Day 48 Mysore to Ooty

Leisurely breakfast before we left for our long drive to Ooty.  Only about 150km but on some dirt roads plus slow winding mountain roads. The drive took about 4 hours, that included pee stops!

We drove through two areas of protected forests and wildlife preserves, Mudumalai and Bandipur. There was virtually no trash in these protected areas, but on either side the roads were littered again.  Upon entry into the parks, you had to pass a police security checkpoint.  Perhaps a deterrent to would be litterbugs. Despite both wildlife preserves having a population of tigers and elephants, we only saw some antelope, water buffalo, and of course mischievous monkeys!

The scenery started off flat and very verdant and lush, then as we got toward the forested areas, it became dryer and more brush like with cacti growing.

There were 36 hairpin bends on the ascent to Ooty, each with a sign denoting the number (out of 36) and a safety message.  Some were funny such as ‘hospital ceilings are boring’, ‘free mortuary van service’.  Our driver was well used to this road and knew it well, didn’t feel anxious, and having taken Dramamine, didn’t feel sick either!

Checked in at our hotel and attempted to have some lunch, yet again they couldn’t seem to get my order correct.  Am on bland food here, we always ask for something plain with no spice or adornment, and inevitably it comes with spice and something else added that we didn’t ask for. Am sure they just say guess, but have no clue!  Am on a carb diet of rice, bread and potatoes! Fortunately John is enjoying all the local cuisine with gusto!  I would love to but my gut doesn’t agree.

As we are at a high elevation – 2600 metres, it is considerably cooler here.

We left the hotel and walked towards the centre of town to have a look around.  We both think that this is the dirtiest town we have been to.  Ooty is known as ‘The Queen of Hill Stations’  It is one of the most popular tourist resorts in India. It is a land of picturesque picnic spots. Bollocks I say! The streets are filthy, no real sidewalks, and if there is a bit of one, it’s broken and perilous to walk on, to say nothing of what you may tread on or in, plus avoid being hit by passing motorbikes, buses, tuk tuks, cars, cows or goats. We saw may locals walking barefoot  – ye gads – the horror!  We wandered around taking in – carefully – the sights, sounds and smells of the town. Loads of small shops selling everything from jewelry, cell phones, kitchen ware, satellite TVs, fabric shops.  Also an extensive local market in sprawling array of alleys, some covered by bright coloured tarps, other with the shredded remains of a parasol or nothing at all.  Flowers, veggies, fruits, clothing, loads of tailor shops (with men behind the antique foot pedal sewing machines), plastic items, toys, and meat and fish with no refrigeration – in the open air covered in flies.   Does the local restaurant and hotel buy their produce and meat here?  That is the question!