We left the hotel at 7:00am and drove through a national park on our way to Ooty. All these cities that we go to are just words with no meaning. I have no idea what to expect. So, I just take the information that I have about south India and assume what the next city will be like. Hot and tropical.
Boy, was I wrong about Ooty. The drive through the national park was a taste of what Ooty would be like. The national park was a bit chilly. Like, light sweater and running shoes, chilly. It's a lot greener than anywhere else I've been. There's close to no litter, and The air is more fresh. We take a little walk around to see an elephant before another 3-4 hour drive.
Turns out that Ooty is a hill station (Hill Station: A town in the low mountains of the Indian subcontinent, popular as a holiday resort during the hot season). Driving up the hill was beautiful, I've only experienced something this beautiful once in Trinidad. There are waterfalls, and there are points when we cannot see out the window because we are driving through clouds. Everything is so green and healthy. I don't think I've ever seen a green like this. My image of India as a hot desert is chased away by the chill coming in the windows of the bus.
It's getting colder the higher up we go, too. Like, two sweaters and a scarf, or a light jacket, colder. The cold affects me. A few posts ago, I talked about how I thought I was starting to get Olivia's cough. I was right. The cough is in full throttle. I can't stop. It's disgusting, and ruining the first day that I've breathed in fresh air since July 13th.
I thought that our hotel would be average, with an average view. I was once again wrong.
The view is beyond amazing. It doesn't even look like the India I live in. Litter is minimal, people are more scarce, and most importantly, I'm breathing in fresh air for the first time since Canada. My lungs rejoice.
After getting settled, we head off for a hike. We're all walking, and ten minutes in I can't walk anymore. I'm out of breath. - Not because I'm out of shape! Because I'm getting a cold! Amanda, who had lung surgery a few months before coming to India and I decide not to hike anywhere. This is the first time I really get to know Amanda. She's really cool.
When Amanda and I go back to our rooms, it happens. The sickness consumes me entirely. I crawl into bed in the most pathetic way possible and I am down for the count. The lack of sleep and schedule is making my immune system weak. Not to mention, Olivia was sick at the beginning, and the cold got passed around like a bag of chips. I'm the sixth or seventh one of be sick with the cold bug. *sigh* What can we do? Everyone else goes to dinner while I lie in the fetal position under six blankets wishing there was a priest by my bedside. Sore throat, body aches, coughing, a fever and very far away from my mother.
But it gets better! I'm being sarcastic. It doesn't get better. Not tonight at least.
We find out in the evening that the view is just about the only good thing about our resort. The rooms are freezing, the hot water only works in the boys room, and food was sub-par. Well, I guess those are the only things that are bad. But the hot water thing is a BFD. (Big frickin deal). Although the view and friends are enough to make up for everything else...I guess.
Boy, was I wrong about Ooty. The drive through the national park was a taste of what Ooty would be like. The national park was a bit chilly. Like, light sweater and running shoes, chilly. It's a lot greener than anywhere else I've been. There's close to no litter, and The air is more fresh. We take a little walk around to see an elephant before another 3-4 hour drive.
This is the only picture I had of the national park apparently. It's a cute elephant though.
Turns out that Ooty is a hill station (Hill Station: A town in the low mountains of the Indian subcontinent, popular as a holiday resort during the hot season). Driving up the hill was beautiful, I've only experienced something this beautiful once in Trinidad. There are waterfalls, and there are points when we cannot see out the window because we are driving through clouds. Everything is so green and healthy. I don't think I've ever seen a green like this. My image of India as a hot desert is chased away by the chill coming in the windows of the bus.
Aafreen and I in a little village.
Bahut sundar hai, na?
(It's very beautiful, isn't it?)
Too good.
Hill villages. So pretty.
It's getting colder the higher up we go, too. Like, two sweaters and a scarf, or a light jacket, colder. The cold affects me. A few posts ago, I talked about how I thought I was starting to get Olivia's cough. I was right. The cough is in full throttle. I can't stop. It's disgusting, and ruining the first day that I've breathed in fresh air since July 13th.
I thought that our hotel would be average, with an average view. I was once again wrong.
Our Resort! HOW BEAUTIFUL IS THAT?!
The view from the little area in the front with Olivia and Serenity.
The view from the balcony
The boys hanging out on their balcony. Chris, Baby Jakob, Jordan
View to the left of the resort.
The view is beyond amazing. It doesn't even look like the India I live in. Litter is minimal, people are more scarce, and most importantly, I'm breathing in fresh air for the first time since Canada. My lungs rejoice.
After getting settled, we head off for a hike. We're all walking, and ten minutes in I can't walk anymore. I'm out of breath. - Not because I'm out of shape! Because I'm getting a cold! Amanda, who had lung surgery a few months before coming to India and I decide not to hike anywhere. This is the first time I really get to know Amanda. She's really cool.
This is Amanda. She lives in Yakima, Washington. She's a year older than me and wanted to go to France, but ended up in India. She's an amazing writer and photographer. She's also really tall. She's extremely honest, straight-forward and strong. When anyone gives us trouble, she's the first one to stand up and help. She picks herself up when she's down and has become an extremely important friend.
We didn't go on the hike, but here's a picture of every else hiking!
When Amanda and I go back to our rooms, it happens. The sickness consumes me entirely. I crawl into bed in the most pathetic way possible and I am down for the count. The lack of sleep and schedule is making my immune system weak. Not to mention, Olivia was sick at the beginning, and the cold got passed around like a bag of chips. I'm the sixth or seventh one of be sick with the cold bug. *sigh* What can we do? Everyone else goes to dinner while I lie in the fetal position under six blankets wishing there was a priest by my bedside. Sore throat, body aches, coughing, a fever and very far away from my mother.
But it gets better! I'm being sarcastic. It doesn't get better. Not tonight at least.
We find out in the evening that the view is just about the only good thing about our resort. The rooms are freezing, the hot water only works in the boys room, and food was sub-par. Well, I guess those are the only things that are bad. But the hot water thing is a BFD. (Big frickin deal). Although the view and friends are enough to make up for everything else...I guess.
This is Olivia. She is from Kalamazoo, Michigan. She is two years younger than me, even though I thought she was the same age as me, she's just that mature. She is one of the smartest people I know. She's knowledge about everything. Books and streets, well-rounded in everything. She even has a great sense of humour! When she talks to people, she instantly knows what they are like and gets along with them pretty easily. I'm really great friends with Olivia. She's great, even if she gave me this debilitating cold.
I'm sorry I infected you with my illness but I love you and your writing and thank you for all the nice things you said. I love you Nish, you're my ride or die :,)
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