Last weekend, we went with Rajesh, one of Francois's colleagues, to Calicut, also known as Kozhikode, in the north region of state of Kerala (in southwestern India). A long trip on the night train gave us the impression that we were going on holidays !
On Saturday morning, Rajesh drove us to a peaceful lake up in the Ghats (the local mountains that are covered in forests), and in the afternoon we strolled along the busy streets of Calicut to get the feel of the most important coastal city of Malabar - the name of this small region.
Early on Sunday, our guide felt a bit sick so we went for Plan B: going to Thusharagiri waterfalls on our own, by bus. 60 km and one and a half hours later, we arrived at this wonderful place, nestled in a lush green valley, and up we walked to the waterfalls. Two men from the village escorted us, obviously explaining to us the beauties of the surroundings. All we could do was smile and nod, since they spoke only Malayalam, a language they seemed to think we could master.
Taking a breath from Chennai did us a lot of good, no cars, no rush, only the sound of water falling on rocks and a soft breeze blowing in the trees... That close to heaven ! Getting some exercise was also great to help us sleep well on the way back. And the dinner we had on a terrace, facing the sunset !
But enough reading for you, just take a look at the photo album, and start checking flight tickets...
