OOohh - we're in OOTTY!

Not quite living up to its description of wide boulevards, nor looking like a cross between Australia and Dorset (Lonely Planet), nevertheless, Ootty has given us two great days of getting out into the greenery of tea plantations, spectacular views and some bonding with horses. Today we took a three-hour guided ride on two spunky horses (had to book 3 horses, or the guide, Aujun, would have had to walk -novel concept!) and managed to get right away from the town and the roads and hit some pretty small trails through mountain villages, tea plantatations. At each village a cluster of small children appeared waving and shouting, following us till we left the village boundaries. Max progressed from walk through trot to canter without any problems (although we might have sore backsides tomorrow as we sit on the bus and train for 10 hours!!) and loved "becoming one with his steed" Surya! Luckily the horses were completely oblivious to the honking, swerving trucks, rickshaws and motorbikes that just grazed past their rumps. We even stopped for a glass of chai in a small village, which caused even more interest.
The previous day Anthony, trekking guide, took us on a full day's hike across hills, through a 100-yr old tea plantation started by the Brits, including a 45Rupee lunch at a tiny workers' kitchen where we were served a very tasty Thali (tray of rice, dal, veg curry and papadoms). A perky dog accompanied us all day - looked like a small Simba! Weird company included an Israeli currently working with plants in Kenya, who found the most oddball things to do all day (like trying to ride on TOP of the bus...) No shortage of quirky travelers - have met S Africans, Brits, Aussies, Germans, Polish, Viennese, Swedish and plenty of honeymooning Indians. (Seems Ootty is considered a romantic spot, with its waterfalls. Lots have their picture taken two up on a horse, then promptly get off again!) Oh well, off to sample some more local chocolate - hand made! along with some spicy Chai. Tough job, but we've taken it on.

No wayout of Pondi!

Pudicherry seduced with its French quartier glimpses, its grand seaside architecture, and its promenade wide as Le Promenade Des Anglais in Nice. It had us caught up in its ambiance for a while as we settled in to the Sri Aurobindo Society Seaside guest house, with its whitewashed walls, calm orderliness and courtyards full of pots and sunlight. We attended meditation at the Sri Aurobindo Meditation Centre, lighting incense and sitting in silence with several hundred other visitors as the evening breeze wafted the smoke to and fro. We go carried away by booking to see Avatar at a cavernous cinema in Pudicherry (aka Pondi), then found it was in Tamil. Stayed anyway and got the gist -not a taxing plot luckily! But then.. the rub. Next day we couldn't get out of Pondi. No buses or trains for a week, welearned, after queuing up for hours at various ticket booths. So what was it to be - a plane? a bribe? No - we opted for a car service. Smallest car ever, but a careful driver took us 13 hours overnight from our guest house to the next guest house on our route - over thei hills and far away in Ooty (aka Udhagamalame....) Arrived just as Santa was delivering the last gifts and hanging the last stockings on the tree - 5.45am. and here we are ready to go horseriding and trekking to wash away the toxins of urban traffic and explore the hills. It is described as a mix between Australia, with its eucalyptus trees, and England with its flowers and green hills. Looking forward to seeing the tea plantations - reminiscent of Kenya days.

Rajasthani and Bollywood concert

We nearly died of lung poisoning as we queued up with several hundred other folk for an hour on one of the busiest highways in Pune for a free concert. Do you think Pune's welathy stood in line? not likely - push and shove was the other way to get in, dropped off at the last minute by drivers. But no one seems to mind. it's the way it is here! We were there to watch a concert of Rajasthani music (a group of 8 fierce-looking men with turbans and handlebar moustaches) - although they were the support band - and - big drum roll - Bollywood-style singer, (Mrs) Rekha Bhardwaj, a well-known crooner with a big following (mostly women who swayed to her romantic songs). The stage was set up in front of an ancient fort (Shaniwar Wada), fabulous backlighting, and it felt like a cross between a Son et Lumiere at Hampton Court and an open air rock concert. The Rhajastini singing was sonorous and rippled through you, castanets clicking to accentuate the beat, while 2 young dervish-like dancers in elaborate traditional costumes spun and swerved over stage, dropping over backwards to pick up a note with their mouth to show off their suppleness. (no doubt they study Iyengar Yoga ...) The dancer in the picture danced and swirled and swayed with this tall headdress for about 15 minutes, looking graceful and sensual.

cooking lesson

Nothing like some spicy cooking to feel like you're really in India. Today one of my friends held a cooking lesson luncheon at her apartment. After practice 8 of us went to lunch and took notes on how to cook an authentic and simple (!) Indian meal: an entrepreneurial local cook (he has many jobs including selling books, being a "packer" and of course cooking) whipped up dahl, eggplant curry and a special rice called Metha Rice. Delicious. Then for desert, semolina - yummy - made with cardamom spice.

Inspirational yoga!

Each day brings new discoveries - during practice chatting with another student about a new to practice a pose, or how to use a prop is delightful. Practice is from 9-12 each morning and everyone follows their own plan - about 70 people in the room all doing their own thing with sometimes very complicated set ups. Geeta practices on her own or with her helpers beside the students usually and keeps a watchful eye on everyone. The young children come in after we leave and practice their special show for Guruji's birthday on Monday. It promises to be a very special day with dancing, music and food to celebrate his 92nd.

Chance encounters in India are what make it so endearing. Yesterday while buying our daily veggies from one of the carts, i engaged a couple of ladies in conversation by asking them about several mysterious vegetables and how to cook them. We chatted about the merits of steaming versus frying and which spices to use with them. They were so friendly and full of smiles. The vegetable seller too. Everyone loves to have their picture taken.

Yoga in 2000 yr old caves - Ellora and Ajanta

Our visit to the World Heritage caves at Ellora and Ajanta was a mostly spiritual experience interspersed with comedic interludes. Ancient Buddhist and Hindu caves have been carved into temples, monasteries and are full of glorious statues, Buddhas, elaborate sculptures and paintings - designated a World Heritage site. We were considered an alternative attraction, 4 white women, and had our picture taken about 50 times standing beside families, school kids, religious groups; had babies thrust into our arms, and introduced to countless people who wanted to know all about us! The hawkers were pesky and wouldn't give up - some savvy salesmen I'd say. They would each glue on to one of us, learn our names, tell us their name (Jack or Eric, usually instead of the more likely Sanjay or Rajkamur) - then call out to us a regular intervals to sell us their wares. Had a few quiet moments to reflect on the mysteries of getting 200,000 tons of rock out of one cave two thousand years ago, and to imagine the life of a Buddhist monk back then.