India - Through Chris's Eyes

Saturday 3rd April

Awoke just before ten and ordered breakfast in the room as we had done the previous morning - as they had only forgotten my cornflakes but not the milk it seemed fair to assume that breakfast shouldn't have to many mishaps. After waiting about 45 minutes the doorbell rang, Serena answered to the waiter standing at the door with the breakfast tray. Sorry sir no breakfast, as only Serena's order had been cooked. It's now a safe bet that no food orders shall be made for the rest of the stay at the Darshan. Strange, but although belonging to the hotel, the restaurant seems to be on a totally different planet.

Around midday we headed out to a place just next door called "The Thread Garden" advertised as first in world, and by all accounts quite proud of the fact. We paid our Rupees for entrance including camera fee and looked forward to be astounded. After a 40-metre walk we were out the other side and the Thread Garden had been seen. Oh well the day can only get better as we were due to visit the Botanical Gardens and St Stephens Church the oldest in Ooty.

We found the gardens easily enough and they turned out to be a pleasant walk through flower beds and trees and we were accompanied by the Botanical Gardens resident dog for the whole way. Unusually he disappeared when we went to get some snacks and coffee. He later showed up again as we had finished eating, but as Serena had taken such a shine to him she went back and brought him a packet of biscuits, and happily fed him the majority of the packet. The dog himself looked rather bemused as he has probably spent most of his life having Indian folk throwing various things at him most being stones.

Time now to visit St Stephens Church. "Up this road" says Serena, "over there" says Chris, wrong. "Down here and round the bend" says Serena, "look on top of the hill" says Chris. Eventually we found it, more due to luck than anything else, but at least we got there at last. It was bloody shut!!!

What next?

We walked back into town to eat around 4:30 and walked into a restaurant that had obviously had a busy afternoon as the waiter told us to come back in an hour. I needed to get some walking sandals, as the ones I had wouldn't let my feet breath, and they had looked like the feet of John Merricks time I had left the heat of Hampi. This proved to be successful as I soon acquired a nice pair of walking sandals. We headed back to the restaurant as it was approaching 5:30. When we arrived, the same guy came out and said that they were closed until 6:30, totalling forgetting what he'd said earlier. There seems to be a definite connection between Ooty and food or should I say the inability to actually get any.

Strolled back leisurely to the Darshan relatively early, as we need to pack as we have to check out at 9 in the morning.