Woke up and got ready to start the day went for breakfast in the hotel at 7.30pm only to find that it was not ready. We sat waiting for the staff to finish preparing but they were not ready until 8am. We complained but it fell on deaf ears, the staff just continued to say they will check on it.
We met our driver and newest guide and proceeded to what was supposed to be a four hour train ride through the country side, “travels through 208 curves, 16 tunnels, and across 250 bridges. The uphill journey takes around 290 minutes (4.8 hours), and the downhill journey takes 215 minutes (3.6 hours) It has the steepest track in Asia with a maximum gradient of 8.33%.” only to find out that we have been booked on a one hour train ride not covering any of that. A lot of lame excuses from the guide so we refused the trip and asked for and explanation only to find out that the train we expected does not exist. We asked to go back to the hotel and go to our next destination, as the hotel was crap and there really wasn’t anything else worth staying for. After several calls to the tour company and a few cross words we packed our bags, checked out and loaded the car for the 9 hour drive to Cochin.
It is not a far distance but the traffic is horrid and slow moving. Not much to look at but road construction and a few small towns. We finally arrived around 7.30pm, it actually took almost two and a half hours to get to the hotel once we arrived into Cochin as there was so much construction and tourist traffic, being a Sunday. The hotel here is very nice but we had to ask twice for robes and a second pair of slippers! When they brought the robes they were not dry! Good grief – what is wrong with these hotels, you have to ask for everything several times. Dinner and bed.
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- Mist hanging in the valley
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- ‘You looking at me?’
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- ‘I’m watching you…’
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- Trash everywhere
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- Toll area for commercial vehicles at State border
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- Waiting for state inspection!
Hope the trip improves after these frustrating setbacks! XxxxMum