10.00 am. Of course, I was skeptical about this. Could the Tahr read the time? And where exactly would they be at 10.00 am? I put it down to hogwash and decided to simply enjoy the beauty and stillness of the spot. A park ranger soon pointed out black spots far away on the tallest mountain and assured us they were Tahr. And indeed, if you looked at them closely, they were moving objects. But soon, realizing that we would probably not get better views, we decided to make our way down as we had a number of places to see before the day ended.

And that’s when we had a most amazing sighting. As we walked down the mountain to return to the bus stop that would take us back to the car park, a whole flock of Tahr walked very casually right by us. Yes, we were stunned. They offered fine photo ops (which also encouraged a bunch of visitors to do really dumb things like walking within inches of them) and we took a few. Mission Accomplished! Our early morning excursion had not been in vain. With renewed vigor, we hastened our stride and got back into the bus, rode down the mountains to the car park, where we met Shiju and continued onward. It was time for breakfast as our hike (on an almost empty stomach) had depleted us of all energy and we earnestly needed fuel to go ahead.

Breakfast in Munnar Town at Sharavana Bhavan:

Sharavana Bhavan is a chain of well-known South Indian eateries—that, I believe, might be considered the equivalent of the US McDonald’s chain! They serve standard South Indian specialities and are extremely popular at breakfast-time. Shiju took us there and after entering, we found that we were pretty much the only patrons., I guess the early breakfast crowd had left and it was too early for lunch. It was, by then, about 11.00 am. Very soon, small groups of white tourists made their way inside as the place is well-touted in tourist guides such as Lonely Planet.

Llew and I each ordered a Paper Dosa (which is a gigantic, crisp Indian crepe) usually served with a spicy curry called Sambhar and coconut chutneys. We also ordered “Pineapple Lassi” which was warmly recommended by the waiter—but which we did not care for too much—it was a yogurt shake with pineapple juice. The crepe, however, was superb. It was crisp and filling and entirely hit the spot. When we were done with paying the bill, we left, content in the knowledge that we had many breakfasts ahead of us—at each of which we would try new items.

Off to Conquer Madupetty Dam:

Breakfast done, we resolved to see Madupetty Dam—which is one of the highlights of the town. As we made our way to the venue, we passed by mile after mile of superbly-manicured tea estates. Indeed, Munnar is nothing but tea gardens, now in government ownership mostly, but once owned by Scottish planters who had also planted these massive miles and covered them with tea seedlings. In fact, it would be fair to say that Munnar Town lies in a basin surrounded by the heights of the Kannan Devan Mountains that are completely covered with tea estates.

The road to Madupety Dan was well and truly jammed and it took us a very long time, moving at snail’s pace, to finally get there. Once there, all we did was take a look at the artificial Lake that was created when the river was dammed and to see boats (both row boats and peddle boats) on the water. The two of us alighted from the car and took a short hike alongside the lake’s banks, passing by beautiful clusters of wild flowers everywhere—tangles of morning glory in varied shades of mauve, and other wild flowers. We decided not to go boating as we knew that we had many boat rides ahead of us on our itinerary. It was good to stretch our legs and having done this, we returning to our car, after taking a few photos in a tea garden nearby.

Exploring Munnar Botanical Garden:

Madupetty Dam seen and after braving traffic on the way back too, we told Shiju to take us to the Botanical Garden which we had passed en route to the Dam. This was one of the treats of this day—the Gardens are beautifully landscaped in tiers along the side of a mountain. They are truly a gardener and flower lover’s dream and there is every imaginable flower grown, nurtured and cultivated here. This is a working nursery as well as a scholar’s lab and as we clicked pictures, there were some items that definitely caught our eyes: vivid roses the size of quarter plates, Pelican flower (that I had never seen before—it looked like a large spotted handkerchief), dahlias in the most amazing shapes and colors, huge Peace Lilies and also a flower that looked exactly like the English elderflower (but completely lacked any smell). I was excited to find elderflowers in India but on smelling them and finding them devoid of perfume, I began to believe that they might be from the same family but are not entirely the same. After spending about one hour in the Botanical Garden, we decided to move towards our next port of call.

Munnar’s Famous Tea Museum:

Yes, as I said earlier, Munnar is all about Tea—in fact, tea and Christianity. There are churches galore in this town, representing every Christian denomination. In fact, since Kerala is predominantly a Christian state, there is a church literally around every corner. But there also is tea. Loads of it. You can buy it by the kilo in the market in Munnar Town, in different varieties. And this is why the Tea Museum is so popular.

I had visited this place, a few years ago, and remember being entirely taken by it. It turns out that tea was first planted in Munnar by Scottish planters in the 1880s. They took up residence in the town and tried to replicate the feeling of living in the Scottish Highlands by building themselves little English cottages that were decidedly like English country estates. Inside, they filled them with fireplaces and mantelpieces (needed against the year-round cold) and with wonderful teak furniture that was made locally to English designs. Hence, in the museum, you find a lot of memorabilia from bygone days—things like clocks, time-stamping machines (for the employees to clock in and out daily), desks, chairs, lamps, loads of animal antlers on the walls (tokens of their skihari days when hunting and fishing were popular past-times in the mountains). There was also dozens of black and white photographs on the wall that recall their pleasures—golf, cricket, football, all played in the bracing air of this beautiful hill-station.

As part of our visit, we were led into an auditorium where we watched a lovely little documentary film on the history of Munnar, its tea-planting development as well as its flora and fauna and natural beauty. I learned a whole lot about tea planting, growing, harvesting and distribution and about the various companies (such as Tatas) that took over the business from departing Englishmen after Indian Independence. Yes, there was much to see and marvel at and I was really pleased with our visit.

As part of the Tea Museum, visitors can also see the making of tea—from leaf to packet. You are invited to enter a vast hall where massive tea-drying, grinding and filtering equipment is still used to process and packet tea. Indeed, tea is the world’s largest consumed beverage with China being the main consumer and India being second. Much of the world’s tea production comes from India which is a major export and important cash crop. I found all of us quite fascinating and was very glad we made the visit. At the very end, one enters the gift shop, of course, where you can buy tea in all sorts of avatars and also treat oneself to a drink of tea in the adjoining tea shop. It is all very well organized and the crowds move in quite an orderly manner. I wish I could have found an English-style tea room or cafe, but alas, there was only a counter-style place where you could stand and sip a cuppa. A bit of a disappointment at the end of a very good tour.

Off to the Attukad Water Falls:

The last item on our sightseeing agenda for Munnar were the Attukad Water Falls. The day had passed rapidly by and light was fast fading as we decided to go to the Falls. I remember having gone there, a few years ago, with my friend Michelle, and the grand impression that the site had left on me. And so, despite the fact that we had to drive a bit out of town and brave curving bends down a steep mountain to get to the bottom and despite the fact that twilight was setting in, I was determined to see the Falls. Once again, we were indebted to Shiju who did a great job taking us down the mountain to the spot where the Falls reach the valley bottom. We did see the actual Falls themselves when approaching this spot. But the main site is the river bed where there are gigantic boulders over which the river flows creating little cascades. The river was not in full spate which meant that the flow was very gentle. There is another little cafe at this spot, but having stopped here briefly to take pictures, we returned to the car and made our way back to town. Yes, there was a bit of traffic on the mountain roads at this time of day as people returned home after a work day, and night had fully fallen by this point; but we were not too far off and we reached Munnar Town in time for dinner.

Dinner at Guru Bhavan Restaurant:

As we’d only eaten Brunch today, we were starving by the time dinner time rolled around. Using Google, I found a warmly-recommended place called Guru Bhavan and it was here that we ordered Kerala’s famous Prawn Biryani with raita and Lassi to sip. It was very good indeed if a tad too spicy for us We began to realize that all Keralite food is heavy on the spice element as these mountains are covered with spice plantations: cinnamon, cardamom, any amount of pepper—in fact, black pepper grows almost wild in Kerala—plus cumin, coriander, nutmeg and mace, vanilla, anise, etc. You can buy packs of spices, well-wrapped to form gifts in the stores in the market and any amount of tea. Other items that are really popular are coffee and chocolate—for cacao also grows plentiful in Kerala and there are plenty of stores that tout “Home made chocolate”. I need not point out that Kerala is so green because so much of it is given to agriculture and coconut plantations are everywhere, This explains why tender coconut water is a very appealing and popular drink in Kerala and is sold all over the place.

With our dinner done, all that was left was for us to make our way back to our B&B—which was exactly where Shiju took us. We climbed the steep hill up to our place and reached our location, happy to find that the din of the church next door had finished for the day and we could bed down to a quiet night in weather that was cool and very conducive to a good night’s sleep.

Until tomorrow, see ya

Day One--Captivating Kerala Tour. Making a Mark in Munnar

CAPTIVATING KERALA—TRAVELOGUE

JANUARY 2026

By Rochelle Almeida

Llew had never been to Kerala, while I would be returning there for the fourth time. I had first been in 1984, then in 2011 and 2018. This time round, I was invited to present a paper at an International Anglo-Indian conference in Cochin and decided to use the opportunity to tour Kerala with Llew who made the choice to accompany me. Accordingly, I used Chat GPT for the very first time to plan an itinerary based on a ten-day break and then tweaked its suggestions to suit our needs.

Kerala is often referred to as “God’s Own Country” and by the time we were done with our travels in this state, we had to accept that the appellation is entirely appropriate. We had a really lovely time and returned home with beautiful memories of a very gentle place and very gentle people.

Friday, January 9, 2026:

Bombay-Cochin

As our Indigo flight was scheduled to leave Bombay at 8.10 am, we needed to be at the airport at 6.10 am. This involved waking up at 5 am, calling an Uber at 5.30 am and driving through the still-quiet streets of Bombay to get to the airport. Indigo recently had a major disruption of its service which had caused chaos in the lives of millions of Indians and although services had resumed, there were still some glitches to be ironed out. We were not surprised, therefore, to find that our flight was delayed by 90 minutes. By the way, we were airborne, it was about 9.45 am. This meant that we would miss a meeting with my cousin, Blossom and her daughter Menaka, both of whom were flying into Cochin at approximately the same time. Our delay meant that they waited for us for over an hour to enable us to grab a coffee together at the airport…but in the end, they tired of waiting and left. We would meet them, four days later, in Cochin once again.

The flight was short, comfortable and uneventful (until the very end—when something very unusual happened—more about that later). I know that flying down South offers passengers seated on the left side of the aircraft the opportunity to see the coast of Bombay pass down below. Hence, we had chosen our seats carefully. However, it was really smoggy and although I did get some pictures of the map of Bombay as seen from at least 20,000 feet above sea level, they are not as clear as I would have liked.

For the rest of the flight, after we left Bombay and headed south, we flew over multiple mountain ranges—all really picturesque and pretty as the early morning sun’s rays hit them. Llew and I had downed a cup of coffee before leaving home, so we were quite hungry by the time in-flight breakfast service began. However, we had already paid for a Chicken Tikka Sandwich which we really enjoyed with the airline’s famous Blue Tea (a delicious cinnamon and cardamom-flavored brew) and with that we felt ready for what the day would offer.

Viewing Cochin from the air when we were flying over it was a very interesting experience especially as we could clearly see Fort Cochin laid out before us. We could see the river that flows down to the sea and the two halves of the land mass that makes up this port area. A few days later, we’d actually be exploring this area on foot—so it felt terrific to see it from up there. We also saw maps made of this area in the 1600s by Dutch cartographers when they first arrived on the Malabar Coast. Their versions exactly mirror the land mass we saw below us.

An Unusual Landing in Cochin:

We also had a most interesting and unusual experience when we were landing at Cochin International Airport. We had made the grand descent and were actually parallel to the runway—in fact, just inches above it—when the aircraft suddenly picked up height again and became airborne once more! We had absolutely NEVER encountered such an experience in several decades of flying and the entire aircraft was stunned into silence at what had just happened. It was a good fifteen minutes later and, after we were very up much in the air again, that the Captain came on the PA system to inform us that there had been a technical reason for the second take-off. He told us that this was actually common practice and nothing to alarm us. I have to say that we were not convinced. Anyway, about half an hour later, after we had encircled the city for over twenty minutes, we made another landing—thankfully, it was safe and uneventful. We texted our relatives only to find that they had waited for us for a good hour and then left the airport—we missed them by a hair.

Getting out of Cochin airport (we had no check-in baggage but just a small carry-on each as we are notoriously light travelers), we found our private taxi driver Shiju waiting with a sign that proclaimed “Dr. Rochelle Almeida”. I went up to him while beaming and said, “Hello, that’s me”. The taxi service, by the way, had been organized by me while still in Bombay, through a Kerala-based friend, who had recommended the company (Vaz Travels). They had sub-contracted this 9-day trip to Shiju who stayed with us throughout. And so, within ten minutes, he brought our car, a white Suzuki, to the pick-up area and we were off and away. Hello Cochin, I thought, and Hiya Kerala. We had arrived and were ready to begin our travels.

First Destination—Munnar, Tea Garden Capital of India:

Once in the taxi, we stashed away our bags, put on our seat belts and were off. Now, the distance between Cochin and Munnar (our first destination) is just 126 kms or 78 miles. In the US, we’d have been able to cover this distance in a little over an hour. Here, it was estimated to take four hours as we’d be traveling through tiny little villages, narrow roads lined with shops and people and then through mountainous terrain with hairpin curves. Yes, it would be slow going, but we were in no hurry and were determined to enjoy the journey as much as the first port of call.

Lunch En Route to Munnar:

En route, we stopped for lunch as we started to feel distinctly peckish. Shiju found us a small restaurant where we opted for a typically Keralite meal: we had prawn masala and beef roast with Kerala Parotta. A word about these items: Kerala is one of the few states in India where beef is not banned (we do not get or eat beef in Maharashtra of which Bombay is the capital), Hence, when traveling, we do try to eat as much beef as possible. Kerala’s Beef Roast is legendary as is its Fried Beef (although this tends to be much more spicy as it is marinated overnight in a mixture of spices). The Parotta is also different from that of the rest of India. It is also called a Malabar Parotta—it is far more flaky than the usual and is structured in an interesting circular pattern. For dessert. we chose to share the Payassam—which is a typical Kerala pudding made with a different star ingredient (vermicelli, sago, wheat, dal or lentils) and coconut milk, sweetened with raw sugar called Jaggery. Well, this one was a wheat payassam and while it was very good, it was also a bit filling. We could not get through the whole cup although we shared it. Anyway, our meal was just delicious. We had it with lassi (we had decided to drink only bottled water on our travels—just filtered water, we felt, would not do) and soon we were off on the road again. This was the first of the many delicious meals we would consume as Kerala’s cuisine is legendary.

Arrival in Munnar:

About ninety minutes later, we arrived in Munnar. It was clearly evident that we were there as the first tea estates came into view and, on seeing them, my heart leapt up. Using the GPS, we arrived in Munnar Town and found the location of our first accommodation: the Rheinburg Town House B&B which was owned by Germans and run by a Keralite man called Kannan. After climbing up a really steep hill, just past the very center of Munnar Town, we arrived at the entrance where Kannan met us. He introduced himself to us and informed us that he would look after all our needs as he was the manager.

Kannan led us about 150 meters, past a small and very noisy church (apparently it was a religious feast and they were celebrating by making a most unbelievable din), into his property. It was a very pretty place indeed with a lovely flower garden in the front. However, we did not have either a garden or mountain view as we were led to the very side of the property and in through a side door into a very sparsely furnished room. I guess you could say this was a ‘no-frills’ place. But the bed and mattress looked clean and comfortable and the en suite bathroom was just as clean and satisfactory. As we’d only be there for two nights, we were not unduly concerned by the spartan accommodation.

The din from the church next door (shot through the air through a most powerful PA system) was unbearable and I was simply disgusted by the noise. I realize that while I can take air pollution, it is the noise pollution that drives me nuts in India. Anyway, Kannan assured us that it would stop in about half an hour and he was right. We sent him out to buy us cold tonic water (as we had stopped en route to buy ourselves a bottle of red wine and a bottle of gin) and since we were really too full after our rather late lunch, we merely nibbled on chips and nuts and got ready for bed. Yes, the cacophony from the church next door did stop in about a half hour and we had a blissfully quiet night’s sleep.

We would leave the bulk of our sightseeing in Munnar for tomorrow—so it was with very grateful hearts that we fell asleep.

Until tomorrow, see ya…

En Route from London to Bombay.

Tuesday, October 14, 2025

En Route from London to Bombay.

It would be about 7.30 am (GMT)—local London time—when I landed in London at the end of the first leg of my return to Bombay from Los Angeles, California. After a light breakfast (a snack service, really, as gone are those days when you received a hot Full English Breakfast on British airlines even in Economy), I was ready to spend four hours in London’s Heathrow airport (Terminal 3). Naturally, I browsed through the shops and ended up making one wild purchase at Jo Malone (maybe my favotite store ever). I bought their most popular product—their annual Advent calendar. This is a hamper of 25 goodies, one for each day of Advent (starting from Dec 1). You open up one window each day throughout the month of December and are rewarded for your pains with a piece of candy or a toy (if you are a child) or a cosmetic (if you are a grown up). Many British companies have begun making these Advent calendars for Adults (although the practice originated with children). Jo Malone’s Advent Calendar flies out of the stores as soon as they hit them—because the value of the goodies contained in it far exceeds the retail cost paid up front. I have to say that, in the past, the calendar was much better: there was always a full sized bottle of perfume on the last day (on Christmas Day). This year, it is only a candle (and that too is not full size). But, all things considered, this is something I have wanted to purchase for years—but it was always sold out by the time I scented a whiff of its existence. This will provide my perfume needs for a whole year—which is why I am glad I indulged fully in a bit of retail therapy. So, all said, it was a very judicious purchase. I paid for it, had it wrapped up and left waiting for me. I told the shop assistant I would pick it up when it came time to board my flight.

Till then, I continued browsing in all the designer stores. I loved the fact that autumnal colors are gracing every shop window: there were warm oranges and yellows in the carves at Hermes, Cartier, Burberry and Gucci and the same shades at the handbag shops such as Mulberry and Chanel. Westerners certainly take Autumn very seriously as it calls for a complete change in wardrobe. It put me in mind of the annual wardrobe overhaul I used to do at the end of summer each year while in Connecticut as I put away my summer clothes and brought my cashmeres and silks out of storage to begin use for one more year. It was always such a fun time for me.

About two hours later, boarding for my flight was announced. I picked up my large and very heavy Jo Malone package and headed to the gate where all went smoothly. I had an aisle seat about which I was very pleased and as most of the flight would be spent sleeping, I was glad I would not be disturbing my seat companions each time I wished to stretch my legs. I watched three more movies in-flight (barely getting any sleep myself): Black Bag, Baby Girl and another whose name I do not remember.

Wednesday, October 15, 2025

Landing in Bombay, India—Home Sweet Home.

And then, before I quite knew it, it was 7.30 am IST (local Bombay time) and time to make our descent into Bombay. Very quickly, I was clearing Customs and Immigration, getting my pre-paid taxi and arriving at my home in Bandra. Much as I had loved my travels, it felt so good to be back home again—in my own flat, showering in my own bathroom and crashing on my own bed. Needless to say, I was out like a light.

Thanks for following me on this long and adventurous journey. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed these scribbles. Until the road rises up to greet me, stay well…and happy wandering yourself!

Making the Most of My Last Day of Vacation in Dana Point, California

Monday, October 13, 2025

Los Angeles-Dana Point, California

Making the Most of My Last Day of Vacation in Dana Point, California

And finally (I could hardly believe it myself!), I reached the last day of my vacation. After being on the go for more than a month (London—which suddenly seemed ages away—Chicago, Connecticut—with New York City thrown in, for good measure—and, eventually, Northern California—where we had a motoring tour to remember), the day dawned when we had to bring it all to a halt. And what better way to do it than at Dana Point, California—a place I had always wanted to visit (ever since my former neighbor and now close friend, Rosemary, had told me that her daughter Jenny loved living there for over a decade). As it turned out, I would be returning to Bombay tonight, but Llew would be extending his stay in the US for another two weeks and would be spending them, first with friends in San Diego, and then with more friends in Somerset, New Jersey. Accordingly, we were to meet Valentine and Jacinta, our San Diego-based friends, at Dana Point. They would be hosting Llew for a whole week in their lovely home in their lovely town and had agreed to meet us halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego—that spot was Dana Point: the perfect meeting-point and one that would allow me to see why Jenny and her family had loved this place so much.

Off to Dana Point by Car:

Llew and I awoke early so that we could shower, get ourselves organized, take our baggage downstairs to the hotel lobby and probably pick up a bit of breakfast at the restaurant on the ground floor before Chriselle and AJ would arrive to pick us up and drive us to Dana Point.

Breakfast was just a croissant (which we shared) as there were no other baked goods to be had. It turned out to be a holiday (Columbus Day?) and their daily shipment of baked goods had been delayed. We enjoyed our coffee, however, (and too a few photos) knowing that this would probably be the last time we would stay here in this hotel. Chriselle and AJ arrived on cue at about the same time that we made contact with Kevin, AJ’s brother, who happens to be the general manager of the hotel and who kindly made special arrangements for our stay on both legs of this trip. We were happy that we were able to meet and thank him in person. And then we were off.

The drive out of Los Angeles was nothing to rave about: we did pass downtown in the distance and could see the skyscrapers of the city. Then, we were in the midst of traffic, making our way south towards San Diego. It was a pleasant enough ride for about 90 minutes before we entered the little hamlet of Dana Point which is on the coast—a typical, swanky seaside town. You can just imagine how pretty it is, being both coastal and affluent.

Discovering Dana Point:

drove straight to the waterfront as Chriselle knew that there was a large public parking lot there. This would be the perfect meeting-point for our rendez-vous with Val and Jacinta. And indeed, we had a lovely reunion with them in just fifteen minutes after we reached there and parked. It was terrific to see them again. We could not remember when we had last seen them; but we think it was about four years ago. Of course, we are constantly in touch with them online.

After our meeting, we decided to take a stroll along the coast. It was a very cloudy day and the sky was heavily overcast. It really did not suit the sea-side ambience of this town, but at least it was not unpleasantly cold. In fact, it was very mild indeed as we strolled alongside the marina to take in the fancy boats moored there. We made our way to the very end where a few restaurants and souvenir shops and boutiques caught our eye. Because we are long past the summer season, every place we explored was practically empty. In fact, most of the shops seem to be in closing mode and it will not be long before this area becomes a mini glost-town.

This part of Dana Point seen, we decided to drive towards the downtown area. Here, there is a maze of pretty streets, laid out in most organized manner, containing shops, restaurants, etc. that would give us quite a good idea of the shopping opportunities available to the locals. We walked through a couple of them, after finding parking for our two cars pretty much alongside each other. We then walked towards the ocean and when we arrived there, a most glorious view awaited u. For perched high up on the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean is a look out point that offers panoramic views of the town the beach, the marina, the boats harbored there, the cliffs, the upscale homes clinging to the sides and the beautiful skies stretching out way beyond the horizon. Yes, Dana Point is beautiful and every bit as grand as its reputation suggests.

After taking severa pictures at this vantage point, we looked out for a place to eat brunch (as we’d barely eaten any breakfast). We found a place right in front of us and decided to simply settle down there, It was a very casual place with a wide balcony which could allow us to eat ‘outside’ as it were. Also, we found that the place offered Fish Tacos and since they are such a standard item on menus in Southern California (and we hadn’t had any on this trip), that’s where we decided to go and what we decided to eat. We ordered a variety of tacos—pulled pork, lamb, beef and, of course fish and shrimp tacos—and with this assortment in front of us, we all dug in and had ourselves a really delicious meal. It would be my last meal of this trip and I was really glad it ended on such a joyous note—with terrific company, much laughter and catching up (I had only about three hours with our friends and wanted to make the most of it) and superb casual and very reasonably-priced food.

As if this amazing repast were inadequate (Llew treated us all), Val and Jacinta decided to treat us too. They figured dessert would be just what the doctor ordered to end a lovely daytrip. So, we strolled around a bit more (to work a few more calories off) and then headed to Bruster’s for Real Ice-cream). And oh my! What a variety of flavors were available for our choosing pleasure. Each of us got a cup with two scoops and they were simply loaded. Of course, some of us went for the tried-and-tested types such as Chocolate and Strawberry while others feasted on more exotic choices such as Chocolate and Dark Cherry or Salted Caramel Mocha (which I picked). It was indeed the perfect treat with which to end our day. From this point on, you can bet I resolved to go on a diet—especially a no fat one—so that I could return to my regular wardrobe instead of living in drawstring pants!

Another stroll was called for as we had about half an hour to kill before we would start off on our return drive to Los Angeles Airport where I had a flight leaving at 7.00 pm. Val, Jacinta, Llew and I left Chriselle and AJ to their own devices as we chattered, nineteen to the dozen, and eventually, at 2.30 (the time we had decided to take off), we met again at our parking lot, said our goodbyes to our San Diego friends, left Llew in their happy charge, and left for Los Angeles.

Drive Back to Los Angeles:

We did not realize that since it happened to be a holiday, there would be barely any traffic on the freeway. We took much less time than the 90 minutes we had expected—with the result, I reached the airport well in time for the reporting hour. I unloaded my baggage, said goodbyes and thank-yous to AJ and Chriselle and with my baggage safely in the concourse, I was inside and getting ready to check in.

All went well with my check-in procedure. I have to say that I had a lovely traffic assistant who gave me a window seat (without making me pay for it), My baggage too was well within the weight limit and with no worries, I set off for Security. I had plenty of time to window shop but as I had a heavy backpack and a strolley to lug along, I decided to simply get to my gate and relax—even if it was a whole hour before boarding.

And that was what I did. I killed time at the gate by blogging and in no time at all, we were ready to board. Yes, darkness had fallen over California by the time we were airborne but as my flight was going from Los Angeles to London, I made sure I watched a movie after drinks and dinner were served (I watched ‘Heretic’, a really scary movie with Hugh Grant) and then sleep washed over me and I gave in to it.

What a fantastic last day it had been! And how memorable had been my entire trip! All I had to do, before I slipped into Dreamland, was think about a safe landing in London and onward flight to Bombay and then a really interesting homecoming as I would be alone for the next two weeks.

Until tomorrow, see ya’…