We were supposed to be in Mysore. But we're not. We're still in Cochin.
The reason? We went to tourist information and they told us there were regular deluxe buses running to Mysore everyday at 5pm, but that they weren't busy so we only need turn up about an hour before. Lydia suggested we go and book in advance, but seeing as the guy said it wasn't going to be a problem I said, "naaa, let's just turn up on the day."
I am now beating myself with several very large birch sticks. I should never have listened to the guy. Not only was the bus full, it was fully booked for the next two days. The guy on the booking desk was the most ANNOYING PERSON I have ever met in my life. And 26 years is a very long time to be on this planet. The conversation ran like this:
Me: We'd like to book tickets for the 5pm bus to Mysore today.
Him: It's full.
Me: Oh, how about tomorrow?
Him: (looks at book full of empty seats) It's full.
Me: If it's full why are there lots of empty seats.
Him: Those are reserved to sell through agencies.
Me: OK, is there a bus to Bangalore?
Him: It's full.
Me: (scathing tone) OK, how about this - instead of telling me how everything is full, why don't you tell me WHEN there are two seats available??
Him: I don't understand.
Me: (bites tongue) When is the next available bus to either Bangalore or Mysore?
Him: Tomorrow.
Me: But I thought you said it was full.
Him: You can go to Bangalore tomorrow.
If I had a gun, I would have shot him.
To cut a long story short - we have managed to score bus tickets to Mysore, and are leaving today. It wasn't a bad thing actually - we came back to Fort Cochin, stayed in a much better hotel, had a lovely dinner (paneer butter masala and prawn curry again at Salt n Pepper!) and went to a bar. Met a local guy in the bar called Nazir, originally from Kashmir but working in Cochin. He was really nice guy, offered to take us out the next day.
So the next day Nazir and his friend met us at our hotel and took us out to see St Francis Church, a Dutch cemetery and a Dutch Museum before finally taking us back to visit his shop. We now haggle with the best of them - I have a lovely silver moonstone ring (400Rs), and Lydia has a beautiful throw made out of old jewellery and textiles which she got down to nearly half the original price! Nazir arranged for us to have dinner at his shop, and tea spiced with cinnamon, cardamom, saffron and green leaf. Yum!
He has invited us to come and visit him in Kashmir next year - although obviously that depends on what the FCO has to say about the area! There's a war going on there at the moment, although Nazir says that the media highly exaggerate the situation. However, I think I'll wait till the FCO give us the go-ahead!
Uhm, what else? The weather is finally good - we have sunshine!! I really hope it stays that way and that we'll have sunshine in Goa. Went to see the Chinese fishing nets today - Lydia has some great photographs.
Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, off to Mysore we go!
Caroline xx
About Me
- Cazz
- My name is Caroline, but you can call me Fred. I am confident, sexy, empowered female traveller slash Producer Director and to be quite frank, I don't have time to dillydally writing stupid blurbs about myself.
1 comment:
Mnnn yeh Bangalore has fantastic climate and fantastic people.Its like the IT capital and all so you can see a lot od software people moving around.(Yeh sad I am one among them too)There are a good number of clubs and pubs and discs.Bangalore is the Pub capital of India and all.The traffic is very bad on weekdays as a lot of people moved into this relatively small city before a few years with their cars and everything because of the software boom.Its totally metropolitan with all shopping malls,cinema halls,and like any modern city where people have the money to spend and they spend.Its not the rest of India.I will be here this weekend and 20th- sunday I will not be working.
Will show you around(There is nothing much to show arounrd).
Maybe we can just meetup for a beer or something in some pub if you feeel like.Saturday(19th) will have to come to office(I work for a s/w company here)I will be free by the evening and on Sunday too.So drop me a mail if you guys feel like meeting up(sri.vathsan@wipro.com)
Mysore is good.Maybe you can go to Belur and Halebedu if you like old architecture.Its really beatiful.Plus you can go to Somnathpura too.Its 40 kms from Mysore.In these places you can take a guide for Rs:50-60 and they will give you this out of the world stories.Half true and half not but eitherways its very interesting and Impressive.
I went to somnathpura the week before I went to Pure ...I went alone on a bike from Bangalore .It was good.Will mail you my mobile numbers.Maybe You can call me if you need any info..Most cases you will get all info from the Hotels you stay.But if you need anything specific and non touristy just give me a ring.
Thanks for your suggestion on Z hotel.We fell in love with the place and the sweet people there.Plus we also went inside Puri Jaganath temple.Its was massive .
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