South India

latest updates:
2007/12/24 - czech travel magazine TravelFocus has published an article about Theyyam ritual dance
2006/10/19 - rest of the photos from India released
2006/09/05 - photos of Kathakali dance released
2006/08/24 - photos from Elephant training center released
2006/08/19 - photos from Ooty released
2006/05/02 - Theyyam Ritual Dance
2006/04/30 - Hampi lanscapes
2006/04/28 - photos from Hampi and the ruins of Vijayanagara released
2006/04/21 - photos from Coorg (Kodagu) released
2006/03/27 - photos from Nambroling monastery, Golden temple released
2006/02/27 - back from south india, processing photos
2005/12/24 - approximate plan of our journey
2005/09/24 - decision was made, tickets were bought.

Prerelease notes

KLM was offering quite cheap tickets at the end of the summer 2005 so once again we were put in front of the question where to travel. And again, there was China in play, together with India and South Africa. The best timing seemed to be for India, so sorry China, you have to wait, again :-)

Photos

More photos from India

Articles

Check out list of articles which I published (mostly in czech language).

Plan

This is our final itinerary

Part one:
• Sandefjord -> Bangalore
• Mysore, acclimatation
• budhist settlements around Madikeri and Golden Temple
• trekking in Kodagu region
• Theyyam - ritual dance of North Kerala
• Hampi - a historical site

Part two after Monika and Pernille come
• Mysore - Maharaja´s palace, silk manufacturing, sandal wood factory
• Ooty hill station - tea plantations
• Kerala backwaters and relax on a houseboat
• Cochin - coastal life and hidden beach time :-)
• Elephant training center - bathing and riding elephants
• Bangalore -> Sandefjord

Tips & tricks

• try the local beer kingfisher - really good :-)
• you do not have to worry about being ripped-off on busses in Kerala and Karnataka states in South india, in 90% you will get even a proper ticket
• its safe! a felt REALLY safe compared to african countries I've been to
• try to catch the lightning of sultan's palace which takes place the firs monday of the month (double check on internet) - thousands of bulbs are lighted on the palace and the atmosphere is incredible
• Hampi is backpackers' place. even if you are not into hippie culture, i suggest you take at least 4 days here. its worth it. rent a bike and wander around, forget the crap about not being secure. ask the locals, they will confirm it..
• take one hour pause at the Buddhist Golden Temple while listening to chanting monks - I got stunned
• if you wanna trek through a territory with most cobras in India, take on sandals like I did and go for several days hike in Coorg