Mach rides again: Slowly along the Narmada, Kerala, Coorg, loop north instead...

Yo folks (and sorry for usual lengthy ramblings ahead -- maybe I'll do a comprised version later ),

Less to call attention to my very own personal upcoming trip, but hopefully a good place to leave future queries (I don't have many at present, find a few strewn in below though, marked *) and, hopefully and finally, many a report and update -- meanwhile, allow me a little notwithstanding the occasional pang of at the prospect as well -- :

It looks like I'll finally be joining y'all on the Subcontinent for a while (two months in fact) again after a far too long time, should be landing in Mumbai on Tuesday Feb. 17th. (Mumbaikars, will be contacting several of you in private, and enquire about a Meet-up in due time of course.)

(Ridiculously cheap airfare from Brussels btw, some 320 Euros with British Airways for a year return ticket [!], in keeping with what Spike had reported on just recently.)

(Minor downside: Land Brussels late at night on way back, where int. trains only start running again next morning. Oh well, I'll figure that one out.)

Plans: Take it easy there for a bit at first, meet up with some people. Take off for a tour to follow roughly the Narmada River from mouth (Bharuch if I'm not mistaken?) to source (Amarkantak methinks?) Usual suspect places along the way: Omkareshwar, Maheshwar, Dhar, Mandu, Jabalpur, Mandla, Ramnagar. Plenty more to find out about as I read and go along no doubt (reading tip: Gita Mehta's A River Sutra, a collection of stories set along the river and loosely strung together. I just presented Mrs. M. with the Dutch translation, De heilige rivier, have yet to start reading it myself.) Plenty a sidestep to be had: Coast north of Mumbai, Pachmeri, possibly Bhopal, Sanchi, Bhimbetka, Bhoramdeo, whatever. (Daman even, some good sights around Vadodara? Well, let's not overdo it.)

No idea how long this will take me, I reckon a month or so. Afterwards, not sure, nor do I mind much. I'm a sucker for the northern plains and so a loop around roughly Kolkata-possibly Sundarbans and some of rural West Bengal-Varanasi-Delhi (most of which I've seen already, but there's always fine-tuning to do) would have appealed to me. Thinking mid-March to mid-April though, I'm afraid this could already be getting scorching hot.

(* Yes, that is a query, so am I right thinking it could be getting uncomfortably hot? Another one and conversely, methinks for the first Narmada/Madhya Pradesh leg a pair of jeans & sweater & blanket [traveling Sleeper Class and similar too, mind] that time of year, so mid-Feb.-mid-March, would still not go amiss no, is that correct? I've frozen my ass off on the northern plains once & don't intend to do it again. Nor do I mind giving away or sending back home later what I don't need, and I do otherwise and once again intend to travel as lightly as possible, something I rarely succeed in though )

So with a view to the weather, and the northern mountains not being my greatest attraction at the moment, I was thinking Kerala and southern Karnataka would seem to have the more even climate year-round, possibly getting humid by then, but not quite as hot. I partly grew up in the tropics anyway and don't mind such weather much, it's the dry and scorching northernly heat that I have no experience with and sort of dread, and in any case have no idea how I'd cope with.

(* So is my thinking regarding the weather in the South-West being more even correct?)

It would be a shame as I'd have loved to meet up with folks in Kolkata and Delhi among others, but maybe save it for a next time then.

So assuming head south-west from say Jabalpur/Kanha (oh, did I mention Kanha Park is a must on the itin.?) instead:

First and sticking to a northerly theme, Gwalior and Orchha I would love to see, perhaps throw in Ujjain, Jhansi. Could figure as sidesteps to the Narmada route, long ones though, and little reason not to push on to Delhi from there. I'm afraid it would just get too much.

Alternatively and time permitting, could be done perhaps from Jabalpur, maybe throw in Khajuraho even, then turn back south, Kanha and onwards. I guess the weather would play up just the same to do so however. I will, btw, just see on the spot what I feel like, and what the weather feels like, and make up my mind. I'm just thinking out loud, don't need to have the whole thing set in stone either.

But so let's assume skip the above deliberations and head southwards: Hyderabad, of course! Meet with the Capt. Perhaps some other people could and would want to make it here. I would have loved to make it to Chennai and see Nick, but it would be another long loop out & I don't have much to look for in the wider area at this particular time, although I could think of plenty if I do.

On to Bangalore would make sense, and more members to meet. I missed the city on an earlier visit, when it was said to be quite cool; I know by now it's said to become horribly congested and stuff instead, but wouldn't mind seeing it either way.

Head on to Cochin, meet up with 2Cents and whoever else is there. Maybe scout out some lesser-visited places in the area, do another backwaters ferry ride just for the hell of it, it is so pretty. Other than that, I've seen Kerala and don't mean to spend too much time here.

Into northern Kerala and Coorg region. I only drove through here once going Hassan-Madikeri-Thalassery, amazingly pretty, so would aim to retrace my steps and properly explore this time. A bonus would be since it's up in the Western Ghats it ought to be cooler if all else gets too hot.

(* Query: Would it be horribly foggy though? Well, even that has its charms, don't mind really. We should be talking say late March/early April'ish by now.)

Whatever time's left, I wouldn't mind checking out Goa even, LOL If there's one scene that doesn't attract me it must be what I imagine is there, however I reckon it should be very much off-season and conversely a lingering Mediterranean colonial atmosphere I'm very much a sucker for, which I should hope can also still be found there. And still more greenery, or so they say, or in the inlands at least. If I really hate it, just move on, right.

And off to Mumbai & out we go again, and never forgetting two months ain't all that long either, so it will all become a choice of any of the above, and then maybe it will all go topsy-turvy again. Ah, throw in Ellora & Ajanta somewhere here, should really see them this time if I can. Daulatabad for that matter.

Well, thanks for having me ramble out loud, it's just fun to share & helps one get one's thoughts in order. Comments are appreciated, but really, no one needs to break their head over itinerary advice and stuff, I'll manage & have a pretty clear view by now of what I want to do. & Am looking forward to report what it all was like upon return.

* A final silly and oft-discussed deliberation, I've been looking into the Steripen water filter, it's just an attractive idea to not have to deal with hauling in and disposing of silly plastic bottles all the time. At around 120 Euros it clocks in rather steeply to me though. Would probably save me some 40 Euros of bought water for the two months, making it not all that much more economical. I understand it doesn't even last forever, although probably many a similar trip. And it's another gadget that can only be costly to lose. I'm so far undecided, it will turn out just a simple yes or no in the end, right.

Oh and did I mention I'm terribly excited at the whole thing & no matter where I end up?

and also for going when I'm not.

YES do see Gwalior and Orccha. Khajuraho I didn't like much. Tourist trap. Heading out from Mumbai across MP sounds like an idea, then from Varanasi southwards or something.

If you do hit Delhi and need anything (well, almost anything) let me know. You need to spend at least one night with the motley crew I've been open-mouthedly observing for 10 weeks!

A great pity yes, would have been so nice to meet.

Indeed, that's sort of what I guess it will all boil down to, but from the source of the Narmada (a little beyond Jabalpur, which will probably be the hub here) then.

Varanasi isn't a must-see, I've been twice before, really loved it and wouldn't miss it if I passed remotely by there, but it doesn't make much sense unless I do the northern loop.

Gwalior and Orchha I have a feeling would be right up my alley yes, but I'm afraid it may turn out just impractical on this route, will probably have to wait (once again... But isn't there always stuff that has to wait. Hey, at least it keeps one going )

Thanks, for your other thoughts too, much appreciated. I would have dearly loved to hang out with some Delhi IM'ers yes, but it looks like it won't be happening this time. Hey, if airfares continue this way, I might be back sooner than you (or even I) had thought! (Well, better see how India goes down on me this time first... But what if I hate it? Get lonely? Can't find my way?* )

* For that matter, how the heck does one pronounce Bharuch anyway? --> Never to fret, I'll get some Mumbaikars to teach me )

Hey, Mach, congrats on your proposed trip, it sounds wonderful! (P.S. Take a look at some pics just sent to you by Mr. t of Amsterdam.)

Forget the steripen - buy a ZeroB push on water filter gadget, and a small plastic container to keep it in. They cost 287 rupees and you should be able to get one in Mumbai at any provision, household items type of store - it works on the principle of an iodized resin filter and I think very effective for water purifying. However, if you have any issues re the iodine, may not be the thing for you. I've lived with mine here for nine years with no untoward effects.
Have a great trip Mach - you're going into unknown territory for me. Coorg is one place I wouldn't mind seeing some day.

india awaits to check out topi ka neeche kya hain!

welcome mach!



:brishti

Heheh. Remember the dress-up project Brishti? I'll be in touch, soon, of course.

Thanks others above again for feedback, too. More later, will respond to each and all (getting stuff together of late even took some energy, taking it easy on the typing at present. Can hardly believe yet it's actually happening for that matter. Apparently it is. Yikes )

Great!

Let me know.

good for you, mach!

Two months, what a great opportunity!

Delighted to hear those itchy india feet have got the better of you and that you are on the way!

Queries? Confidently expecting few: you know this site inside out, and exactly where to find everything already!

Feedback? Confidently expecting lots: looking forward to great travelogues from you!

When I saw you said rides again I took it to be on a bike.

Anyways that took me back to Patalkot. Off the train at Gwalior, reassembled my mountain bike on the station and next day took off toward Shivpuri, Chandheri (recommended, beautiful weaving and Sari’s, Jain) and Bhopal via an interior route plotted from 1:250000 bought at Survey office on JanPath.

Bhopal down to Pachmari and then toward Chhindwara, but turning left well before near Tamia, looking for mythical Patalkot, ‘a river canyon system so deep that its’ stone inhabitants could only look up in wonder at the strange place above’ (Aitken). There’s a rest house and very small town above Patalkot, which gorge system, after you walk across fields which suddenly drop away to cliffs and with a vista of the gorges that you follow as they wend to sweet Narmada. The country from Pachmari, Patalkot to Jabalpur and on to Amarkantak, off the highways is just splendid terrain rolling through the great forest that were Kipling's backdrops, which he wrote up in Bundi. Then followed the Sone and went East via Sambalpur to the Orissan coast. That was about 10 years ago, still barely a foreigner gets around Patalkot side.

Verrier Elwin (1902-1964), Ring a bell? Missionary turned anthropologist, studies on the tribes are the first anthropological studies in the country, he married into tribal MP life.

Interesting biography too, 'Savaging the Civilised'. Written by Guha, I think.

- crossposted with Capt -
I was just thinking of Verrier Elwin, paleface. There's a great biography of him by Ramachandra Guha. Also a book on MP by Dom Moraes, but the name escapes me at the moment.

Machadinha, your trip sounds great. On your Narmada travels you might want to drop into Hoshangabad as well, and you'll be very close if you go to Bhimbetka.

Also, on Narmada reading, if you can get hold of it Sacred Virgin by Royina Grewal is highly recommended.

Yes, you are all mind-readers. The book of Verrier Elwin, his autobiography, I found in London recently. He is an amazing person, and a great inspiration. It is called "The Tribal World of Elwin Verrier", and in it he recounts his adventures in the North-East in general, and in Arunachal Pradesh, Siang Province, in particular.

Hey, Mach, thinking out loud (as usual) - if this amazing trip outlined above by you is not enough for you, then join us in A.P. ....