Naduvattam

Entry 25 Naduvattam
It seemed to be slow going today, and it was a steady ascent from the start, a few undulating hills but mainly uphill so it was 16:30 before I reached Gudalur, but it was grey noisy and although having a lodge I had no desire to stay, so headed further up into the hills. The tea plantations started even before Gudalur and dominated the views until a Eucalyptus plantation that was a year older than I, though I seem to have grown more girth than they have.




I arrived in Naduvattam as the sun was setting and it was instantly clear that there was no chance of finding a lodge/ accommodation. So I asked the guys hanging around the bus stand what was available and after much discussion had convinced one of them to get me the key to youth hall, less than ideal but there was a cot and it would be warmer inside it than it was outside. Despite working hard climbing the mountain I had been feeling the cold since Godalur and the damp and additional altitude in Naduvattam was making itself felt.



Eventually Basuvaraj's son Suresh arrived and took me to their home which was a welcome surprise. Basuvaraj is a tea planter, his son Suresh whos guest I became is studying chemistry and wants to be a lecturer, his elder son who arrived for a visit is an artist, but works as I driver.

I was cold, pretty dirty and smelly and my ablutions took place at the rear corner of the house where a pipe brought crystal clear stream water which would have been wonderful had the air temperature been above 10degrees and the water temperature a little higher.

But Ive gotten used to cold showers and shivered my way quickly through this one and retreated to the only slightly warmer room and donned all my available clothes, which I was later to sleep in.



The family left me alone for a while, then after chatting with the two brothers and seeing the sketch book of the elder we shared dinner. Well I had food brought to me in my room and the rest of them eat together. Afterwards I had asked to take their photograph and was briefly invited into the main room of their home.



It was soon bed time as they would be getting up from 05:30 and I agreed to sleep until 08:00 but they decided 07:00 was late enough. We shared tea and I got myself on my way, I hate lingering in the mornings and it was good to finally start the final ascent to Ooty.