Most Inspirational Moment
The relaxing houseboat cruise and canoe trip were so enjoyable as we could observe village life, coir spinning, birds, etc. in their beautiful, quiet and exotic surroundings. Walking through tea plantations in Munnar was also lovely - they are dotted with silver oaks and stetch for miles over rolling hills, with some high mountains in the distance, and the tea pluckers, all women, working in groups, were friendly and interesting to watch.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Avtar was likeable, enthusiastic, knowledgeable and fond of jokes and silly expressions, one of which "easily peasily, lemon squeezily" I couldn't get out of my mind for days after my return... He took pride in his job and tried to show us lots of things to break up the coach journeys, which he called adding spices. Although he generally kept an eye on our group when sight-seeing, he let people wander off occasionally and wasn't quite strict enough about setting off on time (himself included); on the other hand, he was patient and resourceful, e.g. he proposed an (easier) alternative walk when he discovered that the steep Munnar trek would be disappointing as the tea plants had been cut down in that area. Also, as no one wanted to do the optional excusion from Kovalam to Kanyakumari, he took us on a walk to see the Fishermen's Beach, and was willing to accompany us if we had free time or offer advice on what to do. He refunded unused kitty money to us on the last day.
Advice for Potential Travellers
It was very hot and also very humid the further south we went, so perhaps best to go before March. I would not advise visiting the Periyar Tiger Reserve in March because the wild elephants are irritable during this dry season and have calves and could charge at any moment (NB: tigers have not been seen by tourists for years). Our local guides were clearly frightened and often told us to run when spotting an elephant that could be aggressive, but had been told we wanted to take photos of elephants and it was difficult to persuade them that we actually wanted to leave! We could not do the Periyar Lake boat cruise because tickets were sold out when Avtar tried to get some a few days beforehand. A reservation system has just been re-introduced and includes a significant booking fee but even so there's no guarantee that places will be available. No one wanted to queue up for 2 hours and risk not going and it would have been particularly bad on the day we were scheduled to go because it was a Sunday, when local Indians go. Swimming can be dangerous in Kovalam because of currents - the waves are high and surfing is possible, so best to swim in hotel pool.
Suggestions
Funnily enough we weren't bothered much by mosquitoes. The food was really good and cheap - a lot of vegetarian meals but quite a bit of fresh fish and some meat. The coach was comfortable and the microphone worked well so we could hear everything that Avtar said. The driver and assistant were good. The roads weren't too bad and we stopped frequently as there's always something to see by the roadside, e.g. brick-making, religious processions and colourful markets, which broke up the journeys - Avtar did consult us first to make sure we wouldn't prefer to drive fast and arrive earlier at our destination! I loved this holiday with its variety of things to see especially the martial art and Kathakali shows which were new to me.
