India!

Since India is a land of contrasts, I thought I would take you on a tour of our sensory experiences in this beautiful country.

SIGHTS

*  Lush green plants like mangoes, bananas, coconut palms, and pineapples are growing everywhere. Burlap sacks are filled to the brim with cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper, and anise.  Cochin, a large port city in Southern India, lies in the state of Kerala, which is known as "God's Own Country." It is so lush it seems that if Indians did nothing at all, the foliage would completely overtake their country in about 6 months.  

*  Brilliant green tea plantations cover the hillsides like a verdant, rolling carpet stretching as far as the eye can see.  You can see every shade of green, and the colors change with the light of day. These tea plants have been there since the 1880s, when the British came to Kerala and cleared miles and miles of forests to plant their cash crop.  Just 5 hours west from Cochin, the Western Ghats are a long range of low mountains, offering clear skies with a hint of alpine in the breeze.  But it is the view that takes our breath away.  We hike and camp for two days in Munnar, enjoying the gorgeous scenery and talking and laughing with our Semester at Sea friends as we go.  

* An older woman dressed in a beautiful red sari stands in the doorway of a pale green house.  The air is heavy with heat and humidity. We are in Ernakulum where a couchsurfer we have never met hosts us for the evening.  Shahid is a very warm, smiling, young Muslim man who lives in a large 80-year-old house with his mother and his uncle's family.  We are given a spacious room on the main level with a queen sized bed and an old wooden, carved daybed as well.  The open air home  with sparsely decorated rooms is designed in a square around a center foyer.  

*  At 5:30 a.m., we unzip our tents and make our way -- using flashlights and the light of the setting moon -- from our campsite to the top of the mountain.   With grey and white clouds below us, we watch the colors of the sky fade from black to light blue to pink, as the sun makes its appearance over Munnar.

*  A mini-Niagra Falls crashes over the rocks 200 feet below.  It is a little more mini than usual because it's not the rainy season, but Arithapally Falls is still quite impressive.  We are the only non-Indians who swim in the cool pools above the falls, and I am the only woman wearing a bathing suit.  Everyone else is in saris.  I feel terribly inappropriate and don't swim long.  Particularly after a man comes up to ask for a photo and a "Small kiss?  Small kiss?"

*  While eating our chicken tikka masala at a nice restaurant, we suddenly find ourselves in pitch darkness.  Power outages are common in India.  Fortunately, the waiter turns on a camping light that is ready just for this purpose.  The power only goes out once more during the meal.

SOUNDS

*  Laughter and cheers erupt from the circle of friends sitting on folding camp chairs by the tents.  We play charades and mafia and then sing songs around the campfire. Everyone sleeps well under the stars ... sort of.  In the morning, Austin remarks, "There was a frog croaking all night long!"  Charlie yells, "Austin!  That was snoring!"

*  Sitting in the cool cafe, we hear the sounds of drums and trumpets.  It sounds like a marching band, and in fact, it is.  We run outside to find a Communist Party parade going by.  The Communist Party of India is alive and well in Kerala, and will probably win in the next election.

*  "You happy, my happy." So says our tuk tuk driver, Sayno, often... and particularly whenever he wants us to go to stores where he gets a commission.  We are not exactly happy, but he is relentless and tracks us like a CIA operative.  He shows up after our camping trip, but we tell him we want to take the ferry instead. Then, while waiting for the boat, he shows up again and continues pushing for us to hire him.  Later that night, he jumps out of the crowd at the Communist parade, and the kids are positively freaked out.  They all begin mounting a "Say No to Sayno" campaign.  In the end, however, he wears us down, and we spend our final day driving around Ft. Cochin with him.  As we leave, Kerry gives him an exceptionally generous tip, but he merely says, "Do you have any more money?"  I wouldn't be surprised to see Sayno when we dock in South Africa, chirping, "You happy, my happy."

SMELLS

*  It is late -- about 9:00 p.m. -- and our stomachs are growling. The scent of spices and fresh Indian bread begin wafting through the campsite. When we finally eat, it is so dark we cannot see our food, which only adds to the symphony of flavors in each bite.  

*  We carry our large backpacks while strolling through the outdoor market in the heat.  Smelly fish share the stage with hanging bananas and fresh okra.  The fish win the most pungent award. 

TASTES

*  Spices in India surprise me because they are anything but their heavy-handed counterparts in the U.S. Curries are soft and creamy, with flavors that develop as you eat.  Vegetarian dishes are complex and spicy, and their heat often comes in waves.  But the breads transport us to other places altogether.  Chewy naan, thin chapatti, and the best of all, paratta -- an Indian bread with layers of sweet dough like a croissant --  truly melts in your mouth.  I don't have time to describe the biryani rice, chicken curry, chicken tikka masala, fried bananas, aloo gobi (cauliflower and potatoes), okra (called ladies' fingers), or dal.  But trust me, each and every dish is delectable.  

*  Stopping to get food for a picnic, we can only find a Subway.  I am depressed at the thought of eating Subway in India, but they serve tandoori chicken subs, which Charlie declares to be the best subs he's ever eaten!  I must admit, they are quite tasty. 

*  We crunch into a potato chip, only to discover spice and heat in a rare, delicious combination.  Lay's Magic Masala chips are coated with onion, chili, coriander, ginger, garlic, black pepper, turmeric, cumin, sugar, salt, and even mango flavoring!  (I checked the ingredients.)  We are hooked.

*  Ice cold milk, sweetened with sugar, tastes refreshing in the heat of the evening.   Shahid's precious mom, brings 5 small glasses on a tray without a word.

TOUCH

*  I'll tell you when we get there, but we don't think Africa Hot has anything on India Hot.  Perhaps it is the incredible humidity... or the intense equatorial sun that burns our skin... or the lack of air conditioning that our western selves are used to.  Whatever it is, we find ourselves wilting and having to rehydrate and bribe our kids with sodas to keep going.  Hey, whatever it takes! 

* The cricket bat is heavy and awkward in Austin's hand.  But he swings and swings until he makes contact with the tennis ball being pitched to him.  Kerry, Charlie, and Austin all try their hand at bat, and the crowd of Indians cheer when Charlie makes a play in he outfield.  Afterwards, I take a photo of the team with Charlie, and his white, blond hair and pale skin stand out in the sea of dark brown faces.  A beautiful collage of color.

*  The kids pull on rough, old ropes attached to massive, square-shaped Chinese fishing nets.  This ancient method of fishing still takes place in India.  Grizzled old men release long ropes which lower the massive, square-shaped nets into the water.  Then, the men pull on the long ropes with large rocks on the end of the them, to hoist the net out of the water.  Other men run out onto wooden poles and pull in the net, then scoop out the contents.  Usually, they pull in some leaves, shells and a few small fish.  But the birds are savvy, and they often pluck the fish out before the men can collect them!  Some kind workers allow my kids to both lower the nets and then pull them back up... for a small donation, of course.  

*  Mosquitos fly everywhere, as there are no screens or glass on the windows at Shahid's house.  We're all taking malaria pills, but we put on bug spray with 99% deet in it too. (Who knew there was such a thing?)  In reality, we probably don't need the bug spray because Shahid's fan offers us hurricane-force winds for our sleeping pleasure.  The kids sleep sideways together in the queen bed, and Kerry and I sleep head-to-toe to fit on the daybed.  Any mosquitos who try to bite us are blown off course by the 90 mile-an-hour winds.

*Sydney and I stand in a small shop while two women drape the most luxurious silk fabric over us.  I have always wanted to try on a sari.  Sydney's fabric is grey and red; mine is purple with gold trim.  She looks positively like a queen.