Freddie Mercury and Ladies Toilets

Headed out of Kumily as it was getting a bit cold. Decided to take the front of the bus as it was bound to better than the ‘pirate ship fairground ride’ seats at the back. But oh! The engine, horn and music is loud and hot at the front and you get to see who you are about to crash into. Not quite worked out why there are brake lights on the inside of the bus, normal convention being for them to be at the back of the bus. But there again I suppose it gives the passengers time to put their heads between their knees and brace themselves.

Bonus - our driver was an Indian version of Freddie Mercury! Actually, I’ve started to notice this a lot while we’ve been here, I’ve seen loads of Asian doppelgangers of friends and famous people all over the place! Mind, on the windey windey roads with sheer cliffs and holes in the ‘barrier’ (for ‘barrier’ see loose bricks left by the side of the road) where one of Freddie’s colleagues had lost it on a corner, I’d wish he’d put his fag down and put both hands on the steering wheel.

Enlightening pit stop halfway though the journey. There was no sign of a gents and it appeared that everyone was lining up by the side of the road peeing into a hedge. The girls were directed to the ‘ladies’ ... which was the same hedge with a piece of plastic over it!

Finally got to Kodiakannal – a sort of Indian tourist resort in the mountains.