FOR TRAVELERS:
With Couch Surfing, you can stay with locals in every country on earth. Travel like a local, stay in someone’s home and experience the world in a way money can’t buy.
FOR HOSTS:
Open your home to travelers. Learn about a new culture first-hand or practice a language. Make the world a little smaller; a little friendlier.
Experiencing Pollachi through Couch Surfing
When we arrived at the bus stand in the town of Pollachi, it is almost 2 in the night and we did not really know where we were. We have been in touch with our host Pravin through phone, who was kind enough offer us his home when we were looking to explore the rural parts of South India. We drove to his village nearby, in his car, chatting up, getting to know each other. When we reached his place, the entire village had gone to sleep and stood still with complete calmness as we quietly slipped into the house, trying to not wake up his parents. Tired from a 7 hour journey in a crowded bus from Mysore and all the previous day travel, we bid Pravin goodnight and fell asleep in one of the most comfortable beds in our entire travel in India.
We woke up to the chirping of birds the next day and got ready for breakfast. We introduced ourselves to Pravin’s parents, who were equally gracious and his mom was kind enough to cook for us herself – some yummy South Indian idlis and chutneys. We didn’t know there were so many varieties of chutneys till then.
The Tender Coconut Experience
Energized and refreshed, Pravin offered to take us for a walk in his coconut fields, hence the sight-seeing commenced. The taste of fresh tender coconut was something completely new for us, something we have not yet had the opportunity to try. We walked between the coconut trees in the plantation and our guide searched and selected some mature tender coconuts for us to drink. The whole process of selecting mature coconuts, and plucking them from below seemed like a perfected art. With a curved knife on the edge of a long pole, our guide plucked down several coconuts. With the help of machete’s efficient movement, he cut open the coconut and offered us the drink. After drinking, the coconut is cut in half. The measure had a consistency of jelly and we ate it with the spoon made from the outer shell of the coconut. We finished the first, took a second and then a third. The taste of fresh tender coconut is something I remember to this day and it was the best thing that I have so far eaten or drank. The taste of coconut here was nothing like the taste of coconut which one can buy in the Polish store. If you have not tried fresh coconut you do not know how good it really tastes.
The day passed by and in the evening Pravin offered to take us on a drive to the sanctuary nearby, where one can see, among others, big cats, elephants and some rare birds (if luck permits).So we decided to try ours. Unfortunately, it was a dry season, so we found around ourselves, a few green trees among the dry land. We manage to see just a few interesting birds and macaques.
Trip To Valparai
Had Pravin not offered to host us, we wanted to go to Munnar when we were in South India but it so happened that we didn’t arrive there. Munnar is famous for its picturesque hills and tea fields and is very popular among tourists visiting the southern part of India. So Pravin took us to a place nearby called Valparai , picturesque with similar hills with tea and spices but have not yet discovered by first-time tourists like us. The place is located at about 100km south of the town Coimbatore. We spent the day driving around the hills of tea, stopping every now and then to stretch our legs and posing for pictures. Valparai captivates beautiful landscapes and the tranquility which reigns there makes it one of those places you want to come back. The place is as beautiful as Munnar but completely unknown to first-time tourists, hence allows you to fully explore its beauty.
After three days, our village stay sadly ended. Kaliyapuram is a small village, quiet, very well maintained and one of the cleanest villages in entire India with warm, welcoming people. Unlike the big cities, people in this part of South India are more friendly and open, smiling to us with curiosity and kindness. The village is situated in a picturesque area; surrounded by mountains and coconut plantations. Without doubt, this is a place that recalls the warmth and smile. If you want to experience the true rural South India, when you are in the state Tamil Nadu, be certain to visit Kaliyapuram. It is a land still undiscovered by tourists. Warm, welcoming people live there and we experienced the same with surrounding villages of Vettaikaranpudur and Sethumadai, when we visited some of Pravin’s friends and relatives.
As I write these words, it reminds me of the moments spent there, and we long to go there again, sometime. Memories and emotions come rushing back and I smile, Thank you very much Pravin , you are welcome to stay with us when you’re in Poland.
To know more about our travel in India visit http://www.naszeindie.pl
